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Joaquin Thomas Capstone

Posted by Joaquin Thomas in Capstone · Siswick/Kay · Wed on

For my Capstone I decided to go out to a middle school near SLA to help with tutoring kids in math. The main purpose behind doing this was to help struggling kids bump their grades up and to help them be prepared for the PSSAs. In the very beginning I was clueless as to what I was going to work on but, then my mentor, Jonathan Tyler, helped to guide me to something I was interested in. He did so by noting my interest in math along with my daily tutoring of my little brother. Every Wednesday I went down to the middles school, Robert Morris, to teach 7th graders. In the beginning it was difficult to find ways to reach the students but, after receiving assistance from my mentor and the principal of the school I was able to improve on my teaching skills and I began to make real progress with the kids. I learned a lot with how to be patient with students along with understanding that every student needs their own special attention. I also learned of the importance of teaching kids in need.

Capstone Bibliography



Source #1: One of my out of school mentors, Mr. Kay, Elder. Mr. Kay’s Dad.


When we were first talking about the development of this project a lot of the conversation was about him telling me what to do which I had a problem with. I didn’t like that very much because I like being worked with to develop my own ideas in some way. Also in an interesting way he taught me an interesting lesson about teaching just from making a mistake. Then I expressed my distress with him and once we set a mutual line of respect for the both of us our meetings went a lot smoother from then on. So I chose this source for inadvertently teaching me a lesson and the good affects positive change brought to our relationship.



Source #2: My second source was, Mr. Jonathan Tyler. A grandfather to an alumni at SLA.


Mr. Tyler came off very harsh from the first moment we started conversation in what seemed to be an aggressive attempt to making me submit to his orders. The way he approached setting up an atmosphere with me was very unsettling and it didn’t make me very comfortable with having him help me. However some of his stern talking was very helpful in some situations because of the fact that it allowed me to focus a lot on my work when I would normal be distracted. At the same time I wasn’t that inspired to do my best because I felt under pressure a lot of the time. I felt persecuted instead of sympathised with sometimes.



Source #3: My third source was my mom, Marielle Thomas.


I chose my Mom as one of my sources because of the fact that she is used to teaching kids from all ages. She’s taught kids in Pre-K and she once worked in High Schools in philly. While talking to her she helped me understand the importance of setting up an initial atmosphere with your tutee because it can be a deciding factor in whether or not the student learns, then falls off, or learns, and continues to grow and flourish. Along with that she talked about understanding that every student is different and you need to focus on different areas for each.



Source #4: My fourth source was, Ms. Burrell, a teacher at Robert Morris middle school.


I chose this source because she was the head teacher of the school that I was going to be doing the tutoring at. She helped me with understanding how to keep students calm especially when there is more than one of them you are helping at once. Also the fact that when one student doesn’t understand and gets frustrated it’s more likely for more of them to get frustrated easier even if they would’ve understood originally. Along with asserting myself without making them feel disrespected. So far this has helped with having them open up better to what they don’t personally understand.



Source #5: " Tutor Training." General Tips & Techniques | Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Chandler Gilbert Community College, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.


This source was very useful from the start solely because of the fact that it was written in a list format. This helped me really understand the content being provided to me. It talked about setting up a layer of respect about everything.


Source #6: "Benefits of Tutoring." Benefits of Tutoring. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1quLQtL-Y-SMq3f5bZj6dctv3c3PmqHbfcO2ZAT8ASsY/edit


Kai Burton Capstone

Posted by Kai Burton in Capstone · Siswick/Kay · Wed on

​

My capstone project is a natural website complete with video testimonials of natural haired beauties, and a lovely photo gallery showcasing the beauty and diversity of natural hair that people of color process. Originally I planned to record a podcast and take a photo shoot for every person I interviewed, but a quarter of the way through the process someone suggested camera interviews and I realized that an on screen interview would demonstrate an even deeper message. I set up a room in SLA that would be used for both interviewing and the photoshoot. I used a black backdrop and asked every person the same questions. I began with basic questions about how different people did their hair and then I transitioned into asking question about how different people interact with their hair. Since I have never taken a digital video or digital photography class at SLA Isabella D’Angelo and Hanna Dunakin assisted me throughout the majority of the process. During the project not only was I able to learn about how people treat and feel about their natural hair, I was also able to learn about how to use recording and editing equipment. Learning about video and photography equipment was not apart of my learning plan for my capstone, but picking up those skills made my capstone even more fulfilling.


