felicity mitchell @felicitymitchell - Tumblr Blog

major music project progress (so far)

I started the project knowing I wanted to release a body of recorded work. I had the initial goal of 6-7 songs, but after realistic consideration of the workload and time to bring the project to completion, I reconsidered. The project now has the objective of 5 songs, with a potential addition of one or two unofficial bonus tracks.

I started writing new material for the project and when combined with already written work I ended up with over 13 songs to choose from, which proved to be a challenge. I worked with some 1st year MUB students as A&R and they assisted in the process by giving feedback on demos and songs I had been writing and considering for the final project which has given me audience insight (they are both fans of my music outside of the A&R work and listen to artists that share a similar target audience to me) and allowed me to feel more confident in my creative decisions. I have since recorded several demo versions of potential tracks and managed to decide on a final (but subject to potential change) track list of 5.

as it stands, I have one pure pop track, 2 darker tracks, and 2 acoustic/sad tracks. I wanted to follow on from my July 22' release cohesively but allow myself creative room to dip into other genres and so the vision I have for the EP is a blend of guitar pop, dark pop, and acoustic pop as the tracks I have selected vary in style and tell a story when combined and so I want them to sound sonically different, to really allow the listener to feel the sense of the story being told and evolving. I am working with the same Korean producer that I worked with on 'jealous' for all 5 of the tracks so he will be producing remotely and I will record all the final vocals in the studio at the university, I am still undecided on my choice of mic.

I am aiming to do a limited-run physical release of the EP and have been talking to HMV Cheltenham who are interested in stocking it. I would also like to do a release show/party and am currently researching marketing methods other than submitting to spotify editorials and organic promotion through my socials.

I currently have a Pinterest board that i am using to collect and brainstorm ideas for artwork and graphics, and I am looking to work with some of the Ed & Ad students for some photograph elements.

In my padlet under the title 'audio links' i have linked a basic piano and vocals of each of my chosen songs. Although these are not advanced production wise and have not been completed yet, it gives an idea of the finished structure and melody of each track. I have also linked demos to other tracks that have not made the final cut but have been considered and may end up being included as exclusive demos/stripped back versions etc. as i have seen these become more popular through platforms like tiktok- audiences seem to be enjoying stripped back and demo versions of songs.

MD6322- branding assets and mockups

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MD6322- manifesto

Within my project, I aim to address the lack of sustainability within the local community and music scene. I believe that local artists and music enterprises should be valued and supported to the same extent that larger commercial artists are, and my project aims to contribute towards fixing that. I want to bring equality to the music scene, as well as equality for genres on lineups and support for local and small businesses and venues. As a female artist who often plays acoustically and an avid music consumer, I myself have experienced the challenges of being a local independent artist and the lack of sustainability in the local music scene when it comes to living music events. To present this to the wider community I will be creating an event that will address the sustainability of the local live music scene, the biased culture around smaller artists as well as confronting the pay gap and gender bias within live music as well as the lack of accessibility and non-sustainable energy used without any regard for the environmental repercussions.

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MD6322- sustainability report

My project will aim to contribute to several Sustainability Development Goals, the first of which is 'No Poverty: globalise fair play- Outlaw secondary ticketing at a profit and institute fair play schemes at all venues around the world, wherever they are.' To work with this I will be prohibiting and making sure that tickets are not resold for my event and that there is equal access to the tickets for my event. I will also be working with the SDG 'End Global Hunger: better partnerships- from ensuring there’s pantry distribution at concerts and arenas, to better recycling surplus food at music venues, any place that hosts live music can also support local food pantries or community groups.' I will do this by making sure that any food and amenities for my event are provided by small businesses and that any surplus is disposed of responsibly ie to local charities, food banks, etc. My event will also support 'Gender Equality: monitor gender balance across all music industry sectors- Creating a sector-wide international gender monitor for the music industry can provide more detailed information to increase female participation across the sector, and open up a wider array of employment opportunities. Further monitoring should be extended to include LGBTQI+, transgendered, queer, no binary, and BIPOC communities.' It will do this through a diverse lineup of a 50/50 split between genders including those with different sexual orientations, ethnicities, and those with impairments who are less able-bodied. To continue this theme i will be including SDG 'Reduce Inequality: make music support genre agnostic- We must move past the current structure where certain genres of music are supported by the state, while others are ignored or left to market forces. We must change the discussion to focus on infrastructure, rather than discipline.' My lineup will have a diverse range of genres and will allow musicians of different genres the same opportunities for the event.

