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Article in Mid Ulster Mail by Niall Kerr: SOUND Advice, an innovative new music project, has been set-up in Mid-Ulster with the aim of helping bands and musicians understand the world of sound. Dermot McBride, the project's founder, spoke to the MID this week about his love of all things music and how he got involved in passing that information on.Dermot has been involved in the world of music, whether as a musician or a sound engineer, for about the last 18 years and explains that the aim of the project is to focus on five main strands - performance, production, live sound, recording and guitar sounds."Each strand incorporates improving an individual or a band's sound and performance skills," he said."The small and individual segments of the course will be tailored to meet the needs of all musicians, whether they are in a band or are a solo artist, and will take a different look at the world of music."Sound Advice will be a new way of helping musicians and bands understand the different areas. The one thing people tend to overlook sometimes is their live sound."When we think about music, we think about sound. It's ability to evoke emotion beyond our everyday life can take us to far yonder realms and places of imagination. Every aspiring musician wishes to sound their best when they play live, rehearse or record in a studio."Many can often feel that their own sound is taken away from them by producers, engineers or studio heads who think it should be this or that. On too many occasions it is inexperience and lack of preparation that can lead artists to feel this way."Dermot, who started fiddling with desks, not with the intention of making it a full-time occupation, but as a moment of coincidence with a band, is passionate about his music to the extreme and regular involvement with the Glasgowbury Music Festival and various workshops keep him on top of the game."I'm not a believer in this whole 'cut and paste society' - to hell with that. I mean lets not forget all the classic records that were recorded on 8 tracks before the invention of cut and paste.Musicianship must be maintained and developed for all to enjoy. "Nowadays there's as much technology on a laptop than in a studio but musicians can be really ignorant to it. They think that if they play five notes right they can throw the rest of it together with technology. There needs to be an emphasis on tightening the musicianship and then playing it live.""This project is for artists and bands to look at their own live and studio sounds and techniques so that in future performances they can be a hell of a lot more confident in themselves."In many parts of the project there's simple pieces of advice to be taken. Even if it is just how you approach your music or plug something in or how even a little respect and manners can be as effective as your sound or image in furthering your career."This is a thought dermot aims to carry on into his work - the idea that no-one is above anyone else. This is about music and creating a form of expression, not force feeding people pointless education they won't use again."It isn't going be me standing looking down my nose at people," he says. "What people forget all too often is that if you treat young people with respect you get it in return."The workshops will be delivered in a casual, informal style and will tailor to the needs of those involved."While the workshops will initially be based in Draperstown, Dermot is hopeful that it will get to the stage when he can take the education and skills on the road."You will learn something from this project, if anything, how to use your ears and maybe even learn how to connect them to the wonderous space between!"Sound Advice is openly available to all bands/solo artists.For more information go to www.myspace.com/soundadviceproject or e-mail Dermot at [email protected] Advice Project has been supported by UnLtd Millennium Awards and the Glasgowbury Music Group.