Thank you to the Royal Philharmonic Society Enterprise Fund
I’m exceptionally grateful to the Royal Philharmonic Society Enterprise Fund (in association with the Harriet’s trust) for giving my a £1,000 grant to explore new ways to reach audiences. For me, the real kicker from the pandemic was realising I had little or no video or audio engineering skills, apart from the time I helped produce a mates podcast back at school. What the funding enabled me to do was get Logic Pro and be taught how to use it. I was then able to work with colleagues on recording projects by watching over shoulders; learning what the multiplicity of wires, PA systems, microphones did and how subtly and precision was at the heart of audio engineering, a real art from of managing infinitesimal differences.
Whilst I envisaged working on recordings and films of my own performances (of which I have done some), having put my singing on a pause during the pandemic, I found myself working at a sixth form college running their extracurricular music ensembles; big band, orchestra and a chamber choir, giving me the perfect opportunity to try out some of the new skills I’d be developing from using Logic and working with and learning from colleagues with more experience than I. The department had some cameras, little precedence of filming events (so I didn’t feel intimated) and a hybrid audience of folks both at home and in person who needed to be entertained. I was able to film concerts, offer live streams, take the footage and edit it together alongside the audio and help the department produce video content for parents and perspective students all whilst upskilling myself in a way which I’d never previously thought possible.
I’ve been able to make recordings for auditions using my phone and a decent microphone that plugs into the phones charging socket and mess around with even the limited functionality of the MOTIV audio app to produce decent recordings.
The chief principal I’ll take forward is a simple one, be open to newness. Be venerable in your ignorance, admit to not knowing, be ok with not knowing. Being open to learning a new skill will not only make you more employable but also give you more insight on your original skill, you’ll look afresh at something familiar. People like talking about what they know and the curiosity of others instinctively makes good teachers of us all. Personal relationships matter the most, being a reliable and consistence colleague will ingratiate yourself to others. And finally, a virtue more than a principle but patience; patience with the process, acknowledge the true attention your art deserves.
Practical tips:
Be taught 121 rather than follow online tutorials. You’ll achieve faster and you can ask questions.
Start small - use your phone to begin with and gradually build up equipment from personal recommendations.
Listen to lots of recordings, and critique ambience. Think about why the sound fits in the space its in (or why it doesn’t)
Watch people work.
Easy if you’re doing a recording session - just ask the engineer if you can watch them on their next project etc.
Talk/follow around those doing the Tonmeister degree at Surrey University, offer to carry their bags, do just about anything to just watch them work.
You’ll learn best by doing.
Thank to all those who helped me throughout, especially Maisie and Eloise, whose patience has been saintly and to the RPS fund for giving me an opportunity I never knew I needed. I attach a recording we made of the joint choirs of Farnborough Sixth Form and Royal Holloway Chapel Choir of a sensational piece called I Believe by Latvian Composer, Ēriks Ešenvalds.
Thank you
Richard