The Story So Far
PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON ABOVE
More Examples Of Work
Towards the end of 2022, I underwent a focused period of development funded by the Arts Council's Develop Your Creative Practice Fund. In it, I undertook works that would help develop methods of combing my music technology & live performance practices. The process resulted in the below bodies of work. Through it, I grew my skill sets, strengthened my networks and built new teams. This new skill set, as well as the team I developed (this team will be working on the current proposed project), will greatly benefit the quality of this new project. The below videos demonstrate the standard of works that will be achieved through this new project from the quality of audio, musicians and videographers.
LOSE MY HEAD ( press play )
Lyrics, music, production & arranging by Kelly Appleton
Audio recorded at Small Pond Studios
Video by Digital Film Makers
Vocal performance JJ Rosa
Drums Sara Leigh Shaw
Bass Sara Farina
VOODOO CHILD ( press play )
Production & arranging by Kelly Appleton
Audio recorded at Small Pond Studios
Video by Digital Film Makers
Drums Sara Leigh Shaw
Bass Sara Farina
Single Releases
This new project will see the creation and release of 4 original compositions, the demo recordings of which are below. Releasing 4 singles in succession will allow me to build solid momentum, helping promote both my creative business and the master class series. I have carefully selected songs that carry messages of strength, creative self-discovery, self-reliance and resilience, messages which align with the values fostered by the master class series. Creating and releasing music in this independent manner will allow me to teach others how to follow suit as well as help create role models & raise visibility for women in music.
DEMOS - (Compositions to be further developed during the project period)
*All songwriting, music, instrumentation, production and arrangement by Kelly Appleton
Vocals performed by JJ Rosa
An Outline For The Master Class Series
Research shows that women are interested in learning music technology "it’s the male-centred educational & professional studios that put them off”.
This has certainly been my lived experience. When I first started working in the music industry in 2003 I couldn't fathom that music production was a possible route for me. Recording studio settings and music technology-centred roles were dominated by men. Women not only weren't encouraged to pursue music tech-related avenues such as music production, pop musical direction and so on, but they also had few, if any, role models to look up to should they wish to. This created a huge barrier to entry. Not only could they not see themselves represented in these roles, but, should they try and pursue these jobs there was huge and unfair amounts of pressure placed upon them to prove themselves worthy of the position. This coupled with the eqaully male-centred environment of the educational space and classroom, often halted action before it had even begun with prospects lacking confidence and suffering from imposter syndrome.
Though the conversation around this issue has improved greatly since I first entered the music industry, research shows there is still a long way to go before this gender disparity is eradicated. In a cross-sectional study by The Annenberg Initiative just 2.8% of women were credited as music producers.
Writing, recording & releasing your own music is a great way to not only explore your creativity but also develop important music technology skills and broaden your understanding of the music industry as a whole. As such, it is a process I wish to document in order to help women at the start of their careers develop their comprehension of it. In doing so they will also grow a greater awareness and understanding of various other music industry job roles. Helping them identify routes to entry and build a body of work to showcase their skills.
Though the masterclass is something that will be developed through the process of this project, below is a rough and by no means fully extensive outline of some of the modules that will be included.
Songwriting & finding your creative voice - Everybody can be creative given the correct tools and structure. Creative expression like any muscle can be strengthened through dedicated practice and repetition. In this model, we will look at exercises to help participants find their own unique creative voice and express it through music & songwriting.
Grass Roots into Music Production & creating the demo (Record from home with minimal equipment) - Using footage from the writing phase of this project I will demonstrate how to make high-quality recordings on a minimal budget, participants will learn the basics of music production and home recording.
Deep Dive Into The roles of Music Producer - What does a music producer actually do? A more in-depth examination of the role of music producer. Including key technical elements and an examination of various routes to entry.
Finding Your Voice & Using It In The Recoding studio - It can be hard for early-stage career women to use their voice assertively in the male-dominated world of the recording studio. Thus their ideas are often disregarded. Knowledge & empowerment are key to change here. Using footage from the recording studio phase of this project I will demystify studio jargon & demonstrate methods for assertive communication.
Making a music video - To cater for the modern appetite of music consumption in which data shows that music paired with visuals performs significantly better than audio alone, using footage from the video creation phase of this project, in this module participants will learn how to organize a video shoot. The module will detail the processes from storyboarding to the importance of location & hiring a team. It will explore varying methods of video creation from ideas for low-budget videos to more upscale projects.
Promotion & the release strategy - Often viewed as a complicated and confusing part of making your own music, this module will demystify the release process. The module will show all aspects of marketing from digital to press to hiring PR & Pluggers using this project as an example it will demonstrate how to put together a detailed & effective release strategy for your music.
Building a live show - Once your music has been released playing live is a critical method of audience building & promotion. As a specialist in combining music technology with live instruments this module will show how to use music tech methods to enhance a live show.
The eco system of an artist - Once you have created your music what’s next? This module will show you methods to monetize your work. From song publishing & Sync to selling merchandise. An awareness of possible income streams is vital to strengthen & build longevity throughout your career.