Category: Uncategorized

Summary

The Microphone auditions project was a a project in which you spoke into a bunch of different microphones and compared them to each other and which one you thought sounded best with your voice.

Microphone Audition Podcast

Microphone project

My Favorite Microphone

My favorite microphone was the Sennheiser e609. This was my favorite because I think it fit with my voice the most, and it also says that it was made to record guitar cabinets which is something I need as well.

Sennheiser e609

• The e609 is a super-cardioid dynamic microphone
• Designed for recording guitar cabinets face-on and extremely close to the source
• Provides isolation from other onstage signals
• Also suitable for recording drums, especially toms
• Read more: http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Sennheiser/e906
• Watch the overview video for guitar amp recording

Terms and Concepts

•  Microphones
  • Dynamic – The sound waves themselves create the electrical signal by moving the membrane diaphragm of the microphone. Very popular and very well known. It is good for the low and middle range, NOT the high range.
  • Condenser – The membrane has an electrical current that waits for sound. When the sound waves hit it, it responds instantly. They are all over the place, but they need an electrical charge {amplifier} from something {battery}.
• Polar Patterns
  • Omni – Picks sound up from all directions equally. This is used for interviews because it can pick up more than one person, without having to have two separate mics.
  • Cardioid – Picks up one half of the microphone, also known as a ‘directional mic’. Most sensitive in the front, about 180 degrees. Shaped like a heart.
  • Bi-directional – ‘Figure of 8’, picks the front and behind of the mic, but the 90-degree angle on both sides does not get picked up.
• Transduction – Converts one form of energy to another.
• Voltage – An electric force or a potential difference shown in volts.
• Phantom Power – Activates the condenser in a microphone. DC powered mostly between 12 and 48 DC voltages.
• Sensitivity – Voltage at its known sound level. Can be called by its voltage or decibels. A higher number means more sensitivity, everything is mostly in negatives. Sound pressure.
• Frequency Response – The range of sound the microphone can produce and how sensitive it is within the range. You want it nice and flat.
• Transient – A variation in current, voltage, or frequency.
• Placement – Placement of the microphone is key, depending on the sounds you want, it can just be the distance from you or the instrument from the microphone. This part of the microphone can affect others emotionally in a way to connect with the audience.
• Proximity Effect – Decreased sensitivity to low mics, which reduces background noise and vibration and counteracts when used very close to the source.
• Output – A place where the sound leaves the system.
• Characteristics – This is the Relative Response and Frequency measured in a Hertz graph to show how good or bad the microphone is. This can show the quality of the mic.
• Noise Rating – The signal (sound source) to noise ratio measured in decibels (dB). Noise is any sound in the background you don’t want. Electricity vibrates at 60dB so you want the ratio of the signal and noise to be higher than that. Preferably 90dB or higher.
• Hardware
  • Clips – A clip is something that you use to hold a microphone on something {for example – stand }, but, using the wrong kind of clips can affect the performance, make sure it is tight so it has the correct effect.
  • Stands – This ties in with a clip, this is what the clip will connect to. This keeps the microphone towards the object you want to hear without having to hold it or keep it still.
  • Windscreen – Something that covers and protects the microphone, mostly a foamy material.
  • Direct Box – A device used to connect an instrument directly into the audio mixer.

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

I learned a little more about microphones how to use them and which ones I like and should possibly buy. I also learned how to mix voice a little bit and experimented a little bit with voice effects.

Summary

I made a composition using soundtrap, I recorded guitar and bass, and programmed drums. I didn’t use a song as a base since Mr Leduc said I could.

Audio File Formats and Definitions

AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format): stores standard CD-quality audio; similar to WAV (Higher Quality)

WAV (Waveform Audio File Format): CD audio; can be saved with different sampling and bit rates; similar to AIFF (Higher Quality)

MP3 (Audio File): Used to store audiobooks and music on a hard drive; Close to CD-quality sound; the higher quality sound comes from higher bit rates which also take up more storage space

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): music data: notes played, when notes are played, how long each note is played, and the velocity of each note played; used to be able to exchange and use information between software and hardware programs; no actual audio data

All the audio file format information is found at: fileinfo.com

Song Used As Template

didn’t use a song because mr leduc said I could

GarageBand Tracks

My Composition

Only till 2:05 minutes link

Feedback

What I Learned & Problems I Solved

I learned how to program drums better in soundtrap that fit better with the rest of the music as well as mixing the guitar and base better. A problem I had was that I was having trouble with making two parts of the songs flow together but I think I succeeded in making the transitions smooth/not smooth depending on what I needed.

