2016年6月25日 星期六

[伯明罕大冒險] 主修老師 暖男B

教授B是另一個我非常喜歡的男神級教授,雖然他上課肚子常常一直叫好像永遠都在挨餓,而且每次見到他都睡眼惺忪,但是無論課再多、上課途中遇到多少人攔住他要和他討論系務、一再delay他的行程,他方圓半公尺內總是籠罩著一股從容的氛圍。他的耐心不會因為繁重的工作而耗損,即使我的曲子像坨屎他還是會很耐心的示範實驗各種可能或是不厭其煩講解一些我應該要知道的理論與原理。即使一邊肚子叫一邊耐心地上著已經超過時數很久的課,對他來說好像沒有什麼事情大不了。
嘗試各種可能的過程會把我的檔案弄得亂七八糟,不過回家重新思考挑選之後曲子都會精緻很多,明明自己在家弄到覺得已經快要完成的曲子到他耳朵一聽又有一堆可以改進,都是些那麼細微的變化:幾微秒的拍點移動、幾db的dynamic、不同種類的reverb或是將空間pan到不同方向、一點點的EQ、一個素材 來來回回玩得介於聽得出來和聽不出來原本的物件是什麼。
有些嘗試可能不適合這首曲子的實驗,有些卻莫名地為曲子增色不少,可能是完整了頻率、創造更多元的聲音與趣味,就像他說的這都是個人喜好,不代表妳一定要這樣改,重點是有這麼多種概念妳能嘗試。每一次下課我都覺得自己是一個全新的人,被按過重新整理鍵那種,同時又壓力很大,因為以為做完的作品又多出了雜毛要處理,而這些微小的改變,在新版本與舊版本中或許根本聽不太出來哪邊不一樣,但修改過後整體來說就是比較好聽。


[Adventure in Birmingham] Exquisite result always comes from subtle changes.

B is another tutor I admire a lot. His stomach rumbles a lot during session like he is always in starving and he seems doesn't make efforts to open his sleepy eyes, but he always seems so chilled like nothing in the world would bother him even his schedule is full of lesson and lots of delay due to bumping into someone who wants to have discussion on department issues with him.
Being important and busy doesn't drain his patient while listening to a very early stage of my work which sometimes might sounds like a shit or to explain some theories, terms or whatever the knowledge that I don't know. The best part of the one-to one lesson is that he will do some practical experiment on my piece. He hits the point by listen to the piece once or twice and make suggestions immediately no matter on musical aspect or the angle of acousmatic and mixing balance.
Every time I bring a piece which I considered almost finished, he makes a bunch of suggestion. I'm amp and feeling refreshed as well as stressful by knowing there are lot of improvements could be made in my work. After save as a new file, he starts to mess up the session. All of the possibilities make sense not just crazy idea flash out. Sometimes change goes too far sometimes it just works too well. I amazed by the messed up session and can remain the decision later on after play a bit more. In his words "It's just a matter of preference, it doesn't mean you have to do it but I think you got the idea." Movement between few milliseconds, few db of dynamic altering, different kind of reverb or panning on reverb, etc. Hundred of ways to play with a single sample whether to enrich the frequency or create a sense of vague boundary between sounds. All these subtle things lead to a more exquisite result. It might not easy to tell the different between but it sounds better somehow.

2016年6月17日 星期五

[Adventure in Birmingham] YAKINORI

Yesterday wasn't my day...I had my period with a night shift and it fxxking hurt. So I took a pill then went out. After 7 it began to rain madly and I can't believe this new grand centre building start to leak. The restaurant nearby even had flooding inside and something dropped down from ceiling. Fortunately they've been closed for a while.

The even bad news was I had the shift with Manager H who is an interesting person that can be pissed off by anything easily. There are countless things I would like to share about this person but I rather leave it until next time since there are so many interesting personalities in this little restaurant that I think I can write a column on human observation.

I learned a new technology by pissed her off again yesterday. That was when a lady with a Birmingham brogue came for a take away order. After finished her box I asked if she would like anything else, and she said no. So I began to concentrate on cashier. Suddenly she asked me do you have apple pie? I was like what? apple pie in Japanese restaurant??So I asked her "Apple pie?" She said again: "Yes Apple Pie." Until now H lost her temper and rubbed away the credit card machine from my hand saying said "Yes" to her and took over everything.

When the lady handed out her mobile I finally understand she was saying "Apple pay" well... I'm so embarrassed that I don't know people can pay by iPhone simply by contact now!

H didn't say a word after. And that's the most interesting part of this person. She had limited patience and always looks like she is too tired to teach. When she needs help to do something but it's a new thing or she only taught me half way through the whole process. She becomes mad and tells me don't attempt to do anything if you don't know how. Sometime it's like a disaster to her and she prefer to redo everything again only because different methods but same outcome or I'm slower than her.

So every time when I look at H busy rushing everywhere, poker face to customer or yelling at me I couldn't help but smile because she is so funny a person who caused lots of panic and pressure on others and herself.

The most difficult part working here is that non of us are English native so everyone has different accents and some are really hard to recognised. H herself always speaks quiet and fast and I usually couldn't understand her the first time. I guess that's one the reason I piss her off so often 😂😂😂