Research Logs

 This will be where my research and evidence will be stored. This will be updated weekly as I add more research.



Week 1: (Secondary)

A useful source I used for this week was a YouTube video describing how to create a strong setlist  A huge tip that was given was to have a list of bonus or backup songs to swap out songs already rehearsed or learned last minute for if the demographic doesn't match, if they want an encore or more music after the set has ended or if you want to mix and match songs, swap out the ones that won't work with the set or if the vocalist is struggling to sing a part.
Together we formed a list of bonus tracks:
  • Cum on feel the noize - Slade
  • Zombie - The Cranberries
  • A Little Respect - Erasure (encore)
  • Flyaway- Lenny Kravitz
  • The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
  • Welcome to the Jungle - Guns n Roses
  • Since You Been Gone - Rainbow
  • It's The End of The World as We Know It - REM
  • Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran
Red: Primarily focus on learning as they may replace a song that doesn't work on the set or being used as an encore
Purple: Songs that are backups in case they are needed, these take top priority if we need to replace a song last minute.

Following this research, we have decided to replace a few songs with songs that are highlighted in red
after going through the set and deciding what works in the original setlist.



These are screenshots of our current set. The ones with red dots next to them are being replaced by a red song in the backups list. The ones with pink dots next to them are on the fence and may be replaced by a red/purple song in the backups. These backups will then be replaced if needed. I would like a max of 4 backup songs that aren't officially part of the set so we will decide from there which songs join where, which songs stay as backups and which songs from the purple list will be removed entirely.



Music Taste and Marketing (Primary)

Following research from another source, I took it upon myself to do my own primary research on the music different generations and how marketing/prices will work to different generations and this will be updated as I get more answers. This research is there to help me build sets and come up with the idea to sell potential merchandise at these gigs. This has all been done on forms and is an ongoing poll until the gigs fully start in this fmp.

Sources used this week:

Musician Academy (2025) How to Structure the Perfect Setlist that Packs the House. Available at: https://youtu.be/qd0p2KXXm_s?si=HTy4LpvWePd0yoFD

Pro Muso (2025) Building a Setlist for the Pub Scene. Available at: https://youtu.be/uTt211RH8JQ?si=QN8Fuh4jEZJL6Pm0

The Scholary Kitchen (2024) Music Paralysis as we age. Available at: https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2024/05/03/music-paralysis-as-we-age/




Week 2 (Easter Break)

I didn't use any new research for this week and continued via the YouTube links from last week as the focus right now is currently on getting the set down for this gig, but I did revise the setlist and start placing and creating the new set, using the backup songs I had created last week. With this, I have also adjusted the backup songs so we have at least 6 backups, with one song now taking priority and being red and taking priority if we need to cover another or replace if needs be.

So compared to last week, I replaced all the songs that had a red dot next to them besides Creep as we tried something slightly different in rehearsals which made the song actually work (see rehearsal diaries for more info). Smells Like Teen Spirit also worked and is staying on the set as it stands. Thunderstruck is removed from the set and will not be replaced as we have enough songs thanks to the addition of our encore of A Little Respect and finally The Trooper might end up removed based on how our next rehearsal on it will sound. Details on why are in rehearsal diaries. Finally the songs with blue dots are the newer songs we added in to replace another song which was taken from the backups list which I have also updated. 
I will continue research after this pub gig as getting it prepared and sounding its best is the main priority with this gig being a third of my FMP performance-wise.


Updated Backups List (In Priority Order)

You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi (we already know this song and removed it for a more varied set)
Every Breath You Take - The Police (very simple song, only below You Give Love A Bad Name due to the time we have left to learn a new song.)
Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
It's The End Of The World as We Know It - REM
Flyaway - Lenny Kravitz
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns n Roses (might be too extreme and ambitious to be a "backup", there is a lot in this song)





Week 3-4: (Secondary)

So last week I didn't really research and focused purely on the rehearsal, and finding new rehearsal skills was the only research I did, so I'm tying this week and last week into one research log.
Last week I focused on rehearsal skills and how to put together a band rehearsal of good quality and productivity. To do this, I came up with my own method of using each rehearsal to break a song down until it perfects, then we put it all together, then if we mess up, we repeat the part we messed up at until we get it right, slowly breaking it down and building it all together. I also discovered a source on YouTube that I took key parts from which helped me lead and organise productive rehearsals. Some key features included: time wasting when learning new songs when band members should already come in with prior knowledge to the song; they should have "done their homework" (however, if parts go wrong, that is when I would break the song down again), removing all distractions such as phones and guests in the rehearsal space and finally organise efficiently: set times and dates for future rehearsals, set a clear task and goal coming into the rehearsal. All of this is required in a rehearsal while also having fun and enjoying the songs that we have put together. All of these skills produce a great rehearsal which leads to a successful gig.


Source Used

rockongoodpeople (2018) Best 12 tips for productive band rehearsals. Available at: https://youtu.be/QxXCNmprWAo?si=rLfZ7pw7V_EJCV42


Interviews (Primary)

So as Week 4 of research had approached, we were on the final week before the gig at The Alex, so I decided for my research for this week would be more in preparation for the next gig which will most likely be at the Polar Bear for the gig that is more focused to a younger audience. To get a viewpoint from an audience and performer's standpoint, I interviewed 3 peers from my class who attend a lot of gigs at these types of grassroots venues and are musicians themselves who have played at these venues. In this attached powerpoint will be the interviews themselves with key quotes of interest, a comparison between each interview and an overall conclusion: "What did I get from these interviews to help me with my project and this gig?".



