Promotion
I haven't mentioned it to many people yet, as I am still in the very early stages of planning, but I am going to be running a charity gig to raise money for Oxfam in October. There are several reasons that I want to do this. The first is that Oxfam is a charity that I feel does great work and I have often thought about doing charity work. I also have very little experience in the live music industry (I'm not counting performing, I'm talking about the business), so I think that it will be beneficial for me to be on the promoting side and see the live music business in the flesh. I have a great love for live music, it is by far my greatest passion (apart from my girlfriend whom I'm sure will read this), and I really want to be a part of promoting live music and raising money and awareness for a charity that does amazing work. These are all good reasons to promote a show, but perhaps the main reason for me as far as my future is concerned, is that it will look great on my CV, provided that the show is at least moderately successful.
In Progress
So far, I have managed to book a venue and book a supporting band (I didn't ask them to be a support band, they requested not to headline). I have yet to book a headlining band, but I am optimistic, I need a band/musician who can sell tickets, feel passionate about live music and about raising money for charity. I have a few acts in mind and am currently waiting to hear back from a few booking agents and artists to confirm.
While I'm waiting, one or two things have occurred to me. Firstly, if I book a band who have a reasonable following, and are also quite a lively, upbeat band, then I may have booked the wrong venue. In live music, you have to make sure (I assume, this is my first time) that the band booked suits the venue, and that the venue has sufficient space and equipment to deal with the band. Fortunately for me, my booking is only “pencilled in”, I haven't paid a deposit on it yet so it is fairly easy for me to move the gig to another venue more suited to my Headliner, provided the replacement venue has the same night available.
The next thought that keeps niggling at me in the question of promoted the gig and selling tickets once I have the line up sorted. Where can I get posters printed? There are several places in Southampton that do poster printing, but they are not cheap, would it be better to get posters printed at uni at 5p a page? Cheaper yes, but the quality would be poor and look unprofessional. And then, once I have designed and had the posters printed, where can I put them? I would guess that both uni's would be a good place to start, the Oxfam shops on the high street would almost certainly let me put some posters up, and maybe some of the other local music venues in Southampton would be sporting enough to let me put some posters up, and maybe even a few flyers.
So that leaves us with the question of ticket printing. I have no idea how to get a decent deal on ticket printing, there are various places on the web that of it for 6p a ticket, but you have to buy them in bulk and the designs are never really what I'm looking for. One of the venues I had in mind does ticket printing at 15p per ticket. Its a more expensive deal, but I do get their logos on the ticket and most likely a ticket design that I am happy with. Swings and roundabouts really!
Professionalism
I intend to run this gig as professionally as I can, I am going to book the bands early and then quickly sort out who is going to need what, drum kits, amps ect. Once I have sorted out the back line and who is supplying it I will send each of the bands copies of the itinerary for the evening detailing what they need to bring, load in time, sound check times, show times and curfew. I will also give a copy of this to the venue and sound engineer, as well in advance as I can.
Reflection
This experience is showing me a side of the music industry I've never seen before. Its like running a business, I have 'x' amount of money to spend and I need to sell 'y' amount of tickets in order to break even and make 'c' amount of profit for Oxfam. This is showing me how promoters work with bands and booking agents, and I am learning the hard way that it not all that easy. However, I think this is something I am going to enjoy and it will hopefully be a fulfilling and enlightening adventure.
Un related
Going quickly to a drumming note, I have been practising full stroke doubles for the last two weeks and really working on my finger and wrist technique. This even I noticed that my tap stroke doubles and half stoke doubles were absolutely flying. Its fantastic how practising one technique can really transfer into other aspects of your playing and improve it in ways you didn't expect it too.
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Scary thoughts and Perspective
Recording
Having spent the day in the studio today, I feel I've given myself a lot to think about. I was recording another drum cover today, and it has to be said, I was never really quite happy with any of the takes I did, which was very frustrating. I knew that today was going to be a struggle, as I was attempting to record drums for a Linkin Park track (will show everyone when its been mixed). Linkin Park were always going to be a tough band to cover, for a number of reasons, the biggest of which being quite obvious, Linkin Park use a lot of synthesisers and loops in there music, which makes it very electronic and dead metronomic. There is absolutely no room for mistakes and all mistakes are undeniably exposed making it a nightmare for drummers (well, for me at any rate). Having said that, I did very much enjoy the challenge, and eventually managed to put together a take that I was sort of happy with. They are an amazing band, Linkin Park, and have a phenomenal drummer whom I have to tip my hat to, not that I wear a hat, I'm not cool enough.
