For our Musicianship project, my group (Erica Unroe and Brandon Rhinehart) created a cover of Feel it Still by Portugal. The Man. Here’s our cover!
Group Reflection: Our group approached this project by first listening to the song several times and identifying all the instruments that were used. After that, we determined which parts were feasible for us to reproduce with the time and materials we had. Then, we looked at BandHub and Acapella and their features to determine which app we wanted to use. We ended up deciding that BandHub would be better because we could record the whole cover without paying an extra fee. We decided to divide and conquer when recording—Brandon worked on designing the backing track, while Erica and I recorded the piano chords and melody. Then we put it all together on BandHub! This approach was successful in that we included a variety of sounds and beats into the cover, and it stretched us to experiment with Garage Band by make a backing track and to get out of our comfort zones to sing. We faced difficulties keeping all the sections in time with each other because we initially did not have headphones to listen to the other completed parts and see how they lined up with one another. Another challenge was not knowing how to use BandHub well; we did not realize that we should have the backing track first and then record everything on top of it, so we ended up having to do multiple takes in order to get all the videos on the same file. We also were not using BandHub in the way that it was intended where people can record from different places and put their videos together. Instead, we were all in the same place and wanted to add all the videos we made at the same time, which did not work quite as well. If we had the opportunity to attempt this project, I would have learned how to use BandHub better before trying to create our final product. I also would have also used more of a variety of instruments and started building from the foundation (bass) and then adding the melody and harmonies, rather than splitting up and thinking it would be faster that way. If we took this approach, it would have been much faster to create the final product, we would not have the synching issues, and it would be a lot more polished. Individual Reflection: This experience enriched my musicianship by forcing me to collaborate with others, almost like in a chamber ensemble. We had to communicate with each other what our expectations were, which meant that I had to articulate my desires, but I also had to comprise and listen to their ideas. I also had to figure out how to make music with a technological app and how to synchronize it with other videos. I was challenged to sing in front of the camera, which for me is uncomfortable because I am not confident with my singing voice and abilities. However, as a music teacher, I will have to sing solo in front of my students, so it was beneficial for me to sing on the video and it helped that I was doing it with my other collaborators. I was also personally challenged to reign in my emotions and temper. We had been working on it for a couple of hours and it still was not working, so I was challenged to keep calm and not lash my stress out upon my other group members. If I had the opportunity to reattempt this project, I would use more of a variety of instruments, including secondary instruments that I am currently learning in my tech classes. This would push me out of my comfort zone, allow me to practice that instrument, and add a variety of sounds and textures to the piece. I also would have tried learning the song more aurally and trying to figure out chords to test my ear and aural skills. These approaches could benefit me by pushing me out of my musical comfort zone and forcing me to listen to different styles of music that I do not usually would not enjoy. By engaging with different instruments and recognizing their function I can better understand the role my primary instrument plays in ensemble settings and be a better ensemble member in that way. Initially, when I say I am a musician, I am referring to myself playing and making music on the flute. I love playing in the JMU Wind Symphony and creating music with an ensemble, as well as exploring new repertoire. However, since beginning my time at JMU, I’ve come to realize that my definition of a musician and what musical instruments are is extremely narrow. Now I am not only a musician in the sense that I play the flute, but I have also tinkered with different technologies, like beats and loops, and created music through that outlet. For example, I created a short song based on a picture using different loops (http://davinamiaw.weebly.com/musicianship/daws-and-ostinati) and created music in a way that I would have never imagined doing before coming to JMU. I also combined my talents as a musician, playing the flute and using different technologies, to create a multi-track cover (http://davinamiaw.weebly.com/musicianship/create-a-multi-tracked-cover).
By the time I start my student teaching, I would like to become the best musician I can possibly be for my future students, both as a classically trained flutist and as a master tinkerer. I need to spend more time exploring and improving upon my current skills in order to reach my goals. I want my future students to know that there are so many ways to be a musician, and to teach them how they can use technology to create music. To get to this point, I will talk to my professors and ask questions about different ways to create music and do my own research, and simply create and make music! I will also go to conferences and workshops to explore how I can build upon my previous knowledge and gain new information about implementing different styles of music making in my classroom. |
Davina MiawOn this page, I will present videos of my playing, concerts, and original compositions. Archives
November 2019
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