Song making

 Since the band started out, we have wanted to create an original song. Therefore, since November we have worked on a song with the sound of punk and garage rock. Howveer, we havce not been able to finsih it yet but on today's meeting we got really close, leaving out the lyrics and the tocuhups; and now that I am writing this blog, I realize that we have not planned nor wokred well on the grunge sound since the song sounds more like Punk Rock Revival and Garage rock, more 2000's. Consequently, on the upcoming band meeting we should focus more on how to incorporate this sound since it was our objective as a band, when it comes to the aesthetic. 

On the other side, the lyrics had been created once, and from all of what I compose I really like the verses of:

You are asking for permission

To criticize too much.

You are asking for an edition 

Of something that it just

Ain't enough.

You are taking care of placements

To match a good fit

You are making rearrangements

Of something that's not

Worth it

Cause you just ain't for it....

These verses have been untoched since November because it really goes well with the song that we are creating, and the meaning of the song ise really interesting since it i about how somethimes in romantic relationships, one of the partners might be working towards changing the other or pressuring things in order to work, when in reality it causes more damage to the relationship, and specially to the partner. Therefore, we would like to maintain this concept for the lyrics and see how we would sing it, and how we would complete the composition.

Overall, I have concluded that we should finsih the song within the music and the lyrical composition, menahwile taking in consideration the grunge style within all aspects. Lastly, we should find a program and a recording mechanism so that the song would be recorded at its best; well to the grunge standards since such genre actually making things sound a little trash, therefore we might as well have more fun on finding out on creating and incroporating such technqiues to our final product. As a result, the band on the upcoming practice should finish the song on next Friday in order to progress on the project.

Meeting with other classmates

 Today's class activity was to discuss with other classmates on how we are managing the project, what our ideas are, etc... And I havce to say that I learned more or took some notes more when listeningn to other people on how they are managing their project since we got to discuss ideas on the music video, whether it would be commercial or artisitc and actually both of our ideas concided on the fact that commercial music video is necessary if it is the band's first music. Meaning my ideas were right on how my project should be focused on.

On the other side, with a member of such group I got to discuss on how to manage the band's music video, since Dean also had chosen the musical promotion. In what it all concluded that the music video should impersonate the band, within the style, aesthetic, portrayal, etc... because the prpject says it, it is a music promo. Consequently, it is really important to meet with my band mates to discuss the specifics of the music vide so they would feel proud on the music video we will create.

Lastly, we did not get to discuss specifics on how to record the song which I would have liked to get more support on but I think that with the programs that me and my band mates have already found, we will be able to record a great demo. However. the drums recording is what worries me the most since we should control the intensity of the drums, whcih I think would require filming between matresses so the sound would be controlled. 

Other than that, I got to demonstrate my idea for the project but not much on how the music video would be, meaning I need to start working on it!

Planning and scheduling

Today I met with the band through Zoom to introduce my first ideas for the msuic video but mainly to define how we would take band practices because we mainly do them every other week on Saturdays, but due to to changing of work schedules and the deadline approaching, we will work on through the whole moths with the band practices on Fridays after school. Likewise, our goal is to have it finsihed before Apil aproaches, so that the project could be done before hand.

Therefore, here I leave the schedule to leave the idea of how the project management has been distributed throughout the month, according to our necessity and availability.

Music Video

 When it comes to doing the music video, the band has decided to go to the minimalist path meaning we are looking towards on creating a commercial video of the band, where the main subject is us playing the song. 

Music videos like:

- Joy Division- Love Will Tear Us Apart

-The Strokes- Reptilia

-Weezer- Say It Ain't So

-Molchat Doma- Sudno

Overall all these music videos, demonstrate the band in a simplistic manner by the subject of entertainment being the band itself and their performance because since last I created a music video for the fictional band, Orpheus I got to understand that sometimes too much shots, editing and storyline are not necessary to make a good music video, what is definitely needed is a good performance, including style. As a result, our performance like a band should be more considered n next practice as well as the fact that we have to complete the song to start storyboarding the music video. Therefore, on Wednesday I will meet with Olga and Valentina through Google Meets to discuss the upcoming rehearsals and the music video as well, including method of recording.

