I had been running a radio show on LOOSE FM during the start of my third year but had to stop due to university taking a lot of my time. I have been in contact with the organisers and will resume once again. I will use this to share my work, music, sound art pieces and others within the community.
Here are some of my past radio shows.
I thought it would be good to finalise this blog post but reflecting on the course, and finally ending with how I think I will attain what I have stated within my appraisal.
Firstly, the first year was an introduction to sound arts, moving to London and leaving my hometown, I was ready to leave everything behind after making music as a group with friends for a good few years, working hard, getting signed and then watching them all get attracted by money and status, something I was not obsessed with. I left and decided to follow my heart. Which was to stay true to my values.
In my first year, I was new to sound arts, barely knowing much, I came from a left-field musical context. And I struggled with the ideas and theories behind a lot of what was shown, I also was a terrible academic and even in secondary school I didn’t pay attention and did the minimum to pass, getting C’s and D’s and U’s.
I decided to follow my interests in Ableton and continued developing my production and sound techniques throughout the first year, writing about the history of bossa nova during my first essay. Learning from Jose and sound development techniques and field recording, something I’d never done before studying here, which now seems to be my obsession. I also took part in the radio module with Dawn and Ed Baxter, which saw another creative outlet I’m interested in which is Radio. The radio project we were involved in explored memory as sound and was very enjoyable to work with. This later led me to take part in the Sound Envelope online exhibition over the summer that Dawn sent out, which further brought more interest in field recordings for myself. Now during the first year, it was half lockdown half covid half this, half that. And the experience was very weird, I was homesick, had little money, and found the course a bit frustrating despite it being interesting.
The point where it started to connect with me was when I started my second year, I promised I would dedicate myself towards my studies and push as hard as I could. The first module we did was specialising and exhibiting. I decided to take the sound for the screen module and the studio praxis module, which ended up being improvised for weeks on end. Very little actual studio technical knowledge, which was what it was advertised as. I learnt to further field record and when recording ambiences the noise pollution found inspired my academic research for the rest of the course, this key moment when I tried to record ambiences for this film I was editing was when I began to become interested in what I was listening to. It surprised me how loud the noise pollution was even when I attempted to get as far away from it as I could I just couldn’t. I worked super hard and ended up getting a B- which at the time I was very happy with. This was my first B in my entire life, even if it was just a B-, following this we did the audio paper, I followed this interest that I had from the sound-for-screen experience and did an audio paper/essay that reflected what I felt like the role a sound artist could have in combatting noise pollution. I ended up getting an A for it and this surprised me, I had never considered myself to be smart, an intellectual or anything of that capacity and I think this was the key moment where I gained confidence in my work and even my writing. After this, we had the exhibition where I for the first time exhibited work in a white cube. I decided to approach it from a reclaiming stance, as I didn’t feel comfortable within these white cube spaces, being a working-class and first-generation immigrant child I always see white cube spaces for the upper class, not the poor working-class person I am. Again I pursued and got a B+ my work was audio-visual and had a sound collage of moving images. I enjoyed this process.
Next came the collaboration module where I worked on a video game with two other students as my team. We worked hard, I pushed myself, did the research learnt coding, FMOD, and Unity audio implementation and also researched into VR and AR. We delivered and I received an A grade. Continuing on it was contemporary issues, an essay and a piece of work to deliver. I then decided it was time to learn to write essays, I sought academic support and studied how to write essays as I never paid attention at school, this and also writing my essay was difficult and took a huge effort but I persevered. The topic was on if field recordings are an accurate representation of space and temporal experience. I did lots of reading into books, Angus Carlyle, Cathy Lane. Salomé Veogelin. Peter Cusack, etc etc. Furthering my knowledge within this topic of field recording/acoustic ecology. I made a piece of work called Listening to the Thames, which was a sound map going along the river Thames from Richmond to the East Thames barrier. I felt inspired by Peter Cusacks, sounds from dangerous places. I submitted my work and received an A- for both pieces, the essay and the practical.
Coming into the third year, I had spent a lot of time studying for my dissertation over the summer, as I felt anxiety about it. The support from Angus helped me go further and get this A grade. I read and wrote more than I ever have, and in doing so learnt so much about this field, I think I know very little but also enough to get a grasp. The topic or title of the dissertation was “Retuning Into the Earth: Can the Positive Effects of Listening to Field Recordings Bring Awareness to Environmental Issues?“
Now this dissertation was an audio paper and also taught me audio editing for a large audio piece that was 40 minutes in length. I found that the research was of great depth. I am very proud of this, it taught me I am an academic and getting that A meant a lot to me. Before this I handed in my prototype portfolio submission which I gained an A as well, again something I would never believe would happen, I hope this does not seem like a boast but more of a character and development throughout this course. Before coming here I had never even had a B grade or even enjoyed learning academically or ever did at school/college. It has been weird to watch myself become interested in something that is not physically creative, although I do consider research and writing and reading of these essays to be creative. At the time I didn’t.
