Music Rehearsal Skills Diary
Task 1 Assess Personal Goals
Previous Experience
My experience within music is somewhat limited. During primary school, I didn't really play instruments, the only experience I got was singing assemblies every week and the occasional visit to St John's Church with other primary schools. Over my time in secondary school, I have competed in House Music once, been part of two musicals (although I missed two of the final performances for one because I was ill) and performed in House Drama every year. I don't really do anything of this nature outside school however I have been able to teach myself the basics of several instruments (guitar, piano, ukulele, drums, beatboxing if that counts) alone. Recently, I have been laying much more classical piano and have learnt how to read music addmttedly still slowly but practice makes perfect. Despite taking an interest in many different instruments, my voice always has been my favourite musical ability of mine and it is certainly my best used. I have a fairly decent vocal range, my diction is good and I have always enjoyed it the most. My biggest weakness when singing is definitely my breathing. When I struggle with that, my voice loses power and I can't control it very well. I know that with more work, I can improve on this and I have been told it is not as bad as I think it is (perfectionism is sometimes a curse). I think that because my voice is what I have used for the longest amount of time and it is what I feel I'm best at then that opens up a lot of opportunities because it is what I am most inclined to share with other people and build the best upon. I'm also quite good at recognising when I'm doing something wrong vocally which makes changing into better singing habits much easier. The biggest threat to my voice is definitely confidence. When I get nervous I often tense my shoulders and this is not helpful to my breathing and it makes my voice sound far less full than it could. It also makes me look more nervous to an audience than I might actually feel.
b) Personal Goals
My main goal with this course is to develop my skills and confidence within performing and music. Nerves often sabotage my performances unless I am in a group of people and it causes me to doubt my musical ability which is something I really wish to avoid. My instrumental skills are nothing spectacular, something I also wish to work on, but I'm not deaf and I know I have ability as a vocalist, it is removing nerves and embracing that ability that I would really like to change. My taste in music is actually quite helpful in this, I love Korean pop music and there are so many different groups with individual styles, vocals, abilities and teaching methods. Since it is such a competitive industry, sticking out from the normal and having decent vocal backing behind the styles is essential and it is something I wish to emulate in my own music. The fan base of kpop is huge and includes many music teachers and vocal professionals who analyse how the singers create their sound and how they are able to put on such an incredible performance without sacrificing their vocals. Watching a lot of these videos and reading these articles has already helped me recognise decent technique and having a platform like the internet to communicate with these people makes it even easier to get help wherever and whenever I need it. The main steps I will take to achieve what I want will be exposure, the more I perform the better I will get at it. I know my parents would be willing to listen to me when I want and with the internet, I have debated posting covers on YouTube, Instagram or some other platform.
Task 2 Describe the profile of the rehearsal process for a specific performance of 15 minute material
a) Planning Notes
Setlist
BAE BAE - BIGBANG
BANG BANG BANG - BIGBANG
LOSER - BIGBANG
EYES, NOSE, LIPS - TAEYANG
RHYTHM TA - iKON
I have chosen these songs mainly because I like them and because they are diverse in tempo and style. I think it's very important as a performer to enjoy the music you are showing to other people and to have fun because if you are having fun, then your audience will have fun. The songs show many different aspects of my musical abilities and stage presence; the first two are fairly upbeat and are rap based whereas the following two are mostly vocal and are slower. Certainly the third one in particular relates to real experiences I have and continue to have meaning I should be able to deliver a genuine, heartfelt performance.
b) Health and Safety
When performing you have to make sure you take all safety precautions.
Make sure you wear ear protectors when practicing to protect your hearing.
Make sure that the stage has a barrier around it or make sure the stage is big so you don't fall off of it when getting closer to the crowd.
Don't stage dive unless you have no barriers and people can come right up to the stage or if you know that your fans will catch you.
Make sure that there are no unprotected wires to avoid harm.
What Makes A Good Rehearsal?
1. Always plan the rehearsal beforehand and stick as closely to the plan as possible. This gives the rehearsal decent structure and uses time as efficiently as possible since everyone is focused throughout. Remember to prioritise work over fun whilst still keeping it interesting.
2. Knowing the material beforehand hugely impacts the efficiency of the rehearsal. Already having a basic understanding of the songs lyrics, chords and structure really allows time in rehearsal to be spent perfecting the song rather than learning it and it doesn't burden anyone else in the rehearsal. Working on particularly difficult parts alone also maximises the time you have to rehearse.