SUMMARY

Role: Guitarist

Intention (SMART Goal)

By March 2nd I want to learn how to play the solo for Paranoid by Black Sabbath. I will do this by listening to the song, using ultimate guitar tabs, and also video tutorials on how to play it. I will use this tutorial by GuitarLesson365Song. For session 4, group 2

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Kim Thayil:

Kim Thayil the lead guitarist for Soundgarden is one of my personal favorite lead guitarists, he does wild solos in many of their songs, using a lot of wah wah pedals. Also creating epic rifts for many of their songs. But also capable of doing spacey, mellow chord progressions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Thayil

Training Source(s)

1. 0:13 playing the solo actual speed
2. 0:56 how to play the start of the game
3. 3:43 start of the more complicated part
4. 5:03 fast thing
5. 6:55 next part that is pretty bluesy
6. 8:37 end of the solo

SMART Goal Schedule

I will use a few days during school to exclusively practice the Paranoid solo, those days will be Friday 25th, and Monday 1st as well as 20 minutes each day after school

PRODUCTION

SMART Goal Starting Point Evidence

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15LVUSlNiyohyaTJLvvjCmhurh-1Mj5O-/view?usp=sharing

SMART Goal Ending Point Evidence

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12E4UrCrECukfr1JuuaCgou0cqrd6fDoe/view?usp=sharing

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

First, I listened to the solo multiple times to get an idea of how it sounded, then I listened to small parts of the tutorial individually, learning them and playing them slowly. Then I tried to tie everything together still playing it slowly, then I started to speed up

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I didn’t really collaborate with anyone, since this was a solo project, but I did ask people questions on how to do things, and also sometimes got people to listen to things I was working on for input.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I listened to Paranoid by Black Sabbath, and also used the tutorial linked above.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

I got better at playing the guitar (which might be a career opportunity), I also got better at labelling/ stating what I did and worked on and making goals for myself to complete by a certain time

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

I like how the final version turned out it wasn’t perfect and even since then I can play the solo better than when I recorded the final version, but I am happy with how It turned out

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

I learned how to accurately both speed and get the notes right on how to play the solo for Paranoid by Black Sabbath. Some problems I had was I was finding it difficult to play a especially fast blues lick but I eventually got it after playing it slowly and accurately till I played it right.

Grammar and Spelling

I transferred this document to google drive and use grammar and spell check there.

Editor

Connor

SUMMARY

Role:

Level Designer/sound designer (we switched kind of)

Intention (SMART Goal)

By March 2nd as the level designer of team 2 in Game Design I will have made an interactable object in the world by watching a tutorial by Xanderwood and will have created at least one component for the levels in our game, as part of session 4

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mike-chapman-433a4634

Mike Chapman Is an amazing game designer, he worked on the games Sea of Thieves and some of the Dirt games. Sea of Thieves is an amazing RPG/MMO game with amazing graphics, and is just an amazing game in general

Training Source(s)

1. Make a sprite to be destroyed link
2. give block solid behavior link
3. Make a particle effect by making particle sprite and then making animation link

Project Timeline

Feb 7th- Mar. 2nd

Feb 23rd- level building/sound

Feb-24th level building/Sound

Feb-25th- Character person/Sound

Feb-28th Character person/Sound

Mar- 1st Object design and code

Mar-2nd Health system

Mar 3rd Fixing up code

Mar 4th Practice presenting/ Commenting on Code

Mar 7 Presenting

Proposed Budget

$0

PRODUCTION – ACTION

Our game

game

Skills Commentary:

I learned this month how to be better at pixel art, but am still not great, and didn’t really know what I was doing and I think slowed down the team a lot because of that. I learned a little bit more of how the process worked and learned a tad bit of how to code but not really.

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

First I learned what I needed to do from the rest of my team. Then I started working on pixel art for the game. And I learned how to use tile maps.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I collaborated with my team, especially Aiden, on working with level design and also got feedback on if my pixel art looked good I also asked people how to do things in construct. Also Aiden and I kinda of switched rolls in which I became sound designer near the end and he became level designer since I knew how to do that better,

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

I watched some Youtube videos on how to do pixel art and also a little bit on how to code for construct.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

I got better at coding and 2d pixel art which might be useful to get a job.

Reactions to the Final Version

“The music for the game created suspense”- Eric (para-educator)

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

I am not super happy with our final version but I think when we work on it for this next session we will make it a lot better

What I Learned and Problems I Solved

I learned that I should focus more on the coding part then just the pixel art since I think that was the reason that we were a bit behind in the production process

Grammar and Spelling

I put the blog post in google docs and used the grammar and spelling check.

