90s Band | Alyssa

Unit 6 - 90s Band (and Don't Stop Believing)

Band members:

Sam (drums)

Dane (bass)

James (lead guitar)

Angel (vocals and keys)

Emily (vocals and acoustic guitar)

India (vocals)

Mikael (vocals)

Session 1 - 08/01/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

As a band, we would like to get at least a verse and a chorus from Roll With It sorted and decide who's doing what parts for the whole song (splitting the verses/pre-choruses/choruses between 5 singers).

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to choose which verse/chorus etc I'm doing and learn the lyrics for them.

I also need to learn the chords so we can have rhythm guitar as well as lead because it would sound empty without it.

What went well in this session and why?

We played through the whole song; we got more done than we thought we would and we quickly got the structure of the song.

What went wrong and why?

There was no drummer because Will was off sick so even though we got through the song, we'll have to go through it again in the next session so he knows when to come in and to make sure we're all playing in time.

What are your targets for next week?

For next week, I want to learn the lyrics for Torn by Natalie Imbruglia so we can start a second song, learn the chords for Torn and go over my parts and chords from today.

Session 2 - 15/01/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

We want to learn and play through Torn so we have another song learned: we have more time to go back through it so it sounds perfect for the performance.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to learn the chords and xhange them by either playing them an octave up or below the original so the song sounds more interesting to the listener and it sounds more full with an acoustic rhythm and an electric rhythm guitar.

What went well in this session and why?

We sorted the dynamics of the song out so it was closer to the original and we got through the whole song with only a few minor mistakes so now we can go through and improve on the structure.

What went wrong and why?

We need to add more harmonies and guitar riffs so it doesn't sound like a half-hearted cover of the original.

What are your targets for next week?

I want to learn the extra guitar riffs for the verse and chorus ready for the next session learn the chords for Disco 2000 by Pulp.

Session 3 - 22/01/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

We want to go back through Torn so we can add more harmonies in the choruses and I can put the little guitar riffs over the top of the verse and chorus. We also want to start going through Disco 2000 so we can learn our last song and then spend the rest of the time leading up to the performance going through the songs and making sure they sound the best that they can.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to learn the chords for Disco 2000 so I can move them down an octave - or at least the intro - so the song sounds more full and it doesn't just sound like one very loud guitar when paired with the lead guitar (James). I also want to learn my lyrics for Disco 2000 and add the second guitar part for Torn to the song.

What went well in this session and why?

Torn sounded a lot better with the added harmonies and riffs so we can move on to another song and improve the other 3 we have.

What went wrong and why?

Disco 2000 sounded a bit messy because we didn't have the guitar riffs that go over the chords like in the original and we only decided who was doing the verses; we need to add harmonies to the choruses.

What are your targets for next week?

I want to have the chords for Californication learned so we can quickly go through it next week and learn the lyrics for Disco 2000 properly so we can go through it again properly.

Targets:

Start looking at the melodic guitar parts used in the original song and add them in so the song doesn't sound lazy or just like a half-hearted attempt at a cover.
Learn a harmony for the chorus ('ooo's).
Keep going through the chords for the bridge section so we don't get confused when we reach it.

Session 4 - 29/01/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

We want to learn another song (Disco 2000 by Pulp) and go back through Torn and Roll With It to make sure the harmonies and guitar riffs over the top are correct and sound better.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I need to learn the chords for Disco 2000 and add the extra guitar parts into Torn over the normal guitar chords and learn the chorus lyrics for Disco 2000.

What went well in this session and why?

Torn sounded a lot better than it did last week with the harmonies ("ooo's" in the chorus) and the guitar riffs over the verse and we learned Disco 2000 and managed to play through it fully in this session so we have more time to go through it and learn new songs.

What went wrong and why?

Disco 2000 was all over the place because we didn't pick out individual parts for the lyrics and we haven't added lyrics over the chorus yet.

What are your targets for next week?

Learn the chords for Californication so we can go through it next week and keep practising all the songs we've learned so far.

Targets:

Keep going through the chords for the chorus because I keep forgetting the starting chord (Bb).
Learn the lyrics in the last chorus/outro and add a lower harmony into the chorus.
Decide on whether or not I'm playing the original guitar riff an octave below or an octave higher than the original; see which one would work better with the song.

Session 5 - 05/02/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

Go through Californication - Red Hot Chilli Peppers to make sure everyone knows their parts, rehearse Torn to reduce any mistakes that were there from last week and decide between the vocalists who's singing what parts (and also what parts to cut out).