Website Link: kburton9.wixsite.com/naturalhair


Link to my bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wCIKCuE7FVG92dz-7yBPp-jLAMQ5EZ89ZqcxNVEwZl8/edit


Annotated Bibliography

Byrd, Ayana. "If Big, Natural Hair is in, Why Don't We See it On Television?" NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/if-big-natural-hair-why-dont-we-see-it-television-n294016

This source explores the recent movement of natural hair, coming from famous women on screen. The recent increase in celebrities deciding to sport their natural has led to more regular women gaining the confidence to sport their natural hair as well. However, women of color are still not wearing their natural hair on screen. Thi source explores the lack of diversity on screen that leads o a confusion within the movement. Women are asking how they are expected to look up to other black women for their color, if they don’t see the same thing expressed on the big screen.


Byrd, Ayanna and Tharps, Lori. “Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America.” St. Martin’s. 2001, 2014.

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=KERWAgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=black+hair&ots=hsUTWNTEmn&sig=epnVycx-Mmd_75J3fm4MNSvj5MY#v=onepage&q=black%20hair&f=false

The stigma of natural hair on black women has been a long fought battle, starting as early as the 1600’s. The issue, however was not prominent until the 1920’s. This novel by Tharps and Byrd tells the struggle of black hair, when black women were first assimilated into the American Society. This source is crucial because it shows the initial struggle of black hair and the movements and waves that black hair has gone through, including the call for a more “uniform” look. I will use this book as a history book of sorts to frame the foundations of this capstone.


Hargro, Brina, "Hair Matters: African American Women and the Natural Hair Aesthetic." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2011.

http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1095&context=art_design_theses

What this source uniquely addresses is the push back from white America to try and rid the country of the uniqueness of black people. The idea of eurocentric beauty comes from the idea of making African American people feel out of place in this world, white world. In an effort to assimilate black people they tried to get rid of of black culture specifically black features, and that is what this article illustrates. The idea of whitewashing America was to make black people feel uncomfortable, because they knew it was not possible for them to completely assimilate to the community.


Johnson, T.A. and Bankhead, T. (2014) Hair It Is: Examining the Experiences of Black Women with Natural Hair. Open Journal of Social Sciences.

http://file.scirp.org/pdf/JSS_2014010814473478.pdf

This source gives information on black hair outside of the context of a prejudice white America. Instead it gives the stylistic timeline of black women who did not succumb to the attempted assimilations of white America. As well as the meaning and story for black hair. In other words it indicates why natural hair is so crucial to the development of black women in this country. The last biggest thing from this source are the prejudices that are present within the community of black women. It answers questions like, why is there a such thing as good and bad hair?


King, Vanessa and Niabaly, Dieynaba (2013) "The Politics of Black Womens' Hair," Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato: Vol. 13, Article 4.

http://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=jur

This journal takes a more personal approach, asking black women how they feel about relaxing their hair or leaving it natural. Taking into account the research behind how actual women feel about their actual hair, takes a more personal approach to the project. It illustrates how effective the idea of euro centricity is getting through to the masses. It also addresses the judgment that some women receive for choosing to relax their hair. It helped me to understand that and empathize with women that I don’t share the same experiences as. Which ultimately adds to the authenticity and reality of my project.


Koff, Stephen. "U.S. military changes rules on women's hairstyles after Rep. Marcia Fudge and Congressional Black Caucus say they show racial bias." Cleveland.com. Cleveland, 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2014/08/us_military_changes_rules_on_w.html

A popular hairstyle that many women of color chose to wear are dreadlocks. Up until recently the US government did not allow officers of the military to wear this style. Because it was such a prominent part of black culture, I used this source to understand how the government condoned such a blatant racial bias. It shows how not just society but the government accepted the exclusion of black people and turned a blind eye. The government  realized how they were institutionalizing racial bias and got rid of the ban. But it is interesting to see how the ban was conducted.  


