Aspirations on Music Career, Article Writing Example

This oration is about my interview with Carmel Helene started in October 2017 after I moved to LA. I was introduced to him by a friend who hinted me that Carmel was looking for a guitar player to join his band. I started working with her a week later after going through the auditions in which we integrated well. After a couple of weeks, we were able to perform the songs in the upcoming events. In the band, I assumed the role of playing both electric and acoustic guitars, collaborated on recording instruments in the studio, and arranging and writing the original songs of Carmel.

This is the first time I’m working for the live performance in the world of country music. However, I have recorded the songs before. I’m versatile and always eager to learn to play as many musical styles as possible. This is the reason why I grabbed the opportunity to work with Carmel although I have little experience.

On the verge of having a new experience in the world of country music, I started listening to country music so that I could learn the common arrangement of the songs together with how instruments tied up to produce the characteristic vibe in Country music. Back in Italy, people love and cherish country music, and therefore so many people follow it. Among the instruments that capture my interests are traditional 5strings banjo and blues mandolin. I have learned to play these instruments while I’m here in LA, because of the fun and interest I have on them. I would love to introduce the instruments the instruments to be part of my gear in the band as I was thinking to start recording and using some of them for future collaborations and projects.

The Carmel collaboration keeps working, and in any given a chance I’m in the recording sessions with Carmel, I try and play around with the musicians in the scene. However, I’m thinking of doing solo-music in future and record the few original pieces I have.

Carmel Helene Interview

How did the collaboration with the country singer-songwriter Carmel Helene start?

It started a few months ago, I believe on October 2017, just a couple of weeks after I moved to LA. I received a call from a musician friend of mine, who let me know that Carmel was looking for a guitar player in her band. A week later I auditioned for it, and after a few days, I received her call. We suddenly started to work on the songs and the overall sound she wanted for the band, and after less than a couple of weeks, we were ready to play the coming gigs.

Can you tell us more about your role in the band?

In this project, I play both electric and acoustic guitars, and I also collaborate on recording these instruments in studio and arranging/writing part of Carmel’s original songs.

Have you had any other experience in the country music world before this collaboration?

I recorded the guitars for some country artist in the past, but this is the first time I’m working on live gigs in this genre. I’ve always tried to be versatile and to learn as many musical styles as possible, so when I got the chance to audition for Carmel, I wanted to push myself and reach for something I was slightly less experienced.

What was your approach to such a new genre?

As I said, I didn’t have a lot of experience with it so I started to listen country as much as I could and tried to learn the culture behind it. I also sat with my guitar learning and listening carefully to all the common arrangements within the songs and how the instruments would tie together to create that characteristic vibe that country has. Also, I started to be unusually interested in a few instruments that caught my attention.

How’s the country music scene in Italy?

Surprisingly many people follow this kind of music in Italy. I remember I was in the region of Veneto touring with my band and in a city nearby there was a festival that turned out to be a huge deal; People were line dancing all dressed up as cowboys, and real American country bands were playing in the background. You can find those kinds of festivals in a few places up in the north of Italy especially if they are twinned with major country-music American cities.

You had mentioned before certain instruments that captured your interest, are you learning to play some of them as well?

Yes, and I found this learning process quite amusing! I went to a few music stores here in LA eager to try out some new instruments; Part of them are not easy to find, so I had to search around a lot.  It was funny cause just a year ago I would have never laid eyes on instruments like that, and now I have a blues mandolin at home, and I’m in the process of getting a traditional five strings banjo.

And are you willing to introduce those instruments as part of your gear in the band?

I would love to, and I was already thinking to start recording and use some of them for future collaborations or projects, with the entire band or in acoustic sets. We’ll see how it goes.

Any projects you are currently working on?

The collaboration with Carmel keeps me working a lot, but I always try to be active with recording sessions and playing around with other musicians of the scene. I’m also thinking to work on solo stuff; I have a few original pieces that at this point I’ve never had the time or chance to record properly; I’m sure I’ll get to that eventually