So after all this learning I feel very strange, stressed, and tired and almost at the end facing the final hurdle after this submission, I feel mostly proud and ready for real life again. Before I joined here I worked tirelessly writing music, releasing it, editing videos etc etc. I had a very active creative practice while working terrible jobs, washing dishes all day for 10+ hour days. So I think doing this studio assistant job won’t stop me. I will continue and follow either of those 3 options on my appraisal. The last thing I hope that happens is to get a 1st class degree. I’m very close to achieving it, it does not matter that much but it’s a real message to myself about what I can achieve when I put my mind to it. I have achieved all A’s so far in my third year, With only two assignments left there is hope!
After thinking about potential options towards career goals, and the future after the course. I just came out of reading and writing my dissertation and send out an email during the process to Gordon Hempton to ask questions in terms of my questions related to the dissertation.
Unfortunately, he was away recording and took his time to reply, and the email came halfway through the module on professional futures, instead our 1 hr Zoom Call was more of a seminar, Gordon spoke about his career and gave me advice and offered if I ever wanted to, to join him on a trip to Brazil where he goes often to record and stay with locals in the Amazon.
We have exchanged emails and hopefully, once I save some money I can do this. He gave advice on how to follow my passion for field recording, he said the first step is to purchase the correct equipment, microphones and recorder. Secondly, get out and record as much as possible, and learn the techniques of recording. Take the microphone as close as u can, once you think you have the correct position, keep listening and get closer and keep going for the best location to record.
Once I have something of a project around this, I should create a piece of work around it, email blogs and collect emails from people who review work, follow my passion he says. It’s the most important thing to do.
I think this form of reaching out and collaborating, and giving advice to young upcoming artists is very important. I think by building this connection randomly, we seem to really get on. He said I should email him any time I have new work as he would love to hear it. Building connections and finding mentors are important in artistic endeavours.
During the start of the professional futures module, I was passively looking for graduate schemes and managed to find one as a studio assistant for a post-production studio in Soho. A company called Pitch & Sync. I was using websites like LinkedIn and Indeed, arts temps etc to find jobs in the industry. I have spent the last three years taking any opportunities that had arrived in my hands for engineering, mixing, mastering/recording. This has led me to many opportunities and learning without fear of failure. A key highlight was after my submission of my audio paper, my lecturer decided that the quality (sonic that is) was great, so I was asked to record a podcast for her and receive payment from art temps. This gave me confidence in knowing my recording /editing/mixing skills were up to par.
Since I had been applying to many jobs, actively emailing studios and receiving very minimal replies, when this opportunity came, I jumped on it and managed to get a second interview after the first, finally ending with being hired on a graduate scheme, part-time for the last 3 months of university going into full-time work at graduation June 1st when I finish my last hand in.
I think this is a great step towards learning the ropes and eventually having my own recording studio, I am learning about how the admin side runs, answering emails, making clients feel comfortable, creating relationships and more importantly the technical sides, recording, mixing, sound design etc. At a very high level.
The next step which is what I am doing is to actively seek to learn and continue my passion for arts and music / sound arts while I leave, I will do this by searching for residences as my job is very relaxed about taking unpaid leave to follow creative goals, today Angus shared a list of residencies and gave great advice, to consistently apply for them makes you able to learn and when the right one comes, because you have spent time writing and constantly being declined it will eventually work.
Some websites are,
https://resartis.org/open-calls/
https://www.artistopencalls.art/opportunities
After reading the open calls I can apply and send an artist statement and what I would do. I need to make sure that I can afford to survive during these residencies or projects as well. And balance the money with payment and getting the project to its highest level.
I thought it would be useful to explain perhaps a few artists that I enjoy their work and their website as influences to my own website, as well as how it’s set up and displayed.
Sofie Birch
I have been listening to Sofie’s radio show for a long time. And through that, I began listening to her work. She creates ambient / collage recordings and sound pieces that use field recordings as a sonic postcards. I find her work, releases and the labels she works with to be of interest to me. She is an artist that I hope to be, I find music and the industry surrounding it to be obsessed with the outcome and in more fine art scenes it seems that the artists are appreciated a bit more, and they can be more free with their work. I create ambient types of music with field recordings and her work is a huge inspiration as well as how she releases work, through Bandcamp and indie labels that release similar works. I do understand the more niche you go the less money perhaps you make, and it’s difficult to get to a point where u make money and survive off your work. She also runs a NTS radio show, I run a radio show currently on LOOSE FM where I go through Brazilian music from my culture. I would like to get on NTS Radio eventually.
Sofie’s website is simple, playful and creative. Something I took inspiration from, for my website.
The title of her name is super playful, and the photos are artistic and creative. Something I decided to do for my website/portfolio/showreel for the submission. She also has on the left-hand side her releases, installation works, video, animation etc. About and contact.
I did similar and used hot glue to the best of my abilities. I did lack a few of the options here such as installation works, animation etc. But I think over time I’ll add these onto my website as they grow and flourish.