Myers, Meghann. "New Army regulations OK dreadlocks for female soldiers." Army Times. Armytimes.com, 5 Jan. 2017. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

https://www.armytimes.com/articles/new-army-regulations-ok-dreadlocks-for-female-soldiers

This source also explores the ban that the military imposes on natural hair. And dives into how black women felt forced into wearing wigs and relaxing their hair. However this goes more into specifics with other fashions of protective styling that black women tend to sport, such as cornrows and twists. The enforced regulations illustrate how big and how far apart your braids and or twists can be. The army wanted to enforce uniformity, on the other hand, some people saw this as another method of controlling black women. This article addresses how the army regulates all types of hair despite the race of the person.


Sutton, Tajh. "5 Things to Ask the Next Person Who Calls Your Natural Hair 'Unprofessional'" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 11 Apr. 2016. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tajh-sutton/next-person-who-calls-hair-unprofessional_b_9661216.html

This article also gives a more personal account of black women interacting with their natural hair in today’s world.  Because natural hair was stigmatized, today the more women who wear their hair naturally the more questions they get asked. The questions get frustrating because natural hair should not be a novelty, but the sad truth is that it is. Some inquiry’s are harmless, but some go as far as to say that natural hair is unclean, dirty, and unprofessional. This article explores the fact that in today’s world, black women are still dealing with critics about their hair from other races.


Thrasher, Steven. "A Personal And Political History Of The Afro." BuzzFeed. Buzzfeed, 5 Nov. 2013. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/steventhrasher/a-personal-and-political-history-of-the-afro?utm_term=.dudvMLJbw#.xi2MX9JpE

This source is amazing because it gives the history of the power and message behind the afro. The afro meant more than taking back black natural hair, but it was also a message to the government that black people were not disappearing. This source is unique because although natural hair is back and better than ever there are still negative stigmas attached to having an afro. The issues attached with afro’s also deal with colorism and issues of hair pattern that can be attached to wearing your hair naturally. Great strides have been made but, there are still aways to go, is the point of this article. It is important to recognize the piece of the battle that we still have to fight.


"Natural hair movement drives sales of styling products in US black haircare market." Natural hair movement drives sales of styling products in US black haircare market | Mintel.com. Mintel , 17 Dec. 2015. Web. 02 Feb. 2017.

http://www.mintel.com/press-centre/beauty-and-personal-care/natural-hair-movement-drives-sales-of-styling-products-in-us-black-haircare-market

A big part of black pride is supporting black owned businesses. This article deals with the booming industry that now is the natural hair business. Women are in need of products to support their newly natural hair and are now flocking to companies like shea moisture and jane carter. The companies are supporting black women and black women support them back. The system is making black business boom which is great for all black people. The increase in black business was an unforeseen benefit of women claiming their manes. The new natural hair craze benefits everyone.


