isaiahjohnap

[isaiahjohnap]

Submission

I’ve finally been able to finalise my project and mix/master all four Instrumentals for my EP. I have been able to approach each Instrumental in depth which hopefully you’ll be able to hear and understand the meaning behind each piece.

After visiting many sound exhibitions to do with Grime, Open Mic Nights around Deptford over the last few months etc, I have learnt many things and was able to incorporate a true South East London Grime Sound in all of my Instrumentals. 

Growing up to Grime music myself and now being able to fuse it with other genres which are relevant to the life of Grime was special because it allowed me to unlock abilities which I didn’t think I had. 

Through each of these Instrumentals you can hear the South East London Grime sound which was an important yet difficult part of my project because I firstly had to figure out what is South East London when you think about sound. For me it was heavy traffic, sirens & extra-ordinary metallic sounds which we can find if we look hard enough.

[isaiahjohnap]

O Kudi (Instrumental 04)

This Instrumental has got to be my favourite on the whole EP which is why I left it till last. This one meant a lot to me and took the longest to make and required alot of attention because I had to fuse two sounds which were very close to me. Grime & Asia. These two genres I have worked with closely a lot in the past and will continue to do so because they are so unique and different to each other yet when brought together it sounded so different and quite frankly amazing. I used this flute which I recorded my friend play in to my microphone and then added basic EQ & Compression and once again used the Waves CLA Effects plug in to automate it ever so slightly and give it that rich lead sound. This Instrumental is an explanation of Grime being able to crossover into the mainstream and the USA.

The drums were the easiest part as I usually work very well with them and always like to use quite punchy kicks and snare. The synths were also fun to work with as they were just chords built around that flute lead and layered one by one with various different synth leads. 

I also decided to bring back the idea of having dialogue in this Instrumental by using more excerpts from various Grime acts to add that South East London feeling as that was the only thing missing from it.

[isaiahjohnap]

Analysis of Grime (Instrumental 03)

This Instrumental is almost my analysis of Grime and my take on it hence the name. I really wanted to have an Instrumental on this EP which had a fast paced melody but had slower percussion which creates a difference between the two elements within the song. This is something which is done in many Grime songs, in particular Rappers: Krept & Konan use this technique a lot in their songs. Whilst having a fast melody which would be quite jumpy, their actual drum patterns are slowed down and almost more Trap like as this creates a really cool effect within the genre. Once again you could say that this is a way of combining to genres together to make something quite unique. 

I decided to use quite of a lot of different types of automation throughout the Instrumental to create a lot of space but also increase the movement of sounds from each side. We hear a lot of phasing being used as well as reverb to create that wide/fat sound in the rim shots and kicks.

[isaiahjohnap]

Induction (Instrumental 02)

This was the second Instrumental on my EP as part of my final project. This one is titled Induction as we have had the Intro to Grime but this is now our Induction to Grime as listeners. 

This Instrumental features a very typical Grime melody which featured in many other Grime songs such as One Take (Ghetts & Rude Kid) etc. I used strings to be the main part of my Instrumental as I wanted to fuse this with a Classical element and combine two genres together whilst still keeping true to my project question. 

This Instrumental features an on going background atmosphere of South East London traffic which I myself recorded and ran into Logic Pro X. I chose to use traffic as I felt the Instrumental reminded me of outdoor life and being out in the streets of South East London. 

[isaiahjohnap]

Intro to Grime (Instrumental 01)

This Instrumental was the Introduction to my project and hence titled Into to Grime. This Instrumental was a heavy hitter on this EP as it featured various different Grime artists to articulate the main project question and focus on my whole project in one go. I wanted to use real sounds which I collected myself over the last few months and decided to use them as Kicks, Snares & Hi-Hats. I also used some synth sounds which I was able to collect as one shots and then run them through my Kontakt Sampler. I added further automation using various UAD & Waves plugins such as CLA-Effects & RAW Amp. These plugins helped me create a sense of space throughout this Instrumental and also the others because I was able to automate the different frequencies in each sound. 

[isaiahjohnap]

Supervision - Notes 3

Introduction - This is a strong opening track. I like very much the whoosing L / R sounds (is this traffic?). Think about the definition and transition between chorus and verse. Is there anything that you can do to enhance this transition? Movement into the chorus is effective as it works with gradual development and increase in layers. But the move out of chorus into verse is a switch which could be articulated more. Could you use more of a gap? Or an extra synth sound a glissando to bounce out of the chorus into the verse? - This becomes even more important later in the work as these sequences cycle. Think of it as articulating the existing structure even more. Bring out what you already have.

I was able to make changes accordingly and even added new sounds which I was able to collect a while ago.