Profit: I will be aiming to reduce costs to create a more affordable and accessible live music event for the general public by minimizing the cost of ticketing for the event.

People: I will be offering both male and female musicians the same payment for their performances regardless of where they sit on the lineup to give a higher focus to equality, particularly pay gap equality within the music industry.

Planet: I will be using as little energy as I can when it comes to general utilities and equipment power but when necessary ensuring that the energy I do use is as renewable and sustainable as possible.

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MD6322- evaluation

Reflecting upon my project plan I believe it has successfully considered its sustainability and environmental impact and overall impact on the music landscape of today, contributing to several of the UN Sustainability Development Goals in multiple areas of sustainability. Although my project addresses these, there are a few areas of sustainability that were not mentioned that could have been incorporated, for example, the idea of paperless ticket sales to improve environmental sustainability or looking at venue accessibility, making live music sustainable and accessible for those who are less abled. It successfully aims to make an impact on the local community and its connection with live music and the music sector as a whole and offers gender equality, genre unbias, sustainable energy, Fair pay, and consumption as well as the support of small sustainable businesses which by extension help create a wider sustainable community.

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MD6322- reference points and market research

knowing I wanted to run a live event I started researching live events and their links to sustainable practices. I did a case study on Coldplay and how theyre implementing sustainability into their live shows.

We pledge to make our Music Of The Spheres Tour as sustainable and low-carbon as possible.

They are reducing their CO2 emissions by more than 50% and have partnered with DHL to reduce frieght transportation where possible as well as avoiding fossil fuels and using renewable and clean energy where possible. Where they cannot directly be sustainable they are contributing in other ways, such as supporting projects based on reforestation, rewilding, conservation, soil regeneration, carbon capture & storage, and renewable energy. As part of this pledge, the tour will fund the planting – and lifelong protection of – millions of new trees including one tree for every ticket sold. They also use sustainable power where possible- by powering their stage production almost entirely with renewable, super-low emission energy.

They are also implementing sustainable practices in other areas of their live shows such as wristbands- The LED wristbands worn by the audience as part of the show will be made from 100% compostable, plant-based materials. They will reduce wristband production by 80% – by collecting, sterilising, and recharging them after every show and the electronic components will be repurposed for wristbands to be used in future tours.

I considered how to power the equipment for my event and whether battery-powered or mains-powered equipment would be best- i researched into the sustainability of batteries and whether it outways that of mains electricity. I read this article to consider the potential effects.

What can we do to make them more sustainable?

From reading this article and other generalised research i have decided that my event will be mains powered as battery systems are not yet sustainable enough to be renewable and contribute to the doughnut economics sweetspot.

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MD6322- creative development

This is where I will document the creative development of my project and for the purpose of cohesion, I will come back to this post to update it rather than write a new post each time.

In my initial ideas section, I considered potential project ideas based on my interests, my skillset, and the sectors I am interested in, and after reviewing those I have decided that I am going to create a project under the live music sector. I will create a live music event to support and contribute towards several Sustainable Development Goals to impact the music industry landscape positively.

My event will be focused on supporting the local community and small businesses and musicians within the local music scene. My event will be titled Hometown Sounds and the USP of my project will be a lineup of musicians from that location at a local small business venue. My lineup will feature a 50/50 gender split and will also be genre inclusive. I want to incorporate the idea of genre equality and give and not follow the typical live music hierarchy that dictates that heavier acts headline and give any genre the opportunity to play a headline slot.

I have been researching for my event and have decided I like the premise of NPRs Tiny Desk Concert series on youtube- the idea of holding the event in a smaller, more intimate location which i feel fits the Hometown Sounds theme of a hometown, local event to showcase the local music community.

