MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft · Jake Christopher Wilson MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft Reflective Journal In order to prepare for my live performance, I have been working on developing

Jake Christopher Wilson MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft

MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft

Reflective Journal



Contents

Pages: 1-5

Pages: 6-12

Page: 13

Reflective Journal

Appendices

Bibliography


Reflective Journal In order to prepare for my live performance, I have been working on developing my skills and

techniques as a performer and I have practiced these in rehearsals in order to apply them to live

performance scenarios. I have also been involved in: booking and scheduling rehearsals, liaising with

musicians, creating and funding promotion/marketing materials, and also taking on the role of a manager

to help organize the musicians I worked with - this helped to make sure deadlines and goals were met.

Detailed accounts and an analysis of these areas can be found below.

Pre-Rehearsal Phase

In the beginning of this project, I struggled to find the necessary members needed in order to achieve

a full band for the performance. It took a period of several months, after trying out many musicians, until

I found a suitable drummer and bassist to support us and help us get through the main performance.

Whilst I did eventually find suitable members (even if it is on a temporary basis) this wasted valuable

time which could have been spent on rehearsals and planning our marketing strategies.

The majority of the material used in our final set list was written before we were able to find the

bassist and drummer. This was beneficial because it meant that, in general, only minute tweaks were

needed to be made to make the songs work whilst being performed as a full band. Once the band line-

up for the main performance was finalized, the main writing aspect that was focused on was creating

suitable bass lines and drum grooves. These parts were written specifically to compliment the content

already present for each song. An example of this is a simplified bass part for the verse of our self titled

song 'C.F.H', which was the final song in our set list (Figure 1). In the verses the bass sits in the background

and doesn't compete with the verse melody. It compliments the guitar part by using different rhythms

and sustained notes, as opposed to the constant strumming pattern used by the guitar. The final written

parts for bass and drums are the result of a considerable amount of trial and error.

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Rehearsal Phase

Following the writing process, was the

beginning of rehearsals solely for practicing

and developing my performance techniques,

as an individual but also as a unit. To begin

with, I practiced performing in a natural state

because I wanted to see what techniques I

was already implementing without any

conscious effort. On reflection of this, I felt

that I had excellent communication with the

other band members in rehearsals and I was

effectively engaging with them all. Examples

of this include: directly facing band members

whilst playing the songs and, in essence,

performing

Figure 1. The set list for the final performance at

The Star Inn on 31/07/18.

performing the song to each of them as if they were an audience member; and imitating certain

members when they would change their posture or playing style. To further develop my communication

skills, I worked on communicating with band members at specific points during each song which helped

to structure the use of this technique - this meant that I would be able to balance interacting with the

band and the audience more evenly. It also made it appear to be a creative choice, as opposed to doing

it at random. An example of this is physically moving towards one another during certain cues which

were decided beforehand. Rehearsing the communication side of the performance was beneficial as it

also ensured that everyone was aware of count-ins (where necessary) and when to come in for each

song.

From here, I researched several different live performances and analysed what I believed to be

effective stage presence and determined specific techniques I wanted to practice and incorporate into

my own

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my own performances later on. I particularly resonated with live footage of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl

Jam and the live performance of Alice In Chains that I experienced in person. Case studies of these live

performances and relevant timestamps can be found in Appendix A.

This particular RHCP performance inspired me to implement song transitions in a way which was

appropriate to the main performance we were rehearsing for. Examples of this include: practicing

'Dreamcatcher' and going straight into the second song of the set list afterwards, which was 'Yellow

Brain'; transitioning into the song 'Polly' by Nirvana at the end of our song 'Better Get Out'. Making

deliberate transitions such as these helped to make the set list flow more smoothly and it also helped to

build anticipation for what was to follow next - in essence, it was used with the intention of leaving the

audience in suspense.

In regards to the Pearl Jam performance, to an extent, I was already incorporating band

communication and stage movement into our rehearsals but not at the same intensity found in this live

footage. I used this live performance as a reference on what energetic stage presence looks like from an

audiences' perspective, and the areas in which I needed to be more consciously aware of whilst practicing

performing myself. In my case this mainly involves being aware of movement and making sure to utilize

the full performance space of the stage when possible.

