Evaluation

Critical analysis:

My project is was to make 3 track with Neo-soul hip hop and RnB elements, this fits into the music industry because, most of the music today especially in hip hop, they use a lot of jazzy complicated chords and good sounding RnB vocals. a good example of this is j Cole and Kendrick and the song they make.With my work compared with bigger artists, I feel like I've still got a lot to learn before I reach where they are. For example, some gospel artists know most complicated chords of by heart and can identify chords that have been used in any song which I would like to be at and the only way for that is practice. Where I am struggling at is learning new neo-soul chords and putting them into my work. I also feel like I'm struggling in also my vocals and the deliverance for my voice which in time will get better by practising. I would also change the vocals in my RnB track and put more harmonics in my work instead. What I would do differently is make my tracks with all three elements into one track for my time to mix it.

Research:

My research at first was based on Neo-soul chords, hip-hop drum patterns and RnB vocals. What developed with my vocals was my breathing and vocal techniques. this developed cause I wanted to know how to breathe correctly when singing and how to use vibrato in my song. What else developed was researching mixing and different plugins on logic x. I researched this so I know more about mixing for my track and what the role the compression has. My method of research was mostly online and some from asking teachers for their help and insight towards what I was researching. theses research where useful for me cause it help close the gap in things I didn't know from the start for my project. What I've learnt from my research I have embedded them into my work. for example, my Neo-soul track has complex minor 7 chords which I research online and from my teachers. For my area of work, I feel as if I did enough research for my project. For my research, I should of lookup on different mics and micing techniques. I didn't think about that at the start because I didn't think I was going to use live elements in my tracks.While researching I've learnt about different vocals techniques and breathing when singing or recording vocals. also, I've learnt about neo-soul chords and how to play them in my track.

Technical/Practical skills:

My research helped in my practical work by providing the information need for each area in my research.An example of this is with my Neo-soul with chords.before researching, I had no clue about the chords and how they are played. the skills that I've developed over the project was being able to come up with complicated chords. another skill I've also learnt in doing able to mix my work to get a good balance of sound. Over the project, my skills I've got already has expanded more than before I started to project but I still need to learn a lot more in other areas such as mixing/mastering, complicated chords and vocals. I develop the skill I've got from the project but researching and putting into practice what I've learned from what I've read.

Presenting My Work:

For the presenting part of the work, I decided to put my work on SoundCloud.I choose to present my work like this because, In the music industry, hip-hop artists or producers would put their music online for their audience. Since I was doing a hip-hop related project I thought that would be the best way to put out my music for my audience. The method I choose for my project didn't reach my audience because I don't have enough audience on SoundCloud.

Project Management:

For Managing each part of my work I successfully completed all that was intended for my project.The biggest challenge I faced was learning and coming up with chords for my Neo-soul track. nothing made me divert from my project entirely but, I did branch out from my original and had to research those to help with my project. For most of my work I fount it hard to come up with melodies. so I got some help with a classmate of mine and he suggested some things I could try. With access time, I use it for mixing and recording vocals. I also went outside the college, such as Roundhouse, to mix when I'm not in college. With my project, I have completed everything that I planned for my project.    

Problem-solving:

The problem I faced during the project was learning how to play Neo-soul chords but sought out help from one of my teachers who help me understand it better. a technical problem I had was mixing and using compression or any other plugins besides reverb into my work. How I solved this is by experimenting with them and the effects it doses too. I also asked for help from teachers if I couldn't understand what they actually do in my work. since the start of the project the techniques I had was good hearing which helps with my mixing. The Ides a had at the start of the project was to perform at the gig but then diverted to putting it on Soundcloud due to the leak of time and preparation.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, i gain a lot of skills from my research and from talking to my teachers and also experience with my practical work that went hand and hand with my research which will help me in the future to become a better musician. Even though I completed my work I feel as if I could have done better in my work and improve on things that seem like it needs to be. For example, I could have come up with a better RnB track with more vocals in the track and also mix it too. I also could have added more instruments and idea into my Neo-soul track but, due to poor time management, I couldn't do that. though I didn't make my track the way I saw it at the start when writing up the proposal, I am happy with what I've learnt and will help me in my music in the future.   

