Photos of Hip Hop +

Hip Hop at Strode Theatre Thursday 10th Dec

The gig was organised by Joe Viner - here is his report

I organised a gig for college for free called Hip Hop+, it was performed on the 10th of December, It was originally supposed to be a Deejay gig but as acts dropped out I ended up replacing them with Hip Hop acts, the acts that were confirmed for the gig were Rising Son, who had won a competition for his remix version of Nas’s Thief’s Theme in 2004 and it was released on the UK version of the album Streets Disciple. Madcap who has been recording in Strode College with a student who has been producing his beats, they have been working on an album for a year and a half and it is to be released early 2010.

Replay who is a student here at strode college who is from America his producer is also a student, Replay who has been performed many a times at strode college and is constantly recording in the college’s facilities, and he has a mix tape out on the 8th of January 2010 and an album to be released spring 2010. Then finally Dirty Welsh, he is also a student at college who hasn’t performed at college before but he has performed at gigs outside of college as an MC at deejay sets, he too has a mix tape out in 2010. Unfortunately Rising Son had to pull out a day before the performance because of other conflictions, he sent his deepest regrets and sincere apologies and promise’s to do another free gig for college. The way we managed to get around this situation, was that we increased everyone set times by five minutes, and had a little freestyle battle at the end of Replays set and the beginning of Madcap’s set. The next situation we encountered was that Dirty Welsh’s hype man couldn’t make it but Dirty Welsh’s mate who is also an MC Crazy legs replaced him, this encountered another problem because he is in a wheelchair, but fortunately the venue had wheelchair accessibility, Crazy legs also got to freestyle with Replay and Dirty welsh and at the very beginning of the show he did a quick freestyle with Dirty Welsh on one of his own backing tracks.

The show was very successful from there on through out the gig; we had a decent sized crowd of about 80 people, and I will be organising more gigs for the college and for those performers for outside of college gig’s this show that their were pleased with the gig.

The way I promoted this gig was using the social networking site facebook, poster’s and word of mouth, firstly I had a mate in the same class at college with me, he has done some other photoshopping and designs that I have seen, so I asked him if he could do me a poster, which he agreed to do, and it came out lovely. I got those posters laser printed in A3 and A4 and put at least 4 in each block of college, and many in the refectory and a jpeg of the poster on the plasma screen. As for facebook, I started an events page and used a jpeg of the poster and used it as the main image of the event, I then added all of my college friends on facebook and Replay did the same, then I sent out an mail every couple of days to remind people to come and give them info on the gig and tell them to tell their friends

Man with a Movie Camera Rehearsal Video 2009

Man with a Movie Camera Rehearsal Video 2009

Waking Time Posters

Posters made by students for the music technology show at Strode Theatre

Strode College on Myspace

Strode College on Myspace

Download recording / MP3 of the performance

The live performances were recorded by Dave Perry http://www.daveperryaudio.com/

The audio is now avaliable as one big long MP3 album on the Lastfm website

http://www.last.fm/label/StrodeCollege

Contact me if you have trouble finding or downloading this MP3 file

• asmith@strode-college.ac.uk

Review of the show - 10th June 2009

Full review and feedback from students will follow

Students studying the BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology at Strode College produce a performance each year that challenges their creativity and develops their technical skills in the use of music software and hardware. This year they performed a live soundtrack to a 68 minute silent film.
The project started in February when the film was first introduced to the students. We cut the film into sections and started to allocate these sections to student groups and individuals. The students then created musical ideas through a series of workshops and jam sessions. These sessions soon turned into regular rehearsal sessions where the students set up their equipment in the same way they would need to do so in the theatre orchestra pit. The performance used a combination of composed musical ideas, rough arrangements and group improvisation to the visual images. The students used a wide range of music technology including decks, laptops and samplers

The project was a great success. We created a product that has a wide interest to fans of music, silent film and music technology. We previewed the film at St Dunstans School to around 200 pupils and also screened a short preview on the morning of the show for a group of music pupils from Crispin School. The schools really liked this project as it combined music with film which is something they are studying for GCSE and beginning to develop for the new diplomas
We had great feedback from the audience and spoke to the audience afterwards including someone who had travelled from Bristol to see it and a person who saw the 5.30 and came back for the second screening. I also spoke to someone who was interested to know if we would be performing this at the Glastonbury festival. This may be a possible development in future years.

Videos of Sound Checks - St Dunstans

SOUND CHECKS - poor sound quality due to my camera -
St Dunstans School - Glastonbury - drama studio - Wednesday June 3rd - 1.30pm
Performance of the first 15 minutes of the silent film/music project

St Dunstans School - Preview Performance

Students studying the BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology at Strode College produce a large scale performance each year that challenges their creativity and develops their technical skills in the use of music software and hardware. This year they are performing a live soundtrack to a 68 minute silent film.

As part of the preparation for the Strode Theatre screenings on the 10th of June, we have organised some previews of the show at St Dunstans and another one for Crispin School pupils.

