At the very beginning of this course I thought I knew a lot about Music from the get-go but that is partly false. I started knowing how to play guitar and bass, alongside a great understanding of Music Theory.
Over the time I’ve been here, not only have I passed my Grade One Theory Test, now I am studying for my Grade Three Test which just goes to show how quickly I am developing and understanding what it takes to be a musician. By the end of this academic I should have passed my Grade Six Guitar exam which paves the way towards taking Seven or Eight, I may even push myself and take Bass alongside!
I have also learnt how to set up front of house speakers which is something I didn’t know how to do. On top of that I was enlightened upon Copyright and Royalties which is something I was vague upon beforehand. Now I know that there are 4 different types of Royalties and 4 collection companies, alongside 5 types of copyright.
In school I was heavily involved within Music so the skills I picked up along the way helped massively when it came to moving up to college, others on my course didn’t take Music at GCSE or were involved as much as me so they’ve had to start from scratch.
As a Musician my confidence has definitely improved, as ironic as it is I had stage fright when I first started playing to crowds so I’d always stare at my teacher or my fret board but now I have the confidence to actually look at my audience and engage with them. I think this is a huge achievement for me personally, without the practice and the time I’ve put in I wouldn’t be who I am today.
When I succeed, especially within Music, it gives me great pride and confidence within myself as I know I can get far with the subject and hopefully become a Music Teacher in the future.
Ellie Thornton Music 