  

 

video decontraction

hip hop research

hip hop drums pattens are really complex and also interested at the same time.

https://www.attackmagazine.com/technique/beat-dissected/chillout-beat-raw-strip-hop/
(Accessed 31 May 2017)
This website is about a track that was created with a hip hop drum patten. the drum track included kick, snare, open Hi-hats and closed Hi-hats. The kick has a lot of delays in the patten same with the snares giving it a feel to the whole drum beat. The Hi-hats helps bring the whole beat together and sound tighter.



[Accessed 26 May 2017]
Heres how drummers would play a hip hop beat groove.

This is useful for me because it show me how hip hop drums are delayed and the feel it give off and how its needed in hip hop tracks. how i plan on using these research into my work is by copying some of the techniques I saw and read.


This is my hip hop track with a hip hop beat. For this track I used a sample i found from youtube and I wanted the drums to work with the sample but also making it still sound like a hip hop drum beat. with the drum I made it into a slow tempo beat and delayed some of the kick drums. The hi-hats I used was to keep the drums together and use triplets making it sound tight with all the drums.

case study 2 RnB

For my project I've decided to do a track with RnB vocals.So for this case study i will be studying how RnB artistes uses there voice in there music and what techniques they use.

In RnB they use a range of techniques and knows how control there breathing. the technique they use is vibrato and phrasing there note.
http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/02/how-to-sing-rb-and-deliver-great-vocals/  This is the website that shows how artistes uses these techniques and the effect it has in there music. 

most RnB artistes uses vibrato which is used at the right moment to give a dramatic and expression effect in there music. This website shows how to produced vibratos.
http://www.wikihow.com/Sing-Vibrato

this is an example of an artistes using vibrato at the right moment which help show the expression he trying to give out through the music.

Another techniques that is in that song is phrasing with his notes and the tone he uses with his notes giving his vocals colour when approaching each notes. this is used to again add an dramatic effect to the music and also helps make the notes clear when they do a riff or run with there voices.

This my RnB track with lyrics. I try to do the same thing as the Weeknd with the way he writes his lyrics and the way he statures it. so less energy in vocals in an more energy in the track then opposite in another part of the song.  

Literature review

Attack Magazine. (2017). Drum Programming: Chillout, Raw Hip Hop - Attack Magazine. [online] Available at: https://www.attackmagazine.com/technique/beat-dissected/chillout-beat-raw-strip-hop/ [Accessed 31 May 2017].

This website is about how to make hip hop drum beat. On this website there's a drum beat that helps to demonstrate how to make hip hop drum patterns which helps me to come up with an idea for my hip hop beat. 

Disc Makers Blog. (2017). How To Sing R&B and Deliver Great Vocals | Disc Makers Blog. [online] Available at: http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/02/how-to-sing-rb-and-deliver-great-vocals/ [Accessed 11 May 2017].

This website help shine some light on of how RnB artistes use there voice on there  track ad the techniques they use. RnB artistes uses a technique called vibrato which is used to make the performance or the song more dramatic. the website also talks about phrasing and how RnB phrase there notes which helps with there vibrato.  

This is helpful because it helps me with my RnB track and gives me the right guidance for singing in my RnB track.

Hear and Play Music Learning Center. (2017). Neo Soul Chords: Exploring Extended Minor Chords. [online] Available at: http://www.hearandplay.com/main/neo-soul-chords-minor-chords [Accessed 11 May 2017].

This website is about how Neo-soul chords are play and theory of the chords which is mostly in minor 7th chords which give it that rich sound. I fount this usefully because i had no idea how Neo-soul worked until looking at this which helped me to come up with an idea for my chords 

MusicTech.net. (2017). Logic Tutorial: The Compressor. [online] Available at: http://www.musictech.net/2015/09/logic-tutorial-the-compressor/ [Accessed 25 May 2017].