This performance at St Dunstans School gave our students an opportunity to try out the first 15 minutes of their performance in front of an audience.

A large audience in fact, probably around 200 pupils packed into the drama studio to watch. John, Shane, David, Adam, Pete and Ralph used a range of equipment including laptop computers, sound systems, samplers and record decks. Ralph Clarke-Norman was a particular hit with the pupils and gave a short demonstration of DJ techniques before the performance. John improvised some very nice vocals lines but we did miss our singers Tegan Viner and Millie Ayton.

The vocal loops and vocal effects through the Koass Pad sounded great and David handled the Sound System mix very well. This was a very professional performance by our students. Attendance by pupils was excellent and feedback from staff was very positive. A number of pupils asked questions and came to the front to take leaflets and talk to our students.

Silent Film - Update May 21st

Only two full rehearsals to go before the show (10th June) - here is why we are not worried!!!

We have made a lot of progress over the last few weeks and now have a full set of tracks all set out to match the content of the film.

Everyone has contributed a track and/or is playing an instrument or singing using effects

All the equipment works and we have decided on a way of getting it all plugged in and working pretty quickly.

We are using Logic, Reaktor and Ableton Live software as well as using DJ decks, Akai MPC sampler and various MIDI controllers.

The music sounds great...really great. And I am not just saying that.

We have one of the fastest bass players on earth

John is a wicked song writer, guitarist and piano player

Ralph is scratching "whaaat" and "whistles" like grandmaster DXT in ROCKIT. yo yo yo. And he has composed a great song on electric piano

We the two angelic voices of Tegan and Millie and we put them through various audio effects!!! cool


David and Toby have come up with some cool tracks using Logic and Ableton

Shane is one of the cornerstones of the project and keeps producing cool ideas including a brand new track

Adam is firing on all samples and providing added Kaoss

Joe is using Reaktor and making some great sounds along the way. He adds something to tracks using his new Korg controller

Silent Movie - PRESS RELEASE

Man with a Movie Camera Press Release 21/05/09

Music Performance / Silent Film
Strode Theatre
Wednesday 10th June

Students studying the BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology at Strode College produce a large scale performance each year that challenges their creativity and develops their technical skills in the use of music software and hardware. This year they are performing a live soundtrack to a silent film.

Made in 1929, Man with a Movie Camera is an extraordinary piece of filmmaking, a montage of urban Russian life showing the people of the city at work and at play, and the machines that keep the city going. It was Vertov’s first full length film and he used all the cinematic techniques at his disposal – dissolves, split screen, slow motion and freeze frames – to produce a work that is exhilarating and intellectually brilliant. The original and semi-improvised soundtrack will be performed live in response to the film’s stunning imagery.

This project involves working with computer software, cutting loops, sequencing music, DJ mixing and synchronising all this with live musicians and the visual images of the film. One of the main challenges for the students has been the seamless nature of the film as there is no story and many of the visual cues are easy to miss. This coupled with playing in the orchestra pit and not in a standard rock band arrangement makes this performance an exiting challenge. The project has also introduced the students to a classic silent film that really paved the way for many modern video editing and filming techniques.

Recorded versions of the finished soundtrack created by the students will be available online after the performances as free MP3 downloads. Details will be posted here soon. There will be two screening of the film, one at 5.30pm and another at 8.00pm. Contact Strode Theatre Box Office to book a ticket on 01458 442846


The Musicians in the photo (left to right)
Marcus Graham , Pete Izzard, Ralph Clarke-Norman, David Antoski, Toby Bellars, Tegan Viner, Adam Chestnutt, Shane Costelloe and John Steer. Millie Ayton and Joe Edwards also play in the group but missed the photo.

CD Launch Party - Photos

CD Launch Party 2009

The launch party held in the rehearsal studios at Strode College was great. The venue was packed and everyone had their CD and promotional material set out on a stall of their own. There were live performances and DJ sets alongside screenings of the latest music videos made by the students.

I will post more on this later and we also have some photos too

We really need someone else to start posting on this Blog (hint!)

MudSlideSlim - CD Project

Mudslideslim is a one-man band recorded at home in “slim studios”. Mudslideslim has produced a 5-track E.P compilation of dub step, Funk and chilled easy listening music.

The E.P named red moon has 4 tracks of just Mudslideslim and one track starring George Garret scratching. Mudslideslim has been working for around 4 years on writing and producing his own music, with a wide range of influences like artists such as tom waits, Andy c, Radiohead, faith no more and the punk days of the chillies Mudslideslim has struggled to settle down on one sound, but over the last couple of months the electronic rhythms and grooves have started to show.

The music on the new C.D is aimed at people who like a bit of ambient and soul in there music, I have added 2 funk tracks in there to just so the chilled listening doesn’t bore you ears to much.

The last track titled D.R Congo, is a mix of dub step, with some added break beats and interesting harmony. This CD is aimed at people who like a bit of variety with their music and are happy to listening to anything.