Harry Freed Capstone

Posted by Harrison Freed in Capstone · Siswick/Kay · Wed on

Art is expensive. To attempt to record an album, one must either have the funds to buy or rent the necessary gear or have the funds to buy or rent a recording studio. High school students are an often artistically-interested group of people who don’t have the funds to bring their sonic dreams to life. For my capstone project, I have provided these resources to students. I know many music-makers within our high-school and within the school district of Philadelphia who didn’t have a place to start with getting their music into the world, and I became that bridge for them. The basement studio that my dad and I (mostly my dad) have put together is much higher fidelity than what most kids have access to. Even with minimal production, live takes recorded in my basement sound relatively good compared to garage band in a bed room. Over the course of the year, I have invited youth artists into my basement to record releases for them. Then, I send them the files, mix the tracks (poorly, because I don't know how to mix) if they want me to, and leave them with their music. Through this, I have learned a lot about organization, sound engineering, collaboration, music composition, music production, and musicianship. This capstone has no single, culminating product, for it is an ongoing process. Here, though, are some samples from what we've all recorded, for your listening pleasure: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0T3TfgbUkpEbjhDX3R6UG4zZ2c Annotated Bibliography: Morgan, Scott. "The Differences Between Music Producers & Engineers." The Differences Between Music Producers & Engineers | Chron.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This is a very simple website with some more jargon that isn’t necessarily covered in the “Jargonbuster” source. This source discusses the differences between producers and recording engineers as well as the similarities between producers and recording engineers. It gives thought to what producing and what record engineering entail, and what producers and recording engineers have to do in their jobs. The source even talks about how one becomes a producer or a recording engineer. For my capstone, I have to balance the involvement of a producer with the technicality of a recording engineer. Being the only third-party voice while I work with artists means that I have to carefully curate what I bring to the table. Baca, Ricardo. "As albums fade away, music industry looks to shorter records." Timesfreepress.com. N.p., 4 Jan. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This is a look at what consumers want, or at least at what executives think they want. Though I’m not taking the capitalist angle in my capstone, I think it is valuable to see every angle of the industry in which my capstone dwells. I think this contrast between the record industry at large and the often unprofitable DIY artists I see in Philadelphia is very interesting. Many of the DIY accts in Philly seem comparably marketable to big-label bands. Basement shows feature tunes that are at least as catchy as radio rock tunes, yet they remain relatively fringe. I think part of the reason is the difficulty they have in recording all that they want to at a high enough quality. My service allows these bands to enter that pantheon. Bryan-Kinns, Nick. "Mutual Engagement in Social Music Making." Research Gate. University of London, May 2011. Web. This source describes design features intended to increase mutual engagement in social music and presents a set of techniques for identifying mutual engagement in music making. Though this source focuses on digital platforms for music creation, the philosophy that they apply to such platforms is informative for the philosophy regarding my capstone. It believes that overbearing edits can hurt collaboration, which is useful knowledge in songwriting and studio work, and it has the data to back it up. It also suggests that sharing space, virtually or physically, can improve musical output. Above all else, it considers “mutual engagement,” an academic term for “teamwork,” to be the high water mark of collaborative music making. In my project, I have to be committed to being involved with what artists want to see in their music. This source’s message of collaboration will inform how I work in the studio. Byrne, David. How music works. Edinburgh: Canongate, 2012. Print. Who would know how music works better than David Byrne? It is autobiographical in its mentions of the history of Talking Heads and its history of Byrne’s influences, but it really does address the titular concept. David Byrne’s fixation on musical spaces (like African plains or like cramped New York clubs) is very informative. Given that the bands I record all play shows in basements and record their music in basements, this awareness of space is important. It changes how the music should be recorded, and perhaps how it should be appreciated. It moves me to consider what I’m missing out in in this experience: how different would my capstone be were I recording affluent, popular arena artists? It would likely be a lot less freeing and a lot less fun. Morton, David L. Sound recording: the life story of a technology. