Back in November 2017 we covered the cost of two young people to join the Record A Band in 10 Weeks music program at the awesome YaiYai Studio in St Leonards, Hastings. The results were outstanding. We gave funding because two youngsters would not usually have access to this due to financial restraints.

Jessica Coode who runs the studio gave this update at the end of the course in December.

We had a really successful session with an excellent outcome; a recording the students should be really proud of. Due to a last minute change around with the band they also had to have a crash course in piano recording and electric violin, they took all the last minute changes in their stride and we had a very productive day.

They have both grown in confidence over the 11 weeks and have learnt skills I hope they can take forward and will be useful to them in the future. They are now Yiayia alumni and can, now trained, join us for further work experience in the future.

Theo expressed a passion for dubstep and electronic music and we tried to encourage him to start to record his own original samples to add a unique edge to his music. Spending and early session recording percussive sounds using household objects, brushes, clips, rattles, zips and even one students Lily’s knuckle cracking (she insisted, although when it came to mixing the audio the sound made everyone feel quite ill!, although the final sound is quite fascinating).

Bellza is in a band and already records in her basement at home, when talking about recording in a studio setting we would bring the conversation to the equipment she had available at home and talked about how best to optimise her home recordings, microphone placement, acoustic treatment etc. She took a particular interest in the different microphones and their arrangements I was impressed by how fast she picked up and remembered all the information, and the confidence she showed when approaching new tasks.

After a 10 week crash course we think you’ll agree the students achieved a top quality recording:

Yioti and Jessica – YaiYai’s Studio

“We were so pleased to have such enthusiastic students to teach – and to see they both were already producing and writing their own tracks. We hope we have been a positive stepping stone in their development as musicians and shone a light on alternative careers in the music industry. Armed with a grounding in music technology they can take their own productions to the next level. We look forward to seeing their progress in music and beyond. Good luck to our students and welcome to the Yia-alumni! You’ll always have a musical home at Yiayia’s Studio.”

Jamie Webb – The Joe Strummer Foundation

“We are thrilled by the progress that Bellza and Theo have made under YaiYai’s tutelage and hope that they can put their new skills to use in the music industry moving forward.”

Sam Halligan – Rhythmix

“The make waves project has been very proud to be able to team up with JSF and Yai Yai’s to offer this training opportunity in a music studio to two of our bright young musicians. They were both thrilled to be given the opportunity to train and work in a professional studio taking their levels of technical studio and recording knowledge a step above what it is possible to offer in our 6 regular weekly music writing and performance sessions. I think it is fair to say that both had a great time completing the 10 week course and their level of confidence around music and musical equipment has gone through the roof.”