Intro to Grime -  (Quick title thought - do you want to have introduction and intro back to back?) This follows well from the previous aesthetically. Again think about that transition from chorus back into verse. In the breakdown 1:55, can you drop back the bass boom a bit and allow the soundscape to sit up a little bit more in the mix? Can you enhance the stereo image of the soundscape, push it wider to get more movement, use a width tool? Are there other soundscapes that can be brought in later? Perhaps radio static sounds under the discussion of the radio? Likewise the levels of the soundscape at the end, can these be boosted a bit? Bring them further forwards?

I worked very closely on the mix as I felt like a lot of the comments made in regards to tweaking the Instrumental were to do with the mix not being as tight as it could. Therefore I focussed solely on the mix for this one and made sure it all sits at the right level.

China Town / Mumbai - (Title is different on file and in quicktime). Can you provide more definition to the tom sounds that descend at the end of the 4 bar loop. More HF in the samples? This might need a new sample library. The other percussion elements have more space and HF content. The chimes perhaps have too much HF of this. Can you find a chime sample that is richer and has more mid range content?Development of the work? There seems to be alack of forward progression here in the work. Can you bring in an additional layer to provide structural overarching / forward impetus? This work is very oriental in nature. How can you connect it more explicitly with South East London? It stands a bit too far out on its own without.

This was a last minute change and I have replaced this Instrumental with a brand new one which I have been working on.

O Kudi - This is an effective track. With clear development and progression. Make sure that your whooshing Hf sounds are not too constrained by your sideband compression. Yes use it to give some sculpting but at the moment it is a bit too high and ends up breaking up the smooth flow and development of these whooshes. Track ends abruptly and without resolving at the end. Can we hear South East London in here?

This Instrumental received good feedback and didn't require much change however I added some excerpts from South East London documentaries to give it a more homely feel as I wanted to use some dialogue to accompany my Instrumental.

[isaiahjohnap]

Supervision Notes 2 -

I made the following suggestions and received the following feedback for the second tutorial. 

I would definetely like to use a more personal experience approach on this therefore, what if I integrated a sound which is homely to me. As in fusing an Asian/Ethnic sound within the genre of Grime to almost fuse the two sounds? Is that something I could do? 

what if I integrated a sound which is homely to me. As in fusing an Asian/Ethnic sound within the genre of Grime to almost fuse the two sounds?

This sounds perfect, and is absolutely something that you should do.

"some of the sounds already used are quite raw and true to the genre of Grime."

I think you could push this further. Can you record samples? Maybe from the local area. The bump of a bus could be a bass, hiss of the bus doors could become a snare? "Tching" of a railing or metal surface could become an element. Sounds from your space. From your experience, from your daily life. Integrate these into the music so that the music is personal about you and about your experience.

When you use the synth sounds on the computer they are available to everyone, so they loose their uniqueness. How can you reintroduce that into your tracks.

"I wanted to incorporate more clips like the one used in the intro to grime instrumental where it’s giving facts about Grime throughout the Instrumentals."

Good idea, but make sure that you also have the artists and those in the scene represented - in fact, these should probably be the primary voices. The voice you have so far is interesting but, this person is clearly not part of the scene, they are an outsider examining and discussing the scene from the outside. Such a perspective also has a very clear political undertone = colonial power, upper class looking down on the subject. So this needs to be balanced or rather offset by actual voices.

[isaiahjohnap]

Supervision Notes - 1

After meeting with my supervisor for my first tutorial, I played him some of my work in progress and although it fit the genre of Grime he made the following points. 

I listened to your clips, but was unable to get a full sense of your project and its development without your additional context. I was excited by the documentary potential of the second clip. But this didn’t evolve or develop. If these works relate to your original proposal then this needs to be more explicit. How are you demonstrating your own personal experience through this music? How are these challenging expectations and being innovative within the genre. Remember, these works must demonstrate the application of your learning through the programme and how elements that you have picked up from the course are applied in your final work. You have a compelling topic and one that deserves to be explored more deeply. There are many elements that you can explore. Perhaps soundscapes of SE London could be integrated. Recording elements in specific locations, the use of iconic sound marks (iconic to the area or to your own personal experience. 

I understood the different aspects of the project by this feedback and was able to start thinking in a more unique and different way. 

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 9

I’ve been focusing solely on this article this week - https://www.psneurope.com/business/uk-music-producer-grime

Which touches on UK Grime producers and they created the genre. The text was very inspiring and helped me in my research as they talk about analysing an instrumental all the way down to the mix of the hi-hats. 

The mixing process is something which I’m very cautious and careful with because it’s the make or break of any Instrumental or song. If the mix doesn't sound right then the song doesn't sound right therefore attention detail in this kind of project is so important. 