Jez Riley French
I really enjoy Jez’s work, his writing and his Ted talks have inspired me to look at the microscopic and really listen and find interesting ways and devices, for example contact mics to expose these sounds. His field recording techniques and equipment that he makes are something I’ve wanted to get involved with myself, I have created LOM Priezor clones, and through Rory the sound technician at UAL I’ve learned to create contact mics. I’ve sold a few of these, including the LOM Priezor mic and it could be a potential thing to do as a side hustle like how Jez does.
His website is again super simple but aesthetically pleasing. Something I tried to do myself. I do feel my website will need a redesign after the submission as it will evolve with me. Right now as I’m balancing my new job as a studio assistant and finishing university this was the best I could do.
I really like the simple white background, the photo and the links to his further work. I have read and seen that there is a workshop he runs with other sound artists called murmuration where artists and others who pay go on trips together to field record and learn from the artists who are hosting it. Looks like something I’m really interested in doing once I can save some money. Anyway, i thought about doing it like this for my website, keeping it very simple but i felt that it perhaps didn’t suite my personally and my outlook on being creative.
My academic work throughout my degree has been following on from previous essays I wrote. Ending in my dissertation being a developed thought process from throughout the years, Angus Carlyle supervised me for my dissertation and helped pushed me to get an A. I do feel like I am interested in sound-based academic research, Acoustic ecology, soundscape ecology, deep listening, field recordings and other aspects that interest me so much. Peter Wrights’s book critiqued soundscape and field recordings which further drew my interest within it.
As I wrote in my appraisal I do feel like a potential option is to come back and pursue a MA in a few years after being an artist again and having time to dedicate myself to my artistic endeavours. I do believe I could do it, perhaps maybe even in the long term future! Once I reach my 30s.
I have seen another MA for environmental and architectural acoustic at Southbank University which seemed interesting but I’m not interested in commercial uses of sound such as architecture.
https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/course-finder/environmental-architectural-acoustics-msc
They have an anechoic champer and this course seems more scientific. This could be another option to pursue, to follow within the more conservationist, scientific study of sound and potentially get a job outside monitoring levels of noise pollution?
Either way, it’s good to see more options and see where I could go eventually. When I feel like the time is right.
After emailing Dawn and understanding what I had to include within my CV for the submission, I felt like I’ll keep the older one I just made the draft one as I do think it is a good CV. On the hand in I have to make a one-page CV and include performances and releases, alongside awards. Here is the updated CV, I will also ask Dawn for feedback.
Let’s see if I can make version 4 after this 3.0 update.
I spent a few hours writing this appraisal. I found it really interesting to look at my future from a 3rd person point of view. Writing about what I could do and how it would benefit me. It feels beneficial to identify these key areas and opportunities which I think will help me.
As I can’t attend the next two sessions I will email Dawn just to see if this is all okay. I am close to getting a 1st class degree and it is really important for me to keep pushing and try my best.
Since being on the course one of the main things I’ve found myself enjoying is being a sound recordist, I’ve worked on over 10+ student films as a sound recordist/boom operator. I like being outside and working on sets means when I finish and go home my work is done. I also have worked commercially with a company called Big Fridge Productions, they have hired me for many advert and short film jobs which I have been credited on.
The course has allowed me to follow my interest, in different microphones and recorders and learn about the process of field recording and the theoretical side to it as well. Writers like Peter Wright, Cusack, and books such as In the Field, and Sound Arts now. Jez Riley French. Have all guided me towards this mindset of field recording.
If spent around £1000 I could start doing this freelance on weekends perhaps and see if it could become a full-time job role, if I don’t like doing post-production that is, my current job is that. I think this could be another future professional career, which would allow me to travel and work freelance and perhaps join an agency? I know about websites such as Mandy, and I also have connections with others who do sound recordist jobs freelance. This would also allow me to choose when to work and take jobs when I need rather than working 9-6pm like I have been.
The closer I get to graduation the more I feel grateful I have a graduate scheme job and will go straight into work but I do need to be vigilant that this is just the first opportunity and I should not be afraid to break the comfort of a salary and really follow my passions.
I had a 1hr Zoom call with Gordan Hempton, who create one square inch of silence. and he told me around my age is when people make the biggest changes in their lives, I am 25 and towards the end of my twenties we start to really figure out who we are and make some decisions which are important. I want to make sure I value experience and happiness over financial gain. As long as I can eat, have a roof over my head and be creative I’m all good.
After making the first homepage I filled out the complete website and added a few more sections.
I finished the About page, the CV page, the Music page which had all my music projects, and my sound works page which has no musical audio projects.
Then I also have my social media on the left-hand side and I figured out how to create an email draft link to my email for the contact button.
Anyway if you click the link you would see my full website.
I find it strange as I’m not sure how present myself, more as a professional, as an artist or both? A rapper/musician or a sound artist/sound designer?
This was the best I could do as it took me hours, maybe even 4 to get all the links working and edit it all. It was very tedious and difficult, but I’m proud of it and I think it’s a good portfolio to showcase my work if anyone ever asks. I will be using this in my submission.