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, 2006. Print. This source is now ten years old, but many of the technologies in recorded sound relevant then are relevant now, the difference being that we stream rather than download and our music is on our phones rather than our .mp3 players. The important technology that unites this era with that era is the relatively recent portability and accessibility music. This book’s account of the rise of portability in music sets the scene very well for the bandcamp era that my capstone finds itself in. The most important thing I glean from this is how special my recording setup is. It would barely have been conceivable 20 years ago to have an affordable recording studio in one’s home; accessible music recording was rare at the time of this book’s publication and even today. This source really reaffirms my belief that my access to this technology is special and that I am doing a special good for those who record with me. Stearns, Matthew. N.p.: Bloomsbury Academic, 2007. Print. 33 1/3. The record that this book deals with has a sound simultaneously harsh and lush. It very rarely features instrumentation beyond the standard guitar, bass, and drum combination. The studio is used in this album to help the many layers of guitars find different tones and different sorts of interplay. This book thoroughly examines the impact of the music, the image of the band, and the process of recording it. All of these angles are informative for my capstone. The reasons for the album’s success are applicable because they may be the reason that anything I record is found to be successful. "Stories from a Pro: Butch Vig." Butch Vig: 20 Years After Nevermind. Izotope, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. In this interview with Butch Vig, Vig, among other things, compares the process of recording Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Garbage. For “roomy, trashy” stuff with Garbage, he used lots of ambient miking, whereas for Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siamese Dream,” he close mic'd amps for a direct, “in-your-face” sound. This source is most definitely trying to sell something, but if the parts where references to the website’s product are shoehorned, this is a pretty good interview. Ambient vs direct miking is a constant consideration in recording, especially in my capstone. Knowledge about how organization in the studio affects overall sound is important, as is knowledge about the phase shift that may come with it. Interviews with great recording engineers helps me to make my own decisions. Taylor, Gregory. "History of the Oblique Strategies." History of the Oblique Strategies. N.p., 1995. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This source is a history of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies, including all of the Strategies. They exist to inspire people in the studio to try new things when old things don’t work, in very abstract ways. Considering Eno’s success in the studio and his reliance on the cards, I’d guess that they’re working. The cards make me long for free time I can spend soundscaping with artists in the basement, finding tones that fit moods. My role as an engineer/producer should be inspiring musicians when something doesn’t sound the way they’d hoped, or worse, when something sounds the way they’d hoped and they realize they don’t like it. These alternate angles will assist me in that. Tingen, Paul. "Steve Albini." Sound on Sound. N.p., Sept. 2005. Web. Steve Albini is a god among record engineers. His philosophies about what an engineer should do, what a producer should do, and what musicians should do in studio inform my philosophies on the same topic. In this interview, he actually talks about the logistics of recording, which is fascinating. I obviously don’t have access to the breadth of gear that he does, but with what I have, I can try to emulate his setup. Regarding vocal compression, which I always find tremendously difficult to get right, Albini says “I normally compress the vocals about 4-6 dB or something like that — generally, at the quietest passages the compressor is not doing anything, and at the loudest passages it's doing 4-6 dB." I’ll think of that whenever I’m in the basement. Wilkie, Godric. The Studio Musician's Jargonbuster A Glossary of Music Technology and Recording. N.p.: Musonix.co.uk - J Robertson, 1993. Print. This source is exactly what it sounds like it is, a glossary of terms related to the art of recording. These terms are useful in songwriting and in studio work. They are are a language unique to musicians of all sorts. Terms like “mode” are used by songwriters and music theorists, but for an engineer, understanding the language of those that they record is invaluable. It all relates back to collaboration (which happens to be a core value of the Science Leadership Academy) and communication. Also, definitions of words I’ve taken for granted, such as “amplifier,” are interesting to see. Everything in music engineering seems to be less like a single thing and more like a parameter that lots of technology fills.