Editor

Spencer James (pre production so far)

I started on the song trying to focus on transition between different parts like the verse and chorus, I am also working on the beat maker function to make better drum parts. I did everything myself, also, are the drums too loud I don’t think they are but they might be.

SAD MELANCHOLY SONG,POBABLY ABOUT DEATH

Questions: Does the transition work well and do the drums fit the rest of the song. Also is everything mixed well. Also should there be more instruments and parts for the beginning part

Feedback: Sounds Like Black sabbath (Tristan), little repetitive and drums a little to loud (michael). Bit more of a transition (Brenna)

Summary: This is about fighting the sickness of the Coronavirus. This song is about someone who catches it and goes into a coma (not sure if this is a symptom, but its my song so I can do anything I want *sticks tongue out*) This is going to be like fighting against covid or something like that. I am planning to have the end be like resolution like thing.

Questions: how is the delay effect it took me a while to get it to where I think it sounds good, also how do you think the instruments came together one by one

Feedback: make the drums louder,( a bunch of people, but I am remember Tristan was one of them.) add onto the song. (hayley was one of them but I think multiple people said that) DELAY WAS PERFECT (YEEEES!!!!)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s7_WbiR79E

Summary

• I chose this song because this is one of my favorite songs and I thought it would he easier than some other songs I like.

Song Analysis

TOPIC	MY RESPONSES
SONG TITLE	Iron Man
COMPOSER(S)	Black Sabbath: Tony Iommi Geezer Butler Ozzy Osbourne Bill ward
YEAR	1970
COUNTRY	Britain
If you could work on this song (change it), what would you change and why?	I would change the solo I personally am not super interested in super speedy and not much dynamic solos but then I am also not very good at playing them
What is the song GENRE?	rock
What is the song KEY?	E minor
What is the song TEMPO?	72 BPM
What do you like about the RHYTHM?	it is slow and each chord is soooo powerful. They are called POWER CHORDS for a reason.
What do you like about the ARRANGEMENT?	I know some people might not like this but the whole song is based around that one main line. The lyrics, drums, base everything is based around it.
What do you like about the MIX?	I don’t know much about mixing but it kind of feels outlandish or primal a bit but then some parts don’t. I am not rally sure
What do you like about the TIMBRE of some or all of the instruments?	it is incredibly distorted and beastly. But then Ozzy Ozsbournes voice is almost the opposite so it gives it some nice contrast. Also the correct version of how to play the song or atleast how Tony Iommi plays it it is on the low E string instead of A which it could be easily played like that. Since it is on the low E string it makes it just that bit darkerr.
What do you like about the PITCH of some or all of the instruments or vocals?	I like personally that it is not a high pitch song except for the solo.
Are there particular TRACK(S) that stand out?	One thing that I do love about Tony Iommi’s solo’s is that he multitracks the guitar so it is really spacy and kind of dramatic and clustered while feeling everything is going the way it is supposed to if ya know what I mean
Finally, what do you like about the overall COMPOSITION?	Me playing electric guitar and more on the rock side of electric guitar the composition is just perfect for me. Tony Iommi is probably the reason I play guitar but also Kurt Cobain

“A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition and variation of sections.” wikipedia.org/wiki/Song

HookTheory for Learning About Song Structure

• Explore songs in https://www.hooktheory.com/trends
• Explore common chord progressions https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/common-chord-progressions
• Explore beginner tabs https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/difficulties/beginner

Holistic Songwriting’s Artist Analysis

• This YouTube series dives into the songwriting web.
• Marketing, Lighting, Music Videos, Image…

Mr. Le Duc’s Song Analysis Resources

• Diigo.com Song Analysis Links
• YouTube Song Analysis Playlist

Film Title: Guardinas of the Galaxy 2
Year:2017
Director:James Gunn
Country:America
Genre:action, adventure, comedy, scifi

Film information can be found at imdb.com

As you view films, consider how the cuts, camera angles, shots, and movement work to create particular meanings. Think about how they establish space, privilege certain characters, suggest relationships, and emphasize themes. In addition to shot distances, angles, editing, and camera movement, note details of the narrative, setting, characters, lighting, props, costume, tone, and sound.

