Trimester 4 review

This trimester at SAE has been a challenging yet rewarding one. I write this at the time of finishing the trimester 4 at SAE Melbourne after completing 3 intensive units on post-production, music production and an introduction into live sound engineering. Furthermore we were tasked with having to create a podcast in regards to the Melbourne music scene. All of this was condensed into a 12 week schedule, which was a fast paced, but did cover plenty of different avenues that are all a part of the audio industry.

 

Over the different intensives I performed well at the majority of tasks I was faced with. During post I was quite happy and content with my researching skills and then problem solving when recreating a variety of gun sounds in the film “Saving Private Ryan”. They felt believable after some trial and error, and layering of different sounds in Protools. Whilst the majority individual elements in this project worked well, the final mix was really lacking a sense of overall cohesion and impact that needed to be in a war film. In considering my groups short comings it is important to keep in mind that we attempted a difficult film scene to recreate, and we were exposed to a wide range of techniques involved in trying to recreate the plethora of sounds we were tasked. I think in hindsight I would rather chose an easier scene and make the sound as professional as possible than chose a difficult scene and create an audio accompaniment that falls short of the original. I think the first approach would go a further way to building confidence in a post-production setting and provide content for a resume/show reel in comparison to the thrown into the deep end approach we took.

In the Music Production intensive I performed well when creating and molding ideas. I took the chord progression which we came up with in week one and crafted a bassline, drums and some subtle supporting elements which ended up being the foundation of our song. It gave me some confidence pulling out those ideas in such a short period of time and then watching us slowly build an entire song around that was a confidence booster. I also felt like I performed well on the neve and in pro tools when tracking.

In live sound engineering I think what I performed best at was learning the process and procedure to set up the sound stage in three short weeks. From here I was also happy with my communication skills being able to accurately articulate myself when my teams needed clarification in setting up the sound stage.

For the podcast assessment I performed well as a team member, writing interview questions, setting up for live recordings and being an all-round team player.

 

Throughout this trimester I learned plenty of new skills and information. During post production I learned a lot about field recording/interview recording and the different roles associated with film and television in relation to audio. I also learned about foley sound and gained an overall “DIY” outlook when approaching the recreation of sound for associated visuals. The process of rerecording sound for video gave me greater appreciation for voice actors/artists. I wish I had become more familiar with the D-Command console during post production as I didn’t get to focus too much time on learning that console.

During the music production intensive the most important thing I learned was how to operate the Neve Genesys console. It was a challenge to virtually learn a console in one day and be expected to use it the next week but I feel that I was successful in quickly learning the operation of the console. In this intensive I also learned an effective way to record live piano, and got a greater experience using outboard gear as opposed to plugins. Learning more about each group member was an important part of this assignment and I learned plenty about each member’s strengths and weaknesses and how everybody could collaborate effectively.

In the live sound assessment, I learned plenty about the workflow of a live show and how each piece of equipment interacts with the next to ensure a live performance goes smoothly. Live places an emphasis on preparation and time management, whilst also placing a high priority on precision and a high work rate. I learned a lot about organization and the importance or practice in this unit, because without organization and a familiarity with the process involved in setting up live sound, it would be near impossible to fix an issue if one happens to arise in the setup for a gig.

During the podcast our group came up with a relaxed concept which taught me that it was possible to set up something nice and easy but still carry an official flavour to it. We interviewed three Triple J supported artists, which while it may seem insignificant, it’s definitely a benchmark for young music in the country.

 

This trimester I enjoyed the variety which we got to experience as a cohort. I think being able to experience all sides of the audio industry was a really good way to expose us to different places the course can take you, but I feel as if it could have probably come in an earlier trimester, in particular the post/live units considering many students have been interested in these classes since they began the course, it may have sustained their engagement in the course.

