常常有人問我,你不出唱片的時候,是做什麼的?我笑著說,多著呢!因為除了是歌手身分,需要出席宣傳活動及商演外,平日的工作就是唱片監製,當然現在閒時也寫寫專欄啦!除了監製自己的唱片,也定期監製不同類型的影音宣傳品:有歌手的發燒專輯,也有商業客戶的廣告宣傳品及政府部門的宣傳非賣品等,包括DVD、CD-Rom等影音製作。
唱片監製的工作範圍很廣泛,是全方位的製作人,大多數是由零開始構思,曾為各類公司及機構度身訂造合適的影音宣傳品,留下很多珍貴的回憶及寶貴的經驗。能夠為客戶設計出令人難忘的廣告,提升客戶的競爭力,加強企業形象,得到客戶的讚賞及認同,那份成功感及優越感是不能言喻的。這也是驅使我們一直不怕艱辛甚至不息代價堅守理念的最大動力。
客戶的信任及支持,對於創作人尤其重要。近年來製作多張自己及其他歌手的發燒唱片,開展了發燒唱片的業務。眼見唱片業萎糜不振,認識很多從事音樂創作的朋友都紛紛轉型甚至轉行以維持生計,唱片公司亦各出奇謀,早陣子一窩蜂似的推出各式各樣的合輯,現在則以推出以女聲為主、翻唱舊歌以發燒錄音為賣點的專輯。隨著大量這類的唱片湧現市場,良莠不齊的現況日益嚴重。由於製作成本與質素參差,很多喜愛唱歌的人便多了很多前所未有的機會。即使是新人也可能可以輕易推出個人專輯,成為唱片新星,一嘗當歌手的滋味,實現當歌手的心願。
然而,要當一個真正的唱片歌星,真的是這麼容易嗎?
記得以前還是一間國際唱片公司的合約歌手時,偶然遇過一位有經驗的歌手對我說,出唱片不難,如何可以繼續出唱片才難!這位歌手繼續跟我分享他的故事:跟我一樣,他也是透過歌唱比賽被發掘,但他簽約香港的唱片公司,卻要等到在台灣才有機會出唱片。之後回港幸好也有機會再出唱片。然而,一張又一張的個人專輯推出後,反應卻只是一般。他外型不俗,歌藝亦出色,可能稍稍欠缺運氣吧。長江後浪推前浪,若然不能在短時間內令人留下印象,那怕是多麼有潛質的藝人,恐怕投資者還是會另覓人選的。弱肉強食、適者生存就是最顯淺的商業原則。
可幸的是,這位歌手和我一樣,起初雖然發展得一般,但我們默默耕耘,也懂得變通,漸漸地各走出一條屬於自己的路,各有專長:他成為了一位經理人,我就成為了發燒唱片監製及歌手,繼續在音樂圈發光發熱。
發燒歌手的入行,我認為現在的門檻不是人們說的那樣高,但卻並非想像中的那麼容易!由於現在發燒唱片比從前普及了許多,選擇也五花八門,消費者要求也會相對較高。還是那句,入行易,留下難!若有志成為出色的發燒歌手朋友們,我會建議還原基本法,即是歌首要唱得好!唱翻唱歌的話,要比原唱者更有特色,才會有知音。記著,消費者當中不乏專家,他們有耳朵的多的是呢!不要以為某某歌星唱得一般,你唱得好過他,你便可以當歌手!很多想入行的新人或許只是想當明星偶像罷了!要想成為好的唱片歌手,不可自欺欺人,更不可自滿,必須力求上進,知己知彼,才有資格去爭取機會而已。若只是想當偶像派,現在競爭比從前更激烈,更需要有一把好嗓子,而且還要有天時、地利、人和啊!傳世的歌星,大概不會只是僥倖吧?
Intro
I am going to introduce you to my world.
My public life, as columnist, image designer, producer, performer, recording artist, and now as guest music lecturer is well known.
I love to sing, photograph and design. I had a flourishing art business for over twenty years.
No matter how busy I am, I make time for my family, friends and fans. Here we go!
My public life, as columnist, image designer, producer, performer, recording artist, and now as guest music lecturer is well known.
I love to sing, photograph and design. I had a flourishing art business for over twenty years.
No matter how busy I am, I make time for my family, friends and fans. Here we go!
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Showing posts with label 愛樂. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 愛樂. Show all posts
生命中的鷹
才不到幾天,又傳來另一噩耗!我們一眾發燒友在短短不到兩星期內,痛失兩位真正超級巨星大衞保兒(David Bowie)和老鷹樂隊(The Eagles)靈魂人物格林佛萊(Glenn Frey)!別以為我年輕不懂,我就是喜歡老歌,Carpenters, Eagles, Beatles, Linda Ronstadt…全是我摰愛!從我第一張個人專輯的選曲就不難看出來。我真的為此感到很難過!情形就像若干年前突然痛失另一喜愛老鷹Band友許冠英一樣,真的很難受!向這些”The one you love”默哀!