I looked at a couple different locations, with the criteria of knowing i want to use a small local business or venue. I considered The Frog and Fiddle as they are an independent venue, but decided i wanted something smaller. I also looked at places like The Cake Alchemist and The Coffee Dispensary which are both small independent cheltenham businesses but I decided that my top choice for location would be Moss Books who are an independent bookstore that opened in 1992 and buy and sell second-hand books so my event would be supporting a sustainable small business.

website description

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MD6322- doughnut economics

looking at what doughnut economics means for business with regard to creating regenerative and distributive enterprises. Doughnut economics aims to meet the needs of all people within the means of the living planet- the doughnut consists of a social foundation and an ecological ceiling to create the sweet spot that is both ecologically safe and socially just- making sure that everyone has lifes essentials but we do not overshoot the planetary boundaries so much as to damage earths life supporting systems. Drawing on insights from diverse schools of economic thought - including ecological, feminist, institutional, behavioural and complexity economics - it sets out seven ways to think like a 21st century economist in order to transform economies, local to global. Doughnut economics relies on the premise that we recognise the economy is embedded within, and dependent upon, society and the living world. it recognises that human behaviour can be nurtured to be cooperative and caring, just as it can be competitive and individualistic. However, the concept must also acknowledge that economies, societies, and the rest of the living world, are complex, interdependent systems that are best understood through the lens of systems thinking.

profit vs purpose driven business

the profit driven business model will typically make and sell products as cheaply and quickly as possible - often resulting in social and ecological exploitation. whereas purpose driven business is focused on benefits for people and the living world can be expressed through operations and supply chains, core products and services, and by disrupting and innovating in the industry.

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MD6322- down to business

this week looked at viable business model frameworks for us to structure our projects against. There are nine main building blocks in the business model canvas template;

Key Partners: The strategic relationships your business creates with other companies or people.

important suppliers

key resources

Key Activities: Activities or tasks that are integral to operating you company.

what specific activities are needed to deliver your value proposition?

what activities set your company apart from others?

Key Resources: Assets that are required to operate and deliver your company’s value proposition.

Value Proposition: The fundamental need that your company is trying to fulfill for its customers. Why your company exists.

Customer Relationships: The type of interactions your company has with its customers and the level of support it gives.

what type of relationship does your company have with its customers?

how do you interact with your customers?

Channels: Different methods that your company uses to deliver its products and value proposition to customers.

Customer Segments: The different groups of customers that your company interacts with.

identify who your proposition targets are

who are you creating value for?

what is the customer market like?

Cost Structure: How a company spends money on operations. The key costs and level of cost focus for your company. Revenue Streams: Your company’s sources of cash flows.

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MD6322- find your why

In this lecture we looked at a concept built around a 2009 TED Talk which suggested that corporations who are built up from their 'whys' are often more successful than those that are not. Very few companies can clearly articulate why they do what they do- why their company exists, why it started.

we looked at the difference between how, what and why;

why- your purpose, what is your cause, why do you do it?

how- the process, specific actions taken to realise your why.

what- what do you do? the result of the why, the proof.

the why is an origin story at the projects core, it is built from defining moments in the founders life and gives purpose and drive.

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MD6322- work and well being

this lecture provided insights into the world of work for the creative professional in today's music landscape looking at the challenges they face, different models for working practices, and resources designed to assist creatives in the workplace and as freelancers.

we looked at the brokenrecord campaign that was started during Covid 19 to bring light to the issues of the streaming economy as well as looking at several resources designed to assist musicians mental health such as Musician Union and the MIND musician mental health guide.

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MD6322- profit, people, planet

This lecture started with us looking at 'The Tripple Bottom Line' which was created by John Elkington to argue that companies should be preparing 3 separate bottom lines and aims to measure the performance of a corporation against the '3 Ps' over time. Profit is the first, which is the corporate measure of profit and loss of the company. The second is People, measuring how socially responsible an organisation has been within its operations, with the third bottom line being planet which measures how environmentally responsible an organisation has been. The tripple bottom line does not directly improve the companies measurement of these values, but it can drive improvements to be made by the company, helping managers focus on what needs to change to improve their bottom line scores.

some examples of profit related goals;

market expansion

reduce costs

premiumisation

some examples of people related goals;

offering fair wages for all

providing flexible working options

ensuring the workplace is safe and healthy

some examples of planet related goals;

striving towards a carbon neutral workplace

increasing usage and investment in sustainable and renewable energy

reducing pollution

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MD6322- making connections

in this lecture, we looked at making connections between sustainability and the music industry through SDGs and music related practices. We were presented with the case study of Third Nature Recordings to look at how they integrate sustainability into their business model. Third Nature aims to address seven of the SDGs within its practices, their mission being to create a sustainably equitable business model for a record label and they achieved this by creating a collaborative through a community of like-minded individuals who shared this vision.