I really enjoyed the music production and live sound intensives. Music Production was one of the first times I felt as students we had the greatest creative control over music making with close guidance from an audio professional in our tutor. It was affirmation that what we were doing was quality and that we were working the right direction. If we got stuck our tutor was more than happy to supply us with ideas and to help re-engage us and focus our direction. Live sound was a really authentic part of the course, and felt like the most transferable skill we have learned so far. Learning the setup for a live show was broken down into easily manageable steps and there was a real sense of accomplishment when the group got the whole PA and monitoring systems set up.

I think what I would have enjoyed more was if each intensive we got to switch the groups up so that we had to work with a greater variety of people, which would be a greater replication of the real world.

Overall I wouldn’t say this unit has affected my career plans too much as I have always felt I need to multidisciplinary. I think if anything this unit has solidified that train of thought more through exploring all the different places that being an audio professional can take you.

Live Show Set Up

In our class this week we had a full run through of the sound stage as if we were going to be playing a show that night so we were familiar with the whole process. We broke the entire evening down into easily manageable steps so we are able to make sure what needs to be done at certain steps and makes the entire process far less daunting. Working as a team we felt our confidence grow and we are beginning to become more comfortable with the processes involved in putting on a live show. The following are the steps in which we prepare the stage and equipment for a live event:

Step 1. Turn everything on, check PA
Involves turning on all the equipment and getting power to the stage box, the desk and the PA. Once the Amplifiers have been turned on, pink noise is sent to the PA and each unit of the PA is checked one at a time to ensure sound is getting to our PA.

Step 2. Setting up our show on the S6
Next we set up all the different elements on the S6 desk. Firstly we check the EQ on the PA to make sure we are getting a nice frequency balance in the room. Next thing we do is set up our auxiliaries for our monitoring systems for the artists on the stage. We do this by assessing the artists for the day and assigning an appropriate monitors for each act.

Step 3. Setting up the monitoring systems
Arranging the monitors on the stage in a sensible fashion for the artists. Then connect them to the stage box, turn on amps and individually test each monitor to ensure they are functioning correctly.

Step 4. Organising inputs
Inputs/microphones are next to be set up. We ensure that we have a detailed list for each artist performing so that it’s a smooth and quick process. Place mics on stands in the appropriate areas and then make sure the cables are managed as neatly as possible. This also involves organising input tracks on the S6 if not already previously organised.

Step 5. Line check
This step involves checking each individual microphone and ensuring that level is coming through to the desk. Important step in fault checking.

Step 6. Priming the monitors
This involves EQ’ing the monitors and making sure they are ready to go when it is show time. It’s important to eliminate any harsh frequencies in this step to make sure feedback and frequency spikes are avoided when it’s show time. Once this is done signal from inputs should be routed through the monitors for soundcheck.

Step 7. Soundcheck
By now everything should be ready to go for the artists to perform, granted their instruments have already been set up. During soundcheck it’s important to find a balance between all the instruments and make sure that sound coming through the PA is ready for the show.

After this step the stage should be ready for the show and sounding great. This process highlights the importance of preparation and putting in all the work and effort early before the bands even arrive to decrease the stress and workload once they arrive and the show is live. I’m excited to see how well we can replicate this next week.

First gig engineering experience

Last week in class we were lucky enough to put on our first show as live engineers and help fellow electronic music students put on a run through for their show the following week. It was our first time getting to use the sound stage in a realistic scenario, but considering it was for students and a rehearsal the situation provided us with a stress free environment to learn.

As a group we learned more functions and importantly, gained familiarity with the desk and live set up which will prepare us for our gig early next month. We begun to gather greater knowledge on what it means to be involved in the front of house of a live show and what the common duties which they had. We took it in turns to operate the desk to make sure nobody fatigued and everyone had the opportunity to become comfortable with the role. In critical review of our performance we were a little sluggish setting up and making sure they artists were ready to go in the shortest time possible. It’s an essential part of the role to ensure you are doing everything correctly as fast as possible. However because we are only two weeks into our intensive unit on live sound we will no doubt improve and get better with time, after all practice makes perfect.