Ask yourself the following questions:

TOPIC	YOUR NOTES
1. Who is the protagonist?	The guardians of the galaxy but mostly Peter Quil
2. Who is the antagonist?	Ego
3. What is the conflict?	that Ego wants to make the whole Universe him
4. What is the theme or central, unifying concept? (summarize in one or two words)	friendship,
5. How is the story told (linear, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, at regular intervals)	Linear
6. What “happens” in the plot (Brief description)?	The Guardians of the Galaxy are helping some civilization destroy a space monster then they get in trouble because they stole batteries from them, then some dude who turns out to be Ego Peter Quills dad. Then they realize his evil plan then they stop him by blowing up his center.
7. How does the film influence particular reactions on the part of viewers (sound, editing, characterization, camera movement, etc.)?Why does the film encourage such reactions?	They have a lot of songs that are from the 60s and early 70s, these kinda show when things should be sad or creepy or happy and so forth also they brings comedic affect when something bad is happening to them and some of the happier music gets put on
8. Is the setting realistic or stylized?What atmosphere does the setting suggest?Do particular objects or settings serve symbolic functions?	The setting is not realistic it takes place in space but not the empty space that we know. some do but most objects are just objects.
9. How are the characters costumed and made-up?What does their clothing or makeup reveal about their social standing, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age?How do costume and makeup convey character?	The main characters have kinda like a rag tag look, making them sorta outlaws not following the law.
10. How does the lighting design shape our perception of character, space, or mood?	I don’t know what that is help I might be doing the wrong thing
11. How do camera angles and camera movements shape our view of characters or spaces?What do you see cinematically?	I don’t really know how to answer this
12. What is the music’s purpose in the film?How does it direct our attention within the image?How does it shape our interpretation of the image?What stands out about the music?	It is to make sudden changes between things like happiness or scariness and simlar things. Also a lot of the soundtrack is actual songs.
13. How might industrial, social, and economic factors have influenced the film?Describe how this film influences or connects to a culture?	I have no idea
14. Give an example of what a film critic had to say about this filmUse credible sources and cite sourcesExample: “The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review (1994) | Roger Ebert.” All Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 June 2015.	Help I don’t know
15. Select one scene no longer than 5 minutes that represents well the whole film and shows relevant cinematic elements.Write a one-sentence description of the scene and record the time of the scene. Example, from 1:05:00 to 1:10:00.Explain why you chose this scene.	The movie goes through a lot of different things so that would be kinda hard to chose on ething
16. In the selected scene: write a sentence for each of the elements below to justify why this scene best represents the film:	I don’t know any of these HEEEELP
a. Screenwriting:
b. Sound Design:
c. Camera Movements/Angles:
d. Light Setup:
e. Soundtrack/Score:
18. What’s the socio-cultural context of this film?

This worksheet was developed with ideas from many IB Film teachers, thus should remain in the Creative Commons

“Analysis gave me great freedom of emotions and fantastic confidence. I felt I had served my time as a puppet.”

Hedy Lamarr

SUMMARY

• first I updated my GTD, then worked on the blog post on Sunday.

CLASSROOM (THEORY & ANALYSIS)

• Set a timer
• Spend 2 hours in this ‘room’
• Watch a film of your own choice

After Watching The Film…

• Set a timer
• Spend 30 minutes in this ‘room’

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

• I learned that movies and can be for accademic purposes. A problem that I had to solve was I wasn’t sure if we were doing a song or not so I did a movie because why not.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY EVALUATION

• Give feedback on this week’s class Content and Process
  • Fill in the Weekly Activity Evaluation
• DELETE THIS WHOLE SECTION, AFTER YOU ARE DONE

• CTIONS

“‘Be shapeless and formless.. like water’ (Bruce Lee)” by Akinini.com is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

“Have a mind like water.”

― David Allen,  GTD

SUMMARY

• On wednesday I did most of my homework as usual. But then I forgot to do this assignment till an hour before class.

PRACTICE ROOM (GUITAR LESSONS)

• I got to how to play seven nations army. (he didn’t tel how to play the whole song). I also skipped some stuff because I have been playing fo a while

Watch Mary Spender: Powerful advice from 10 Professional Musicians you need to hear (14:15)

• Continue his 117 Free Lessons YouTube Playlist
• Check out his web site, justinguitar.com.
• The first 10 videos take less than an hour.

• Be curious about Justin.
• Mr. Le Duc considers him the best beginning guitar teacher online. He’s not the only one that thinks this.  Check out some of the celebrity endorsements at justinguitar.com.

How interested in learning more about playing the guitar?

• 1 (YUCK!)
• 2 (not really)
• 3 (sorta interested)
• 4 (interested)
• 5 (YES!)

Your score: 5

WHAT I LEARNED and PROBLEMS I SOLVED

• I learned how to use Capos well. And what they are used for because I knew about them just not what they were used for. A problem that I had was that I actually kept forgetting to do this assignment. I am right now actually doing it about an hour before class so yeah.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY EVALUATION

• Give feedback on this week’s class Content and Process
  • Fill in the Weekly Activity Evaluation
• DELETE THIS WHOLE SECTION, AFTER YOU ARE DONE