Evaluation of Individual performance

I think my individual performance had a mixture of positives and negatives but was overall good. The positives about it were the feedback I got given about the lyrics I had written which made me feel good because my song writing skills was something I had been trying to develop over this whole process. The negatives was the way I sang the song because I don’t feel I gave my lyrics enough justice with the way I sang them. The hardest part through out this process was finding the right sound. Not being able to play an instrument put me at a major disadvantage which is why I recorded someone else playing the backing for me while I sang. Alongside this I have a lack of confidence in my singing which always holds me back. If I had the chance to do this again I would definitely try harder to learn how to play an instrument because I think it would put me more in the moment when I play the piece and makes it feel like it was completely my own. Also I would put more of the focus on my singing development by using the techniques stated in my power point instead of the actual lyrics. As well I would do more research into techniques and tricks I could use to make my performance style stronger and play out timing better throughout the process.

Final Lyrics

My Individual piece

Making my own original piece was very difficult because of my lack of musical ability. Writing the lyrics was a long process but trying to do the music was even harder which in the end I chose to have someone play it for me. I look on the internet for different chords and how to play them so I could try playing them myself but it didn't turn out the way I had hoped.

The song writing process:

Artists as writers

A major influence in my song writing is listening to how other artists write their lyrics. The factors I look for in this is:

• The use of metaphors and similes
• The emotion behind the lyrics 
• How the make me feel 
• If I can relate to them or not 

Artists I look at in relation to these are:

• Sam Smith 
• Ella Henderson
• Ed Sheeran 
• Labrynth  

Artist as Artists

When starting working on my Individual piece I started looking at Artists I like and all the things that make the good artists such as:

• Vocal range and ability
• How they performance
• Entertainment factor
• Likeability

 The artists I looked at for examples of these are:

• Evanescence 
• Paloma Faith
• Sam Smith
• Ella Henderson

Group work 2

Another part of our group performance we thought about was writing out own song. We wrote it based about student life and going out because of how much it relates to us.We used the mind map idea and wrote down everything student do in the day and on a night out.The song was called 'Student Life.'

Group Work 1

For our group music piece our main influences we're a mixture. This was because we all had our own individual tastes which made it tricky when picking songs. We searched on the internet for covers that other people had done to see if it gave us any ideas. Our ideas varied from 80's music to current chart pop and RnB music. In the end we decided on using a medley of Sam Smith songs. This was because we thought an each song would show off each individual persons singing style and vocal ability. I chose 'I'm not the only one,' Levy chose 'La la la' and Kirsty chose 'Like I can. 

Something I have been working on

I've been working on my song writing skills. How I started doing was I would use mind maps of random things such as: my thoughts, feelings, life, Uni, money, girl stuff, how my days going etc. By doing this it helped me group the same sort of things together which would make it easier if I ever wanted to write about feelings etc. 

An Arrangement

What is an arrangement?

An arrangement can be split into two things:

1. A cover - a piece of music or a song that is similar to the original but has been altered slightly to suit the new writer or composer.
2. An arrangement - where a piece of music or a song has been completely changed.

Example of a cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGoCtJzPHkU - In this video the girl is singing Titanium by Sia acoustically and stripped back with just a piano in the back ground. 

Example of an arrangement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv0NDgCzl6U - In this video the man completely changes the song entirely by using a key board piano as the music and the singing. 

Improvisation

What is improvisation? 

Improvisation is a writing style that means you don't think you just do. When writing music I find its so much easier when you free your mind by not thinking about it and just writing down whatever pops into your head. 

For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU

In this Video of Ella Fitzgerald she is on stage Scat singing. She has a very jazzy and bluesy feel to her voice and uses different tones and pitches. She uses musicality to listening out for the rhythm and when the start of each beat starts so it prompts her to start Scatting. Although all this is going on she doesn't know what kind of a sound she will hear which makes this totally improvised.

Finding your own Individual music style or genre

We were given a piece of text to read and in groups pick out the important parts that we thought told us the most about how a person would find their own style. The Beatles were used as an example in the text:

• The difference between music and random sounds are how a persons brain interrupts it.
• What music can teach us about the brain and what the brain can teach us about music.
• How the Beatles hold the pitch constantly and only rhythm with in several songs.
• We don't realise how much each individual is mentally affected by music and how our brain interacts.
• What makes art is the relationship between the lines.
• How it questions whether music lyrics have a meaning or are they just words,

Music is a timeless thing where it cannot be categorised into one particular era/genre/style etc. New music and sounds are always coming out or being discovered. This basically means that, music will always be around no matter how old you are and there will always be a song you enjoy.

What makes a music piece?

What makes a music piece? 

When creating a music piece there are many important factors to consider such as:

• The key - whether the piece is a happy or sad song
• Lyrics and melody - what the meaning is behind it
• Tempo - The pace of the piece whether its slow or fast
• Instrumentation and motif - the character of it, how it flows
• Structure and themes - the story behind it
• Rhythm and meter - what style is the piece?
• Harmony and dynamics - How does it makes you feel, what emotions do you relate to it.

Each of these hold a important role when writing or composing music, they all intertwine together and support each other.