Critical Listening and Composition Summative Blog

Since I have joined this course I have learnt a lot of new skills, most importantly listening skills which have helped me develop as a musician. These skills have helped with my Final Major Project which consists of being in a band with Charlotte, Kit, Marco, Rowan and Jack and performing 6 songs. We decided to write 4 originals at first and cover 2 songs but we gained more confidence and decided to write 5 originals instead. My listening skills have improved massively resulting in me being able to analyse and critically listen to such influential artists like Paul Simon who would absorb himself with different interesting genres such as folk and world music.

Paul Simon is one of my favourite songwriters, he has a great sense of melody and is very powerful lyrically. He is a great example of an artist who would be open minded and perform different styles of music like World Music, Rock, Folk and Pop as stated in my blog about Paul Simon and his songwriting (http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!Songwriting-Critical-Listening-and-Composition-–-Paul-Simon/ba7il/576585df0cf23063aa916416). Listening to him helped me to realise that it's best to be open minded and listen to lots of different genres and styles of music. This managed to influence my Final Major Project where I decided to listen to new musical styles and incorporate different rhythms like in the song Preadolescnet, http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!Preadolescent-Song-Analysis/ba7il/575c51e20cf245cf71a6e338, which has influences of Neo Soul and 7/8 which uses interesting rhythms and different time signatures http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!78-Song-analysis/ba7il/576eab5a0cf233125dbef944. I was not used to different time signatures or even Neo Soul but listening to Paul Simon made me realise that to be a successful artist you have to be very open minded and original like him. Paul Simon would have lots of different influences within his most popular songs like "You Can Call Me Al" which featured genres like Pop Rock and Worldbeat.

I feel that Billie Holiday, American jazz musician and singer-songwriter, has been a good reference for her use of prosody within her songs like Strange Fruit, http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!‘Songwriting-Critical-Listening-and-Composition-Billie-Holiday’s-Interpretation-of-‘Strange-Fruit/ba7il/5731dbbb0cf2fdcefb9ec148, have influenced me to work me with the lyrics. Her lyrics were very dark just like the music which featured lots of Minor chords. I am now able to write music fitting to what Kit or Charlotte or writing therefore creating prosody, a clear link between the lyrics and music.

A band like Pearl Jam who all put forward songs for their albums really inspired and influenced me into wanting to write lots of songs. Before I joined the course I wasn't very confident with writing original material but after listening to bands like Pearl Jam who incorporate a variety of unique influences in their songs, this made me want to write new original music with all my different influences which I have done in my FMP. A song like In Hiding, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSeZO6UWa6g, has lots of interesting chords which made me want to use different chords like Major7's and Dominant chords.

One of our original songs called Preadolescent, http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!Preadolescent-Song-Analysis/ba7il/575c51e20cf245cf71a6e338, has lots of chords which I wanted to use after listening to bands like Pearl Jam.

Rush are easily one of my favourite bands and their high level of musicianship influenced me to become a better bassist and to have a tight rhythm section with the bass and drums. Geddy Lee and Neil Peart manage to lock in and groove to a very high level of musicianship. Geddy Lee manages to hold down the groove whilst adding lots of interesting melodies which compliment Alex Lifeson's guitar. I used Rush as a reference point to help me create music with bass lines that have lots of melodies http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!demo-recordings/ozqbk. I feel that due to bands and artists like Rush that my musicianship is still improving and I feel that there is a sustained level of high work input to help me get better at being a bassist.

I've been developing lots of new listening skills. I know that its important to look into the chords and compare it to the lyrics to find prosody. I wasn't very good at listening before I joined the course but I can now tell the difference between Major, Minor and dominant chords.

The most important element I have learnt from all of my critical listening is picking up on different genres and styles of music, I have tried to add new genres into my Final Major Project. Neo Soul, Jazz, Hip hop, rock, metal and so on. I think its important to go out of your comfort zone because you'll experience something new and unique. I've listened to lots of new artist since I've joined this course, lots have been from other music students suggesting artists that I should listen to.

The performance of others has pushed me to better myself. The band members I've been working with in my Final Major Project have made me want to know more about music theory and to become an overall great musician. My drummer Jack is easily one of the best drummers I've played with. He adds lots of pushes therefore if the band wants to actually work I have to groove and push along with the drums. As a result it creates a strong rhythm section which. The rhythm section is the backbone for any band. Me and Jack creating a tight rhythm section gave Kit, Marco, Rowan and Charlotte room to fill in the blanks with their melodies.

My bibliography has all of my research which I used for my original songs. It shows my influences and what I wanted to develop on within my own original music.

http://15001801.wix.com/wills-music1-blog#!Bibliography/ba7il/575d96060cf2cc77ac0073c7