Article written with help from Viancka Co, Gr12, based on a zoom interview by Teacher JJ Lontoc.
Annika Ferriols (ukelele) and Charlee Lo (violin) collaborate for a cover rendition of “Despacito”
On Song Choice: “Despacito” and “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na”
Charlee: We chose “Despacito” because there was a backstory to it [kasi]. One time, I was watching a YouTube video.
If you know a string quartet, it’s composed of two violins, one viola, and one cello. The string quartet was playing “Despacito” and it was very inspiring. I thought to myself, “Why don’t I figure it out myself, too?” If they can produce that good of a sound, why can’t I?
So I tried it myself, and said, “I *can* do it.” The time I got to do it—I did it because I used my ears. I relied on my ears because I had this musical hearing thing and teacher explained to me that it was really good. For “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na“, it was a song Annika and our friends played in Grade 6. I also like that song. I wanted to dedicate it to them for their memories. Also because it tells you about loyalty and real love in the friendship.
Anika: For “Despacito”, we picked that song because it was our first time working together as like, collaborators.
I did not know what to suggest for a song. And then Charlie just said that he wanted to do this song so I just agreed on it because I did not know what [other] song to do. And then for “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na“, I agreed to this song because while we were working on our first collab, Charlie gave me a recording of him playing it. And then I told him if we were to do another collab for Band, we should do that song. So, after the “Despacito” collab we went straight to “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na“.
The “How-to” Part
A: I played the Ukelele.
C: I played the violin. The violin was playing off the lyrics of the song. So it’s just an instrumental.
It is quite basic. I looked for a good place to practice. It had to be quiet. No background noise from the tricycle or a passing car during the afternoon or rush hour mornings. So that’s like around 5 to 6 in the morning, I wake up to practice those songs because I liked practicing. [It] really helps. And after practicing, of course recording. Problem with recording was that when I am going to play, I needed one of my body part for the violin and another to press the recording button. So sometimes I needed to be quick in my movement and to get into […]. To add.. I cannot remove my bow [kasi]. So you know, I had to press the phone recording.
I recorded the song, multiple times. I wish I could have done it one time, but that’s very hard to do because the first time is too remarkable for a chance. I would say that I did it in more than ten takes because I had to listen to the song again, practice by myself, and sometimes the recording would slip off then I had to repeat the same step again.
A: So, Charlee and I talked through Messenger and we planned on just doing an instrumental because we both didn’t want to sing.
I just told Charlee to send me his recording of his violin and I would play along with it. Before I started recording, I listened to the song a lot of times even if I already knew the song. And then I learned the chords online. And then for “Kahit Ayaw Mo Na“, it was the same thing. Charlee already sent the recording to me so I just went on to Youtube and listened to the song, and learned to the instrumental of it so I could play along with him.
C: There was no application because I always played- I always got dibs on the playing. So I play first then Anika just listens to my recording then tags along then records herself. Then she’s playing the Ukelele.
A: Voice Memo and also earphones. Also the mic[rophone] is near the laptop speaker [so that Charlie is heard]. [Then] it’s near the Ukelele as well so that both instruments can be heard. We did not know how to use any [applications] (kasi).
Learning Music: Their Individual Journey
C: For me, the envision is just a guide. It’s like your imagination like a picture like your first impression of a sound. So I would say that the envision is not always exact. The exact is the outcome that you hear. But, the envision was kind of close, like maybe, what, 90 percent, 80 percent… That kind of close. So [that’s it]. It was good enough.
What’s the point of making it if I didn’t enjoy it? Playing, I like to play. Playing is always the fun part. It’s always the best part. It’s the part where you experiment.
A: I like listening to the final take of it because it feels like, the process of retaking and retaking again, it feels worth it once you hear the final product, the final output, the one that is good enough to be passed.
The Journey together: On the “Collab” Pathway
C: The easy part is when you’re playing it you have no pressure. You don’t have to worry about [anyone] watching you. But the hard part is that it’s just not the same without the live audience with face-to-face. It’s not the same for me. So hard part was that there was no emotional motivation, and the easy one was just no pressure.
A: For me the easiest part was learning the song and practicing the song. The hardest part was communicating to each other -[because] you don’t see each other in real life and it’s just through chatting that you can record and then it’s harder as well to seek the audios together because you’re not together playing it live.
C: Uh, first quarter. There was like this time where Teacher Anto made us have a choice of collaborating or going solo.
Me, because I was used to going solo, I wanted to go solo but then I told myself, I had a dream of being in an orchestra. In an orchestra, you can’t be alone unless you’re very experienced. Or if you’re a highly paid soloist or a [professional].
I just—I reluctantly chose Annika because she didn’t have a groupmate that time. I thought she was lonely.