Scary Thoughts
The whole experience has got me thinking, what if I'm am just simply not good enough. It shouldn't matter how hard the track is, I should be able to nail it. So am I good enough? Can I ever be? The fact is that the music business is getting more and more competitive, there are 7 other very good drummers on my course, in my year alone. Think about how many others there are, in identical courses, at the Tech schools, at the music colleges. There are thousands of other drummers in this country alone, most of whom are probably at a higher standard than myself and are looking for the same kind of work I am. I am quickly beginning to feel like a very small fish in the Pacific Ocean! Everyday I hear about other drummers and musicians, guys who can nail takes in one, dead to a click, guys who can blast beat at 210 bmp without sweating. I can't do that! I have nailed takes in one before, but nothing complex, just basic beats. I could spend hours perfecting my fills on recordings, and I still most likely would hate them!
Contacts
And then there is the next scary thought. Who do I know? Who do I know that works in the music industry and would give me work? Of the top of my head, I can't think of anybody! So what am I going to do, in a years time when I finish uni and have to find work? Because I will have to work, I have to earn money. The last thing that I want to happen is to fall into a 9-5 job, and to not be able to be involved in the music industry at all. The idea of not working in music actually terrifies me, what will I do? What other skills do I have? Can I be happy with out music? Playing professionally is my dream, but is it realistic?
Perspective
I think I need to give myself some perspective here. Yes, there are thousands of other drummers in this country, and yes, music is becoming more perfectionist and far more quantised. But maybe this isn't something I should fear. And perhaps I don't need to see it as a competition to be the best drummer in the country. Because I won't win that, there will always be those who are better than me, that is the way the world works. What I need to be is good, professional, friendly and reliable, that's how to make it (I believe). As for contacts, all I can do is keep putting my self out there, you tube, jam nights, gigs what ever I can and as much as I can.
Well that's all folks, good night.
Having spent the day in the studio today, I feel I've given myself a lot to think about. I was recording another drum cover today, and it has to be said, I was never really quite happy with any of the takes I did, which was very frustrating. I knew that today was going to be a struggle, as I was attempting to record drums for a Linkin Park track (will show everyone when its been mixed). Linkin Park were always going to be a tough band to cover, for a number of reasons, the biggest of which being quite obvious, Linkin Park use a lot of synthesisers and loops in there music, which makes it very electronic and dead metronomic. There is absolutely no room for mistakes and all mistakes are undeniably exposed making it a nightmare for drummers (well, for me at any rate). Having said that, I did very much enjoy the challenge, and eventually managed to put together a take that I was sort of happy with. They are an amazing band, Linkin Park, and have a phenomenal drummer whom I have to tip my hat to, not that I wear a hat, I'm not cool enough.
Scary Thoughts
The whole experience has got me thinking, what if I'm am just simply not good enough. It shouldn't matter how hard the track is, I should be able to nail it. So am I good enough? Can I ever be? The fact is that the music business is getting more and more competitive, there are 7 other very good drummers on my course, in my year alone. Think about how many others there are, in identical courses, at the Tech schools, at the music colleges. There are thousands of other drummers in this country alone, most of whom are probably at a higher standard than myself and are looking for the same kind of work I am. I am quickly beginning to feel like a very small fish in the Pacific Ocean! Everyday I hear about other drummers and musicians, guys who can nail takes in one, dead to a click, guys who can blast beat at 210 bmp without sweating. I can't do that! I have nailed takes in one before, but nothing complex, just basic beats. I could spend hours perfecting my fills on recordings, and I still most likely would hate them!
Contacts
And then there is the next scary thought. Who do I know? Who do I know that works in the music industry and would give me work? Of the top of my head, I can't think of anybody! So what am I going to do, in a years time when I finish uni and have to find work? Because I will have to work, I have to earn money. The last thing that I want to happen is to fall into a 9-5 job, and to not be able to be involved in the music industry at all. The idea of not working in music actually terrifies me, what will I do? What other skills do I have? Can I be happy with out music? Playing professionally is my dream, but is it realistic?
Perspective
I think I need to give myself some perspective here. Yes, there are thousands of other drummers in this country, and yes, music is becoming more perfectionist and far more quantised. But maybe this isn't something I should fear. And perhaps I don't need to see it as a competition to be the best drummer in the country. Because I won't win that, there will always be those who are better than me, that is the way the world works. What I need to be is good, professional, friendly and reliable, that's how to make it (I believe). As for contacts, all I can do is keep putting my self out there, you tube, jam nights, gigs what ever I can and as much as I can.