Earthboy in studio
Earthboy in studio
Grant Pavol in studio
Grant Pavol in studio
​Art is expensive. To attempt to record an album, one must either have the funds to buy or rent the necessary gear or have the funds to buy or rent a recording studio. High school students are an often artistically-interested group of people who don’t have the funds to bring their sonic dreams to life. For my capstone project, I have provided these resources to students. I know many music-makers within our high-school and within the school district of Philadelphia who didn’t have a place to start with getting their music into the world, and I became that bridge for them. The basement studio that my dad and I (mostly my dad) have put together is much higher fidelity than what most kids have access to. Even with minimal production, live takes recorded in my basement sound relatively good compared to garage band in a bed room.
Over the course of the year, I have invited youth artists into my basement to record releases for them. Then, I send them the files, mix the tracks (poorly, because I don't know how to mix) if they want me to, and leave them with their music. Through this, I have learned a lot about organization, sound engineering, collaboration, music composition, music production, and musicianship. This capstone has no single, culminating product, for it is an ongoing process. Here, though, are some samples from what we've all recorded, for your listening pleasure:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0T3TfgbUkpEbjhDX3R6UG4zZ2c

Annotated Bibliography:
Morgan, Scott. "The Differences Between Music Producers & Engineers." The Differences Between Music Producers & Engineers | Chron.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This is a very simple website with some more jargon that isn’t necessarily covered in the “Jargonbuster” source. This source discusses the differences between producers and recording engineers as well as the similarities between producers and recording engineers. It gives thought to what producing and what record engineering entail, and what producers and recording engineers have to do in their jobs. The source even talks about how one becomes a producer or a recording engineer. For my capstone, I have to balance the involvement of a producer with the technicality of a recording engineer. Being the only third-party voice while I work with artists means that I have to carefully curate what I bring to the table.
Baca, Ricardo. "As albums fade away, music industry looks to shorter records." Timesfreepress.com. N.p., 4 Jan. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This is a look at what consumers want, or at least at what executives think they want. Though I’m not taking the capitalist angle in my capstone, I think it is valuable to see every angle of the industry in which my capstone dwells. I think this contrast between the record industry at large and the often unprofitable DIY artists I see in Philadelphia is very interesting. Many of the DIY accts in Philly seem comparably marketable to big-label bands. Basement shows feature tunes that are at least as catchy as radio rock tunes, yet they remain relatively fringe. I think part of the reason is the difficulty they have in recording all that they want to at a high enough quality. My service allows these bands to enter that pantheon.
Bryan-Kinns, Nick. "Mutual Engagement in Social Music Making." Research Gate. University of London, May 2011. Web. This source describes design features intended to increase mutual engagement in social music and presents a set of techniques for identifying mutual engagement in music making. Though this source focuses on digital platforms for music creation, the philosophy that they apply to such platforms is informative for the philosophy regarding my capstone. It believes that overbearing edits can hurt collaboration, which is useful knowledge in songwriting and studio work, and it has the data to back it up. It also suggests that sharing space, virtually or physically, can improve musical output. Above all else, it considers “mutual engagement,” an academic term for “teamwork,” to be the high water mark of collaborative music making. In my project, I have to be committed to being involved with what artists want to see in their music. This source’s message of collaboration will inform how I work in the studio.
Byrne, David. How music works. Edinburgh: Canongate, 2012. Print. Who would know how music works better than David Byrne? It is autobiographical in its mentions of the history of Talking Heads and its history of Byrne’s influences, but it really does address the titular concept. David Byrne’s fixation on musical spaces (like African plains or like cramped New York clubs) is very informative. Given that the bands I record all play shows in basements and record their music in basements, this awareness of space is important. It changes how the music should be recorded, and perhaps how it should be appreciated. It moves me to consider what I’m missing out in in this experience: how different would my capstone be were I recording affluent, popular arena artists? It would likely be a lot less freeing and a lot less fun.
Morton, David L. Sound recording: the life story of a technology. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins U Press, 2006. Print. This source is now ten years old, but many of the technologies in recorded sound relevant then are relevant now, the difference being that we stream rather than download and our music is on our phones rather than our .mp3 players. The important technology that unites this era with that era is the relatively recent portability and accessibility music. This book’s account of the rise of portability in music sets the scene very well for the bandcamp era that my capstone finds itself in. The most important thing I glean from this is how special my recording setup is. It would barely have been conceivable 20 years ago to have an affordable recording studio in one’s home; accessible music recording was rare at the time of this book’s publication and even today. This source really reaffirms my belief that my access to this technology is special and that I am doing a special good for those who record with me.
