Tuesday 26 February 2013

The Next Step

So today hasn't entirely gone as planned. I was going to do a ridiculous amount of recording today after composing and working on new songs. It seems that that never happened though, I did do a bit of singing if that counts. I like to convince myself that I'm not lazy but, sometimes its an easy contradiction. 

I have been working on lots of various things recently, not quite enough to lose track of yet. I have an acoustic project that has technically been in the making for the last three years with songs coming on nicely, nothing to technical. With this I also have solo working of my own that I'm working on in my own time. I usually make a drum track first and then record live instruments like my guitar or keyboard over the top. Layering seems the best method for me as I only have a two-track-mixer. It's manufactured by SoundCraft which I find to be a very good make, it's called the 'Compact4'. It's beautiful because it does everything I need it to do plus, it's not too tacky.

The most recent track I've popped out of this beauty is a work in progress however, I still find it quite addictive to listen too. It's something about those guitar harmonies! 

Here in a link to the track on Soundcloud:

I suppose the next step is to simply keep at it. I need to keep producing more of my own work, it keeps me motivated!!


Monday 25 February 2013

Hello!

It's been a while since I last posted so I thought I would write a little about myself.
I am a nearly-nineteen-year-old who spends most of her time practising or producing music. If I'm not doing that, I'm either out with my trusty camera or being the casual layabout that I am. I'm not really lazy, I'm just tired all off the time.
I've been playing guitar for nearly six years now and playing the keyboard eve longer... well, just a little!! I got my first guitar just before my 13th birthday. It was probably the best present I had ever had brought for me though, I don't own it any longer as I sold it for a bit of pocket. Well... it was taking up space. It was a challenge to learn how to play it when I was younger minded as I taught myself for six months. I started with the basic chords and tuning, just major and minor chords. When I look back, I'm glad I started out this way. If I had learnt power chords first more basic things would prove a challenge now! However, I did start having lessons at school after this six month period. I started to learn new things and songs that (at the time) I wanted to learn.
This is what I looked like then.... Ish....

The first song that I ever learn on guitar was by Green Day and was called ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’. Like all things at first it was a challenge but, of course it would be. Though, the song wasn’t that technical, I was still new to some of the material within the song. I must brag a little though. My progress with it was very good as I learnt it quite fast. I was so proud of myself. I was told to learn many more things on guitar but got a little bored if I’m honest because it wasn’t as interesting to me. After a while I got bored of ‘chording’ and started to lose interest in music. It didn’t help that at the same time my music GCSE course was on a decline and slowly going downhill. Most of the other pupils weren’t bothered and starting to lose interest too as most lessons became sitting at a computer, watching You Tube. I was kind of stuck in a rut with that. I got and F in Music after all that, which knocks the pride a little but, I know that it was not strictly my fault. I wasn’t the only one to blame.
I had already planned my next move. I was to go to college on an Intro to Music Course (lvl1) because I didn’t believe I was any better but, I felt that I needed to regain an interest and desire in music. I needed to rebuild the passion that I once had. Intro involved me working with new people and was a great way for me to make a fresh start. I learnt a lot form that year, I sometimes think that it’s a shame that it went so fast. I worked hard to ensure that I succeeded. I put in extra effort for theory to make sure I had a thorough and clear understanding still managing to finish the work in the middle of the year. I was offered to continue with my hard to work so that I could access a higher level course at the end of the year. Basically, by the middle of the year I was given an unofficial conditional offer for a lvl3 BTEC course. At first thought, it was a going to be a big leap but, I knew that it was going to be worth it.
A long while later and here I am, on the second year of the lvl3. It still does feel a bit of a long ride but, I’m getting there.
Faith restored.
…Partially.