'REED between the lines' album project blog (Mfth03)
'REED between the lines' album project blog (Mfth03)
Embedded Files
(Fig 1 - Album Cover)
the agenda
the agenda
PROLOGUE
PROLOGUE
I am often critiqued by friends and listeners of my music, that I have a strong American influence within my music and it can be heard throughout, from the words that I say to the types of hip-hop beats that I rap on. I can demonstrate the UK style of music but in my general life, I prefer the style in which some American artists rap. I always found myself being most inspired by this side of hip hop and that is why I generally will make music similar to the way those artists do.
(Santi, 2023)
The aim was to explore the versatility and see what it would be like to stick to my home roots and create a full-length album based on different UK styles and sub-categories of hip hop. (Bernard, 2020) Firstly initiating this project at the tail end of last year, I decided to gather data on what is popular throughout the UK pop culture and music and build a UK Rap & Hip-Hop based off of the content that I studied. I wanted to ensure that the content was rich with collaboration, versatility and experimentation. To meet a deadline of an April / May release, I must ensure that all my music is fully mixed and mastered by March, allowing me some time in between to attempt Plan A and submit it to record labels. If I do not hear anything back from the labels upon submission within a timely manner, I will go ahead and release my music under normal circumstances via online distribution.
I am aiming for a total of 20 tracks, with some of these being skits too to help bridge the gaps between tracks. It is not a continuous album, although it will utilise some elements to help bind the songs together in a smoother transition from one to the next. I designed my album cover as I felt this project meant a lot to me, and I wanted to ensure that I had creative control over each aspect of the presentation. I did consider using third-party artists but decided to move on with one of the designs I made. Plan A is to submit a listing of record labels that I have compiled over the last few weeks. If Plan A fails, Plan B initiates, which involves following the usual release process. I will be creating additional artwork for the albums for promotion. I will also be looking into Merchandise post-release and potentially hard copies. For these ideas, I researched social marketing strategies. (Kenan, 2022)
I appreciate the importance of versatility within an album project, as I wanted to ensure that a clear understanding is gained throughout as well as including catchy tracks, meaningful compositions and a wide range of skills and abilities. From each song to the next, it feels important to have something in there for each type of person.
Prior research
Prior research
week #1
week #1
Much work has already gone into this album, and several prior weeks are already unaccounted for, meaning a lot of work still needs to be discussed. To recap, I initiated the project by finding a few collaborations who I could work with via several methods. (Matthews, 2023) I got in contact with an old friend who decided to pick up the microphone again and this project helped him find the surge he needed to get back into music. I have six or seven songs roughly finished at this point with 1 skit recorded for the album, totalling 8 tracks. I still have a vision for a much larger conceptual album with a difference in styles. The majority of these have been more aggressive and grittier-sounding compositions, with a few exceptions.
(Fig 2) Smoothing Vocals
(Fig 2) Smoothing Vocals
As this is a hip-hop album, each track contained some form of vocal content. I am quite the perfectionist when it comes to vocals and ensuring they sound the best they can be, quality-wise. I follow through a process I refer to as a 'haircut' which removes all the breaths and smoothens the edges.
"The most flexible and effective approach for vocals is, alas, the most tedious: making these edits manually. Cut the spaces between vocals, then add fade‑ins and fade‑outs to smooth the transition from vocal to silence."
(Anderton, 2018)
(Fig 3) Creating MIDI
(Fig 3) Creating MIDI
Although the majority of the album is re-sampling samples into something bespoke, I also wanted to include a healthy amount of synthesis, which would focus on sub-level basslines, distortion sounds, emulated natural instruments and lead melodies. Some compositions are heavier on synthesis than others, but it was important to include both for variation.
''Being a versatile musician means that you have endless styles to draw upon. This means that as far as just playing around, you will never be in danger of growing bored of playing one style.'' (Gabriel Jonathan Grand, 2015)
(Fig 4) Editing Samples and Drums
(Fig 4) Editing Samples and Drums
I wanted to keep as much content as organic and original as possible. I often found myself manipulating drum samples and other melodic elements to form and craft bespoke versions, this would help with the avoidance of copyright infringement. I would use the Drum Synth on logic to shape my content and re-sample others.
