DJ Diary - Week 1

DIARY ENTRY - Week 1
This week I was messing around with the traktor, trying to beat match and get a very basic mix together. I did not have my own tracks to mix yet but I was able to use some of Blaine's house tracks so I got to play around with some different music that I wasn't used to

After this session, I have assessed that Beat matching is the area I really need to work on If I want my final set to sound good. For next week I plan to keep looking through songs that I could put into my set, seeing if they fit the genre and mood I am looking for

CP Proposal

PROPOSAL

For our Collaborative Project, I will be creating a 4 track EP with fellow producers and classmates D'Angelo and Blaine. Our main aim is to produce the songs on the EP at a professional studio standard and for them to be correctly sounded to our chosen theme. Genre-Wise we are looking at a Trap/Hip-Hop EP with deep themes related to Ambience. 

We will all be working collaboratively as co-producers to create, release and publish the EP. In addition to this, we will all be working on side-projects related to the EP.

Blaine will be performing a DJ set containing the songs on the EP as well as other songs of the same genre.

D'Angelo will be mixing and mastering the tracks using his skills in that area.

I will be designing some artwork for the project using my skills in photoshop. 

CONTEXT

Prior to this project, my background in music was 'Production' and 'Song Writing', so most of my work on the EP will be centred around producing the tracks. I will be using the skills and techniques I've learnt within my own personal projects as well as the entire skill set I've learnt this year within my college projects.
Ongoing, I am extremely excited to learn new skills and production approaches that I am eager to gain through the upcoming sessions and experience in the project.

MY RESEARCH

My research will fall into three main categories.

1. I will look at the work of other Ambient Trap/Ambient Artists that I follow and analyse the different elements and dynamics in their production, by doing so I believe this will help me in the production of my own ambient sounds. This I feel is the most important task for me as Ambience is a new genre of music that I have not specifically worked on before so referencing to similar artists will be essential in getting started.
2. I will look at different production techniques and methods for making trap sounds. Researching things like this will help us fully incorporate the hip-hop/trap aspect into our tracks.  
3. I will research different ways to prepare a recording and subsequent setting up of a studio to do so. The instrumentals to our track will all be produced using a DAW, but to include some vocal recordings, we will have to set up some audio sessions and source a place to record. Doing this is essential to the whole recording process as recording vocals is something I have not done without the guidance of a teacher/engineer before now.

RELATED WORKS 

TRAVIS SCOTT - YOSEMITE: This track holds a good example of the type of ambient sounds we are trying to create. The tone is uplifting and has an 'out of this world' type of sound to it while the drums and bass within the track display the stereotypical patterns and sounds we are looking to emulate.



LANCEY FOUX - MIA: This track features more experimental vocals, while still holding the typical ambient sound to it. These vocal techniques and the fairly minimalist drums I feel are good for inspiration for creating a more unique sound on some of the tracks

METHODOLOGY 

In order to achieve these goals I will need to do the following:

1. Establish a communication line between my peers, this will most likely be via whats-app group chat. 
2. Be active on this group-chat and communicate within lessons so that we can effectively organise sessions and update one another on progress.
3. Reference to other artists in my research.
4. Develop my production skills and expand my knowledge and ability in production techniques, this will be done through research, online tutorials and through experience in sessions with my peers.
5. Create regular demo tracks and sounds that I can share with my group and assess/re-assess regularly.

TIMELINE

Week 1 - Find sounds and samples that fit the overall sound style of the EP we are trying to create. Creating a sound-bank for me to use for a lot of the beats for the EP. I will then source out samples that match the style of this sound-bank that I could possibly use. After this, I will start creating ideas for beats for the EP sending them to my collaborators for evaluation.

Week 2 - Use these sounds from the sound bank to create a loop kit that my collaborators and I can use for the duration of the project, this will consist of melody loops. We will experiment before creating these, possibly with slide notes (glide function) and using automation with a phaser or flanger or even EQ to add depth to these melodies. 

Week 3 - After this, we can use these melody loops to create some beats collaboratively. We will make 4 beats initially to test the waters and generally hone in on the sound we want, receiving feedback and improving this sound. 

Week 4 - Start writing lyrics for the new beats. Basing the content on London youth culture. Also, prepare to make more loops by finding more sounds on Omnisphere and doing more experimentation before creating the actual loops. 

Week 5 - Talk to my collaborators and plan what the subject matter of the songs will be, in context to lyrics and what we will be talking about. Making our lyrics consistent and unique. Also, do some experimentation with auto-tune on how it works and what settings we like. 

Week 6 - Use past experimentation and sound bank to create 4 more melody loops that we can work with for the final beats for the project. 

Week 7 - Record songs over beats we already like. Furthermore finalising and tweaking the rest of the beats making sure they have a balanced mix. 

Week 8 - Finish recording over the last few songs in the EP making sure vocal takes are clear and articulate. 

Week 9 - Start mixing the vocals for the songs, could also experiment with the use of gated reverb on some songs 

Week 10 - Send mixes out to my collaborators making final adjustments so they are ready to be mastered. 

Week 11 - Master songs making sure all drums are hitting and we are satisfied with all of our work. Any last tweaks to be done. Send songs to be released on sound cloud. 

EVALUATION

I will aim to reflect on my work through progress updates, logging the research and practice done that week. This will involve noting and expanding on the research and productions that I have done, relevant to the project. These updates will also involve the collaborative process's our group took to make decisions and the reasoning behind actions towards our production.

I will also be completing my overall evaluation towards the end of the project. This will help me evaluate what I did well and bad as an individual as well as a group and how I could do better in future projects. From this, I can expand on the skills learnt and the research that has helped me develop as a musician.

RESEARCH: Sound of Space

SOUND OF SPACE

While writing my proposal, I stated that I wanted my project to have sounds themed to the sound of space. I was kindly reminded by Olly that there is no sound in space, due to the lack of molecules for sound to travel through. This made me realise that the 'sound of space' I had in mind, does not come directly from space but more the from the way Western movies and music has portrayed the sound of space when used as a setting. This allowed me to delve deeper into the origins of the sound me and my peers wanted to use.

'A Trip to the Moon' - Considered the first movie not set on earth, the 12 minute long film features a group of scientists who travel to the moon. In terms of the music, It only features basic classical music of the era that would appeal to the audience of the time