3. Make sure the rehearsal space is a place where everyone involved is not afraid to mess up and get things wrong. A huge part of a rehearsal is perfecting things that aren't quite right but people need to make mistakes in order for that to happen. Inviting people who aren't part of the group or performance to watch a rehearsal is unlikely to help with this so keep it specifically for the members of the band or group.
4. If you are rehearsing in a band then allocate one person as leader. They can be there to focus everyone if things slip off track and make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Obviously, do not neglect conversation and communication throughout the band as a whole while doing this.
5. Warm up using material you already know that isn't part of the set. This is especially important if you have a vocalist or aren't used to the rehearsal space.
6. Record things in different ways depending on what you want to work on. If the aim is to improve the look and stage presence then perform the setlist to a camera, dealing with any mistakes as you would on stage. If you want to improve the sound of the song, record the audio and listen for what needs to be better.
7. Do some things that are fun like trying a new song or writing some new material, but don't use this as an excuse to procrastinate.
8. Take breaks every so often to keep focus. Many studies show that the amount of time you spend practising is not the important part, it is doing more deliberate practice that is essential to improving. A good structure for this is working for 30 minutes then taking a 10 minute break. The break may seem like a waste of time but it will actually help in the long run.
9. Have one rehearsal set up completely like a performance to get to grips with the flow of the songs and possibly anything that will be said between songs. This can make instrument changes seem more fluid and improve confidence in the performance. Perhaps inviting a few people who will be honestly critical to watch or recording this is a good idea.
10. Evaluate the performance afterwards and assess what can be done better next time.
b) Health and Safety Implications
Hearing
As an artist, hearing is essential and protecting not only your own but your audience's hearing is very important. When performing music be sure to run through the songs before performing (this should be done for more reasons than just safety anyway) and check the sound levels are safe. There are apps online that can check the sound levels are safe for people which you should use, especially if you are playing naturally loud genres of music like rock or metal. Varying the setlist between loud and quiet songs can help to protect your hearing from things like tinnitus (a persistent ringing in the ear) or loss of your hearing after damaging the fine hairs within the ear.
Rehearsal Space
Be sure to clear wires out of the way during rehearsals and performances to avoid injury from tripping, especially since this will disrupt and possibly end your performance. Setting everything up correctly not only protects the instruments from damage but also allows you to keep everything organised. Know your rehearsal or performance space well to avoid tripping or falling.
c) Response to the brief
The brief is that you will perform 15 mins worth of music in a school concert for a charity event.
I think music that is fairly upbeat, engaging and well performed is important for an event like this. I have been to smaller charity events with bands or musical performers and having something fun on stage has often lightened the mood of the place and made me more inclined to give money or time to the charity in question.
12th September 2017
Today we rehearsed 'Counting Stars' by One Republic as a class and did a few recordings. Overall I think it went quite well but I did notice a little tension in my voice around the verse parts since it is a very awkward part of my range to sing, however Stacey was quite strong in this area and could cover for me. I felt surprisingly confident while performing and was able to improvise in certain areas and show some stage presence (I think). I knew the majority of the lyrics and the structure of the song which made performing it considerably easier. Having a mic stand and proper set up as well was incredibly helpful for the performance and my confidence, along with standing up this made it much easier. We changed the ending a little to make it connect better which worked out well in the end, despite the occasional mistake in rhythm.
19th September 2017- Rehearsal Plan
TASK 3 - Review and Evaluate your progress
This recording is not as good as I know it could've been since I was a little rushed but it is a significant improvement from what I was like practising over the summer holidays. I am getting much better at playing the chords of the song and singing at the same time but I would still like to work on this more to create a more interesting and complex sound. This piano is also not the best in my opinion and I don't really like playing it compared to a full piano or the keyboard I practice on ta home. I have also got much better at controlling riffs and runs and using that appropriately to enhance the performance rather than make it sound tacky. My confidence has definitely improved and I'm finding it much easier to sing in front of other people meaning I will hopefully be able to really start working on my stage presence and my appearance on stage rather than just worrying about getting things wrong, etc.
