jazzyspj

[jazzyspj]

Meeting with Supervisor - 28/2/19

11th March, 2019

We discussed

report template

filling in criteria

report draft

other things to include in the report - likes, followers, personal etc.

#meeting #supervisor #communication

[jazzyspj]

Meeting With Supervisor - 22/2/19

27th February, 2019

We discussed 

the final products

meeting IB learner profiles

filling in criteria requirements

process journal

#meeting #supervisor #communication

[jazzyspj]

#audio #recording #punk

[jazzyspj]

#21 - Production Update: Punk, lyrics, vocals, research, criteria

14th February, 2019

I have finally rewritten the lyrics and recorded the vocals for the punk song. 

Here is the final track. 

I personally like it a lot, since the lyrics are very well representative of my own personal morals and the overall sound is catchy. Even if you can barely understand the vocals, I think the various voice effects I added to the vocals. Even if other people may not like the way it sounds since I feel it is a bit of an acquired taste, I don't think it matters what they think as long as it means something to me. And that's what punk's all about.

I ended up not adding a bass line to the song, although that is a bit unusual for a punk song, especially since the bass line is always a very praised feature within punk songs. I just felt like that would end up over complicating the song and make it sound even more cacophonic that it already does. I also don't have a bass, and I messed around with the amp to make the guitar sound more low but it didn't sound quite low enough, in my opinion. Although I could always end up adjusting the sound in post, I don't want to go through the recording process yet again, which has proved to be very time consuming and tedious. 

The final sound still sounds very punk, regardless of whether of not it has a baseline, so it is not much of a problem.

Whilst coming up with lyrics for the song, the sentences I wrote per line ended up being surprisingly long, and because of the fast tempo, since I rarely sing along with punk songs, it almost felt like I was rapping to the song instead of singing to it. Either way, I am content with the results and I'm glad that the production of all the songs are complete.

I have also finished all the necessary research for each genre, describing an adequate amount about the cultural significance, as well as the auditory features. I think I have done a decent job at creating songs that well represent each genre and its characteristics.

#processjournal #punk #productionupdate

[jazzyspj]

Meeting With Supervisor - 6/2/2019

6th February, 2019

We discussed

meeting with Mr. Ferrick to use his mixer

recording vocals for pop with Erika

division of research

timeline of the progress of Personal Project

final report, MYP criteria

#supervisor #meeting #communication

[jazzyspj]

#pop #audio #recording

[jazzyspj]

#20 - Production Update: Pop, mixer, research

6th February, 2019

The pop song is finally done, with Erika's vocals on the track added as well. We met with Mr. Ferrick, to use his mixer which unfortunately did not have an input for recording attached to it, so we couldn't use it. He told us that he would get the necessary parts within this week, but we were running out of time so we decided to record the vocals anyway using no mixer and just regular GarageBand editing. I doubt I will be using Mr. Ferrick's mixer, but it was still interesting to see how it functioned anyway.

As a result, the vocals sound a bit disjointed from the rest of the backing music, but the overall song quality is fairly good, and I am pleased with the results. Erika's voice certainly helped piece the whole thing together.

Here is the (maybe) final pop song. I might be making some final touches to it, as well as the other songs during the mid-winter break that we get.

Essentially, I have finished 2 out of the 3 songs that are necessary to complete, which are pop and psychedelic. The only thing left for punk is the rewriting of the lyrics and the vocals, which I can definitely achieve before the deadline. 

I also met my supervisor again, and we discussed the timeline, music and the final report. She also suggested that instead of dividing my research into sounds and culture like I have been doing, that I should combine the two and talk about how they affect each other, as they are very closely related.

With the criteria for the Personal Project filled in, my supervisor told me that could serve as a foundation or base for the report and all I need to do is essentially restructure the sentences and make them a bit more organised. 

#processjournal #productionupdate #pop #punk

[jazzyspj]

#pop #audio #demo #recording

[jazzyspj]

#19 - Production Update: Meeting with Mr. Ferrick, pop, psychedelic

5th February, 2019

I talked to Mr. Ferrick, and tomorrow, we are going to record the vocals for pop with Erika. I am done with the pop song and lyrics. I found that it is much more easy to create the pop song in comparison to the psychedelic song and the punk song, as not only is it electronic (so doesn't need so much effort for recording instruments and vocals), but pop songs are also very repetitive and have a very distinctive sound that I feel is easy to imitate. It did not take as much time to finish pop. 

Here is just the backing track without the vocals. 

After I am done with the pop song by adding Erika's vocals, I will be finishing up the punk song by recording my vocals and perhaps adding a bass line.

Additionally, my supervisor said that the psychedelic song is okay, and it is good for the final product. That leaves only 2 more songs left to be completed, which are almost near finished. I have to finish conducting research for the pop and a bit more for psychedelic.

I have one more meeting with Miss Eliza tomorrow before the winter break starts and the final product is due.