Conclusion: We will work towards creating a music video to the style of Garage Rock, simplistic with lots of attitude and once in a while a shot the goes along with the theme and rhythm like Alice and Chains's- Would?:

This is the end goal, attitude and quality wise! and of course, because it is 90's grunge.

Battling between genres

Flapper consists of 3 members:

-Valentina Pestana: Venezuelan guitarist and vocalist of the band. Favorite genres: K-Pop, Garage Rock, Hard Rock, Grunge, etc... Favorite artists: Miley Cyrus, Arctic Monkeys, Joan Jett...

-Olga Mendez: Colombian bassist (possible vocalist). Favorite genres: Glam Rock, Funk Rock, Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, etc... Favorite artists: Queen, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Strokes, Weezer...

-Andrea Sojo (me): Venezuelan Drummer and backing vocals. Favorite genres: Post Punk, Grunge, Reggae, Psychedelic Rock, Alternative...Favorite artists: Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hole, The Beatles, Tame Impala, and I could go on for a while. 

    Discussions after discussion, finally led to narrow down our inspirations and purposes with the band, mainly the fact to which sub-genre of Rock we will follow its conventions, and it has come down to a weird mix.

     Grunge, Punk, Funk and Garage Rock, meaning we will definitely create Alternative Rock with a mix of a these different formulas. Having as main inspirations: Arctic Monkeys's lyrics, Red Hot Chili Peppers's Groove, and Nirvana energy and intentions; and actually many more but you get the idea. We as a band have many tastes, interests as well as objectives; therefore, within our lyrics it will be possibly based on feminist observations. Also, our objective with the intended aura is to fulfill the sense of nostalgia that part of our target audience, which is the Generation Z, possess. Due to the fact, the Gen Z possesses great appreciation towards the last decades pop culture to the point where TV shows, artists and even Tik Tokers are obtaining popularity by again fulfilling such need. As an example we may have Stranger Things, The Weeknd's "After Hours"; Miley Cyrus's "Plastic Hearts" and even Weezer's remake of "Take On Me" by A-Ha with the turn out of it starring with Stranger Things leading actor, Finn Wolfhard. 

    As a result, Flapper has as purpose to respond to the interests of the teenagers who long omn being "Old Souls", "Being born in the wrong generation", or the ones who have "superior" taste of music as indie teens think they are. We are part of those teens, therefore we want to create content that wi would also enjoy by focusing on the nostalgia to the 90's, as if would a Grunge Rock Revival, something that many Gen X and Gen Z have been waiting for. 

                                               Nirvana

                                    Red Hot Chili Peppers

                                         Arctic Monkeys

And yes all men, but our contribution could be part of the change.

New Project: Flapper

For the final project in AICE Media A level, and for what I hope for; my last project of high school, will be based upon one of my biggest passions since the music marketing project in Junior year, which is Rock Bands. I have always had a great passion and admiration towards such art form but I never thought that I could be a creator. In the quarantine I got too much time watching YouTube, causing drastic changes in my taste in music since we went from Stromae electronic music to Nirvana. 

As a result, this change led to the understanding that I can as well play an instrument without taking lessons, but rather through YouTube videos. Now I play the drums and formed a band with other two close friends of mine, whom I also share the board of Cypress Bay's Feminism Club; what leads to our be based on common interests and objectives, explaining our band name of Flapper since it goes back to the women of the 1920's whom were rebelling against the patriarchal standards. Meaning 100 years later, we are following such legacy, what leads to the conclusion that there is space and need for change.

In conclusion, from now on And So Far's blog posts will be dedicated  to this magnificent project that in September was just personal, but now it has connected my academics as well. Consequently, the project will consist on creating a social media platform and music video from my band Flapper, for what I have understood. This is so exciting, and I know it will be so memorable.

 Let's hope and prepare for the best! :)