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to choose what parts of Californication that I'm doing, learn where the chord changes for each section are in the song and look at different tones for each song on the guitar (so maybe using a distortion pedal for Roll With It, Disco 2000 and Californication).

What went well in this session and why?

We got through all of Californication so now we can spend more time in our future sessions tightening up each section of the song, especially the solo where the key change is.

What went wrong and why?

We didn't have a drummer for half of the session because he was out recording - this lead to issues like not being able to remember where the vocals came in for some sections or where one section ended and another started. It also took a while to sort the key change out because I hadn't practised it much before the session - I forgot about it.

What are your targets for next week?

I want to learn the chords for Basket Case, go through the key change section so I don't forget about it next time and learn the lyrics for my parts in Californication (pre-choruses and choruses).

Session 6 - 12/02/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

We want to go through Californication again (mainly the solo/key change section) and decide what we're going to do for the ending.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I need to learn the lyrics for the pre-choruses for Californication and put the second guitar part into it instead of playing the same thing as the lead guitar.

What went well in this session and why?

The ending for Californication sounded better when we decided to do the intro riff into the final chorus after the guitar solo instead of doing the last verse and pre-chorus. We also managed to add more harmonies into all of the songs we're performing. The solo in Torn also sounded better with longer pauses between phrases (it sounds closer to the original solo now).

What went wrong and why?

We didn't have our bassist for the majority of the session so we had to work around it by going through the songs without him to work on harmonies and the solo for Torn and then going through them again when he came back.

What are your targets for next week?

I want to learn the lower harmony for Roll With It and go back over all of the songs we've done so I don't make as many mistakes when going through them in the next session.

Targets:

Learn the chords for the key change so I don't forget about it when we next go through the song.
Learn the lyrics for both pre-choruses so I don't have to rely on lyric sheets/a phone while performing.
Make sure the chord I'm playing in the pre-choruses works with the rest of the instruments.

Session 7 - 29/02/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

We want to go through all of our songs, especially Roll With It as it's our weakest song. We also need to work on the harmonies in Disco 2000 to make sure they sound right.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to find a lower harmony for Disco 2000 so the song has more of a full sound. I also want to work on guitar tones to see what would suit each song.

What went well in this session and why?

All of our songs are sounding strong because we don't have to think about the structure of the songs; it comes naturally now. The harmony for Disco 2000 also worked so now it sounds more full.

What went wrong and why?

We messed around more than usual so it took longer than usual to go through each song. Also, we kept missing the solo in Roll With It because Mikael came in too early with his part.

What are your targets for next week?

I'm going to keep going through the songs so I can sing without having to look at a lyric sheet. I also want to go through the chords for the solo section of Roll With It so I don't forget about it when we go through it.

Targets:

Go through the chords for the second half of the chorus so I don't go to the wrong chord.
Make sure that the lower harmony for the chorus actually works with everyone else.
Make sure that the order for the chords in the intro is correct.

Session 8 - 05/03/19

What do you hope to achieve as a band today?

As a band we need to go back through all of our songs to make sure that they're ready to perform.

What do you hope to achieve individually today?

I want to be able to sing without any lyrics and remember the chord structures for each song.

What went well in this session and why?

We got through every song without many mistakes (we only had one or two wrong chords and forgot where to end in a few songs).

What went wrong and why?

Me, James and Emily had to go out to record guitar for a project so we barely had any time to rehearse as a full band and I forgot the lyrics for the chorus of Disco 2000.

What are your targets for next week?

I want to keep rehearsing our set and learn the lyrics for Disco 2000 ready for the gig.

Targets:

Work on the ending so we all know where the song stops/how many times the chords go around after the 'I think I've got a feeling I've lost inside' part.
Make sure I'm playing the correct chords.

Targets:

Add in the guitar riff and melodic guitar part from the pre-chorus and choruses.
Make sure that the harmony and lyrics for the chorus that I'm singing are correct.

Targets:

Make sure I don't miss the start of my guitar part in the pre-chorus.
Work on the ending so we all know where the song ends.

Targets:

Check that I have the right guitar tone in the show.
Make sure that the harmony I'm singing works with everyone else.

80s band - Don't Stop Believin'

I was asked by the 80s band to step in on bass for Don't Stop Believin' and the first practise went great because everyone in the band had already went through the song, so I just needed to be told where to come in and the bass line was the same as the one used in the song from the pre-chorus onwards. The only problem was that we hadn't rehearsed with drums yet and we could only do so on the day before the gig; it took longer to sort out because the person who stepped in on drums didn't know where the song ended.