In this website talks about logic x's plug in in the dynamic section which is the compression. It Talks about the different compression that the plug in has and what they are used for. 

This helps me to know more about compression and what compression to use for what purpose for each of them. it also help me so I know what to do when mixing with compression.    

Openmicuk.co.uk. (2017). BREATH CONTROL EXERCISES | BREATHING EXERCISES FOR SINGING. [online] Available at: http://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice-for-unsigned-singers/breath-control-exercises#.WQNQnuErL [Accessed 11 May 2017].

This is a website that talks about different warms up and techniques on breathing and on how to control your breathing. The website say that I should breath thought my nose and from my diaphragm. 

This is helpful because it helps with my singing for my RnB and also helps to articulate the words I say.  

YouTube. (2017). How To Play Hip Hop Grooves w/ Beatdown Brown *MY VERY FIRST VIDEO*. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6rUq8NmBo [Accessed 26 May 2017].

YouTube. (2017). Modern Hip hop - R&B drumbeat by Gareth Gale. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrOdFGGLKj4 [Accessed 26 May 2017].

These video are some drum breaks for hip hop which helps me to get more of an idea on what i want for the drums in my hip hop track.

YouTube. (2017). Voice Lesson: Finding YOUR Voice. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niU9s2WwkpE [Accessed 2 Jun. 2017].

This is a video about how to get the full clarity of your voice that might be hidden in by tension in your voice. The video talks about how to relax your body completely.Another tip that was said in this video was to sing in your talking voice and not in someone your not.

This is a useful research cause it goes towards my vocals for my RnB track or any track that i've decided to include lyrics

Week Reflection

WEEK 1 -

PROPOSAL



WEEK 4 -

Target :- Research on Neo soul chords and try to put it in my work

Summary :- This week I looked up on different Neo soul chords and learnt that most Neo soul chords are mostly in minor 7 chords which gives it that jazzy sounding. I know the chords used now i need to know how its used. I also try to put in my work but it was harder to put it in my work then it is researching it. the problem i was facing was that the chords was really complex and hard to play.
http://www.hearandplay.com/main/neo-soul-chords-minor-chords

Refection :- This week has been successful in terms of research but in terms of adding the chords into my work hasn't been to successful since these are really complicated chords. for next week My plan is to do some more research on Neo soul chords and how they used and try to get a track going with those chords.




WEEK 5 And 6-  half terms

Target ;- more Research

Summary :- These two weeks is half term and most of the time I've just been looking up on artistes in RnB, and Hip Hop. I've also listen to hip hop artist that has used or uses Neo soul chords in there music and understand how its used in there music

Refection :- In these weeks I think I understand how I should use the chords when i'm making my track with the chords. I've also decided what I'm going to do for my RnB track and hopefully it will be successful. week I will be doing my mid point presentation



WEEK 7 -  Mid Point Presentation

Target:-  presentation


Reflection:- The feedback I got from my peers was sensible and totally helpful. one feedback was to combined each track into one track and use the three elements in the three genres I decided to work on. it was a good idea but I felt like that wouldn't be challenging enough for me so I kept it as a backup plan.






WEEK 8 - work on a Neo-soul track

summary- in this week I started on making chords for my Neo-soul track which by the help of Olly, help me understand Neo-soul chords better.

reflection- so far I've got a 4 bar loop of my Neo-soul track beat and I really like how it sounds so I would say its a success for this week. next week I will work on a hip hop beat I am making with the sample I found on youtube.


WEEK 9 - hip hop beat

summary- I have started on my hip hop beat which is based on a sample I found of on youtube and putting in the drums for the track with logics UltraBeat plug in.

reflection- with this beat I found it hard to come up with the melody for this so I need to work on this a bit until I have the perfect melody that fits with the sample.the drum are a bit slow but i think it works well with the sample and the bass. next week I will try to come up a track for RnB.