We then completed a sector mapping exercise which encouraged us to examine our own skillset as well as our practice-related interests and potential sectors for our projects. I looked at the areas of the music industry that i had an interest in or felt that my skillset would lend itself to. some areas that i am particularly considering for my project are Live events, songwriting, and journalism.

Sector Mapping Exercise for SMP

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MD6322- systems and SDGs

in this lecture, we looked at the overview of the module and what we would be creating by the end of it. The aim of the module is to give us a strong idea of the concepts around sustainability and be able to use this to refine our own musical practice to integrate sustainability to have a lasting effect on equity, the environment, and the economy. I will be creating a public-facing music-based project to achieve this as well as allow me to develop professionally within my desired area of practice and explore sustainability in an attainable way.

We began to analyze systems thinking, taking a more in-depth look at different types of systems and how they work, and how this relates to our module and the music practices we are placing our projects within. A forest, the human body, and an economy were all given as examples of systems to demonstrate the extent of systems thinking and how looking at the bigger picture and how all the smaller components fit together to create a working system. System thinking allows us to consider a wider perspective and look for root causes and improvements in our area of practice and its role within the wider community. Reductionism, Dualism, and Myopia have been brought more to the forefront of professional and academic analysis which encourages us through system thinking to break barriers and look at wider industry landscapes to create a framework for problem-solving within sustainability.

the definition of sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their needs, and within my project i will aim to assist this and implement this cause into my ventures within this module.

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MD6322- initial project ideas

building on the skills we analysed and the sectors I was interested in that we looked at in lecture 2, I have a few ideas of potential projects I would like to explore. With my interest and skillset in songwriting I could create and offer songwriting education programs/services which could contribute to the SDG: end poverty- globalize afterschool music programs as I could offer songwriting education as an extracurricular experience, as well as the SDG: quality education- teaching what people listen to, offering contemporary songwriting education under a variety of popular and educationally neglected genres.

I also have an interest in the events management/ organisation sector which also houses part of my skill set as I have experience being part of events organisation. For my project I could run a live music event that would contribute towards the SDG: end poverty, under 'globalise fair play- Outlaw secondary ticketing at a profit and institute fair play schemes at all venues around the world, wherever they are.' To implement this I would not be allowing the resale of tickets to the event and making sure that everyone had equal access to tickets. I could also support the SDG: end global hunger- better partnerships by making sure I work with small businesses and communities to provide services at my event and make sure all surplus food and amenities are dealt with responsibly.

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MD5320- Final Performance

For the final performance, I made the change from using backing trakcs to playing the ukulele. I swapped out one of the songs from the last performance for two new ones to be able to give a fresh performance. My stage attire consisted of a black top and blue jeans to give a stage-appropriate yet causal vibe to the performance. I decorated the mic stand with flowers again, and I wore a black top as I wanted the flowers to stand out. I had a different visual for each track in the same style so that the performance felt like a transitional but cohesive experience. incorporating the session we did on visuals and lighting I used pink/purple lighting to match the aesthetic and set the mood for the performance. I think the performance went really well. I was happy with my stage set up and how everything looked and sounded.

#md5320 #music performance

MD5320- Developed Performances

Building on the feedback I received from the last performance I made changes to my performance to make it better and more exciting. I created some new visuals using found footage, I made a 15-second loop for each song so that it fit the music it was playing alongside better. I thought about what I wanted to wear on stage and kept the minimal causal vibe but added some more stage-appropriate shoes. I also loved the idea of decorating the stage with flowers and so acquired some flowers to wrap around the mic stand for my performance. In response to the feedback, I received I used backing tracks for my performance rather than my ukulele. I think this performance went well and although I enjoyed it I think for the final performance I will play my ukulele rather than using backing tracks.

#md5320 #music performance

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