Stearns, Matthew. N.p.: Bloomsbury Academic, 2007. Print. 33 1/3. The record that this book deals with has a sound simultaneously harsh and lush. It very rarely features instrumentation beyond the standard guitar, bass, and drum combination. The studio is used in this album to help the many layers of guitars find different tones and different sorts of interplay. This book thoroughly examines the impact of the music, the image of the band, and the process of recording it. All of these angles are informative for my capstone. The reasons for the album’s success are applicable because they may be the reason that anything I record is found to be successful.
"Stories from a Pro: Butch Vig." Butch Vig: 20 Years After Nevermind. Izotope, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. In this interview with Butch Vig, Vig, among other things, compares the process of recording Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Garbage. For “roomy, trashy” stuff with Garbage, he used lots of ambient miking, whereas for Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siamese Dream,” he close mic'd amps for a direct, “in-your-face” sound. This source is most definitely trying to sell something, but if the parts where references to the website’s product are shoehorned, this is a pretty good interview. Ambient vs direct miking is a constant consideration in recording, especially in my capstone. Knowledge about how organization in the studio affects overall sound is important, as is knowledge about the phase shift that may come with it. Interviews with great recording engineers helps me to make my own decisions.
Taylor, Gregory. "History of the Oblique Strategies." History of the Oblique Strategies. N.p., 1995. Web. 03 Feb. 2017. This source is a history of Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies, including all of the Strategies. They exist to inspire people in the studio to try new things when old things don’t work, in very abstract ways. Considering Eno’s success in the studio and his reliance on the cards, I’d guess that they’re working. The cards make me long for free time I can spend soundscaping with artists in the basement, finding tones that fit moods. My role as an engineer/producer should be inspiring musicians when something doesn’t sound the way they’d hoped, or worse, when something sounds the way they’d hoped and they realize they don’t like it. These alternate angles will assist me in that.
Tingen, Paul. "Steve Albini." Sound on Sound. N.p., Sept. 2005. Web. Steve Albini is a god among record engineers. His philosophies about what an engineer should do, what a producer should do, and what musicians should do in studio inform my philosophies on the same topic. In this interview, he actually talks about the logistics of recording, which is fascinating. I obviously don’t have access to the breadth of gear that he does, but with what I have, I can try to emulate his setup. Regarding vocal compression, which I always find tremendously difficult to get right, Albini says “I normally compress the vocals about 4-6 dB or something like that — generally, at the quietest passages the compressor is not doing anything, and at the loudest passages it's doing 4-6 dB." I’ll think of that whenever I’m in the basement.
Wilkie, Godric. The Studio Musician's Jargonbuster A Glossary of Music Technology and Recording. N.p.: Musonix.co.uk - J Robertson, 1993. Print. This source is exactly what it sounds like it is, a glossary of terms related to the art of recording. These terms are useful in songwriting and in studio work. They are are a language unique to musicians of all sorts. Terms like “mode” are used by songwriters and music theorists, but for an engineer, understanding the language of those that they record is invaluable. It all relates back to collaboration (which happens to be a core value of the Science Leadership Academy) and communication. Also, definitions of words I’ve taken for granted, such as “amplifier,” are interesting to see. Everything in music engineering seems to be less like a single thing and more like a parameter that lots of technology fills.

Miriam Sachs Capstone

Posted by Miriam Sachs in Capstone · Siswick/Kay · Wed on

For my Capstone, I choose to focus on social media marketing specifically for YouTube channels. Before starting, I had a YouTube channel I had created years ago where I uploaded art and filmmaking tutorials. This original channel had an unprofessional name and inconsistent branding. The channel had also become jumbled by making videos about both filmmaking and visual arts.  Instead of continuously making new videos each week as I have done for years, I took a break in uploading to create a new channel to put the filmmaking tutorials on. I named the new channel Amity Filmmaking. Amity means friendly relations, and I choose this word after seeing so many filmmaking tutorials that do not keep audience in mind by not explaining terms for beginners or being almost an hour long for something that takes minutes to do. I wanted to make my channel a student centered educational resource instead of just showing what I could do.  In the process, I learned a completely new application, Adobe Illustrator in order to make my own professional logo, channel art, and thumbnails.  I also learned it is okay to take time to make the videos I want instead of just uploading often, since my subscriber numbers on my original channel continued to grow even though I had not uploaded a video in months. It was better to build a professional channel and launch new videos when ready than rush to upload frequently.

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Click Here to Go to my YouTube Channel, Amity Filmmaking:

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CAP-034

Term
2016-17

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