WEEK 10 - RnB track and research

summary- In this week I have made a slowed tempo beat with chords for the main part of the song and know what I want in my track. I also research on vocals in RnB which help me with coming up with the harmonics for the track.

Reflection- I feel like I could do better with the vocals to make it better sounding so I need to work on that perhaps next week and also record drums for the Neo-soul track.


WEEK 11- Recording and mixing

summary- In this week I recorded drums for my Neo-soul track and also guitar and picked out and edited the ones I wanted in the track. I also finished and started mixing my hip hop track for the final stage of my project in that area.

reflection- the mix for the hip hop track needs a lot of work and need to know how to use compression and overdrive in my mix. as for the Neo-soul track, the guitar gave it its melody and it sound good and is ready for mixing next week ill do lyrics for my hip hop and RnB track.

WEEK 12- recording vocals

summery- This week i records lyric for my RnB track and now is ready to be mixed and put up for the deadline.

refection- for the lyrics if i had a little more time i could perfected them so they sound great which I might not have time for. With the lyrics I wrote about being in loving in someone.next week i will be focusing on my other written side of the of my project that needs my attention.

WEEK 13- write up for my tracks

summary- this week was the deadline for my music and now need to do the right up for what i did for the tracks.

Refection- I feel like I've achieved new skills from these tracks but i feel like i could of done better with the tracks if i had more time.

my neo-soul track

I had some trouble with my Neo-soul chords but after I got some help with my teacher I knew what I was going to do. for this track, I used an electric piano for the main part of the track made up of minor chords. I was listening to a lot of different hip-hop beat and songs and most of them have Neo-soul chords and I thought that would be great to put in my music more often. I also used the live recording in my track which is the bass and guitar.

This was when I was recording the guitar for the track. I used a D.I for the guitar with had a paddle which gave it more body to the sounding of te guitar instead of the raw sound it was giving off. for both the drums and guitar I picked the best takes and cut them up with the parts the sound good.

my RnB track

This is a RnB track I made with lyrical. I got the idea for the track from listening to Devvon Terrell and how he uses RnB vocals. for this track, my intention was to use harmonies on the track like most artists now days do. I looked up on the weekend's way he writes his lyrics and what he does is sing one part with less energy in the track with more energy in his vocals and the opposite with the chorus. I tried to do that in my lyrics or at less close to it. for recording the vocals I used the Titan because it's a condenser microphone and can pick up more frequency and the polar pattern are changeable but I choose cardioid to can vocals from all directions.  

This is a plug in called pitch shifter. what i did with this is harmonased with the chorus for the first part then used touch mode to automate it for when the second part comes in the plug in effect is gone. reseaon for theis in because it didn't sound good in the second part but on the frist part it sounded great.  

The lyrics for the track are:

Hook: I want to be your one x2 (4 bars) I want to be the one you choose 

I want to be the the one that you choose x2 

I want to be the one that stands out to you 

Verse 

It's been a long time now 

Got something on my chest right now 

I just gotta say it or I'll go crazy on this beat now 

We've been talking talking talking talking talking nothing hasn't change now 

How I'm I suppose to keep these feelings inside 

You see the thing that I like u Im hoping one day you'll be mine 

Showing you off to my friends like a prize 

Telling them I found myself one fine queen 

I don't want that as a dream 

No 

Reality ain't a seem

So 

you and me should be team 

Step back and acknowledge me

Ohh

Hook: I want to be your one x2 (4 bars) I want to be the one you choose 

I want to be the the one that you choose x2 

I want to be the one that stands out to you 

Verse 2

I want to be the one that stands out to you 

I want to the on that's loyal to you

I want my name the one you call 

I want to be the one the one the one 

The only one 

Whenever you say name you feel confutable  

Whenever I'm around you feel Safe 

Not worried at all about damn thing 

That's my role 

Bridge 

The only one x2 

Hook

my hip hop track

this track is a hip-hop track I made based off on different drum patterns I've  heard from people like j cole, logic, Kendrick Lamar, Ect. In this track, I have included my research to do with hip hop drum patterns. I used a sample from Youtube and build the bass and melody around it.

after adding all the melody and bass I wanted I focused on the drum pattern I wanted. when making the drum pattern I was listening to a lot a logic songs. and one that stood out to me was the song called "soul food". I wanted to make a slow beat to making a mellow beat. 

for the kick drums, I EQ the kick drums and overdrived it to giving is more beef to it. Then copied the kick channel to give it more transient.  

case study

For my project, I have decided to do 3 tracks each containing hip hop RnB and Neo soul. For my case study, I will solve how to play Neo soul chords.