It was definitely a good experience, and a perfect way to put some of our newly acquired skills into practice.

Kendrick Lamar DAMN. Review

Since the release of his second studio album in 2012, American rapper Kendrick Lamar has dominated the hip hop music landscape. On April 14 2017 Lamar released his widely anticipated fourth studio album “DAMN.” through his long time label “Top Dawg Entertainment”.

DAMN. sees Kendrick continue to push the boundaries in respect to what sound defines himself as an artist. At fourteen tracks and a play time just short of 55 minutes Kendrick maintains an energy and intruige which prevent the album from becoming tiresome. The production has plenty of variation between tracks and the album is well paced throughout the 14 tracks. The album opens with BLOOD. which is an intro which sets the scene of Kendrick’s personal conflict. He concludes the intro with the audio from Fox News who talked down his live performance at the BET awards in 2015.

He then hits the listener with the energetic, ‘speaker burster’ DNA. with explosive rapping on some great production from Mike Will Made It who changes up the beat halfway through the track. Along with tracks “HUMBLE.” (also produced by Mike Will) and “GOD.”, Kendrick has ensured that there is a good dosage of high octane hip hop music on the record.
DAMN. also sees Kendrick enter a new realm for him with some of his most commercial efforts known to date. “LOYALTY.” has a well placed Rihanna feature and has a modern RnB vibe. Track number 10 “LOVE.” also carries this same commercial appeal with guest singer Zacari delivering a strong hook carrying a strong pop sound into the record. “ELEMENT.” also has radio appeal, prompting comparisons to Drake with Kendrick singing his own hook in similar fashion.

In contrast to the more radio friendly moments Kendrick has plenty of slower moments of deep, introspective thought with a stronger hip hop flavour. “PRIDE.” and “YAH.” feature a slower, more laid-back Lamar, whilst “FEEL.” and “FEAR.” delve deeper into his psyche and reveals the constant pressure from fear that he has felt throughout the entirety of his life. Kendrick has built his career on his thought provoking rapping, and it’s no surprise that these tracks definitely have a harder hitting impact than the more glamourous, commercially appropriate songs.

Surprisingly rock band U2 make a feature on track number eleven “XXX.” and it is definitely one of the most interesting moments on the whole album. The track has several instrumental change ups and the U2 feature works real well with Bono’s vocals working as a nice contrast to Lamar’s rapping. “LUST.” is also an intriguing track with many elements played in reverse and Lamar repeating several sections of the song.

The final track “DUCKWORTH.” is probably the highlight of the record. Kendrick raps in his true story tale fashion, recalling the life of his label founder and close friend Anthony Tiffith. The story unfolds and the eventual interception between Anthony and Kendrick’s father nicknamed “Ducky” leads to Kendricks realisation that his life could have gone a completely different route. The production here is taken care of by the well respected 9th Wonder who chops up several different tracks which form the backbone of “DUCKWORTH.”.

Whilst this Album’s songs are all perfectly fine within their own right, DAMN. does feel disjointed as an overall project, especially in comparisons to his previous albums which have set the standard for Kendrick Lamar. He is renowned for his overall thematic approach to albums and this effort feels lack lustre in that department. Even without a strong sense of narrative, majority of these songs do stand up well by themselves. The slightly more commercial Kendrick does work in a commercial sense, but could be a bit abrasive for his fans and their expectations of the album.

It’s another memorable album for Kendrick Lamar, and DAMN. leaves listeners with plenty of moments to analyse and listen to again and again.

The Beginning of Live Sound

This week was the start of the live sound intensive at SAE Melbourne for my allocated group. Undertaking this unit we will be spending our time in the sound stage, and learning the art of live engineering. By the trimester’s end we are tasked with putting on a live performance and exercising all of our newly learned skills in the sound stage area.

