Mr Mic

Ok, so there are many rules for singers who wish to perform live; but rule number one is probably...don't drop the microphone! During rehearsal with my band I dropped my mic...we all laughed and it still worked so that was fine. The second time however, we still laughed but I could see the thought bubbles amongst my band and imagined they would get together later and find a singer who understood that a mic isn't used to its full potential on the floor!! So.....the third time! Yeah 3 times I dropped it!LOL! We did manage to get some bits of music rehearsed, though not much because the mic spent most of its time off the stage and on the floor!

Later that afternoon, our live performance workshop was running along nicely; I survived Kelly Clarkson's 'Since u been gone' and after about an hour was up doing some backing vocals for my other classmate. No problem there until there he was...my 'nemesis'...mr mic! Ha!! I was adjusting the stand height and out he pops!! This was the worst mic throw of all because he decided to throw himself directly at the monitor! For those of you who aren't aware, that isn't the quietest of sounds when you include feedback into the mix! All I heard amidst my inner cries for the ground to swallow me up, was Dave and Dave from my band (we really should be called Dave) laughing their heads off! It is officially the most embarrassing thing to happen to me on stage and I'm sure there are plenty more to come! So don't worry that you missed it, Mr Mic will return no doubt!

Outside the box

I am soooooo excited!! I'm going home for a few days on Friday and I can't wait!!! 

I'm sitting in one of the music buildings listening to William teaching stage techniques on the lower ground! It is quite possibly the funniest class I have ever been in. He always takes things to the complete extreme with the aim of pushing us outside the box, in terms of our stage presence...and I thought performing was just about having a good voice...ha! Wrong!!lol...he has us following imaginary flying birds, twirling the mic lead in demented circles, trailing the stand across the stage...the list is endless! Today was especially hilarious because we had to pick things that people had to incorporate into their performance and well, we were quite cruel and picked the most ludicrous things! Poor Yuko...we had her spinning around, high kicking the air, falling onto her kness...but the best one was the 'walking down the stairs'...brilliant!!! It was hilarious but its times like these when I wish I had the ability to laugh quietly into myself instead of snorting and guffawing all over the place!! I'm going to get a taste of my own medicine in an hour though because I stupidly booked a private lesson with William (before I realised that he would be making people throw the mic stand around the stage!) I dread to think what he'll make me do!

So basically, these stage techniques classes aren't about turning us into complete demented extroverts on stage, but about pushing us so far out of our comfort zones that in the process we might learn about who we are as a performer. It made me think about the times that God has pushed me outside of my comfort zone on so many occasions and although (like Will's classes!!) it's terrifying, we learn more about ourselves and what we are actually capable of. So I guess, although it seems unnatural at the start, we find a part of us that was there all along....it just takes a mad dive into the audience to find it. Don't worry, no one did that in class today...there's only 9 of us....

Check this out!

Okay, she'll probably kill me for doing this but I just watched my friend Sarah who's on the course with me, on YouTube! I want people to hear her because she's immensely talented and a really sweet girl...so enjoy! 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=15QsbgYLKyc

Global Peace Festival

My friend and I were chatting yesterday about serving the community; one of her passions apart from music is peace in the our communities and in particular world peace. No, she isn't a beauty pageant contestant but is genuinely committed to this idea that our world could experience peace in our generation. I love talking to her about this stuff because although she wouldn't profess to be a Christian, her ideals far surpass where mine should be sometimes! 

Our chat yesterday turned to our music careers and where exactly our other passions and loves, fit into this music industry bubble we're currently in..I was taken aback slightly when she announced that she wasn't 100% certain that music would be her career path. I've always felt certain that there was nothing else that I would want to do apart from music...I've always been taught to keep my options open but I always felt in my gut (generally a very good and reliable source) that music would be where I found my place. Then I realised that the very reason I want to persue music is not just my love of it but a real desire to serve God in an industry that needs Him. Granted at times I'm selfish and its all about me but ultimately I realise that its for His glory. So we concluded that wherever we end up; recording albums, campaigning for world peace, we want to use music and creativity to make a difference in this world. I know that sounds immensely cheesy but its how I feel at the moment and what good is a gift if you keep it for yourself?

So I would encourage you to check out the website and see what people from all communities and traditions are doing for this cause. Here's the address...

www.globalpeacefestival-uk.org

Positive thinking!