"夜的眼睛" & "Erste K2HD version" in Malaysia
Great news! Fans in Malaysia will be able to buy "夜的眼睛" & "Erste K2HD version" later end of December!
發燒音樂
我沒有想過要唱得比原唱好,因為唔同style, 只想整體編曲、彈、唱配合,用最先進的科技去錄好的音效,做另一個好聽的版本,得以紀念及延續那首金曲就心滿意足!這是我對音樂的熱誠及對樂迷的承諾,才是我認為的真正發燒音樂。共勉之。
唱原創還是翻唱歌好?
作為一個真正喜歡唱歌的歌手,並不會執著一定要唱原創或是翻唱歌曲。所有我喜歡的歌,我都想與大家分享! 星期六剛與唱片店的老闆及歌迷會面,大家都很喜歡我部份原創歌曲,尤其是第三首「情真.遊戲」及第四首「似即若離」! 不過,我還有很多舊中文歌想唱,所以第五張大碟將會有更多翻唱歌曲,但如果有適合的新歌或曲風,還是會嘗試的,各適其適!
Never Sing A Song The Same Way
American soul singer Ray Charles, "I never sing a song the same way twice; everything depends on how I feel in the moment."
Cover Versions That Weren't Recognised
Pop entrepreneur Pete Waterman went so far as to advance the theory that most of the best and most lasting pop records were rooted in notions of melody and harmony derived from European classical music. He declared, "If you look at the greatest pop writers, whether it be Abba... or Lennon and McCartney particularly, because The Beatles' music was very churchy. It was very classical because of [producer] George Martin, there's lots of classical bits he chucks in where he's obviously shown The Beatles different ways of playing the same chord..."
Waterman had started off trying to write something Abba-like. then he discovered that Abba had borrowed a lot of their ideas from Mozart too. On other occasions, Beethoven has proved a handy source of melodies and chord voicings.
Sweeting, A. (2004).Cover Versions. Great Britain: Pimlico.
Waterman had started off trying to write something Abba-like. then he discovered that Abba had borrowed a lot of their ideas from Mozart too. On other occasions, Beethoven has proved a handy source of melodies and chord voicings.
Sweeting, A. (2004).Cover Versions. Great Britain: Pimlico.
Singing, Much More Than Speaking
"Singing, much more than speaking, requires an awareness of what is happening on a physical and emotional level, inside the head and inside the body."
Keep the Mind Open
"One of the main problems for the record producer is finding suitable material.
This is especially true when you are recording someone like Matt Monro or Shirley Bassey, who don't write their own songs. It is the job of the producer and people in the business know that you record Matt, or Shirley, or Cilla Black, they will send you songs with those people in mind. Even the public sends offerings. But that is not enough. You still have to search. You still have to ring up the publishers' offices.
You might think that they should be smart enough to send the stuff without being asked. But everyone isn't smart all the time. Sometimes, if you push them enough, they may produce something which they have not thought of as suitable anyway, because they tend to send you only the obvious ones. If you have had a hit with Cilla Black called 'You're My World', the next three months' mail will consist of songs exactly like 'You're My World'. It will not occur to anyone that you and Cilla might be interested in 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' or 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'.
Ideally, the producer should try not to stick to the same thing." (George Martin, 1979)
This is especially true when you are recording someone like Matt Monro or Shirley Bassey, who don't write their own songs. It is the job of the producer and people in the business know that you record Matt, or Shirley, or Cilla Black, they will send you songs with those people in mind. Even the public sends offerings. But that is not enough. You still have to search. You still have to ring up the publishers' offices.
You might think that they should be smart enough to send the stuff without being asked. But everyone isn't smart all the time. Sometimes, if you push them enough, they may produce something which they have not thought of as suitable anyway, because they tend to send you only the obvious ones. If you have had a hit with Cilla Black called 'You're My World', the next three months' mail will consist of songs exactly like 'You're My World'. It will not occur to anyone that you and Cilla might be interested in 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' or 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'.