An idea which I really liked was the change in DAW over the years. Producers have gone from workstations like Fruity Loops, Pro Tools to Logic Pro X and Ableton. Each producer has its own way of working and each DAW can offer many different things. One thing which I want to do very different thing my project is carry out a test process where I’ll create a few compositions on different DAW’s which Im familiar with to see which one gives me the best sound. 

I want to focus on the technicality of the composition and figure out which DAW can assist me in making a Grime composition the best possible piece it can be. 

Below is and excerpt from the text previously mentioned - 

“I’d analyse the beat, right down to the small sounds in the background,��� remembers Target in his recently published autobiography, Grime Kids, in which he describes how – even as young teens – he and Wiley were constantly analysing the beat of a track while listening to their Walkmans or watching MTV’s first ever hip-hop show, Yo! MTV Raps.

“New software enabled us to work entirely from laptops, or from much simpler studio set ups, which meant it was now possible for many more [people] to start making music. Even without a laptop or a recording studio, teenagers were using PlayStation programmes to create beats,” explains Target, of how he and his peers started creating the sound of grime around the turn of the Millenium.

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 8

I pulled up an old Grime Instrumental by Grime legend Rude Kid - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0PW96IJKZ0

Although this may not be our typical Grime beat, I liked how it was still classed in the genre, the main lead sound throughout the Instrumental almost sounds like one you would hear in a dubstep Instrumental. I think it’s very interesting how Rude Kid was able to fuse the two genres together but still class it as Grime. 

Similarly I’ve decided to do something similar. Although it’s not as hard hitting as the Instrumental above. I decided to strip back the smoothness of my mix and keep it quite raw for Instrumental number 4 on my EP. I’ve kept the EQ on the Kick and Snare very punchy throughout the verses but in the chorus everything seems to smoothen out again to sound nice and crisp. 

The constant loop of the main lead is something common in Grime Instrumentals which is why I’ve made sure in all my Instrumentals the main lead is in some form there throughout the composition. 

The genre is known for drawing influences from the UK garage scene and also sometimes Hip-Hop/Trap. Its a sound which is still very distant from these other genres and you can identify a Grime Instrumental whenever you hear one instantly. Grime Instrumentals have been made popular by the likes of Skepta, Rude Kid, Wiley & Dizzee Rascal, all who are producers and MC’s. The common theme in a Grime beat is the two step rhythm and the idea of playing the kicks and snare off beat. Keeping the instrumental jumpy and energetic is very crucial when producing a Grime Instrumental which is why I’ve decided to draw influence from these artists and follow similar steps in my creation process of my compositions. 

[isaiahjohnap]

Group Crits

The group crits was a chance for me to show my work in progress. I was able to share my work in progress of 2 instrumentals which are yet to be completed. In total I aim to have 4 instrumentals lasting 5 minutes long each. 

Each instrumental will have its own unique theme as well as having an overall theme throughout the whole EP which will be inspired by the social and culture implications of Grime production in South East London. 

The aim of this EP is to answer my question through my composition. 

I also provided some research and texts which I have been analysing and reading into to help stimulate my project ideas and contribute towards my final compositions. 

FEEDBACK Received: 

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 7

In my engagement with rapping in London I have employed the concept of the scene. This is principally because it is used by research participants. However,

there is no single Rap scene in London but rather a number of scenes in which this cultural form is employed. This study is concerned with the UK Hip-Hop and Grime scenes. Others include the Desi beats scene, in which rap music is a significant component and London based rappers play a substantial role. The focus of this project is on black-British rap based in London. Although the way in which black culture is appropriated by British-Asians and used to construct their identities and address their concerns is both interesting and important, I am unable to attend to those issues in this space. Instead of dealing with the appropriation of black culture by other ethnic groups, I focus on the ways in which this cultural tradition is employed in social spaces dominated (but not exclusively occupied) by young black people.

London’s rap scenes are sites of activity by artists whose experiences of migration are often unrelated to that of the Windrush generation. The exploration of identities, by artists such the Sierra-Leonian Skirmish of Rhyme Asylum or the British-Nigerian Afrikan Boy, works with and against the self- representation of artists whose relation to Africa is mediated through Caribbean culture. Further to this, the plan of a white UK Hip-Hop artist to illegally migrate to New York (in order to use the skills he developed in the UK to achieve greater success in the US) complicates the migratory patterns and imaginary relations that produce London’s black culture.

The above is a text which I have focussed on quite a lot this week, the idea behind this text is that there are many different Rap scenes within the UK. Grime being the leading one however there are now sub genres within grime such a Drill, Afro-swing and others. 

I found this text quite interesting and useful to my project as it draws in on the cultural aspects of Grime which is a huge part in my question for my final project. Myself being British/Asian I could relate to a lot of what the author said about black culture being a way for British Asians to construct their own identities and address any concerns they may have. 