To hear more of mudslideslim please visit, www.myspace.com/mudslideslim or search for it on facebook.

Mudslideslim tracks will be available to buy and download on facebook come the end of March.

Today the group worked on a new track. John played guitar, Tegan sang through effects, Joe played loops, Shane used Logic software, Marcus used a MIDI drum pad to play beats, Millie played keys, Adrian on bass and Ralph played the melody on a Rhodes keyboard sound.

The track is shaping up with some reggae influences, a funky bassline taken from an old 'Funkadelic' track and a wicked melody created by Ralph. Joe dropped in a break beat and some nice low bass sounds. We worked on a visual score to help arrange the track and build dynamics.

Poster - Man with a movie camera

Hip Hop track is developing

Ralph, Adam, Shane and John worked on a Hip Hop inspired track today. It started with a break beat that Ralph has sampled and edited on his new Mac book laptop. Once the low end was cut out we could add a bassline. (Pete where were you??) The track is funky and is in Dm but also sounds like it could work well in A (A dominant scale), thats what the bline on the break is playing anyway. It will sound very cool once Ralph brings his decks in and does his DXT thing. (Think Herbie Hancock meets the Roots)

John provided tasteful guitar playing and listened well to the dynamics of the track. Nice delay sound and a cool riff. Adam used Ableton Live software to cut up and trigger recordings of telephone conversations (Scanner style). With effects added and using a hardware controller (M Audio XSession DJ controller) Adam was able to create interesting sounds. The best one (I think) is a sample of a ringtone that flows across the beat of the break. Shane used Reaktor and Logic software to create space age drones and synth sounds. He also cut up a voice sample used on a famous track by Mylo.

This is shaping up to be a cool track that will benefit from having some live bass (Pete!), some electric piano, maybe some vocals and definitely some improvised sax and trombone playing (see Dennis Rollins style !!!)

CD Launch Project 2009 -- Adilla Records

A Dilla Records is a new record label organised and run by the music technology students to release and promote new music in Somerset. The students are in the process of recording, mixing and producing music and designing CD covers ready to launch their products online at the official 'Launch Party'
Logo designed by Tegan Viner

Dziga Vertov's The Man with the Movie Camera (1929)

Information and links will be added to this post as the project progresses.

• Stills from the film
• Vertov

The Cinematic Orchestra

The Cinematic Orchestra (on Ninja Tune (one of the greatest labels ever to exist -- ever!)) produced a sound track for the film we are using for this project "Man With A Movie Camera." They have also released a DVD of the film with live sound track - have a look here -

We have already heard some of the album and will be getting hold of a copy of the DVD to watch in one of our performance sessions. Maybe this soundtrack will become an important influence on the music that we produce live (?)

Technology and Techniques - questions

Each of the students involved in this project have been given specific assignments to complete that link with this project and will give them important grades towards their ND in Music Technology qualification.

To start with each person needs to decide what equipment they want to use and then decide what kind of techniques they will be using to produce their music or sounds. This links closely with their study into the development electronic music and the various techniques used. One of the key composition techniques looked at is 'Music Concrete' where sound recordings are used to create music. This technique was most famously used 'reel to reel' tape recorders and was pioneered by French musicians called Pierre Shaeffer and Pierre Henry (although the earliest works were actually recorded direct to disc - so maybe these guys were the first mix DJs!?)

Over the next few weeks everyone involved in this silent film project will be encouraged to write a blog that explains what equipment and techniques they plan to use and what part they will be playing in the live performance. Here are the questions that will be used to review and evaluate the student's work after the performance at Strode Theatre.

Data

• Details of performance(s)
• Related art form(s)
• Musicians
• Music technology equipment I used
• Sounds / Samples I used
• Composition / Performance Technique I used

Review

• Explain how you worked with the related art form.
• Explain how you worked with the other musicians
• Explain how you used technology in an innovative way. What special technique or method did you use?
• What went well?
• What didn’t go so well?

Key Questions

• What composition method or composer/performer has influenced your performance?
• How have you made the best use of the technology available to you?
• What limitations did you place on your music, if any?
• How did the musicians fit in with what you were doing?
• How does your music compliment the art form?
• What is it about the art form that has influenced your music?

Students 2009

Music Tech Performance Project

,

This BLOG follows a Live Music Performance Project to a Silent Film by BTEC ND Music Technology students at Strode College, Somerset, UK.

Work has started on an exciting music performance project where we will use music technology kit like laptops, music software, effects units, electric drum kit, DJ decks and samplers to play live to a silent film. The film is a classic black and white called "Man With A Movie Camera" and will be shown at Strode Theatre on Wednesday 10th of June. There are a number of BTEC ND Music Technology students involved in creating this live soundtrack as well as some guest jazz and classical musicians that will join us later in the project.

The students will be experimenting with the technology, collecting samples jamming, improvising, arranging and composing music over the coming months in preparation for the one hour performance.
Here is who is involved in the project...