I estimate that I would have all of this done before the end of the mid-winter break which is on the 18th of February. After that, I will begin to start the report for the project and give it a more thorough reflection of the products and the overall progress and journey.

#processjournal #pop #psychedelic

[jazzyspj]

Research: Pop

4th February, 2019

Short for 'popular' music, pop is a bit more vague in terms of its stylistic features and characteristics. This is because pop is always developing and changes as people's interests do. Although all genres are in a state of perpetual evolution, pop is one of the most noticeably versatile. For example, rock and pop were largely similar genres in the 1960s until it started changing into a more soft sound with the different usage of instruments and chords.

So, there is a fairly large difference in the way that pop music sounded depending on the decade. As mentioned, some examples of pop music during the 1960s would include rock bands like the Beatles and the Byrds, with the common instruments used being a guitar, drum set, and a typically 'rock' setup. 

In the 80s, there was Prince and Whitney Houston. Artists would incorporate sequencers and synths into the music producing process. From the 2010s, pop started to lean more towards the electronic side with heavy emphasis on bass-heavy drum beats. 

Modern pop music is largely electronic-based, even if the concept of the song was first produced on an instrument. It also includes a lot of repetition, with catchy lyrics and melodies so that it remains stuck in the ears of the listener long after they heard it, creating a desire to come back for another listen. The songs are often about love, or about dancing. Many pop songs are also self-referential, as the artists talk about themselves and their own experiences in life as the main subject in their songs.

There is no single 'pop' sound, as it always borrows influences from other genres of music and creating a sort of fusion sound with mixed genres that combine with pop-py characteristics to create a hit single for the masses. One look at the most popular songs, and it would be hard to compare them all to each other as they may have a more slow feel, a dance-y energy, hip-hop or any other style that the producer thought would create a catchy sound.

Although the pop scene has always been dominated by artists typically from the US and the UK, there has been a recent surge of pop music created in South Korea and sung in Korean, with its own category of k-pop. This is accompanied with its own niche features involving dance and an emphasis on the appearance of the performers. 

However, this is not new to the pop industry. There have been many groups, often referred to as 'boybands,' who are known for being marketed more for their aesthetic and appearance rather than the music. Pop music can be seen as superficial at times, and is often criticised for being more of a way to get fame and recognition, as opposed to creating art through music. 

However, some artists express self-awareness about the various fronts that are put up to appeal to audiences, the most recent being Taylor Swift with her song Look What You Made Me Do.

All these combine to make up the diverse and complex genre of pop, and although the music may sometimes feel easy to make, it is a style of music that is constantly changing and shifting into a new version of what it was before.

Sources

“Pop Music.” Ohio River - New World Encyclopedia, New World Encyclopedia, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Pop_music. 

Morelle, Rebecca. “Pop Music Marked by Three Revolutions in 50 Years.” BBC News, BBC, 6 May 2015, www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32599916.

The Effects of the Internet and Globalization on Popular Culture and Interpersonal Communication, 2012books.lardbucket.org/books/mass-communication-media-and-culture/s09-01-the-evolution-of-popular-music.html.

“Pop - Revision 4 - GCSE Music - BBC Bitesize.” BBC News, BBC, www.bbc.com/bitesize/guides/zcgq7ty/revision/4.

#research #pop

[jazzyspj]

#demo #audio #recording

[jazzyspj]

#18 - Production Update: Psychedelic, Research, Pop

2nd February, 2019

I made some changes to the previous version of the song, added some more parts to it and this is what I have gotten so far.  

I have sent the demo to my supervisor, who I am awaiting to receive feedback from, so that I can improve it and make any necessary changes to it. I have also started conducting research into psychedelic rock or psychedelic music in general, as well as the origins and backgrounds. 

I started setting the foundations for the pop music, putting together some basic melodies on GarageBand again. I went through a lot of sounds and effects whilst I was working on the psychedelic song, so I have a few things saved up which I think would be good for the pop song. The song should be more or less complete by Tuesday, and on Tuesday or Wednesday, I will be recording the vocals for the song with the help of my friend, Erika, who will be singing on the track for me. She is a good singer, and has a good voice for pop songs. She also has some experience with making music, so I will take some constructive criticism from her as well.

The punk song is still a work in progress, with the lyrics and vocals yet to be rewritten. Additionally, I no longer face any issues with my current process journal medium. I spent a fair amount of time organising things into the correct tags and sections, and I feel like all the posts and entries are a lot more neat and accessible now.

#processjournal #productionupdate #psychedelic #pop

[jazzyspj]

#recording #audio

[jazzyspj]

Research: Psychedelic

2nd February, 2019

Psychedelic music emerged during the 1960s among folk and rock bands in the United States and the United Kingdom. The influence of psychedelic rock had created variations such as psychedelic pop and psychedelic soul, as well as influencing many other genres and subgenres of music, and a number of bands.

