Rock Sessions

Skills Evidence Focus for Sessions

  • SESSION 5 TEAM FOCUS: Stuff.
  • SESSION 4 TEAM FOCUS: Demonstrate clear improvement based on INTENTION at the beginning of session 4. INTENTION should be based on feed back from advisory at session 3 review
  • SESSION 3 TEAM FOCUS: Verse, Chorus, and Bridge practiced at least 12 times - Keep notes of what happened each time you play the song
  • SESSION 2 TEAM FOCUS: Verse and Chorus practiced at least 12 times - Keep notes of what happened each time you play the song (did everyone complete it without error?)
  • SESSION 1 TEAM FOCUS: One note song

Roles

All Members

  • Create a SCRUM BOARD with Trello.com (overview)
    • Name project your team members first names and session #
      • Example: Sam Terra Jacob Session 3
    • Share your project with Mr. Le Duc, [email protected]
  • Create a BURN DOWN CHART on paper for the Scrum Master update everyday

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Melody

  1. Melody - Identify and use tonic note (root note) for the key (use the key of C for this project) (one note melody)
  2. Create a two or three note melody phrase with ascending notes for up-beat / happiness and or design notes for low-key / sadness and focus on syllables being on quarter notes
  3. Create a hook / feeling with a melodic phrase with leaps or steps and integrating syncopation
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Compose a melody with an ascending and/or descending line (note patterns) - have a screenshot of the notes in GarageBand

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Harmony

  1. Harmony - Use the tonic chord in the key (use the key of C Major in the key of C for example)
  2. Lock in with the drummer with a three chord progression (you can be playing a different rhythmic pattern but you are playing on exactly EVERY whole note, at least)
  3. Create a hook / feeling with a chord progression (work with the melody, too)
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Use the tonic, dominant and a seventh chord to work with the melody

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Bass

  1. Bass - Play a simple rhythm with the notes of the C chord
  2. Lock in with the drummer (you can be playing a different rhythmic pattern but sync up with the 2 and 4 beat or 1 and 3 beat)
  3. Establish a simple signature bass riff like Queen’s Under Pressure MIDI
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. USE rest strokes, USE one finger to pluck, USE only your first and fourth fingers on your fretting hand, FOLLOW the kick drum, CUT OFF bass notes with the snare hits

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Rhythm

  1. Rhythm - Pick a pulse and tempo and get a metronome to keep you in proper time
  2. Establish a groove with accent beats and play in the pocket
  3. Establish a signature rhythm / hook / fill at some point in the composition, at changes in song structure (from verse to chorus, for example)
    • Rhythm decisions – what to use and when
      • Pulse
        • What timing 4/4, 2/4, or other
      • Tempo
        • Think about how many beats per measure
          • Fast = happy
          • Slow = sad
      • Accent
        • Pick a beat in each measure to be the strongest beat
    • Explore funklet.com
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Use simple fills at the song section changes

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Engineer (Recorder - Mic Wrangler)

  1. Microphone placement - Have images of mic placements
  2. Use 4 microphones (one for each instrument) - Picture of mic placements
  3. Use two mics on drums (2 - 1 kick and 1 snare) and guitar (2 - placed at different spots for different tone) (amp or acoustic) and one each on bass amp (1 - at the edge of the speaker cone) and vocals (1) - 6 microphones
    • Avoid phasing: Rule: for every foot away from the source, the mics need to be 3 feet away from each other (3 to 1 rule)
    • Watch Record Guitar Like A PRO by Paul Davids
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Watch GarageBand below or Logic Tutor

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Mixer (Musical Referee - Make sonic space for everyone)

  1. Compression and EQ - Have close up screenshots of settings in GarageBand
  2. Levels and Output Format - Have close up screenshots of settings
    • Create even volume levels for the mix (nothing too loud or soft) - Have close up screenshots of settings in GarageBand
  3. Mix 2 guitar tracks by panning for left and right and delaying one side a few milliseconds (similar to Paul Davids, mix 2 drum tracks, double the vocals (in post-production add another vocal take and blend the two together)
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Not for this session

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Producer (Reducer)

  1. Arrangement - Have documentation of the recorded compositional arrangement - paper drawing of what's playing when or GarageBand screenshot
  2. Instruct players leave space for each other (not playing the whole time) - paper drawing of what's playing when or GarageBand screenshot - AFTER YOU WORK WITH PLAYERS TO REDUCE MUSIC ELEMENTS
  3. Double the vocals and work on syncopation in melody with the syllables
  4. Improve Session 3 Composition with CLEAR INTENTION of what you are improving so that clear feedback can be given from reviewers
  5. Not for this session

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