Folk: Practice

What Practical Preparation Did I Do

Before our rehearsals, I listened to the song repeatedly, making sure I knew the vocal part, and also printed lyric sheets. The song was very repetitive, so it was relatively easy to get the melody down, and I was prepared to sing any part of the song. 

What Musical Preparation Did I Do

This week the whole class (21 students) performed as one, so us 7 vocalists prepared together, learning different parts and developing suitable harmonies. 

How Did My Band Develop The Song

We split the verses between us vocalists, taking a small solo part each. We also developed a harmony for the chorus, adding more layers to the composition. We followed the structure of the recorded version of the song we were given, ensuring that all 20+ band members could play in sync. Some instrumental parts were played on synth keyboards, as the original instruments were inaccessible to us. Overall, we tried to keep as close to the original as possible, which was aided by our large band. 

What Role Did I Take In The Band

Me and a fellow vocalist took leadership in splitting the vocal parts, giving each vocalist a solo part. I also took leadership in developing and performing a harmony in the chorus, helping add more layers in the composition. 

What Kind Of Performance Was This?

This performance was a recorded music video or a live performance. We performed in the round and without a live audience, just being filmed to create a music video.

What Were The Stylistic Traits For My Other Band Members?

All of the string players played simple chords with simple strumming patterns, playing on a variety of acoustic guitars, mandolins and ukuleles. Our bass player played on a double bass, keeping within the original instrumentation of the song. We had numerous keyboard players playing instruments such as the fiddle and flutes, as those instruments were inaccessible to us. Our drummer played simple rhythms, but we also had a second percussionist who played cowbells, tambourines and a triangle. We did also feature a brass section, who played an accompaniment part to add to the texture of the song. 

How Did We Decide Our Aims And Objectives

First, we listened to the track to determine all instruments that were featured in the original, making a list of what instruments were needed and who would be playing them. We then split our rehearsals between instrumentals and vocals before ultimately combining our rehearsals and figuring out our timings. We then recorded a few of our practice runs to listen back to our performance, making small tweaks before our final video recording. 

Two Examples Of How I Listened To The Opinions Of Others

Because I took leadership on deciding the vocal solos, I had to listened to the other vocalists about where they would prefer their solo to be, ensuring everyone was happy with the arrangement. Another vocalist also suggested it would be a good idea to add a harmony in the chorus, so I listened and sang a vocal harmony to add more texture to the chorus. 

How Was The Order Of The Arrangement Decided?

We kept the order the same as the given version because it was easier for all 20+ performers to coordinate with everyone having practiced the same version.