Previous Experience
My experience within music is somewhat limited. During primary school, I didn't really play instruments, the only experience I got was singing assemblies every week and the occasional visit to St John's Church with other primary schools. Over my time in secondary school, I have competed in House Music once, been part of two musicals (although I missed two of the final performances for one because I was ill) and performed in House Drama every year. I don't really do anything of this nature outside school however I have been able to teach myself the basics of several instruments (guitar, piano, ukulele, drums, beatboxing if that counts) alone. Recently, I have been laying much more classical piano and have learnt how to read music addmttedly still slowly but practice makes perfect. Despite taking an interest in many different instruments, my voice always has been my favourite musical ability of mine and it is certainly my best used. I have a fairly decent vocal range, my diction is good and I have always enjoyed it the most. My biggest weakness when singing is definitely my breathing. When I struggle with that, my voice loses power and I can't control it very well. I know that with more work, I can improve on this and I have been told it is not as bad as I think it is (perfectionism is sometimes a curse). I think that because my voice is what I have used for the longest amount of time and it is what I feel I'm best at then that opens up a lot of opportunities because it is what I am most inclined to share with other people and build the best upon. I'm also quite good at recognising when I'm doing something wrong vocally which makes changing into better singing habits much easier. The biggest threat to my voice is definitely confidence. When I get nervous I often tense my shoulders and this is not helpful to my breathing and it makes my voice sound far less full than it could. It also makes me look more nervous to an audience than I might actually feel.
b) Personal Goals
My main goal with this course is to develop my skills and confidence within performing and music. Nerves often sabotage my performances unless I am in a group of people and it causes me to doubt my musical ability which is something I really wish to avoid. My instrumental skills are nothing spectacular, something I also wish to work on, but I'm not deaf and I know I have ability as a vocalist, it is removing nerves and embracing that ability that I would really like to change. My taste in music is actually quite helpful in this, I love Korean pop music and there are so many different groups with individual styles, vocals, abilities and teaching methods. Since it is such a competitive industry, sticking out from the normal and having decent vocal backing behind the styles is essential and it is something I wish to emulate in my own music. The fan base of kpop is huge and includes many music teachers and vocal professionals who analyse how the singers create their sound and how they are able to put on such an incredible performance without sacrificing their vocals. Watching a lot of these videos and reading these articles has already helped me recognise decent technique and having a platform like the internet to communicate with these people makes it even easier to get help wherever and whenever I need it. The main steps I will take to achieve what I want will be exposure, the more I perform the better I will get at it. I know my parents would be willing to listen to me when I want and with the internet, I have debated posting covers on YouTube, Instagram or some other platform.
Task 2 Describe the profile of the rehearsal process for a specific performance of 15 minute material
a) Planning Notes
Setlist
BAE BAE - BIGBANG
BANG BANG BANG - BIGBANG
LOSER - BIGBANG
EYES, NOSE, LIPS - TAEYANG
RHYTHM TA - iKON
I have chosen these songs mainly because I like them and because they are diverse in tempo and style. I think it's very important as a performer to enjoy the music you are showing to other people and to have fun because if you are having fun, then your audience will have fun. The songs show many different aspects of my musical abilities and stage presence; the first two are fairly upbeat and are rap based whereas the following two are mostly vocal and are slower. Certainly the third one in particular relates to real experiences I have and continue to have meaning I should be able to deliver a genuine, heartfelt performance.
b) Health and Safety
When performing you have to make sure you take all safety precautions.
Make sure you wear ear protectors when practicing to protect your hearing.
Make sure that the stage has a barrier around it or make sure the stage is big so you don't fall off of it when getting closer to the crowd.
Don't stage dive unless you have no barriers and people can come right up to the stage or if you know that your fans will catch you.
Make sure that there are no unprotected wires to avoid harm.
What Makes A Good Rehearsal?
1. Always plan the rehearsal beforehand and stick as closely to the plan as possible. This gives the rehearsal decent structure and uses time as efficiently as possible since everyone is focused throughout. Remember to prioritise work over fun whilst still keeping it interesting.
2. Knowing the material beforehand hugely impacts the efficiency of the rehearsal. Already having a basic understanding of the songs lyrics, chords and structure really allows time in rehearsal to be spent perfecting the song rather than learning it and it doesn't burden anyone else in the rehearsal. Working on particularly difficult parts alone also maximises the time you have to rehearse.
