Blog a million!

So the second week of semester two has begun and already I can see a vast gradient appearing in terms of course work. The academic level seems to have shot to new heights thanks to Articulation class and Music History. The reading material we have been given is of a much higher standard than I expected and so it is now time to pull the finger out on the reading side of the course and spend some focused time digesting it all. I feel that one good exercise for me to do is to attempt as much reading of articles as time gives me in the hope to broaden my reading capabilities.

After a long weekend back home in Argyll and a lot of piano playing I returned to my piano lesson Tuesday morning. Progress is at a low even though I now feel motivation is at its highest. These next few months will see me staring down at the keys in attempt to reach my planning goal of booking my planning stage comfortably by June this year in April. It may seem far away now but that only really counts for 12 piano lessons. Time is too valuable!

Every week that I spend recording our acoustic EP I seem to learn more and more about the methods used. I was pleased with our final product however many of the recordings -like painters and painting - the final product never seems to come. The raw sound we started out with is being warped with overdubs and I feel that the tracks are loosing their true feel and natural sound. Even so, I am still pleased that we are getting the opportunity.

Drum lesson and Zeppelin practice on Wednesday wasn’t the most productive combination. I feel like our set is becoming incredibly solid but due to an in-service day next Wednesday it seems that we only have 4 weeks left till the gig in Glasgow. The gig has also sparked me to consider our playlist for Glasgow. Although we are to learn a 7 song set I feel that the chance of this set being heard with the other dozen bands is a most unlikely event and so we are going to have to start looking at the strongest combination for our set. My communication skills will hopefully both be challenged as each member argues their case for a set in a hopefully democratic dispute.

Well I arrived at my drum lesson and set up only to be left alone for 90% of the lesson as I looked through my chosen pieces attempting to analyze and criticise myself however biased it may of seemed. I believe that I am now having to almost completely self motivate myself through these so called lessons which although is in bad context will benefit me when it comes to the real world in which I will be my own boss and have to keep positive. The pieces I have chosen are quite challenging to me however each is diverse as the other and range from Latin to Jazz to funk-fusion. This diversity in tracks will hopefully help enhance my versatility as a player and give me a larger field to look into when looking for work.

In composition class we were put into groups to try an attempt composing a theme tune for a chosen T.V programme. Each member of my band had their own opinion on what it should go like and how it should be done. This led to a lot of discussion and made me realise how hard it is to compromise with others and at the same time keep everyone involved without taking over and being bossy. These are skills I feel are quite difficult and so I feel this is vital in terms of improving with my people skills. In the end though we managed to compromise and did“24” justice it needed

Thursday became a day full of musical philosophy with music history, brass licks and the life of being a producer. I found the talk with Dave Paterson on a life in the studio most helpful and at the same time surprising. He showed to the class how it happens and revealed to us how the market and commercial side of music works. Dave really showed us who was buying what and gave us some beneficial tips when working in the studio. As a student who aspires to a relatively similar career the information I received sat with me. It seems that now all studio work is of course done to click however its amazing how separate drummers even playing the same music with a click can interpret and give a record a whole different feel. It is this feel that really makes drummers stand out and it is one area I will have to immensely improve on if I am to become as employable as possible. All the studio work I have done lately has however steered me on the right track and so bit-by-bit I am improving.

As mentioned earlier Fridays are now filled with articulation class and it does seem that it will be a struggle to keep up with the academics. This week the lecture was held by Pete and if I had any inspirations as a musician before the true nature and competitive market I hope to enter has now been shown to me. Pete informed the class that if we just want to play a degree really isn’t the thing for us. For an aspiring session musician this really made me think and really showed me how naive I have been while at college in looking at my chosen career path. Although due to the way Pete brought this across it seems that I should just leave college now I do feel that there seems to be no better place to meet and network with other musicians than at the college itself. Where else am I ever going to find 300 to 400 musicians all looking to play in bands and shows?

I have also started to come to terms that it is the most unlikely event that I will be able to support myself alone with sessions or even find a way in to that world. With a degree, the chances of employment are much more likely in any field of work than an HND. For the moment all my time shall be focused on getting that sought after degree hopefully in the attempt to broadening my career paths to support a roof over my head.

Who knows…I may be able to support a lifestyle by just playing drums, but I can’t say I really have met many people that have managed successfully. With the degree coming closer and closer it seems that now is the time to look at the bigger picture with my own eyes and come to terms with what lies out there.

Lol these blogs seem just to stretch and blabber on more week by week however I do feel in analysing my own week and activities I am learning more and more about myself as a musician with every word I type.