''One of the great things about Logic’s Drummer is that it can analyze and adapt its playing style to match the musical characteristics of your song. This includes everything from tempo to instrumentation and even the overall “vibe” of your song.'' (Pro Mix Academy, 2023)
week #2
week #2
My headphones have broken, causing a huge disruption to the production process. This means I have now ordered another pair as a matter of emergency, and am just using Studio Monitors for the production process at the minute. I would typically use the headphones to hone in on small clicks, pops or audio errors throughout each of my tracks. (Practical Music Production, 2018) To add to the list of issues, I have also had several Logic Pro project files disappear, been misplaced or no longer available due to technical issues with my laptop. Despite my technical issues now being resolved, this has resulted in some projects either losing data or being reverted to an older saved version. Week #2 has been a huge knockback for the album but I will persevere and get through this hurdle.
This log has not been good for the productive process but I was expecting there to be hurdles and delays throughout the way, so therefore I am prepared for this and this is why I started my project so early, in preparation for situations like this week.
On a brighter note, I have been in contact with a well-known UK artist called ‘Mic Righteous’ (micrighteous.co.uk, 2020), who I have previously worked with on a collaboration before. Mic has agreed to record a 16 bar for one of the tracks of my album, totalling a cost of £150.00. It has been agreed to pay half upfront, and half when the work is done. I will be waiting to hear his lyrics first so I know what to write about in my own lyrics. I always find it is important to remain on a topic and not have two different artists on the same song, speaking on entirely different matters. As Mic Righteous is not the most talkative artist when planning to collaborate with, I will just be waiting for his vocals first, and then base my content off of his.
(Fig 5- Broken Headphones)
week #3
week #3
I have called the album 'Reed Between The Lines'. I wanted to set a common theme throughout no matter how much you get knocked down in this day and age, and the current society we live in, it is important to always love yourself, climb these hurdles and think of yourself as the best you can be. A positive mindset can benefit in so many ways. (OneEighty, 2023) I never allow myself to be disheartened by social media and others' success and I focus on improving myself. This message is relayed throughout a lot of the product and although it may not be within every song, you will gain the overall message of self-made success and the development of your person and the way you are in everyday life.
I have started to revise tracks and add more ad-libs, skits and talk throughout the tracks to help portray the message and keep consistent within a recurring theme. Unfortunately, I still have files that I need to attempt to recover. On this topic, I have managed to recover a select few but I have lost many files for some of the projects meaning I will need to re-record. I see this as a happy accident as this now means, I can give a better performance vocally and add stronger compositional value.
week #4
week #4
The album cover has now been illustrated and pitched to a graphic designer whom I am friends with. I have designed the album cover but will require him to enhance the image to high quality and make it suitable for release to stores by meeting the dimension requirements. I took inspiration from classic UK movies such as 'Human Traffic'
(IMDb, 1999) & 'Trainspotting' (IMDb, 1996). The reason I went for this theme is because I feel it is instantly recognisable due to the colour schemes and layout, it almost gives the sensation that it is familiar.
As these films are staple UK classics I only felt it made sense to go for something that everyone will instantly recognise and feel familiar with, even though this is a new project and yet, it's a sense of nostalgia they are feeling. I have utilised brighter colours such as orange and yellow within the covers as it is well known for yellow and brighter colours to catch attention easier than darker illustrations would.
“And when it comes to the color which catches our attention the most, you might be surprised to find that it's not red, blue, or even green. In fact, it's yellow. It attracts the eye easily and is often associated with happiness, positivity, and optimism.”
(Dragonfly AI, 2024)
(Fig 1 - Album Cover)
week #5
week #5
I decided to design the album cover artwork based on my little knowledge of graphic design and I am happy with the result. The outcome is exactly what I envisioned and therefore saved money on expenses for a graphic designer. I have started to create alternative images for YouTube videos, Instagram reel images, banner photos and more. I want to maintain a steady theme throughout this album project with as much promotion as possible before its release.