Figure 2. A photo of Alice In Chains performing at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London (17/06/2018)

(YouTube, 2018)

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Alice In Chains' performance (Figure 2) prompted me to re-visit the draft of our set list and to

determine whether or not it was suitable and if it was dynamically interesting. It also made me decide

on creating physical set lists that we could use for rehearsals and at the main performance, in case a

quick reference was needed. Another thing I took away was the idea of using of a pick holder which clips

on to a mic stand. After watching this gig and realizing that I occasionally dropped picks whilst practicing

our songs, I decided to invest in one. Using it whilst performing added extra reassurance in case I dropped

a pick.

Another area I wanted to specifically work on improving and implementing is breaking the fourth wall.

The fourth wall is an "imaginary barrier" between the audience and musicians who are performing on

stage (The Fandom Studio, 2016).

Breaking this 'wall' involves engaging with the audience and involving them in the performance - this can

be done in several ways. The components I practiced and developed in order to do this include: eye

contact and performing off stage as well as on stage.

The use of eye contact was an essential component to my stage presence (Figure 3) and it was

practiced thoroughly in rehearsals. The different methods I used regarding eye contact include 'scanning

the room' and also focusing on individual audience members, giving them my full attention. Practicing

this helped me to become more confident with giving eye contact as it became a familiar action. It also

helped me to refrain from looking down at my guitar at all times whilst performing - this was something

I was not used to doing and it was out of my comfort zone. As a result, I found this difficult to do in the

early stages of rehearsals. Practicing this involved gradually looking from one side of the room to the

other whilst performing, and also focusing my attention on chairs/ objects which I would pretend to be

a member of the audience. This technique complimented my vocal parts and it helped to create the

impression that I was singing directly to individuals in the room, which allowed me to connect with them

on a more personal level whilst singing. On the other hand, if I had avoided eye contact in the

performance it may have been interpreted as a sign of "nervousness, self-doubt or even mistrust and lack

of interest." (Herstad Carney, 2017)

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Practicing performing off stage was a technique I attempted during our rehearsals. It involved

branching out of the performance space and practicing bringing myself to the audience, as opposed to

trying to bring the audience forward. I planned on doing this at the main performance during my guitar

solo but it wasn't practical due to the stage layout and height.

our performance. This is due to not having the time for a sound check, and issues with levels on stage

with my guitar and monitors for my vocals. I could not hear myself very clearly for most of the

performance. Despite this I think that as a unit we performed well, considering the issues we faced. For

future events I would try to ensure a sound check is possible and I would also free up some space on

stage, as there was a keyboard which hindered my available performance space. Compared to the first

open mic night performance, I can clearly see how much I have progressed as a performer, and I am

confident I am going to continue improving as I perform at a more consistent level.

Word count (excluding quotes etc): 1545

Figure 3. Evidence of eye contact during our main

performance.

Before the main performance, we tested

out some of our material at two separate

open mic nights. More information on this

can be found in Appendix B. Information on

our marketing strategies can be found in

Appendix C.

In conclusion, I believe that the main

performance (Appendix D) was very

successful, and one could argue this was

reinforced by the reaction of the audience. I

made a conscious effort to use eye contact to

communicate with the audience, and I also

interacted with the other band members

when appropriate. On the other hand,

limitations of technical facilities did hinder

our

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Appendices

Appendix A - Performance Case Studies

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Slane Castle, Ireland (23/08/2003)

From the RHCP footage, I found the idea of jamming between songs to link them together particularly

interesting and thought it was effective. It helped to retain the audiences' attention (as it was

unexpected) and this is further reinforced when the next song transitions and the opening of 'Scar Tissue'

is recognised and the crowd is cheering.

By The Way and Scar Tissue: https://youtu.be/_OqUYgiQmnY?t=3m18s

Pearl Jam - MTV Unplugged, New York (1992)

The footage of Pearl Jam performing 'Porch' showcases their energy and is an excellent example of

movement on stage and communication between band members. I feel it shows that the band are

actually enjoying themselves during the performance as they are relaxed, opposed to being tense and

static. It gives the impression that they are really into the music they are playing. This resonates with the

audience and it shows they are feeding on the energy the band are putting out.