3. Make sure the rehearsal space is a place where everyone involved is not afraid to mess up and get things wrong. A huge part of a rehearsal is perfecting things that aren't quite right but people need to make mistakes in order for that to happen. Inviting people who aren't part of the group or performance to watch a rehearsal is unlikely to help with this so keep it specifically for the members of the band or group.
4. If you are rehearsing in a band then allocate one person as leader. They can be there to focus everyone if things slip off track and make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Obviously, do not neglect conversation and communication throughout the band as a whole while doing this.
5. Warm up using material you already know that isn't part of the set. This is especially important if you have a vocalist or aren't used to the rehearsal space.
6. Record things in different ways depending on what you want to work on. If the aim is to improve the look and stage presence then perform the setlist to a camera, dealing with any mistakes as you would on stage. If you want to improve the sound of the song, record the audio and listen for what needs to be better.
7. Do some things that are fun like trying a new song or writing some new material, but don't use this as an excuse to procrastinate.
8. Take breaks every so often to keep focus. Many studies show that the amount of time you spend practising is not the important part, it is doing more deliberate practice that is essential to improving. A good structure for this is working for 30 minutes then taking a 10 minute break. The break may seem like a waste of time but it will actually help in the long run.
9. Have one rehearsal set up completely like a performance to get to grips with the flow of the songs and possibly anything that will be said between songs. This can make instrument changes seem more fluid and improve confidence in the performance. Perhaps inviting a few people who will be honestly critical to watch or recording this is a good idea.
10. Evaluate the performance afterwards and assess what can be done better next time.
b) Health and Safety Implications
Hearing
As an artist, hearing is essential and protecting not only your own but your audience's hearing is very important. When performing music be sure to run through the songs before performing (this should be done for more reasons than just safety anyway) and check the sound levels are safe. There are apps online that can check the sound levels are safe for people which you should use, especially if you are playing naturally loud genres of music like rock or metal. Varying the setlist between loud and quiet songs can help to protect your hearing from things like tinnitus (a persistent ringing in the ear) or loss of your hearing after damaging the fine hairs within the ear.
Rehearsal Space
Be sure to clear wires out of the way during rehearsals and performances to avoid injury from tripping, especially since this will disrupt and possibly end your performance. Setting everything up correctly not only protects the instruments from damage but also allows you to keep everything organised. Know your rehearsal or performance space well to avoid tripping or falling.
c) Response to the brief
The brief is that you will perform 15 mins worth of music in a school concert for a charity event.
I think music that is fairly upbeat, engaging and well performed is important for an event like this. I have been to smaller charity events with bands or musical performers and having something fun on stage has often lightened the mood of the place and made me more inclined to give money or time to the charity in question.
Today we rehearsed 'Counting Stars' by One Republic as a class and did a few recordings. Overall I think it went quite well but I did notice a little tension in my voice around the verse parts since it is a very awkward part of my range to sing, however Stacey was quite strong in this area and could cover for me. I felt surprisingly confident while performing and was able to improvise in certain areas and show some stage presence (I think). I knew the majority of the lyrics and the structure of the song which made performing it considerably easier. Having a mic stand and proper set up as well was incredibly helpful for the performance and my confidence, along with standing up this made it much easier. We changed the ending a little to make it connect better which worked out well in the end, despite the occasional mistake in rhythm.
19th September 2017- Rehearsal Plan
- Warm up using traditional vocal warm ups and running one or two songs I know
- Go through the songs I already know well in setlist to identify my weaker areas
- Learn the lyrics in full for Stigma
TASK 3 - Review and Evaluate your progress
Rehearsal Skills Diary
Week: 4
Date: 19/09/2017
How I prepared for today's rehearsal:
To prepare for today's rehearsal session I set out a basic outline for what I would do in the rehearsal and wrote out my goals for the session. At home I learned the chords for the song I worked on and listened to it often to get a good idea of the tune, structure and rhythm.
What I set out to achieve today:
Today I wanted to learn and memorise the lyrics for Stigma, especially the second verse and the last chorus. I also wanted to work on the piano chords and adding fills in to make it more interesting when performed.
How I was successful today:
Today was quite successful because I remember the lyrics much more and I've improved my ability to change between the chords, making it possible to add fills.