Neo-soul chords are quite complex in terms of the way it's played and how it's played and used in Neo soul music.
http://www.hearandplay.com/main/neo-soul-chords-minor-chords
(Accessed 11 May 2017)

This website show how Neo soul chords are played. What I got from this website is that they mostly played in minor 7 which also give it was jazzy feel to the chords.

This is a tutorial of Erykah Badu's song other side of the game. in this video, the person goes through the chords that are in the song which is neo-soul chords. 

the chords are:

                     A

♭

 

 E 
 F
 B 
 G

♭
 
 E

♭
 C
 D

♭

this tells me that Neo soul is mostly played in minor chords.

how I plan to use this method is to play most of my chords in minor chords and a lot of nice clashing notes to giving a sense of fullness to the piano sound.

this is a score for the chords i played in my track. The chords are:

F# maj7

F 7

Db maj7

Ab

Bb m add 9

Bb no 3 5/7

F# add 9

Ab 6

Bb m

F 7 sus4

F# add 9

F m 9

F# mak7/#11 sus2 

F# 6

F#

F

this is the start of my Neo-soul track. for the chords, I used a lot of clashing notes and minor chords as I researched with Erykah Badu track. 

RnB research

for my RnB side of my project i will be researching how RnB artistes use there vocals in their music. the artistes i will be looking at are Devvon Terrell, Usher, and Chris Brown.

this a cover by Devvon on the song humble by Kendrick Lamar using RnB vocals. in the original song kendrick dose not sing on it but raps throughout. what makes this cover so unique is that Devvon uses RnB in and a way that he's sing but also singing too.

http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/02/how-to-sing-rb-and-deliver-great-vocals/ this like is about how RnB artistes uses there vocals on there songs which was help for to know. RnB artistes uses vibrato and phasers to give off a sense of feel to there music,

bibliography

References:

Attack Magazine. (2017). Drum Programming: Chillout, Raw Hip Hop - Attack Magazine. [online] Available at: https://www.attackmagazine.com/technique/beat-dissected/chillout-beat-raw-strip-hop/ [Accessed 31 May 2017].

Disc Makers Blog. (2017). How To Sing R&B and Deliver Great Vocals | Disc Makers Blog. [online] Available at: http://blog.discmakers.com/2015/02/how-to-sing-rb-and-deliver-great-vocals/ [Accessed 11 May 2017].

Hear and Play Music Learning Center. (2017). Neo Soul Chords: Exploring Extended Minor Chords. [online] Available at: http://www.hearandplay.com/main/neo-soul-chords-minor-chords [Accessed 11 May 2017].

MusicTech.net. (2017). Logic Tutorial: The Compressor. [online] Available at: http://www.musictech.net/2015/09/logic-tutorial-the-compressor/ [Accessed 25 May 2017].

Openmicuk.co.uk. (2017). BREATH CONTROL EXERCISES | BREATHING EXERCISES FOR SINGING. [online] Available at: http://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice-for-unsigned-singers/breath-control-exercises#.WQNQnuErL [Accessed 11 May 2017].

YouTube. (2017). How To Play Hip Hop Grooves w/ Beatdown Brown *MY VERY FIRST VIDEO*. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6rUq8NmBo [Accessed 26 May 2017].

YouTube. (2017). Modern Hip hop - R&B drumbeat by Gareth Gale. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrOdFGGLKj4 [Accessed 26 May 2017].

