Thursday 26 April 2012

Statistics - March

Greetings and salutations!

Here are some more stats for March. I'm keeping the numbers and figures secret for now, but I can share percentages. Everyone loves percentages!

So, as at 1 April 2012, here's some stats for you. Get ready to continue to be statted to the max!!!
  • 44% of people I meet are women
  • Therefore 56% of people I meet are men  (down from last month)
I can't be bothered at this stage to tell you about beards, glasses, hair colour. I sound like rain man when I talk about this....So onto the music
  • 9% of musicians I have found are carrying brass instruments
  • 15% of musicians I have found are carrying woodwind instruments
  • 76% of musicians I have found are carrying string instruments
  • 0% of musicians I have found are carrying percussion instruments (although I did see an accordian...)
  • 26% of musicians I meet express no interest in joining an orchestra for the challenge (the "no"s)
  • 53% of musicians I meet express possible interested (the "maybe"s)
  • 21% of musicians I meet express a positive interest in joining an orchestra (the "yes"s)
  • Therefore, I would say that I have a 74% chance of meeting an interested musician. Of this group, 68% give me their details (with the other 32% of interested people just taking the website).
  • Also, of these musicians potentially interested, one third respond back to me. This success rate is staying the same.
  • Only 1 person who has not given details but taken the website info has got in touch. This is an improvement on 0 persons....
  • Of the musicians that actually respond back, 87.5% of them are happy to be placed on a roster and get involved with the project.

So...based on this information, you could say I have an....wait a minute....a...

  • 1.9% chance of finding a brass player
  • 3.2% chance of finding a woodwind player
  • 16.4% chance of finding a string player

So...to make a full symphony orchestra..I will have to meet....1,527 musicians!!

This, again is good news. Last month I'd need to meet 1,950 musicians but as the success rate increases, and as people get back to me, I now need to meet less musicians. Good news, eh? Only 1,527 musicians.....

Hmmmm......

Sunday 15 April 2012

Mini-challenge update

Ah, I haven't written half of what I should, because I'm been busy playing in Europe and doing all these challenges. More updates to come. Before I start talking about the main 121212 challenge, I thought I'd update you briefly on the 12 mini-challenges.

1. Have breakfast 90% of the year
Yup. Eating breakfast. This is looking good.

2. Stop smoking tobacco
Buckled and smoked in February. Then realised, the title is to "Stop smoking" not don't have a cigarette so I can't keep smoking as long as I stop by 12th Dec. I've cheated. But within the rules. Anyway, I have been kindly offered free sessions of hynotherapy by someone (not sure I can publish who or how. Been told it's a bit patient/doctor like!) so I will do this in September. That's a busy month!

3. Meet 5 friends I've not seen for over 1 year
I actually met up with about 8 friends I've not seen in over  years. But it was a stag party and felt a little like cheating. I will arrange meetings to old friends specifically, but am counting the groom, Mike, as one of my 5. Because I flew to Berlin to see him. That's worthy of 1 of the 5.

4. Learn German fluently
See above. Playing Europe and going to Berlin. Mein Deutsch ist verbesserung. Although I always want to say vergessen. Ironic that it's the word I keep forgetting.....

5. Exercise 3 times a week
Join a gym. Gonna make swimming a regular thing each week.

6. Perform on Jools Holland
Least achieved challenge. Haven't even sent a CD off yet. I'm poor. Will do it this week, I promise (I sound like a 10 yr old cleaning his bed)

7. Do archery & hit a gold (bullseye) - COMPLETED!!!
Completed this challenge today. Did archery with the musician Gaz Brookfield who turned out to be a qualified GNAS instructor. Footage to come soon. But I was pretty good I think. We drew a zombie face on a board and used it's eye as the bullseye. I hit it from 20 yrds which I'm told is good. I'd say about 90% of my arrows hit the target somewhere. Think I like this a lot!

8. Finish the new album
Have been flying to Sweden, to Secret Ingredient Studios, and have finished all bar one song. As our previous record label, 4th St Records, is moving into comic book publishing, we have to look for a new home for the album. It's sounding massive. Full orchestra in places, and big sounds. I'll start whoring it out after my final trip in May/June.

9. Tour with full band (12 musicians minimum) for at least 1 week
Working on this at the moment. More info to come.....

10. Stop biting my nails
Haven't chewed my nails since December 21st. This is looking good!!

11. Perform on the London Eye - PART COMPLETED
The kind folk at EDF Energy London Eye have offered a complimentary pod for one rotation, to allow me to perform with the band. More details to come on dates and how to get tickets.

12. (Secret challenge to be revealed later)
Well, can't say can I? But it's being filmed and documented, so all will be revealed shortly.

Cheers for reading

Shaun