Target for next rehearsal:
- Practice playing the piano and singing at the same time
- Learn the verse piano part for untitled, 2014
- Learn the vocal parts for Rhythm Ta
Rehearsal Skills Diary
Week: 5
Date: 26/09/2017
How I prepared for today's rehearsal:
To prepare for today's rehearsal I set myself a clear goal using my rehearsal at home and made sure I had all the materials I needed. I printed off the lyrics to the song and downloaded the instrumental and rock version of the song for me to practice with so I could learn the structure of the lyrics and start on memorising them. I rehearsed the song several times over the weekend and listened to my entire setlist through for at least an hour.
What I set out to achieve today:
Today I wanted to learn the basic structure of the lyrics of the song Rhythm Ta (except verse 4 since I want to dedicate more time to that verse) so I can sing it through with backing vocals or lyrics and the instrumental.
How I was successful today:
Today was quite successful because I can now sing along with the instrumental for the entire song without messing up the rhythm and being able to keep my own style. I remember the vocal parts mostly and can rap the first verse with backing vocals and/or lyrics.
Target For Next Rehearsal:
How I was successful today:
Today was quite successful because I can now sing along with the instrumental for the entire song without messing up the rhythm and being able to keep my own style. I remember the vocal parts mostly and can rap the first verse with backing vocals and/or lyrics.
Target For Next Rehearsal:
- Run through the song entirely several times with lyrics
- Learn the vocal parts off by heart
- Run the song entirely without lyrics twice, once at the start of the rehearsal and once towards the end
Rehearsal Skills Diary
Week: 6
Date: 3/10/17
How I prepared for this rehearsal:
To prepare for this rehearsal I practised at home as much as could (I was ill for a large portion of the week before which obviously limited my ability) to determine exactly what I needed to work on in the rehearsal.
What I set out to achieve today:
Today I wanted to learn the vocal parts of the song off by heart and be able to recite the first verse with lyrics in time with the music, preferably learning it as well.
How I was successful today:
Today was quite successful because I now know the vocal parts, with a little struggle in pronunciation at the end, and I know almost all of the first verse. If I continue to practice regularly and listen to my setlist regularly then I will know the entire song except for verse 4.
Target for next rehearsal:
- Run through the song entirely twice with lyrics and twice without
- Practice verse 1 a few more times to consolidate the lyrics
- Start learning verse 4
Rehearsal Skills Diary
Week: 6
Date: 4/10/17
How I prepared for this rehearsal:
To prepare for this rehearsal I downloaded a slow version of the song so I could learn verse 4.
What I set out to achieve today:
Today I wanted to try and learn the lyrics to verse 1 by heart and start learning verse 4.
How I was successful today:
Today was quite successful because I was able to sing the entire first half of the song without using lyrics and I know the first few lines of verse 4. I can almost rap the entire thing using lyrics and backing vocals but I do need to put more time into it before it is perfect. I would also like to work on my pronunciation of the words, making sure it is not just correct but as forceful as a native Korean speaker.
Target for next rehearsal;
- Run through Stigma to make sure it is as perfect as I can make it for now
- Practice Rhythm Ta without lyrics at east 3 times
- Learn verse 4 well enough that I can rap it to the instrumental with lyrics
Music Lesson Diary
Week: 6
Date: 5/10/17
In the lesson we started by discussing what I want from my lessons in the future and the things I want to work on specifically. I said I wanted to work on singing technique, specifically diction, projection, changing between chest voice and head voice and performance skills. We did a few warm up exercises focused on diction then I played one of the songs I plan to do in my final performance and sang it through once, pretending it was a performance. She identified a few areas for me to work on to make me seem more confident on stage, which I plan to practice at home, and asked me to bring in an English version of the song so she could understand what the song it about to help me develop my gestures.
This recording is not as good as I know it could've been since I was a little rushed but it is a significant improvement from what I was like practising over the summer holidays. I am getting much better at playing the chords of the song and singing at the same time but I would still like to work on this more to create a more interesting and complex sound. This piano is also not the best in my opinion and I don't really like playing it compared to a full piano or the keyboard I practice on ta home. I have also got much better at controlling riffs and runs and using that appropriately to enhance the performance rather than make it sound tacky. My confidence has definitely improved and I'm finding it much easier to sing in front of other people meaning I will hopefully be able to really start working on my stage presence and my appearance on stage rather than just worrying about getting things wrong, etc.
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