As the album is finished, I am now looking into Record Labels to pitch my music to (K,2023). I am not expecting to hear much results from this method of release, but I wanted to try this out as this would not normally be a part of my release plan. I have compiled a list of Record Labels this week and went through each of their submission forms online to which I submitted either single tracks or the album in its entirety. View the list here: Record Labels Listing.
(Fig 6)
(Fig 7) YouTube Thumbnails
(Fig 8)
week #6
week #6
I was planning on creating one or two music videos for the album. I had organised to create these with a music video director living in Newton Abbot, but he unfortunately just dropped out of the project at the last minute. This would now mean I need to find another director as soon as possible or else I may not end up with the videos upon release of the album, and they may come afterwards. I would still like the videos to come out alongside the rest of the content, meaning I had to find another professional in this industry. I have been looking into options for purchasing cameras or potentially getting in touch with PCA to see if they can assist but this will likely be further explored after the album release, or I may even create the videos myself.
Also, Mic Righteous has sent over the verse for the featured track on the album, but has not sent the files in the correct format, and also left the instrumental in the background. This has caused delays but the artist is ensuring that it’ll be sorted within the week.
(Fig 9) (Berkhan, 2023)
week #7
week #7
My new headphones have finally arrived so I am revisiting each composition and ensuring that they are all up to scratch, of a similar volume in level and ready for public consumption. I had been mixing through average equipment and these new headphones come with a flat response rate, meaning I wanted to ensure that each song was evenly mixed in the EQ and nothing was too bass-heavy to eradicate any harsh frequencies on the high end.
At this rate, the majority of the tracks are ready, but I still have a handful left which need minor tweaks we are edging closely now to the distribution chapter in this release.
week #8
week #8
Mic Righteous has unfortunately caused a large inconvenience and has become aggravated with the project, due to some mistakes made. After a telephone call, he has now sent over the vocals acapella, as originally requested, and the payment has been completed in full. I will now be recording for this project but I am still able to complete every other track in the meantime. With the mixdown of each composition well underway, I am now starting to come to the end of the production work for the album and will be soon moving on to the release phase of the project. This is where I am starting to consider hard copies as well as merchandise and other viable methods of promoting the album, therefore building up some hype before its initial release (cdunity, 2023). I also need to consider music video content and how this will be released for the best possible results.
I am unsure whether any songs are going to be released before the full album comes out, although if I manage to make some videos, I think I may consider putting out one or two of the tracks to assist in building attraction towards the full album.
The order of the songs is crucial to me, as consumers who are typically streaming on the most notable platforms such as Spotify and YouTube will tend to choose from the first few songs in the first instance, rather than the later tracks of the album. We often struggle with retaining the attention of our viewers, so this time round, I pushed some of the stronger compositions towards the front of the project to try and retain any listeners’ interest.
(Fig 10) (What's On Glasgow, 2024)
"In an era of digital streaming, the whole concept of listening to an album from start to finish might seem like an archaic pastime. But the impact of album sequencing – the order in which the tracks appear on an album – has not diminished for artists and their fans.
Great sequencing can enhance and elevate an album, with each track complementing the other, adding dynamism and pace, and leading the listener smoothly on a musical journey."
(Crossley, 2024)
(Fig 11 - Back of CD)
week #9
week #9
I have now created a back and front for the CD and additional artworks which can be used for promotional purposes on social media, as mentioned above in Week 5. The Mic Righteous feature track has been written, recorded, mixed and mastered and has been put with the other 19 tracks, now ready for public consumption.
I have also been pre-planning my execution for the distribution of my music. I have been looking into other methods of marketing that I could consider. I am considering printing onto CDs and handing them out to members of the public as I'm travelling in Berlin. This would be greatly beneficial when reaching out to potential new fans and building a relationship with your fanbase.
It approaches them personally and allows listeners to feel like they know the artist more when listening to the content. I was shown a trustworthy and reliable source when it comes to CD distribution which was shared with me by another student and this is the method I will consider when distributing. The only downfall to this option is, that it is expensive and I may not be able to afford many copies.
https://www.bandcds.co.uk/cds-in-wallets/cds-clear-plastic-wallets/#!