When I wrote my last blog I was just about to go to my band rehearsal and wasn't exactly in the mood; simply because I was exhausted and felt a bit detached, if that makes any sense...I got the feeling that although I hadnt specifically taken time out to let God know how I was feeling, I was aware that He was saying, 'I get it but its going to be ok'! It was a session where we were running through one of our possibilities for our showcase, 'Jumpin' Jack flash' by the Rolling Stones. So we were just setting up and I usually take the longest and all I have is a mic and a lead!!lol Sorry girls...I don't exactly fly the flag for girls and PA set up...but I'm learning! Anyway, so strangely I was set up and just went to the keyboard and started playing 'Easy', you know (like Sunday morning)...I know you're all singing it now! So I was playing and Dave came in on the drums, put a sweet beat behind it and then the bass and guitar started. Sounds really lame but it was kinda cool!! It also reminded me that music (in this place) is the one thing that brings us together (get the lighters out). Its funny how a simple jam like that, made us all ready to at least give our Rolling Stones number a go...and guess what, we actually thought it sounded good! I think yesterday was a tough day for me and today is a bit weird (can't put my finger on it...maybe I'm just a bit homesick). So basically what I realised was that I may not know all these people as weel (yet!) as my friends and family at home, but we're here for the same reasons and enjoy playing music with other musicians.

I think my feelings of stress are down to my expectations of myself as much as anything else. I mean, I feel a lot of the time that I haven't done as much as a lot of other performers on this course in terms of selling myself as a singer, doing demos and having all this fancy recording equipment and just things like that...I know I definately need to talk to God about this and remind myself that if I trust Him, I'll end up where I'm meant to be and it really will be the best thing. Being at vocaltech is a real pathway into the music industry but I'm also realising that it isn't easy and I need to push myself into situations that will help me get to where I'm trying to get...

I'm taking one step forward tonight and heading to a jazz open mic night. I don't think I'm ready to get up and perform....maybe next week..lol

'Stress'

I've had the funniest day!! we had our weekly live performance class and this week we were doing 'Money' by Pink Floyd. For any of you musically minded folk, its in 7/4 time!! Really hard, plus the lyrics are a knightmare! It was funny today because everyone mucked up, including my friend Sarah who lost hope completely(the trick is to carry on and pretend it didn't happen) and during the long guitar solo, she just stood on stage, hand on hip, looking really pissed off! Hilarious! Plus Florence, for whom English isn't her first language, got the lyrics pretty much spot on!! She definately did the best job today and totally put the rest of us to shame! In general we all had such a laugh at each other and ourselves which was a nice change and reminded me not to take myself so seriously! Its so important not to compare ourselves to each other because we're all on our own separate learning curve! So, it was a good afternoon.

It only got better when in our sight singing class we were sightreading radion jingles! Hilarious! Real cheesy ones from the 80's! Believe it or not, as a session singer, radio jingles can be rather profitable!

So ok, it was a good day but I've just finished a rehearsal with my friend and at one point I just flopped over the keyboard out of sheer exhaustion! Don't worry...I'm fine but the days really catch up on you unexpectedly in this place! I came in for 10am, had advanced techniques, advanced concepts, live performance workshop and then sight-singing so the next time I look at my watch its 6pm!! After two hours practice my friend sat me down and attempted to give me a back massage (she's REALLY good) and there is so much tension in my back! I've had this problem for a few years...I just can't relax! not good, especially for singing posture! Why am I telling you this? Well, I guess I just realised how much of the stress I carry, I internalise. I mean, its usually when we say we aren't stressed that we generally are! I need to figure out how to really take time out. I'm still settling in here; its still new and strange and I've heard the same guitar riff from the room nextdoor for about 30 mins now!!! (that didn't really fit in with that sentence but its annoying me so I had to vent!lol

I'm rambling now...so tired but I have a band rehearsal at 10pm! Better go and learn another song!

If anyone has any ideas to help my tension problem...two weeks in the sun, complete isolation?...let me know!

Voytec

Yesterday was a really good day...I'm starting to really enjoy Fridays because I have an hour with my band and a musical director which is always good; we always end up tighter as a unit and plus its always great playing with other musicians! After that I have the day free so I usually go get a coffee (always important) and sit using someone's wireless (thanks whoever you are!). After that I would get a practice room and well...practice.

My friend Sarah came in later and we had a jam on the piano because we're hoping to try a few open mic nights soon. We're so similar, we even have the same naf backing tracks on our i pods such as...well I can't say because we all need our guilty musical pleasures! So it was a good productive day and then I started to make my way up the high street towards home.

A man passed me and he said something to me so I rather reluctantly I have to say, took out my earphones and asked him to repeat himself...his name was Voytec and he was Polish and he simply wanted £1 for some food. Now, we hear this type of question everyday, well most city goers do and I wonder how many times we walk straight past? I know I do and I'm ashamed of this fact because as someone who has been involved with 'Christian outreach', I know very well what some of these people face and go through. I asked myself, how many times am I happy to help a homeless person when I'm with a group of Christians yet I am fully equipped (with the Holy Spirit) to help when its just me! 