YouTube. (2017). Voice Lesson: Finding YOUR Voice. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niU9s2WwkpE [Accessed 2 Jun. 2017].

mid point presentation

This is my mid point presentation. For the presentation i talked about what my project is and what i've been working on.

the feedback i got was really helpful and give me idea of what i could do for my project. one feedback i got was that I should combined all three genres into one track. I thought that was a good idea but the point of my project was to challenge myself to push my musical skills and i thought that wasn't as challenging the making three track with each genre. But, if I for see that that might not work or i'll run out of time, ill consider that idea.  

neo soul

today I had some help from my teacher Olly regarding neo soul chords and help break them down for me

He showed me how jazz minor chords focus more on the 3 and the 7 so no matter i play i must have those in my chords. he also showed me that playing all those chords in the same voicing sounds rich but very muddy and suggested that i should play the root note a bass note and leave it at that.

This is a major g and what he was showing me was all the things you can do with the chords. 

so far after learning that i've came up with this neo soul track 

vocals research

for my EXP project I'll be including vocals in my For RnB tracks or even all 3 tracks. What I'll need to know towards this side of the project is how RnB vocals phrases words, the techniques they use to make their music interesting. I'll also need to look up on different vocal warm up and breathing to help me with when i try to embed vocals into my work

In this track i added RnB vocals to a hip hop beat. All i did to with vocals in just harmonised with each other. 

I cam back to this track and didn't really like it. instead i took off the vocals and just left it as a hip hop track and added vocals on an RnB track which sounds much better.  

(Accessed 2 Jun. 2017)

This video is about of to use your full range with your voices and get the colour that may be hidden by tension in the throat. To get the full sound of your voice you have to just relax your body. This is a useful research cause it goes towards my vocals for my RnB track or any track that i've decided to include lyrics. Another tip that was said in this video was to sing in your talking voice and not in someone your not.

EXP proposal

Introduction:

My proposal for the EXP is to do 4 songs and perform at least two at the gig and/or also upload it on Soundcloud. They will be hip hop and RnB based and ill be using live elements and also midi in my tracks. I will also try to collaborate with different people in my class towards my project and hopefully get a good result out of it which also includes a band to perform with.

context:

The reason for doing this project is because my work I do is mostly influenced by hip-hop and R&B. And also this project will help me in my goal to become a recording artist and also shape my productive and mixing skill I've been tough throughout the years on the course. Also, I would like to focus on this is because I'll like to learn more to do with hip hop, R&B and chords. Also, it gives me an opportunity to research on different ways of recording live elements in a studio. 

area of research:

In my research, I will be looking up different techniques on recording live elements with mics, D.I, etc. I will also be researching thing on songwriting and how to apply them to my work when writing lyrics for my songs. That can also like into chords and Chord progression which could be useful. These research are important because it will help me to gain more skill and experience with live element sounds and help me in my goal. I will also be looking up at how mixing works and how to go about doing it in my work which will help me in my productive when I have to get the right sounds in my track. 

Methodology:

I aim to achieve this goal by putting to practise everything I've learnt while researching and embed them into my work. Each week I well review my successes and failures and post it as a blog saying what I did and how I can improve or change it in some way. I'll also talk about the thing I need to work on and how I will go about doing that, when I plan on working on it and what I expect to gain from working on that particular matter.

Timeline:

At the start of the project, I will research first songwriting techniques to help me make the tracks. That same week I'll review at the end of the week on what I learnt and try put it in my work. After that, I'll have at least 2 track written up while still researching. The next week after I'll start my research on micing and recording in a studio with live sound elements and different ways of recording them. I'll also be on a computer trying to embed what I learnt whether it be mixing or songwriting techniques. (3-5 weeks). After that, I should have 2 more tracks ready and start to write lyric for them. I will also at the time be recording live elements on the track and removing some midi part with accrual live sound and also begin writing up the bibliography (6-7 weeks). On the last week, I'll be ready to perform my songs and upload them to SoundCloud.