Well that's all folks, good night.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Experience, Rocrding and Video
Its been a very long time since I last wrote on this, that is partly due to a lack of inspiration and motivation to write, but mostly down to having a busy second year at Solent. However, now I have the time to write, and no excuse not to!
Live Sound
So now I am starting to lay groundwork for life in the music industry, and I am looking to explore as many avenues as possible. One of the main things that I have been focused on in the last few weeks is live sound engineering, I have always been interested in live sound ever since we took a unit in it back in college, and I have often felt that I could make a living using a combination of performance and production. So in order to gain experience in live sound and production, I have been going to the Talking Heads (live music venue) a few times a week for the last few months to watch/assist the in house sound engineer there, who just happens to be a lecturer at Solent. Having been there, I have gained practice at rigging stages and operating equipment such as the sound desk, in addition to those things I have also learnt more about how the live industry works. As a sound engineer, not only do you need to be clued up on all the equipment your using, but you also need to be a stage manager when your working in smaller venues. You need to have great people skills and be able to deal with incompetent/unprofessional/self-important musicians alike (most musicians aren't like that, but I have met quite a few like this in my time at the Heads). I really have enjoyed my time at the Talking Heads, and I intend to continue to go there, however, I can't help feeling that it may all be in-vain, as I don't have any official live sound qualifications, and so I may not be able to find work anyway. A scary thought, the last thing I want is to be forced to fall into 9-5 and not be able to work in the music industry.
Recordings
I still have high hopes of being a performer, and I've spent along time developing my performance to bring it to a higher standard, I'm certainly not pro level yet, but I like to think I'm heading in the right direction! That is of course up for debate!. I'm trying to gain extra studio experience and at the same time showcase myself by recording drum covers in the studios at Solent, and videoing them. This allows me to post my recordings on youtube, where about 6 people may be interested in watching, but still, any exposure is good exposure I feel. I have already recorded a cover of the Doobie Brothers song “Long Train Running” which was great fun, although you wouldn't know it looking at my face on the video! Today I am heading into the studio again, hoping to record some Linkin Park covers today.
I realise that my writing hasn't been an interesting read today, a lot of “I did this” and “then I did that”, I promise I will try and make them more interesting in the future!
Live Sound
So now I am starting to lay groundwork for life in the music industry, and I am looking to explore as many avenues as possible. One of the main things that I have been focused on in the last few weeks is live sound engineering, I have always been interested in live sound ever since we took a unit in it back in college, and I have often felt that I could make a living using a combination of performance and production. So in order to gain experience in live sound and production, I have been going to the Talking Heads (live music venue) a few times a week for the last few months to watch/assist the in house sound engineer there, who just happens to be a lecturer at Solent. Having been there, I have gained practice at rigging stages and operating equipment such as the sound desk, in addition to those things I have also learnt more about how the live industry works. As a sound engineer, not only do you need to be clued up on all the equipment your using, but you also need to be a stage manager when your working in smaller venues. You need to have great people skills and be able to deal with incompetent/unprofessional/self-important musicians alike (most musicians aren't like that, but I have met quite a few like this in my time at the Heads). I really have enjoyed my time at the Talking Heads, and I intend to continue to go there, however, I can't help feeling that it may all be in-vain, as I don't have any official live sound qualifications, and so I may not be able to find work anyway. A scary thought, the last thing I want is to be forced to fall into 9-5 and not be able to work in the music industry.
Recordings
I still have high hopes of being a performer, and I've spent along time developing my performance to bring it to a higher standard, I'm certainly not pro level yet, but I like to think I'm heading in the right direction! That is of course up for debate!. I'm trying to gain extra studio experience and at the same time showcase myself by recording drum covers in the studios at Solent, and videoing them. This allows me to post my recordings on youtube, where about 6 people may be interested in watching, but still, any exposure is good exposure I feel. I have already recorded a cover of the Doobie Brothers song “Long Train Running” which was great fun, although you wouldn't know it looking at my face on the video! Today I am heading into the studio again, hoping to record some Linkin Park covers today.
I realise that my writing hasn't been an interesting read today, a lot of “I did this” and “then I did that”, I promise I will try and make them more interesting in the future!
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