Portfolio Idea's

[Trip]

Im applying for Music Technology courses for Uni and some of them require a portfolio.

Now i've got a couple of idea's but i wanted to see if any of you had any quirky idea's that could be worth putting in or themes to include.

It has to be in a CD of DVD format and i have to demonstrate my use of Music Technology...

Please?
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[mr.z]

Dunno, maybe go in the interview wearing pants made of sheet music and a cd player codpiece while dong an erotic dance..

You said quirky..

Seriously tough, my girfriends brother runs his own sound engineering company and has worked for a few, none of them would ever consider hireing anyone whith a music tech degree because "there fecking useless and have been taught feck all in most cases"

Not wanting to be a prick, but i'd think extreemly carefully before doing said course depending on what you plan useing it for..
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Trip]

Its based in a working studio using existing rigs as well as building my own.

The other part is building the various components that make up said studio.

Not just this slider does this but this slider does this because...

Also quite alot of scope for employment because ill already be in a studio chain.

Eventually will want to be working for myself however and im sure id hire me

Thanks for that mate...
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Bike: Yamaha XJ600N Mileage: 28500 Miles Rider Mileage: Many Miles
CBT: PASSED Theory: PASSED Test: PASSED
Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[mr.z]

It think what really did it for matt was having a guy with forementioned degree from a decent uni turn up who couldn't even solder cabling (which is a common pass time of sound technicians) and had somehow never seen an xlr cable

Whats very important is having done this sorta stuff on your own, sound for amateur dramatics society's, small gigs, recordings for bands that kinda stuff (assuming you haven't you might well have i dunno) ive helped out on the odd one or two and its pretty mind boggling sometimes, live stuff only.. and sounds desks = heavy

Good luck
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Trip]

Everything you've mentioned there actually Z. Worked as a promoter in my area for a while, do a bit of sound engineering at those gigs, volunteered in a theatre and do quite a bit of work in a studio in Corby that is set up in one of the local schools.

Im in it for the love of music and the experience of live sound... nothing else comes close.

However the money isnt steady and so studio work is always a good bet.

It is incredible the guff that some people come out of Uni with. If i wasnt sure of the course i was going in on i would bypass the degree completely and get a placement somewhere making tea until they let me push some buttons...

Yes desks are very heavy ever tried carrying 18' active subs with magnets as big as your head?
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Bike: Yamaha XJ600N Mileage: 28500 Miles Rider Mileage: Many Miles
CBT: PASSED Theory: PASSED Test: PASSED
Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[Ste]

[Trip]

Hmmm a thought, however would rather not like to get done for Plagiarism before the course even starts...
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Bike: Yamaha XJ600N Mileage: 28500 Miles Rider Mileage: Many Miles
CBT: PASSED Theory: PASSED Test: PASSED
Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[mr.z]

Yeh he ended up doing a marketing degree (you need a degree of some sort to get any help starting up really)

And on the subject of ludicrously large cabs yes, stacking them 3 high makes them less funi'm not entirely sure how we even managed it in the end, just remember pain.... and it hurts just to remember although the lighting rights frankly scared the crap out of me, spinal injury seems less bad compared..

Didn't mean to sound patronising you obviously know your stuff, i can definitely see the appeal, i couldn't cope doing it every day though
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Trip]

No mate its good to hear peoples views, its increased my confidence no end to know that i know what an XLR is

[mr.z]

[Trip]

People think their drinks have the right to sit anywhere...

Wonder why its on the floor after leaving it on a cab

The studio that i'm going to (hopefully) has an enormous Neve desk, cost an enormous amount of money.

They had to take half the building down to get it in there. Had to use a crane. Not surprising its on the ground floor then....

Dont fancy lifting that somehow

https://www.ams-neve.com/html/models/Music/88RS/index.php
____________________
Bike: Yamaha XJ600N Mileage: 28500 Miles Rider Mileage: Many Miles
CBT: PASSED Theory: PASSED Test: PASSED
Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[mr.z]

Yikes! dunno about the cost but i'd imagine it not far off a house sort of money, its just not right

Good luck getting in somewhere, hopefully you'll be set up after that
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Trip]

Yeah they did give me a figure but i was too amazed to remember it.

Cheers mate hope i do too
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Bike: Yamaha XJ600N Mileage: 28500 Miles Rider Mileage: Many Miles
CBT: PASSED Theory: PASSED Test: PASSED
Past-CG125 Present - Yamaha XJ600N Future - WHO KNOWS?

[Craggles]

Back to the initial question...

How about getting involved in a short film and producing a soundtrack for it, possibly getting involved in the dub too - show them you can use Pro tools or Cubase (if you can!)?

Perhaps sequence some music for a flash animation?

Plus stick in photos, paperwork etc from any of the live work you've done.

Let us know how you get on.

Craig
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[Trip]

[Annabella]

A week on Tuesday!

I completed my final year Electro Acoustic Composition project in under 8 hours studio time (and got a first... and my work was utterly unoriginal and not particularly well structured).

I'd recommend throwing something together using as many different pieces of software you can. I used Cubase (even though I hate it) for drum loops, Logic for my midi tracks and ProTools for Audio tracks and to paste it all together.

Whilst we were set a definitive 'project' (to produce an accompanying sound track to a promotional video of Wales ) it's quite a nice way of working. Find a couple of photos or pictures that particularly inspire you and compose a sountrack to them - it doesn't have to be a well structured piece of music, just demonstrate that you can use and layer different instruments, and samples (don't be afraid to use popular samples - The Stranglers "Golden Brown" always works well) and processing techniques to create a varied soundscape.

Good luck - don't dispair at interview stage, you'll love the course and the work, being in the studio was one of my most favourite parts of my degree. It's a real opportunity to be creative and have fun.
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[Itchy]

Put up a fake advert for musical engineers , people desparate for jobs will send you copies of their portfolio,

around 1999 maybe earlier I put out a post on a 3d modelling forum , many people misread my post and sent me their portfolios, mine was better , and I got a job fairly easy , but this route ran out and I changed career.
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