In our first week we were taken through the less glamorous realities of putting on large scale productions and the time it takes in it’s assembly. The working days of live engineers begins in the early hours of the morning setting up the stage and organizing the placement of the speakers. We were informed of the variety of different people involved in helping set up, including information provided by the ticketing supervisors and then the laborers working to assemble the set how it needs to be set up. Next came checking all the speakers which is quite a task for large scale production. Former international live audio engineer Tim Dalton highlighted the importance of instructions and conventions when describing where things are on the stage. We learned that you must ensure you mention the perspective you are referring to, before you give instructions regarding equipment, for example “stage left” or “front of house left” are two different sides of the stage.

We also learned that preparation and doing work early is one of the most important traits an audio engineer can have in a live environment. The more work that you put in early and sound checks that are taken care of allows you to put more concentration into the performance later and significantly reduces the pressure and stress when the show is going. Over the next few weeks we will be putting these lessons into practice and it couldn’t be more exciting.

Playing live at Revolver

 

Since the start of the year I had been looking forward to the 31st of March. We had organised to play a gig with Autumn Shade at Revolver. We got to headline the show and had strong influence in making sure our lineup was hip hop orientated. Having previously played at revolver we were familiar with the venue and extremely excited at the opportunity to take our performance to another level. We were also excited for several other new elements to our live show such as having the whole set filmed by some university students, having our gig reviewed by local hip hop blog Off The Clef and for the first time selling merchandise at one of our shows.

Bailey and I got their early and we were more than keen on doing a soundcheck to calm the nerves. Since starting my audio engineering degree I have been more critical of all the different aspects that go into a live set and perfecting the sound. Being a hip hop act our setup is pretty simple so it’s not too laborious for the live engineer. Fellow student for SAE Brendan Curran was running the live sound and he gave me a brief overview of his role before the show. I’m definitely eager to learn this craft over the next four weeks at SAE.

The night began to kick off and the support acts were creating an awesome vibe. I think it serves as a perfect example as to keeping acts in a consistent genre across the night, as the energy just flowed from one act to the next which really built the atmosphere in the room. DAY DRMRS, Mini-Coop and Solex all played high quality sets, each bringing something different to the night. Definitely made it easier for us considering everyone was already warmed up to the sounds of hip hop.

 

We went on at our expected time and the adrenaline was running high. I was using a new set of decks which was a little daunting at first but all went pretty smoothly after a quick run through earlier during soundcheck. Being our first live show since the release of our mixtape it was incredibly humbling seeing the kind of turn out we got. On top of that, so many people sung along with all of our words which is just ridiculous to think about. As we like to do we played several songs with our frequent collaborators and friends and it felt great to give our talented friends the same platform as us to impress the crowd. I was thrilled with the reception of all our new material, especially the one track “When In Revs” which was specifically created for this show. During our last song we invited everyone who wanted to join us on stage that opportunity to get down with us and we had a massive posse jamming out on stage. After we finished, we were spurred on for an Encore so considering how good “When In Revs” went down the first time we decided to drop it in for one last time.

It wasn’t our most polished set, both bailey and I were struggling to breathe after being sick during the week, so some lines were botched. Even with that in mind though it was by far our most enjoyable gig, so many of our friends and fans showed up, our new songs had a great response and tracks from the commentary box were realized in their most full potential. To top it all off we sold in excessive of 20 shirts and we received an awesome review for the whole night. It’s no wonder some people spend their whole lives playing live music, their is truly nothing like it.

Fourth Place at Revolver Review

Music Production Intensive Review

Over Four weeks my group produced a song in a similar fashion as a professional production company would. We were given a set of lyrics and were told to build a song from it. Over the four weeks we faced plenty of challenges and learned a lot of new techniques in regards to song writing and mixing. Reflecting on the product I’m proud of what we have accomplished as a group.