He had no home and had been getting abuse from some people in the community. He carried a plastic bag that contained his life basically. I mean, how can I possibly comprehend that sort of existence?? I don't want to get all 'deep' but I have SOOOO much! Anyway so I chatted with him a bit and actually gave him £10 and he actually tried to give it back!!! He said it was too much! We said our goodbyes and the i pod (that I just HAD to have) felt so heavy in my hand as I walked toward my flat. 

So why am I telling you this...I can assure you that it is not to astound you with my compassion but to remind myself that I don't have nearly as much as I should!! I mean, this is what I'm trying to get my head around...I'm in London, in search of a career and will most certainly see many more people like Voytec. Bottom line...people need God and no matter where we are placed, we need to show people God! I think last night reminded me that there is a bigger picture beyond even our calling and I've been so focused on being a part of this music industry that I had forgotten that there's a reason I'm here that is so much more than getting to make music! I don't ever want to put my passion ahead of God's passion, which is simply...people. Of course I want to follow God and it is for His glory ultimately but I guess I just need reminded every so often.

I'm glad I met Voytec and I'm glad that in some small way, I was able to offer him a bit of hope and to him it was probably the fact that he would have food for the next few days! If you read this, please pray for him and maybe the next person who stops you on the street, with a different accent might experience a bit of hope and compassion.

A month in..

Wow! I have a blog! how cool am I??!!

So..a month into my London dream/experience/adventure and its pretty much everything I hoped and prayed it would be! Plus a bit more sometimes. Thats not to say that it has been easy; a lot of you know how stressful it was finding a place to live and it turns out that if you plan on moving on a certain day, you can be sure it will be the day after!! But a minor setback!

I guess with this being my first blog I'll just explain why I've decided to start one. It's predominantly for myself to keep a record of my thoughts and experiences as I study at Vocaltech and to maybe look back and see how I progress. I also thought that for those of you who are interested, you can keep reasonably up to date with my life in London; everything moves so fast here that I scarce get time to digest it all myself!!

If you're expecting a funny blog, I'll try my best, but no promises..maybe I'll put up some funny videos, of when I fall off stage or trip up on a mic lead (all things that DEFINATELY haven't happened...ahem!). 

I'll give you a quick and brief rundown of a typical week at the Tech music school (I want to work as a singer in the music industry if you hadn't guessed already). Basically I'm on the master performance course and there are about 17 singers, guitarists, drummers and wait for it 2 bass players! But they're pretty awesome...shout out to Dave Wademan in my band!! Oh and 4 keyboard players..woops! We have individual classes; technique, rhythm skills, stage techniques (funniest 2 hours of my week with William our southern American), advanced techniques, concepts, sight singing...the list goes on. Then each week we have a live performance workshop where we're given songs to learn (from the record! no music!) and then we perform in a live setting. It's great practice and getting less nerve racking each week. We have private lessons as well which are amazing...one of my teachers Anabelle, you gotta hear this girl! She's really sweet as well! So all of this leads up to our showcase of which we have 6 I think...and here we choose 3 songs to perform in a live venue (the Redback in Acton). The first one of these is in November and I can't wait!! Thats the gist although there's still so much more that we do!

I've made some really good friends already and its so special to be in a place where everyone is passionate about music, the industry and is determined to build a career. Its encouraging to have these people around you and pushing you to be better. Some of the most talented session musicians in London, even Europe...the world maybe!!lol teach us here and I'm learning so much; mostly I have to say about having the right attitude, which isn't easy in such a cut throat business.

I hope that was a bit informative. 

Last night we had a master class with a lady called Sharleen Linton, a successful session singer who has worked with Natasha Bedingfield, Beverly Knight, John Legend, Craig David.... and one thing among many that she said, stuck out for me; she said that you simply need to go for it, grab every opportunity and more importantly, stay true to yourself! Sounds 'cringe city' but its so true and as someone who knows that all of this, however hard it is to understand, fits into Gods plan for my life somehow and if I stick with him and stay true to His bigger picture, i'll hopefully find out more. As i said to Sharleen last night, I've known what I've wanted to do since I was 3 1/2...seriously, it only dawned on me last night and I know not everyone works that way and I've had other ideas in my head as to my future, but ultimately my passion to sing and share music has always been there! Ask anyone at college...say the phrase '9 to 5 job' and you will find singer/guitarist/drummer shaped holes through the walls! lol...i'm just picturing that...

I'm sure these blogs will have highs and lows and for those of you who know the real 'Betty' from Portadown, I would love you're continued prayers. I love being here but no matter how many people are with you each day, its still lonely sometimes and its gonna be tough. I'm still looking for a church family and a job! So you could remember those things.

I love you all and please leave some comments on my blog and if you want, share some of your thoughts!!