Psychedelic rock is characterized by soft and meaningful lyrics, improvisational solos and complex melodies and song structures. They make use of electric guitars, keyboard especially organs and harpsichords. They use many 'unusual' instruments and sounds that are not traditionally used in the production of music. The electric guitars and keyboard is sometimes accompanied a non-Western instrument, such as the Indian Sitar.

They also make use of studio effects such as delay, backward tapes, panning the vocals and instrumentation from one side of the listener's ear to another, unusual voice and instrumental effects, such as reverb or a robotic sound. Their music is often associated with the non-western style and Indian Music.

Another noticeable feature of psychedelic music is sudden melody changes, including a shift in key and time signatures mid-song, creating a break in the flow within the song before transitioning into a new sound.All these musical sounds create a trippy experience that listener would feels, generally enhancing imagination and letting the mind wander off on its own. 

Often heavily associated with psychedelic music is the usage of drugs to alter visual and auditory experiences. They expressed a sense of liberation from the 'norms' of the world and sought out their own way. This helped the music transform into the peculiar sounds it is now known for. There are many bands that have referenced drugs within their lyrics. These lyrics also contained themes of surrealism, or built up a whimsical atmosphere. Following the otherworldly aspect of psychedelic music, the songs were often very lengthy, many times going over the 10 minute and sometimes 20 minute mark. 

The followed the ideologies of eastern-style philosophers, such as Alan Watts. The works of pro-drug advocates such as Timothy Leary also influenced the development of the culture around psychedelic music and psychedelia.

With these influences and ideologies, the demographic of people who listened to psychedelic with its very progressive sounds were stereotyped as peace-driven hippies who questioned the traditional structures and norms of things, much like psychedelic music itself.

Sources

“Psychedelic Music, Its Origins, and Its Effects on Music Today.” Essay on Contrasting Ralph and Jack in Lord of the Flies | Bartleby, www.bartleby.com/essay/Psychedelic-Music-Its-Origins-and-Its-Effects-P3VZLPYTJ.

“The Influence of the 60s and Psychedelic Music and Culture on Modern Society.” Article Myriad, 25 Apr. 2018, www.articlemyriad.com/influence-60s-psychedelic-music-culture-modern-society/.

“The Birth of Psychedelic Rock.” Ebon Music, ebonmusic.com/the-birth-of-psychedelic-rock/.

Hairston, Susan B. “Origin and Evolution of Psychedelic Music.” Medium.com, Medium, 26 Apr. 2018, medium.com/@susanbhairston/origin-and-evolution-of-psychedelic-music-287a1b5708f8.

Rathbone, Oregano. “So What Is Psychedelic Rock?” UDiscoverMusic, UDiscoverMusic, 13 June 2018, www.udiscovermusic.com/in-depth-features/so-what-is-psychedelic-rock/.

“Psychedelic Rock.” Ohio River - New World Encyclopedia, New World Encyclopedia, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Psychedelic_rock.

#research #psychedelic

[jazzyspj]

PUNK DEMO

#demo #recording #punk #punkrock #audio

[jazzyspj]

#17 - Production Update: Punk, Demo, Recording

1st February, 2019

I finally managed to get a decent recording of the guitar. I feel like such a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Here it is, accompanied by a drum track which I got off of YouTube (the owner said anybody could use it as long as it was not for profit). 

I have tried to use the mic again, and it does not work, but it's fine. I didn't have much hope for it when I bought it anyways. I just use the built-in microphone on my laptop, which gave the recording more of a punk feel anyways.

It is by no means a good sound quality, but at least you can't hear the aggressive picking noise over the actual guitar sounds, and there's no sudden change in the volume of the recording.

What I did was that I turned down the gain and drive on the electric guitar (which made a huge difference), and then made changes on GarageBand by adding distortion, and various sound effects on the guitar recording. The drums sounded really clean in comparison to the guitar, which sounded unusual so I altered the sounds of the drums too.

(I have no idea why the picture quality is so bad)

The overall sound ended up being very harsh and honestly a bit hard to listen to, but it does sound very punk and many people don't consider the musical aspect of punk, but rather the message it has. I may have the alter the lyrics I already had written down in order to match the existing atmosphere that the song built up, and make them a bit more raw and punk-sounding.

I hope to meet with Mr. Ferrick next week to see a demonstration of his mixer, which I was supposed to see this week but I was sick so I couldn't go to school that day. I will see if it's something that I feel may be a useful equipment to use, or if I prefer to use a more harsh 'amateur' sounding recording, which does have a more punk feel to it.

I will record the vocals very soon, but I think I will start to focus a bit more on the other songs that I have to make, since I don't want to end up with only one song.

I'm not sure if I will even add the bass, since everything sounds so chaotic, I don't feel like it even needs to be added as it might end up ruining the sound. Either way, I will first record the vocals, then if I have time after that, the bass.

#processjournal #productionupdate

[jazzyspj]

psychedelic

#recordings #demo #audio