Sasquatch, Singing, & Solos

6 May 2014Jaclyn C, Alex ’16, Article and Photo

Although the Rock Bands and Guitar Ensemble may not be rich and famous yet, we got a small taste of what professional musicianship could be like this week. Each band had the opportunity to spend an entire arts afternoon in The Woodshop Studio, a professional recording studio located on Mount Richards near Maple Bay, for the purpose of recording three songs each. Walking through the door to the studio, it feels like home. The oversized couch, low lighting and wooden accented interior make for a relaxing and casual atmosphere. Zak Cohen, the owner and operator of the studio, sits in his wheelie chair, staring intensely at multiple monitors filled with the interface of ProTools. Endless buttons, switches and sliders splay out in front of him: tiny lights blink with purposes that I can only dream of understanding someday. Recording goes smoothly and without too much error. The bands have newly expanded their vocabulary and musical knowledge to include terms such as “bed tracks”, “scratch vocals” and “overdubbed solos”. In addition to guitar solos and a bass solo, Bryn G, Ellis ‘16 came up with some fantastic vocal harmony lines. Choruses were well supported by Courtney S, Alex ‘15 who has been an excellent addition to our group of vocalists. Aaron H, Privett, ‘15 added a different flavour to the Composition Rock Band’s harder rock inspired songs with his acoustic guitar. Conversation was casual and covered a multitude of subjects. For the benefit of the boarders who were not familiar with the area, our instructor, Mr. Scott McGill brought up the fact that the mountain we were on is one of the best places for seeing a Sasquatch. As a result, we did not stray too far from the studio, but were still able to enjoy a gorgeous sunny day that has been a rarity lately on Vancouver Island. A CD including all of the recordings will be produced and each band members will receive multiple copies. The Guitar Ensemble and one of the Rock Bands will perform live next at Concert for a Summer’s Eve while the remaining two Rock Bands will perform at Concert for a Summer’s Day. See the calendar or the theatre box office for further information. Jaclyn C, Alex ’16, Article and Photo

Where Students Choose To Be