Porch: https://youtu.be/acJktomTrT0?t=30m13s

Alice In Chains - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London (17/06/2018)

Whilst it is not a performance technique, one concept I took away from the Alice In Chains gig is that

a well balanced set list really makes a difference to the overall success of the gig. The use of contrasting

songs added dynamic interest and a variety of moods and atmospheres to the set list, which catered to

different audience members’ preferences. The songs which brought down the tempo and intensity also

made

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https://youtu.be/_OqUYgiQmnY?t=3m18s

https://youtu.be/acJktomTrT0?t=30m13s


made the more powerful and energetic songs stand out. In comparison, if every song had the same

dynamics, the performance would become stale.

Nutshell: https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU?t=13m57s

The One You Know: https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU?t=33m56s

Appendix B - Additional Performances

Open Mic Night #1 - Hari's Bar, University of Surrey Campus

Video Footage: https://www.facebook.com/openmicnightuk/videos/1922102967821107/

Figure 4. A screenshot of our first open mic night performance (Open Mic Night at Hari's Bar, 2018).

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https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU?t=13m57s

https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU?t=33m56s

https://www.facebook.com/openmicnightuk/videos/1922102967821107/


Open Mic Night #2 - Martin Guitar Takeover, Farncombe

Extract of Video Footage: https://www.facebook.com/MartinGuitarUK/videos/2026561037363890/

Appendix C - Marketing Strategies

Alongside the ongoing rehearsals, I decided to start looking into promotional tools and how certain

ones could benefit our live performance. Shortly after beginning the planning stage, we were contacted

by Chris Carney, a lecturer involved in the business. We were referred and passed on to a student called

Ben Newport, who was keen and showed an interest in helping to promote our gig for Summer Live.

From here we collaborated with Ben and decided that our marketing materials would consist of: stickers,

posters, lighters, and if possible, a banner. Examples of these marketing materials can be found in Figure

6 and 7.

Figure 5. A photo of our second open mic night performance (Martin Guitar, 2018).

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https://www.facebook.com/MartinGuitarUK/videos/2026561037363890/


Figure 6. Marketing materials that were used to promote the band name.

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Figure 7. The poster which was created to promote the main performance.

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Appendix D - The Main Performance

Mix Notes

I helped in creating a page of mix notes which was later given to the live sound engineer before our

main performance. These notes were created after experimenting with different mic techniques and

volumes, and trying to find out key points of information which would provide cues for each of the songs

and to give the engineer an idea of what to expect, as they had never heard our songs beforehand.

Figure 8. A live photo from the main performance.

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Bibliography

Herstad Carney, K. (2017). Week 3 - MIP506 -. [online] prezi.com. Available at:

https://prezi.com/mgsarybg5kiz/week-3-mip506-/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

Martin Guitar (2018). Martin Open Mic Night Takeover with Andertons Music. [image] Available at:

https://tinyurl.com/ybv5zabl [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

Open Mic Night at Hari's Bar. (2018). [image] Available at:

https://www.facebook.com/openmicnightuk/videos/1922102967821107/ [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

Paul, A. (2017). The 6 ways musicians communicate on stage. [online] God and Gigs. Available at:

https://godandgigs.com/2017/01/20/talking-notes-six-ways-musicians-communicate-on-stage/

[Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

The Fandom Studio. (2016). Breaking the Fourth Wall: In Music. [online] Available at:

https://thefandomstudio.wordpress.com/2016/03/15/breaking-the-forth-wall-in-music/

[Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

YouTube (2018). Alice In Chains - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire - 17/06/2018. [image] Available at:

https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU [Accessed 6 Aug. 2018].

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https://prezi.com/mgsarybg5kiz/week-3-mip506-/

https://tinyurl.com/ybv5zabl

https://www.facebook.com/openmicnightuk/videos/1922102967821107/

https://godandgigs.com/2017/01/20/talking-notes-six-ways-musicians-communicate-on-stage/

https://thefandomstudio.wordpress.com/2016/03/15/breaking-the-forth-wall-in-music/

https://youtu.be/L2P1kdK0jRU

Documents

MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft · Jake Christopher Wilson MIP-506 Advanced Stagecraft Reflective Journal In order to prepare for my live performance, I have been working on developing