Category General Chat

Jan 31 2022

January 31st 2022

Happy New Year, and apologies for the lengthy delay since the last post.

Since the start of the pandemic, alongside teaching and as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been working freelance for NotGames, a computer game development team based in Surrey, on a project called Not For Broadcast. I have been providing a range of services including on-location sound recording, studio engineering, foley creation, and sound design, and I’m really pleased to announce that the game has now left early access and been fully released. The response has been incredible, including great reviews and dev interviews on the media giant website, ScreenRant, and the game now holds the Guinness World Record for the “Most Full Motion Video in a videogame” (42 hours and 57 minutes).

Several of my students assisted with voice acting duties, providing me with a superb foley soundtrack for one scene featured in the game, and they each experienced their first professional paid acting gig.

I’m really proud of the work produced by the NotGames team and my contribution to this release, and I’m looking forward greatly to what comes next.

Not For Broadcast is a darkly comedic game of televised chaos that lets you pick what you want to see on TV, no matter what anybody else wants. Egotistical celebrities, dishonest politicians, and strange sponsors clash on the airwaves. You’re here to ensure that the show goes on uninterrupted.

Cut between multiple camera feeds, tweak the headlines, bleep the foul language, all with just moments to spare on a live broadcast! Whether you toe the party line or stir up a scandal is your choice, so long as you can hold the audience’s fickle attention.

The game is intended for a mature audience and is published by Tinybuild.

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Check out the Guinness World Record here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/88911-most-full-motion-video-footage-in-a-videogame

Steam Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1147550/Not_For_Broadcast/


Mar 8 2021

Opening Times Update

I’m pleased to announce that I will be reopening for face-to-face lessons with school students this week, with the hope that I can welcome new and old adult students from 12th April, assuming the current situation does not change.

Due to the national restrictions, online lessons have been a necessary compromise for the last 12 months, particularly for my grade students to prevent lapses in their progress, but it’s just not, and never will be the same as playing music and conversing in the same acoustic space. However, having said that, I must also congratulate my students here who have achieved amazing results with the new Video Grade Exam system since their introduction last Summer.

I really hope we can all look forward now to regaining some sense of normality in the weeks ahead, and with that, lots and lots of music!

Good health and happiness to you.

Apr 19 2020

COVID-19 update & other projects

The current lockdown situation has resulted in me not being able to offer one-on-one and group lessons from my home, but I’m pleased to be able to continue teaching and supporting students via Skype and Zoom. For all of us, the need to adapt has never been more important, and through the use of modern technology, we can remain connected until the lockdown measures are relaxed.

Grade exams are currently unavailable for students to undertake at test centres across the UK, however LCM/RGT have now prepared and had accredited a range of recorded exams. This will allow students to make video recordings of the adapted grade content at home, which can then be submitted online for marking and feedback. Please contact me if you would like further information regarding recorded exam requirements.

If there is anything I can do to help you in the coming weeks in respect of learning to play guitar, bass and/or ukulele, or for music technology tuition, please contact me.

NOT FOR BROADCAST

In addition to teaching music, I’m also working hard on a very exciting computer game project developed by NotGames and published by Tinybuild called, Not For Broadcast, which is now available in an Early Access edition on Steam. Taking on all tasks that incorporate sound design and audio processing in my studio, the game development is moving forward nicely, and thankfully hasn’t been disrupted by the Coronavirus epidemic.

More information available here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1147550/Not_For_Broadcast/

A MIDLANDS MANUFACTURED PEDALBOARD PROJECT

Also, in partnership with Stoke-On-Trent based steel product manufacturer, Coleman Air Distribution, I’m designing a range of high-quality, UK-made pedalboards for musicians. Although still at an early stage in the project, I have several prototypes wired up (example below of a small format plank), and a number of parties interested in taking on distribution of the product. It doesn’t take much to get me excited about effects pedals and pedalboards, but the boards we’re working on here have done just that. The build quality compared to other leading pedalboard manufacturers such as Pedaltrain, TRex, Tourtec, etc. is in a different league altogether, they will be available in black, white, and unfinished aluminum, and did I say they’re going to be made entirely here in the UK. Watch this space for more info.

Please stay safe, remain happy, and always be creative!

 

 

 

 

May 22 2018

22nd May 2018

It’s great weather here, and there’s plenty going on…

Picking Chicken-Pickers

Check out this feature on rising stars in the world of country guitar playing… plenty of incredible techniques and super tight picking on offer here.

Music Radar article: https://www.musicradar.com/news/10-emerging-country-guitarists-you-need-to-hear

The Binary Soul Of Electric Guitar

An interesting Premier Guitar feature on the necessary balancing of an instrument and it’s means of amplification, and the journey that is finding your sound.

Premier Guitar article: https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/27227-signal-to-noise-the-binary-soul-of-electric-guitar

The delicate balancing of instrument and amplification...

Two of the very best

A few words on tuning

Though clip-on tuners and apps that use a phone’s mic for tuning may be convenient options, it’s always good to be able to tune an instrument by matching pitches using your hearing. I’m not suggesting you avoid technology altogether and use a tuning fork, but next time your guitar, ukulele, bass, banjo or mandolin is out of tune, go to http://www.get-tuned.com/index.php – select your instrument and have a go at matching pitches by ear, rather than being told what’s right or wrong by an electronic tuner.

Don't forget to use your ears...

Exams

Good luck to my students who are taking their GCSE and A Level exams at the moment, and with the Summer term grade exams now fast approaching, to those that it applies, stay focused and make sure you practise every day!

And Finally

Please don’t feel compelled to listen if you’re in a rush, but should you have a few moments spare, here is a bluesy track from my latest studio project, Feed Cage E, featuring cigar box guitar, electric guitar, bass and drums. Have a great evening!