Swn Dyfi Sound at Derwenlas

Swn Dyfi Sound responded to a consultation carried out by Stiwdio Dyfi, where young people expressed a desire for more high-quality events in mid-Wales that are not only fun but also provide opportunities for skill development and making new social connections. In response to this local need, Stiwdio Dyfi initiated a new project called Swn Dyfi Sound.

Swn Dyfi Sound began as a WhatsApp group, with an open invitation to those interested in music equipment and wanting to get involved with a collective organising regular events. Twenty-four people responded to the advertisement, and the first meetup took place at Derwenlas Village Hall on Saturday, 11th November 2023, from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.

As most members lacked experience in events or music equipment, the initial hours were dedicated to knowledge-sharing and testing various ways of setting up equipment. Following this informal training session, six DJs from the group took turns performing 45-minute sets covering various genres, from Disco to Techno, Reggae to Psy Trance. Between each set, there was a 15-minute break for group discussions, additional technical testing, and planning for future activities.

Throughout the day, 16 out of the 24 members attended the event. This number was considered satisfactory, allowing people the opportunity to ask questions and get involved while ensuring enough audience members for each performance.

Derwenlas Village Hall, a lovely community building located a 30-minute walk (or a 5-minute bus ride) from Machynlleth, was chosen for its proximity and good public transport connections—important considerations as many of the young adults who attended do not drive. Trustee Ian and other committee members were very supportive, and the collective would like to express gratitude for allowing the use of the space for the day and also all who attended the meet :)

The collective now comprises 25 individuals, and the next meetup is scheduled for January. After the event, Stiwdio Dyfi collected feedback from participants through a form to assess the event's quality and improve future activities based on the responses received.

When asked: “How welcome did you feel at the event? ” The average response was 4.9 out of 5.

When asked: “How social did you find the event?" The average response was 4.3 out of 5.

When asked: “How often would you attend a Swn Dyfi Sound meet? ”

• Never again!: 0 (0.0%)
• Once a month: 5 (31.3%)
• Every fortnight: 0 (0.0%)
• Every Week: 0 (0.0%)
• As often as possible: 8 (50.0%)

The majority of respondents (50.0%) expressed a willingness to attend "As often as possible," while a significant portion (31.3%) opted for once a month representing an appetite for regularity.

Participants gained diverse skills, including events management, high-level technical expertise in sound engineering, DJing, and photography at events. As one respondent put it, "Learned how to do events management, learned high-level technical skills in sound engineering. Learned how to DJ."

The event provided an opportunity to meet interesting individuals and discover ongoing community projects. A participant expressed, "Met cool new people and learned about other projects going on in the community too"

Some attendees fulfilled a long-time dream by experiencing new sounds and initiating the journey into DJing with vinyl. According to a participant, "Heard new sounds and started learning DJing with vinyl. A long-time dream!"

The event showcased a rich variety of music and DJ talent in the local area. Another participant highlighted, "The breadth of the range of music and DJ talent in the area."

Participants expressed inspiration and excitement about the potential of Swn Dyfi Sound, gaining insights into the broader community. One respondent shared, "Inspired and excited about the possibilities of Swn Dyfi Sound... learned lots about the community."

Learning about the functionality of equipment and its potential future applications was a key takeaway for some. As noted by a participant, "How the kit works & how I could use it in the future."

Attendees acquired knowledge about sound systems, DJing, and the community's social art movement, hoping for its continued growth. Another participant mentioned, "I learned a lot about sound systems, DJing, and the community social art movement that hopefully is gaining momentum."

Some participants learned about synaesthesia, exploring the sensory blending of sound and other stimuli. The name Synaesthesia for a regular event by Swn Dyfi Sound was suggested.

Meeting new people was a common and valued outcome for attendees. As expressed by a participant, "New people!"

Learning about wiring, cables, and digital skills added to the participants' knowledge base. A participant stated, "Learn about wiring and cables." Additionally, another participant mentioned, "Digital skills."

Overall, participants reported gaining new knowledge on sound systems and DJ equipment during the event. According to a respondent, "Gained new knowledge on sound systems and DJ equipment!"

Participants suggested practical improvements, such as acquiring missing equipment: "Few bits of equipment such as lighting and project screen missing. Would be good to have some honfood available; it's a full 8-hour workshop."

A common desire was for additional refreshments, with one participant suggesting, "Not sure, maybe more hot drinks."

Emphasis was placed on securing funds for sustained operations and investing in the organisation's growth: "Have funds to continue on a regular basis and invest in the organisation. Then be ready to build on what else grows out of the activities."

Some participants recommended providing replays of events: "Have replays available."

Suggestions for improved communication and wider promotion were made: "Have even wider communication about what’s happening across the area, but it seems the staff running it work really hard to do this, but I can imagine it’s an issue of limited resources."

Participants called for more regular events and wider promotion: "More regular." "Wider promotion."

The importance of maintaining enthusiasm and relevance was highlighted: "Keep at it. Keep the energy going... keeping being relevant and resonant. Keep the faith ✊"

Calls for wider promotion and more workshops to enhance equipment usage: "Wider promotion." "It would be great to have more workshops to learn how to use the equipment better. Put more events on and advertise better to bring more people involved to enjoy the project events."

Suggestions included more events, increased promotion, and better ambience: "More events, more promotion/posters." "Slightly quieter. Was a bit too loud early on. More decor and lighting would improve the ambience."

Specific equipment-related recommendations were made: "More lights, better tops, the haciendas old system."

Encouragement to continue the project: "Keep it going!"

Calls for more events in the future: "More events please 🙏" "Put on more events!" "Hold more events in the future."

Photography by W. S. F Tremlett