A: It was the- in first quarter we had to submit a recording of ourselves and we had to choose whether we were doing collab or solo. I wanted to do solo because I was used to that. And I didn’t think there was anyone else to go- to collab with. And then Teacher Anto asked me if I wanted to collab with Charlie. So I said “Yes”, because it was something new, and I wanted to try something new.
C: So like, what Anika said it was really the communication and what I said earlier was the lack of support from other people. So, it felt very lonely. I mean sure, you can play your style when no one’s watching you but still very lonely, still very sad.
Yeah, it’s your family watching you, [but it’s] still not the same.
A: It was hard as well to decide on a song but we fixed that because Charlee shared his ideas with me and we just went with that.
C: Yeah, we finished it.
A: Teacher Anto helped by asking- he was open for us to ask questions and he also asked how our collaboration was going. He was really nice to know that he was looking forward to it- to what we could present and do.
C: The Pep-talks. Like I would stay in Band Elective asking questions, asking for advice, asking for the feedback, and he gave it. And I wanted those because I desire to become successful. The more you desire to become successful, I think the closer you can reach it.
A: We just kept talking, and then as we kept talking it was not that awkward anymore and it just felt nicer to be more open with one another instead of just keeping the ideas that you wanted to say to yourself.
C: For me, I just thought of the job, and thought of the quality. I thought that it should be good because I was disciplined by my old violin teacher, my first violin teacher, taught me a lot of discipline. -taught me the rules, taught me the advanced stuff that was not [taught much] here.
C: My learning experience came mostly from my violin teacher. He taught me to do everything right, precise intonation, and to polish everything or else we would keep repeating the same song over and over until he thinks it’s good, and until he thinks I like it. With those experiences it created some discipline for me: Do not be lazy, don’t slug. Just keep continuing until the song is correct and correctly played.
A: The first time I played Ukelele was in Grade 4. I originally wanted to learn it because it was easy and my friends knew how to play it as well. I taught myself how to play chords and how to play songs. In this project I learned how to open up more to people and to work more with people instead of just working with myself.
A: Yes, because especially now it’s easier because you can’t really see the people you’re collaborating with. And then it was easier because I’m really shy as well and I don’t know how to approach people to collab with them. So I think this is a good experience for me to be more confident with the things I can do and to work with someone new.
A: It was kind of awkward as well since we didn’t really talk even if we were classmates [but] we started talking and it just-it’s not really that awkward anymore. I just think I’ve become better friends with Charlee because we collaborated on some songs.
C: I thought that I should do this for my orchestra dream […]. And that this team work is a good opportunity to try to snatch that dream.
C: I learned that even though there’s a challenge, I still charge on that challenge. I still try to get some accomplishment from it, get some experience from it, get some thinking from it, get some lessons from it.
A: I learned to be more confident and to share my ideas more, to step out of my comfort zone because if you just stay in your comfort zone, the level of your submission won’t be at its best.
Continuing Collaboration and Band Electives in the time of Covid-19
C: Well the partnership, it reminded me that even [if] there’s COVID or whatever challenge it is, anything can still be done. [As long as] there is good effort and you make the most out of it, and you think that you can do it, and you don’t think [negatively]. That you have to think that it can be achieved, that you can snatch it, the more you want that achievement.
A: These partnerships have helped me practice my talents more and to develop my communication skills with the person I’m working with.
Band and collaborating has made quarantine feel less lonely because you get to talk to people [who] you can work with and practice your skills in music and recording while just at home. Recording for band has helped me take my mind off my other requirements that I have to submit. It’s like a break from the screen and to worry about the deadlines I have to meet soon.
T. Feny: Music is both- something that requires effort [right]? Like Charlie was saying, it requires much effort. But at the same time, that’s the paradox of music, like Annika said (naman). It can give you a sense of relief from the other things- the other demands of life.
It’s yours. You own it. You have different instruments, it requires different disciplines. Charlie, do you sing (ba)?
C: No, teach.
C: I’ve gotten used to the mindset that my voice should be moved to the violin. [It] makes the good crescendos that express it. If you’re going to practice, you have to know the correct technique also. In music, it’s all about the correct dynamic, technique, and rules.
T. Feny: What’s the difference between being just the two of you and being in a bigger group? Can you compare?
C: No. For me, it’s still a group. So it’s still the same team work, you don’t act like a lone wolf.
T. Feny: Is it more challenging to deal with more people versus the pair of you?
C: Of course, because you don’t know their style, you don’t know how they were disciplined.
C: I look forward to more practicing. And working much harder to get that orchestra dream.
C: I wanted to be in an orchestra because when I started to learn the violin because I watched an orchestra on TV. So I liked it and then [I learned] the violin. And before that I had a fake toy violin. A: I look forward to working on more collaborations with Charlee and to hone our skills in playing an instrument and recording as well. I look forward to seeing the improvements of our future work both as collaborators and soloists. And I’m excited to work on more projects for Band in this time where we can’t really meet each other.