“KAAPE” (which stands for Keegan, Alex, Aiden, Paige and Ellie) seems to be focusing their song choices on classic rock bands like Pink Floyd and U2, at least to start. They quickly settled on Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” and after putting that together in the first three weeks, they’ve just decided to do U2’s “Pride (In The Name of Love)” as their second song.
Three of KAAPE’s members are new to Immersed in Music, so IIM veterans Paige and Alex are stepping up as leaders to demonstrate how they need to work together in all ways: researching and comparing notes on the structure of each song, listening to chord changes and rhythms to make sure everyone is in sync, compromising on the choice of songs, and helping each other to coordinate timing and phrasing.
They are also discovering how to communicate, even though they process how to play differently. Aiden, for instance, is a self-taught keyboard player who plays by ear, but he’s figuring out how to connect musically with Alex on guitar and Paige on bass. Paige came in last year as a singer, but when her band needed a bass player, she bought a bass and discovered a real love of the instrument. By second semester last year, she had taught herself enough to carry the bottom end of 4 songs, one of which she recorded in the recording studio. These experiences have given her the perfect opportunity to help Aiden make the adjustment into a band setting.
Clearly, they are already building a camaraderie as they navigate the work of jointly setting up equipment, share their diverse musical interests by offering various song choices, and celebrate the fun of playing music together.