5th DECEMBER - We just chose the song and that was it. We didn't learn it or anything.
12th DECEMBER
This week for band performance we have to pick another song from... Rock 'N' Roll.
THE NEW SONG:
The song we have chosen is Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley, a super cool song! We just listened to this song. We didn't really practice it. Well the drummer all ready sort of knows how the drums goes and I have been listening to the bass line quite a lot and it is very simple and I got a hang of it very quickly. The singers wrote down the lyrics and sung along to the track a few times. Our guitarist learnt the song from internet tabs, and since it was very easy (quite the same through the song) he remembered it quickly. The song is very Rock 'N' Roll, so the bass line is basically just a 12 bar blues and of course the lyrics are very rhymey.
THE BAND (REHEARSAL):
We all learnt our individual parts and rehearsed it together. Me and the Guitarist had our parts locked together very well. Apart from the beginning where he was holding a note when you have to cut it off.
The drummer had a problem remembering how the first snare part went but then listened to the track and played it perfectly.
Our singers had sorted out the harmonies for the new song so had no problems at all.
We didn't need a lot of try's to get this song locked together. However we played this better than the Buddy Holly song to start with. That was only because the drummer wasn't completely in the mood today. But he went away for five minutes and came back his self. So towards the end we had both songs ready to record all ready! Even the endings were sorted! and they are the hardest part in the song for instruments I think.
PERFORM AND RECORD:
When we got on stage we were ready. We had a sound check and everybody's volume was matching so nobody was over powering.
The singers introduced everyone in the band and we started with Oh, Boy! That went really well because we've all ready performed this before and fixed the feed back that was said last lesson. Moving onto the second song was no problem. We had to stop though, we couldn't go straight into it because there is a big key change between the keys we done it in (Oh, Boy! - D) (Jailhouse Rock - A) and the guitarist was using a capo. So the singers introduced the second song. When we were playing it, nothing went wrong. Everybody played it perfectly! And since we were getting recorded Colin couldn't give us feedback.
HOW I AM WITH EVERYTHING:
PERFORMING - While performing I am not nervous at all. I think this is one of the best performances I have done yet. I knew each of my parts very well and didn't mess up once. I also wasn't nervous at all, it just felt natural, I really enjoyed it/
NEW SONG - Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley was a very easy song to learn. It was such an easy song to learn as it is based upon a 12 bar blues. This time I got the notes from YouTube, not Google tabs or anything.
THIS CLASS - This is a very helpful class and I feel I am progressing really well. I have adapted to working in bands very quickly and I am really getting more free with this band! I work together with them and tell them my ideas and we are conversing so much more than the first day together!
This lesson is really improving me so much!
NEXT LESSON:
Next lesson will be the last before the Christmas holidays. We wont be performing or anything to hectic, Colin will just be telling us what he thought of each performance and we will be watching over all the recordings. Since that will only take about an hour, Colin said we can go away and 'jam' with our mates or watch a DVD of a live band that he his bringing in.