Following this, I also have been looking into other methods of marketing which has led me to a website known as YouGrow. I appreciate that there are a lot of different services that help promote your music and gain a larger outreach, but I often struggle to find any which are reliable and genuine. YouGrow seems perfect, and I also love that they plant trees for each campaign purchase. I am considering using YouGrow for the marketing of my album, and although this comes with a cost, I feel this would be perfect for gaining more attention on a project that I have worked endlessly on for months.
I have also approached this idea in a much simpler format, by general word of mouth. I have crafted stickers and QR codes and have been placing them all over town, and other areas I have visited. In good time, you will be able to find our QR codes in Plymouth, Exeter, Cornwall, Bristol, Italy, Berlin and many more locations throughout the world. I plan to post these in each location I pass through. Also, simply approaching people on the street has had a huge impact on stats beforehand, as people feel it is more personal and reflects well on statistics when the effort has been made to walk up to strangers and ask them to check the project out.
(Fig 12 - Amuse Screenshot)
week #10
week #10
The album will be distributed via Amuse.io as well as separately uploaded to our own custom YouTube channel. Amuse.io will upload the track to Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer and other streaming platforms. Amuse advises that it typically takes 3-5 working days to upload to each store but I have set my release date for May 10th, 2024. The platforms I focus on (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music) all are listed within a couple of days of submission to stores. This is why the release date I announce is solely based on the release of our own YouTube, which is made clear throughout all the promotions (Hazard, 2022).
I also plan to have at least a few hundred hard copies printed onto disc, this means I have plentiful copies for friends and family, as well as handing them out as free promotional material.
''Promotional marketing products can act as a lure in your retail store. You can utilise them as incentives to encourage conversions. People are drawn to free items; if they know they’ll receive a gift with their purchase, they are more likely to complete the transaction.'' (Sanders, 2024)
I have also started processing YouTube videos, creating my own 'music video' and 'lyric video' as well as a series of album visualisers. Despite the previous inconveniences with finding a director who is suitable, I have taken the self-initiative to compose these myself with the little knowledge I have in video creation. I have included some examples in my submission.
(Fig 13 - RKades Logo)
Album Release Plan A (Unsuccessful)
I had a meeting booked with ‘RKade Records’ label to discuss potentially distributing the album through them and seeing what benefits that could entail, although I have a strict set of ideas for this album and therefore this might not be viable. I had also been submitting demos to record labels whilst working on the album.
Upon speaking to RKade, they decided to help with the promotion of the release only.
(Fig 14 - Distribution on Websites Screenshot)
(Fig 14 - Distribution on Websites Screenshot)
Album Release Plan B (Executed)
Album Release Plan B (Executed)
I have already assessed the distribution methods that I will be undertaking throughout the release of this process and whilst taking into consideration that Plan A has not deemed any immediate results, I will now be releasing this project as a full album available on all streaming platforms and aiming for 10/05/2024.
The product will also be available to buy and physical copies will be handed out to the general public. Therefore, helping spread the name across which should hopefully result in further public engagement.
Conclusion?
Conclusion?
As I had a lot of pre-planning and already knew the direction in which I wanted to take this release, this helped allow me time to complete all the different components and materials that were going to be needed for this release. I understood the assignment and knew that for this release I would need to go above and beyond, as prior releases for white hill crew have not done exceptionally well regarding statistics.
I assessed other methods this time and compiled a big enough album to contain enough content that each listener would find something they love, but with such a big project and message, I had to ensure that the general public had clarity on the objective I was aiming for. With the assistance of friends, family and also word of mouth, this helped push this project before it was even released initially. Therefore, by the time of its release, it already had built somewhat of a hype surrounding it. Investments of time and money have been poured into this project and I also pursued alternative methods when compared to normal with a compilation project. I have worked alongside well-known UK features as well as showing diversity in genres and styles, all while maintaining a general UK theme throughout.
Bibliography
Bibliography
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Authors Own Figures - 1-8 / 11-14
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