Often artists from the Grime scene originate from countries in Africa and is a heavily black dominated genre however recent releases have shown a huge spread of races now joining the genre and becoming very successful. Artists such as Koomz, B Young, M Huncho are some to list that are from a non black background. 

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 6

Moving on from the streaming aspect, further reading into Cameo Cuts allowed me to unravel a lot more information which helped me understand my question and realise the history behind Grime Production is more than just a producer sitting behind a desk making Instrumentals. It’s an art form which has taken many young offenders away from that lifestyle to invest their time into something positive which is my next point. 

The effect the genre has had on young people in South East London and how it’s now become a culture to follow. Joy White also talks about a young employee by the name of Andrew who worked as an intern in her office. 

She further implies that he was an aspiring MC and had been given the opportunity to be on BBC Radio 1Xtra, she then later goes on to explain that Andrew started creating his own merchandise and selling his music for small fees. 

This story alone proved to that Grime certainly does have a positive effect on Young people in South East London, here we have a boy who dreams of being an MC and he is now able to distribute his music (on a small scale) and is being handed opportunities such as performing on major radio stations. It just shows that a lot has changed in the world of Music let alone Grime. If we look at the history of Grime music for example we see that artists have come along way from performing on pirate radio stations to now being regular artists on major UK radio platforms every single week. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJQy_R9CYR4

The link above is an example of how Grime artist came together to feature on Ed Sheeran’s Take Me Back To London. A prime example of Grime becoming mainstream.

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 5 - Cameo Cuts

I’ve been researching and focussing on the following text Cameo Cuts which is a detailed analysis of Grime music by author Joy White. 

Within this text she talks about the increase in the business of grime and the sales boost it has had on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. 

Cameo Cuts Text -

Streams of Grime music on Spotify have more than doubled in the last year, rising from 89 million streams in 2016 to 206 million streams in 2017.

• According to BPI data, for the year between 2016 and 2017, physical and digital album sales for Grime grew by 93%.

• The three most streamed Grime artists are Stormzy, Skepta and Dizzee Rascal.

The text further explains how Grime music has taken of the main stream industry and has cemented itself as a leading genre within the music industry. 

Cameo Cuts Text -

In the last century, performers in the urban music economy relied on flyers, pirate radio and word of mouth to publicise their events. Over the last decade, Grime has benefited from advances in technology. Social media and accessible platforms such as YouTube and Channel AKA (formerly Channel U)

– the digital TV channel brought Grime to new audiences in the London suburbs, then across the UK to Europe and North America6 disseminating participants activities in locations that were far removed from its London core.

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 4

After going back and fourth with my supervisor, we’ve managed to finally pick the right question for me to answer and carry out my project using the following methodology - Auto-ethnography which is a personal experience based methodology. 

it is a form of qualitative research in which an author uses self-reflection and writing to explore anecdotal and personal experience and connect this autobiographical story to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings.

After consulting with my supervisor we decided to focus on the following methodology plans - 

Auto-ethnography

Narrative writing

Attendance of live events

Data collection 

Qualitative research

Personal Experiences

These are some of the plans in action in order to carry out my mid term report as well my final project. 

[isaiahjohnap]

WIP - LOG 1

https://soundcloud.com/isaiahjohnap

Above is a link to my work in progress which is one of the Instrumentals. It is currently not structured and will eventually be going through the mixing and mastering stage once all 4 Instrumentals are complete.

[isaiahjohnap]

LOG 3 -

I’ve started to work on my final project which as mentioned in the previous posts will be 4-5 Instrumental EP. I’ve decided on keeping this as 4 Instrumentals in total as it gives me time to focus on each one and give each one a theme. The way i’m working around my project is to build each Instrumental into a story so it leads into one and other without a drastic change but also keeping them unique. 

I carried out some research on the world of Grime and focused on the financial aspect this week. This is a short documentary carried out by JME a Grime Legend about The Police vs Grime Music and the way the government want to almost ban Grime from the UK. The documentary talks about how the police want to shut down shows due to alleged violence and deaths. Because of this many artists are struggling to make their pay check as for most of them this is their bread and butter. 

The Police vs Grime Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW_iujPQpys

In my Essay I want to reference this exact documentary as I think it really relates to my question of the Social and Cultural implications of Grime production in South East London. 

I have carried out more research into some blogs and articles about incidents that have taken place at certain venues. Most recently the one at the GRM rated awards where a rapper was stabbed multiple times and the show was stopped from airing on Channel 4. This was debated highly by the government and was even battled between politicians and UK Grime artists Krept And Konan.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/13/music-banning-drill-black-british-kids-violence