Launching a Music Career by Hand Culminating Experience Initial Presentation Nan Macmillan Background Piano Lessons Guitar Lessons Poetry Influences What do I admire about these artists? 1) Songwriter 2) Instrumentalist 3) Unique Voice 4) Producer 5) Authentic & Organic Artistry My Artistic Identity 1) Folk/Americana Songwriter 2) Instrumentalist (Guitar) 3) Producer & Collaborator 4) Authentic & Organic Artistry CE Main Objective “The main goal of this project is to develop the tools and generate a portfolio of work that will help me best express my artistic identity. This will allow me to have a clearer sense of artistic purpose and allow me to share my work effectively as I emerge in the music industry.” Overview Objective 1: Artist Interviews Objective 2: Establish Daily Habits Objective 3: Write 10 Songs Objective 4: Choose 5 to Record Objective 5: Record 5 Songs Objective 6: Record 2 Videos Objective 7: Create Website Objective 1: Artist Interviews 1) Emerging 2) Established & Growing Genna Matthew Asher McGlothlin 4) Producer: Jay Foote 3) Artist at Peak Sarah Jarosz Adam Barnes Louis Smith Takeaways Have specific questions, do background research on the artist Be clear about why I’m interviewing them Ask for any further connections Follow up contact Objective 2: Establish Daily Habits Free writing — 15 minutes/ day Practicing Voice — >30 minutes/ day Practicing Guitar — 30 minutes/ day Take-aways absolutely crucial to maintaining technique learning songs — guitar setting aside creative space Pro Advice “I don’t have a set structure for when I play… I just let the moment happen.” — Adam Barnes Objective 3: Write 10 Songs 10 songs written 66 other song ideas Song Productivity August September October November December January February March April May June 3 12 8 7 3 2 5 8 11 5 2 Takeaways Always record!!! Flesh songs out, sit with them I don’t have one specific process —that’s ok! Create the right environment Pro Tips “Write with everyone you meet. Cultivate a daily writing practice by yourself as well. Learn your favorite songs and try and figure out what you like about them. Then write a song that uses those ideas. Do that every day.” — Jay Foote Objective 4: Choose 5 to Record Song Title Instrumentation Tempo/ TS Key Mood Sapling for August Ac. Guitar 4/4, qn = 134 D Nostalgic, longing, sentimental, folky 6/8, 8n = 120 C Blues, southern rock, full band 4/4, qn = 80 D Atmospheric, folky, stripped down, easy cruising 6/8 & 4/4, qn = 85 F#m Minor, dark, natural imagery, rootsy 4/4, qn = 75 D# (Capo 1 in D) Atmospheric, acoustic, harmony focused, questioning, unresolved 4/4, qn = 125 Similar to Backyard, sus chords, F (Capo 3 Open D) questioning, longing 6/8, qn = 165 C # (Capo 6, G) Upbeat, major, nostalgic, travelling, goodbye 12/8, 8n = 157 D Soulful, ballad, about leaving 4/4, qn= 87 G# (Capo 4, G) Upbeat, happy, positive, wishing well 6/8, 8n= 145 C Minor, hopeful, reminiscent, childhood Mando Violin Vox + Harmonies Northbound Train Elec. Guitar Elec. Bass Piano Drums BGVs Greener Country Ac. Guitar Upright Bass Violin Percussion When You Gonna Give 3 Violin Acoustic Gtr 2 Harmonies Backyard 2 Guitars Violin Harmonies Marimba Apple Trees Guitar Violin 2 Harmonies Up From It Guitar 2 Voices Burden Baby Piano Drums Bass Voice May My Love Guitar Vox There is a Light By The Door Piano Guitar Violin Chimes Takeaway Still worth it to try recording iffy songs Think about how the songs fit together — lyrically, musically, with instrumentation, etc. Objective 5: Record 5 Songs Objective 6: Record 2 Videos Engineer: Nan Macmillan Producer: Nan Macmillan Violin/Arrangement: Korina Davis Mandolin/ Voice: Sam