Ideally, the producer should try not to stick to the same thing." (George Martin, 1979)
forever young.forever love 青春與愛情
不經不覺已經到了二零零九年的十二月,回想起大約半年前開始構想製作新的一輯英文發燒唱片,結果找來已認識多年的Band友麥皓輪先生(Holun Mak)和他合作無間的音樂好拍擋葉建華先生(Keith Yip)一起監製了《forever young.forever love》這張英文HiFi大碟。他倆是香港樂壇以致發燒唱片界屹立超過二十年而真正懂音樂的少數資深唱片製作人。
「青春」與「愛情」相信是人們一直不變的思考議題。
古詩有云:「只要人心活著,青春總有來時。」青春可比喻美好的時光、珍貴的年華。
在此專輯裡收錄了一首點題作品〈Forever Young〉,其中歌詞道:
「Youth's like diamonds in the sun, and diamonds are forever...」意思是:
「青春就像陽光下的鑽石,而鑽石是永恆的...」
那麼何謂愛情?在不同時代有不同的定義。現代定義為:「兩個人基於一定的物質條件和共同的人生理想,在各自內心形成對對方最真摯的仰慕,並渴望對方成為自己終身伴侶的最強烈、穩定、及專一的感情。」很抽象吧?我也似懂非懂。我們都渴望擁有青春,更想擁有愛情,把最美好珍貴的統統留住。我不介意唱別人的歌,能觸動心弦的就是好歌,即使已有成千上萬各有特色的版本,珠玉在前,還是值得一唱再唱,百花齊放。再者現今科技發達,由編曲、彈奏、演唱、錄音,到混音及母帶後期製作,每一部分皆可更上一層樓,精益求精,那怕是再舊的老歌,也可再次勾起點點回憶,甚或當作新歌亦未嘗不可,這樣好歌或許傳揚更久遠,就是永恆。
「青春」與「愛情」相信是人們一直不變的思考議題。
古詩有云:「只要人心活著,青春總有來時。」青春可比喻美好的時光、珍貴的年華。
在此專輯裡收錄了一首點題作品〈Forever Young〉,其中歌詞道:
「Youth's like diamonds in the sun, and diamonds are forever...」意思是:
「青春就像陽光下的鑽石,而鑽石是永恆的...」
那麼何謂愛情?在不同時代有不同的定義。現代定義為:「兩個人基於一定的物質條件和共同的人生理想,在各自內心形成對對方最真摯的仰慕,並渴望對方成為自己終身伴侶的最強烈、穩定、及專一的感情。」很抽象吧?我也似懂非懂。我們都渴望擁有青春,更想擁有愛情,把最美好珍貴的統統留住。我不介意唱別人的歌,能觸動心弦的就是好歌,即使已有成千上萬各有特色的版本,珠玉在前,還是值得一唱再唱,百花齊放。再者現今科技發達,由編曲、彈奏、演唱、錄音,到混音及母帶後期製作,每一部分皆可更上一層樓,精益求精,那怕是再舊的老歌,也可再次勾起點點回憶,甚或當作新歌亦未嘗不可,這樣好歌或許傳揚更久遠,就是永恆。
不愛我的,我不思念
上星期收到朋友的邀請,說有一首原本只有胡琴演奏版的樂曲現填上國語歌詞,名為《不愛我的,我不思念》,希望我可以重新演繹後收錄在新的國語專輯內,並於本年八月十七日(星期五)假香港文化中心音樂廳在一個慶祝香港特別行政區成立十周年之演唱會中獻唱。朋友盛意拳拳說那首歌很適合我的聲線,我有點受寵若驚;當第一次聽到該旋律編奏時,竟是出乎意料的感動!於是一口答應了。
純音樂版名為《愛.思念》,與國語版的歌名相映成趣呢!
純音樂版名為《愛.思念》,與國語版的歌名相映成趣呢!
樂樂
喜歡旅行,可以去到很遠,自由自在,一個人也可以很快樂;
但更愛唱歌,因為可以去得更遠。
音樂無彊界,而且現在有了互聯網,可以去得更遠更遠。如果可以透過歌聲,有機會令更多人受惠,獨樂樂不如眾樂樂,會更快樂。
但更愛唱歌,因為可以去得更遠。
音樂無彊界,而且現在有了互聯網,可以去得更遠更遠。如果可以透過歌聲,有機會令更多人受惠,獨樂樂不如眾樂樂,會更快樂。
感應
有沒有試過無故忐忑不安、神不守舍呢?重要的人,是會知道的!
有幸曾在戲院看了一套經典電影,名為 'la Double Vie de veronique' (The Double Life Of Veronika) ,中文片名在香港譯作【兩生花】。那經過特別漂染的菲林色調,呈現出啡黃的影像,只有在戲院看原裝菲林版,才真正體驗導演的心思。這是波蘭電影大師基斯洛夫斯基(Krzysztof Kieslowski)晚年的作品,他被譽為是當代最偉大的電影大師之一,其代表作為【藍】、【白】、【紅】三部曲(Three Colors Trilogy: Blue, White, Red)。他曾說:「紀錄片先天有一種難以逾越的限制。在現實的生活中,人們不會讓你拍到他們的眼淚,他們想哭的時候會把門關上。」
故事中兩個一模一樣的女子由艾琳雅各布(Irene Jacob)一人分飾,名字分別都叫維諾尼卡(Veronique and Weronika)。似曾相識的感覺、莫名的哀傷、微妙的生死宿命...