Retirement Home Gig Change

More information on this will be in my Rehearsal Diaries and the overall write-up, but the idea of this gig has been worrying me a bit with the friend I was supposed to play with having much more important priorities, and a retirement home potentially not even being a great place to get a crowd reaction for an older audience. I had spoken to a different friend on a phone call who mentioned this open folk music club in a nearby village that she had been asked to play at, where the audience as a majority are older, the club is based around the music I would like to share with that audience, the audience all have their own passion for music which means I can judge reactions a lot easier and potentially get interviews from it. I will be looking more into this club and speaking to more people about it, but there is a high possibility that I will play music for the older generation there instead of a care home.





Week 5: Upskilling, Interview and Hull Music Scene

New Interview (Primary)

I interviewed another person this week, this time a teacher in the college who was a musician and asked very similar questions to my peers so I can get a view on a range of ages and how they like to watch a live performance. My plan is to get an interview from people who are within the 3 generations so I am able to see how each generation's answer compared. The interviews will be found in the same document where I compared the student interviews which is above in this post but can also be found in my student work folder.

Hull Music Scene (Primary)

I spent my weekend going to 2 different types of live performances as well to get a view on the music scene in Hull, how artists professionally present themselves on stage and in front of an audience, how an audience reacts and how the artists feel on stage.
The first gig I went to see was Thunder Hammer at O'Rileys which played a hard rock set, similar to what we played at The Alexandra Hotel so I expected the crowd to be very similar to the crowd I played in front of at The Alex to which I was correct in. I used this gig as more research into how generations tend to react to live music but also to better myself in how I play the music that I do with my band, playing a main focus on their stage presence and how they spoke to the crowd. Everything Thunder Hammer did worked well and got the crowd to engage even more than we did at The Alex.
I ended up speaking to the drummer at the end of the performance and his best and only advice was to continue everything we were doing and that is how I will end up growing, especially if I want to be a session drummer in the future.
In conclusion, a hard rock gig will attract a crowd similar to the crowd we played in front of at The Alex; a crowd ranging from ages 30-60 on average with only a few younger or older. We were the youngest in the room by a long shot which impressed even the band.


Photo of me and the drummer


Videos of Thunder Hammer playing: their stage presence and sound was very inspiring and something I wanted to take mental notes on.

In contrast, the very next day I went to watch my friend Mia play her own short set at The Alex which consists of folky, acoustic music. I wanted to see what audience an acoustic folk gig would attract for when we do our own set at The Beggars Folk Club. Unfortunately, it wasn't the busiest day at the Alex so I didn't really get a decent idea for my research, though I did see a larger majority of older people than when we played at The Alex. The only difficult part about that however is that they could've been regular older drinkers there.
With the pub being fairly dead, it was difficult to make many notes on how they react with audience engagement being nearly impossible from Mia in front of a crowd of no less than 10 people so it is still going to be a surprise for me when we play there.
   


Upskilling

Throughout the week, I didn't have much to do besides the occasional rehearsal for upcoming Polar Bear Gig with the Folk Club rehearsals being an out of college thing so I spent a full day in Spiders upskilling myself by learning several different songs of several different genres from jazz to rock to even metal:
  • Runaway - Bon Jovi
  • Amaranth - Nightwish
  • Gimme That Boom - Skindred
  • Trinidad - Geese
I had taken in what I had been told by the drummer in Thunder Hammer and what Fiona Lee had told me when she visited the college: keep going. Something Fiona Lee said in particular which stood out to me was to start posting covers on social media so I picked out a few songs that I would like to learn and I will eventually post them online and hopefully build up a small name online which can help me in my road to being a session musician.





Week 6: Becoming a Session Musician (Secondary)

I had been given a source that gives a lot more detail on being a session musician. This source gives me tips on becoming one, the difficulties and the overall lifestyle on being one. The source was an interview with a session musician named Dan McDougall. There were a few things I took from this source:
Something specifically that sparked my eye was "5 tips for someone working in a professional environment". All of McDougall's tips stood out to me and were something I'll keep mental notes of when I break into a career in music: "Be on time" "Be Humble" "Be Great" "Be Malleable" "Be Resilient". They are really just common sense but all stand out to me with how simple these tips are to working in a professional musical environment, it is all straightforward and easy to be well liked in the industry by professionals which I may end up working with in the future.
Another point that stuck out to me in this source is that having more than one skill is what will help me be able to make a living. For example, skills in songwriting alone and being a songwriter solely would not give me a healthy enough lifestyle financially, but if I had more skills in production, being a session musician (recording or live), that is what will help me build up the finances to make this a full time job and be able to earn a living off of music.

I learned that music is not just one thing, I can't expect to be just a drummer and expect myself to earn a living salary off of it, I still need experience in several other aspects in the industry such as the technology side, production and songwriting. It all ties together, even if being a session musician is my ideal. I can't be a session musician without knowledge on the other sides of music. This was really interesting to me and has given me motivation to look into other sides of music barring the performance end where I am most passionate in.

Source Used:

Leeds Conservatoire (2017) Musicians' Survival Guide: The Life of a Session Musician and Songwriter. Available at: https://www.leedsconservatoire.ac.uk/about-us/news/musicians-survival-guide-the-life-of-a-session-musician-and-songwriter/

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