Amos Guitar/ Voice: Nan Macmillan Engineer: Ido Goldberg Producer: Ali McLeod Voice/ BGV Arrangement: Nan Macmillan Piano: Sam Amos El. Guitar: Dan Caton Bass: Thomas Champion Drums: Nathan Smith BGV: Carolina Magini, Gracie Laboy, Josh Wallace, Eddie Ruddick Vocal Arrangement SOPRANO Northbound Train BVs Northbound Train BVs Nan Macmillan Nan Macmillan q = 115 q = 115 ° Voice 3° & ¢ ™™ 4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ™™ ü † ∑ & 3 ° ™™ ˙ 4¢ ˙ ˙ Oo 3° & ¢ ™™ ˙ 4 SOPRANO ˙ ˙ ™™ ü † œ œ ˙ œ œ oo oo oo oo ˙ ˙ ™™ ü † œ œ ˙ œ œ oo 3° & ¢ ™™ ˙ ‹ 4 oo TENOR BASS oo ™™ ü † œ œ ˙ œ œ oo ? 3 ° ™™ ˙ ¢ 4¢ œ oo ˙ œ oo ˙ œ ˙ oo > œ J œ œ oo ˙ ˙ œ 9 ˙ oo ˙ oo & ˙ Oo œ œ œ oo Oo 3° & ¢ ™™ ˙ 4 œ oo ˙ ˙ ALTO ˙ 5 & ˙ Oo ™™ ü † œ œ œ Oo oo [A1] "He Is so tender..." Œ & Ó ‰ Œ Œ ∑ oo 13 Ó Œ Ó Œ Ó Œ Ó Œ Ó Œ ™™ ü † œ 17 Oo oo oo oo & Ó Œ Ó Œ [B1] & ˙ œ ˙ œ 5 ° 21 ∑ Voice ∑ ∑ ∑ & ˙ oo ˙ ˙ S. & ˙ oo œ ˙ œ oo oo oo ˙ oo ˙ ˙ oo œ œ ˙ oh œ > œ Œ oo ˙ oo oh œ [A2] 2 & Ò Ó oo 6 3 œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ Ò 33–38 29–30 ˙ œ he re - minds ˙ œ ˙ me of home œ œ 39 4 oo oo oo œ & Œ Ò œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ? ˙ B. ¢ Oo Œ œ œ œ Oo & ˙ ‹ oo hoo 25 Oo T. hoo Œ œ œ & ˙ & ˙ > œ œ Oo A. > œ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ ˙ œ 41–44 we've oo oo oo made a home of the road Then Now Engineer: Ronald Ayala Producer: Nan Macmillan Arrangement: Korina Davis, Dan Caton, Nan Macmillan Voice: Nan Macmillan, Gracie Laboy, Naomi Westwater Violin: Korina Davis, Nehir Akansu, Gracie Hays Guitar: Dan Caton Objective 6: Record 2 Videos preparation & artistic vision is key video: Jon Forsyth audio: Ronald Ayala location: Playground Art Center Video Engineer/ Producer/ Arranger/ Voice/ Guitar: Nan Macmillan Violin: Yeji Yoon Greener Country Takeaways: rehearsal is key! important to have a vision going into session try out different textures/ instruments, not all will work Takeaways rehearsals re-recording plan ahead comfortable studio environment Pro Tips For me, a good studio environment requires a great engineer who doesn’t talk too much, is prepared and thinks ahead---to allow the musicians to create/listen without being bogged down by the technical aspects of a session. Another component are musicians/ producers who create an environment of possibility and positivity.” — Jay Foote Objective 7: Website How do I want to showcase my artistic identity? Folk/ Americana Songwriter Instrumentalist Producer & Collaborator Authentic & Organic Artistry Takeaways Online presence is important Put time & thought into photo shoot Get feedback — still need to do! Pro Tips I think it’s just trying to find that balance of letting people in because they follow you, they care about your music, they’re supporting you, but also where to draw the line… it’s just whatever feels natural and normal to you.” — Sarah Jarosz Reflection Clearer artistic identity Development of sound instrumentation production Good material to share as demos Reflection, Cont’d Areas of strength songwriter, minimal production, vocal arrangements Areas to improve/to seek help mixing, larger band recordings, charts, guitar Collaboration is Key Producer, Guitar player, Filming: Shaudi Bianca Vhadat Vocal arrangement: Ido Goldberg Vocal harmonies: Naomi Westwater, Gracie Laboy, Sarah Martinson, Eddie Ruddick, Lily Byrd: Engineer: Korina Davis, Gracie Laboy, Carlos Llerena Co-songwriter & voice: Nathan Smith Voice & Guitar: Nehir Akansu Guitar: Sarah Martinson Bass: Victor Mendoza Ensemble Next Steps Share Music, Video, Website Find other artists Improve on Guitar Re-visit song ideas Multi-dimensionality Thank you!