維諾尼卡問:「為什麼有兩個?」
木偶藝人說:「因為木偶脆弱,壞了一個,還有另一個。」
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgHGg8UdslNBv3AYY43e8DVwgdQfBrj8JgWfyE6fKJS03gw3dh_8E-dK7AzasKTeqKul1QqioQ9VmA4yVUNrnmALHmOWLAId5GgzRDMODzPLj0xzr0UWAIXECGS035VzbbrsK/s200/s1628323.jpg)
除了唯美的影像外,還有至今還是最愛第一位的電影原聲大碟,堅強與孤寂的感應。
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdAfX16PtaVbKBSrdo_xn0Ri8Y2JZuVze7AoxpDNJiJ4Kq2jSwrOON5n1rl4qVsjxKNBr4QOTe4zD5oMVHeAJyT-fbLE5suTFGIgLSwkeCkY4Ya8P7VWb8Fygyehv6ocUTNIZ/s200/veronique_DVD.jpg)
故事中兩個一模一樣的女子由艾琳雅各布(Irene Jacob)一人分飾,名字分別都叫維諾尼卡(Veronique and Weronika)。似曾相識的感覺、莫名的哀傷、微妙的生死宿命...
維諾尼卡問:「為什麼有兩個?」
木偶藝人說:「因為木偶脆弱,壞了一個,還有另一個。」
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgHGg8UdslNBv3AYY43e8DVwgdQfBrj8JgWfyE6fKJS03gw3dh_8E-dK7AzasKTeqKul1QqioQ9VmA4yVUNrnmALHmOWLAId5GgzRDMODzPLj0xzr0UWAIXECGS035VzbbrsK/s200/s1628323.jpg)
除了唯美的影像外,還有至今還是最愛第一位的電影原聲大碟,堅強與孤寂的感應。
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About Astor
Astor is able to express herself with logical literacy but full of artistic feelings. She acts to record her valuable, interesting and unforgettable experiences during her travel and plans to share with others her instant feelings, thoughtful insights and findings via poems, free verses, prose, narration, reference, etc.
Music, Movie, Musicals and Me
Music and theatre have had a close relationship. Theatre can associate with movie or musical theatre (musicals) and I love both of them. I sing theme songs in some Asian movies, such as“When I Dream” (theme from “Dragon Squad”). It easily recalls people not only from scenes of the movie, but also from memory. I love theme music from movies as well as songs from Musicals, especially Broadway. I remember I have fallen in love with Broadway since I was 12. Musical films characteristically contain elements reminiscent of theatre; performers often sing and dance as if there is a live audience watching. Some musical films were adapted for the stage after their great success, such as “The Wizard of Oz” and“Fame”, while successful musicals also definitely received movie adaptations, i.e. stage-to-film adaptations, such as“Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Evita”. We can share our moments after all these years by passing through “Over the Rainbow”, “Out Here On My Own”, “I Don’t Know How To Love Him”, “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”, “You Must Love Me” ……
“Moon River” (theme from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) has to be selected in my new album "Theatre" although it has been covered by hundreds of artists all over the world. I sing it each time, it seems like a live performance accompanied by the pianist just in front of the audience.
“The Way We Were” (theme from “The Way We Were”) must be selected because it was the song of one of my favorite singers that influences me most, Barbra Streisand, and I won the singing contest with it!
“For All We Know” (theme from “Lovers and OtherStrangers”) was selected, of course, in tribute to my forever idol, the Carpenters.
“Moon River” (theme from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) has to be selected in my new album "Theatre" although it has been covered by hundreds of artists all over the world. I sing it each time, it seems like a live performance accompanied by the pianist just in front of the audience.
“The Way We Were” (theme from “The Way We Were”) must be selected because it was the song of one of my favorite singers that influences me most, Barbra Streisand, and I won the singing contest with it!
“For All We Know” (theme from “Lovers and OtherStrangers”) was selected, of course, in tribute to my forever idol, the Carpenters.
WORDS from Astor :
I hope all of you would like the presentation of my albums.
Everlasting love dedicated to SUPERSTAR...
My dearest family,
Mom and Dad,
Uncle,
Tony,
Jan.
All the one I love,
Teachers and tutors, who have enlightened me,
All singers and writers of the original songs, especially Karen and Richard Carpenter.
All musicians,
All my fans and friends.
Thanks GOD.
Astor Fong
Everlasting love dedicated to SUPERSTAR...
My dearest family,
Mom and Dad,
Uncle,
Tony,
Jan.
All the one I love,
Teachers and tutors, who have enlightened me,
All singers and writers of the original songs, especially Karen and Richard Carpenter.
All musicians,
All my fans and friends.
Thanks GOD.
Astor Fong
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