Our track was in the mold of a Chet Faker song. We had a very organic feel but had programmed drums and some supporting synthesized sounds on the chorus. We utilized electric piano and real piano as the instruments which kept the chord progression intact and the live bass was the strongest element in the song. Guitar was also used to add variation in the verses and it really provided a needed lift in energy. The original words were added to and molded by David Sawang who was the MVP of the whole production. He played the bass, live piano and sang and without him it would have been an immensely more difficult project to organise considering how many artists we tried to recruit who were too busy. Overall I thought the arrangement was quite nice, I felt like the synths on the chorus may have been a little too foreign and electronic sounding but I did feel the need to add another layer of energy on the chorus which we had no alternatives. The drums and bass were my favourite elements of the instrumental arrangement.

The last day in the neve studio saw us mixing our stems. In this session we used a lot of hardware units to help get the sound we wanted. This was new for me being predominantly in the box when I do my own mixing and I found it a fun change. I was really happy with how we got the kick and the bass to sound together. I als felt like we made good use of our stereo field and tasteful amounts of distortion on the piano, giving it a grittiness which helps convey the rawness of the track itself. My only dissapointment after this stage was that although everything sounded nice in the neve, our mix hasn’t translated as kindly to other systems, in particular the vocals are far too quiet when listening to the song on other systems.

The whole intensive was a fun and interesting learning experience which has definitely been to our benefit seeing how many different ways we can manipulate sounds and arrange our song. If only we had enough time to listen to the mix in another studio before committing to it.

Creating a song at SAE

In the second week of my groups music production assignment our task was to flesh out the backbone which i had crafted over the week prior. I used the chord progression that we had chosen in our first week in the Neve studio, added drums, a bass-line and some supporting synths.
We had a helpful 7 hours worth of studio time to build on the track by adding instrumentation, defining the tracks arrangement and developing a vocal melody idea in preparation for the coming weeks vocal recording.

During the session I learned a lot about my group members and their strengths. Having crafted the base from which we were working from it was nice to see how each person interpreted what additions could help complete the song and make it whole. This time spent in the studio really highlighted the importance of collaboration and team work when creating and crafting new ideas.

Starting with the bare minimal, I think we all gained new perspective on how to develop ideas and the possibilities presented by some of the outboard gear in the Neve studio. We added piano, recorded live bass, crushed the drums for extra grittiness and arranged the song with a more defined verse and chorus section. We also had a crack at recording some vocal melody ideas, with several group members coming up with ideas on the fly. Most importantly, we came out of the studio with a collective idea in regards to how we wanted the song to sound, and with this unified creativity I am excited to finish this track.

New Toys

Just at halfway through Trimester Four I have begun my music production intensive in which my group has to produce a track from a pre-defined set of lyrics. For this task, we are introduced to the highest quality audio equipment SAE has to offer its students. Through this assessment we get to use the Neve Genesys analogue console and the newly acquired Neumann U87 condenser microphones. The price tag and the prestige of each of these items is like nothing we have previously come across.

The Neve Genesys is an audio console that combines Neve’s classic preamp circuitry with the modern flexibility of digital audio workstations. This means that the console provides pristine analogue warmth and is still just as accessible as any other desk with the integration of pro tools.
After learning the desk for the first time I found it to be somewhat convoluted, especially with the added computer interface which controlled routing to the the main monitors. It’s also inconveniently got several non-functioning meters which had many group members second guessing ourselves whilst learning the process. Other than this though it appears pretty straight forward and easy to use. The console is also surrounded by a fair amount of quality outboard gear, making this studio an extremely attractive one to record and mix in.

Furthermore, our group was introduced to the Neumann U87 which is an extremely high end large diaphragm condenser microphone. The box that it’s kept in just screams quality and it does not dissapoint. We recorded piano’s with it and they sounded incredibly crisp and clean. Combining the quality of the microphones with the Neve preamps is the perfect recipe for a successful recording.

Despite the access we have been given to top of the line equipment, it doesn’t at all mean that we will be producing commercially successful songs with relative ease. The important thing for us as engineers is to try and get as much experience using all of the equipment and getting familiar with all the different creative ways we can take advantage of such quality audio equipment.