April 2012

Week 1
Subject/Topic: Music notation and chords
Reflection Question: What is the role of music in your life?
                   
                     The role of music is very important in mu life. I listen to music every single day. I think music as an expression in my life especially for me as a teenager. Music can provide me with relaxation just like friends, it also teaches me knowledge and gives me encouragement. It gives entertainment and release my pressure.
                      I chose one of the jazz song that has been compiled in one booklet. I decided o choose 'Smile' because I like that song and it is the most familiar song that I have heard before than the others. So it is better for me to choose this song in need to make it easier for me in the practices.


Week 2
Subject/Topic: Notation written test
Reflection Question: What are the functions of music in society?
                     
                      Nowadays, music is very beneficial to the society. It gives relaxation and international understanding. Since it uses universal language, it makes us learn and understand better. Music tells stories of past, present, future, dreams and hopes. It gives an outlet for emotions, communication and enjoyment.
                       I have given the chords for the left hand for the song that I have chose in previous session, which is 'Smile'. I played my right hand first then tries to play it with both hands. It was not fluent though, I need to practice a lot at home.

Week 3

Subject/Topic: Presentation

Reflection Question: How have developments in technology changed the ways in which we engage with music?

         

                      Technological changes have had a great deal of impact on the development of musc. From the invention of electricity and when recording techniques were first used. It is clear that the creativity of scientist and engineers has been just important as that of composers and performers in changing the face of music.

                       For theory class, we gathered together o discuss the subtopic that we waned to discuss in the presentation for the following day with our group. We divided he task so that i  wont be confusing for us and so it is fair for every team member.  

                     

Walking Bass

                                       practice #1:  After the assessment finished, we learned a new lesson in the instrument class, which is walking bass. This is my first video to practice the walking bass. Actually, there are many ways to do this. In this video I did the second way. I still made mistakes.

                                       practice #2:  This is my second practice video. I have improved, I could play it more fluently and did it without any mistakes. 

                                       practice #3:  This is my third practice video. I actually did another way on how to play walking bass. I did not play it fluently, I think I made mistakes on the third chords. I need to practice harder. 

                                       practice #4:  This is my last practice video for this term 3. I played the walking bass. I could play it better from the last time I played it in the previous video. I could play it more fluently, faster and also without any mistakes. 

12 bar blues

                                       practice #1:  This is me practicing again my own composition. In this video, I started to play with the introduction which is the 4 chords That I have to play exactly like for the last 4 bars. And in this video, I started to play the chords completely (1,3,5,7)

                                       practice #2:  This is the same like my previous video, me practicing the whole 12 bar  blues. I think I already can play it well it was just a little bit messed up with the tempo at the last bar so I need to practice it again. 

                                       practice #3:  This is my third practice video to play the whole composition and this is also my last practice video before the performance (assessment). I think I did it well already and I am ready for the assessment. I hope that I can get a good result

12 bar blues (both hands)

                                           practice #1:  In this practice video, I have played my 12 bar blues with both hands, so I played my melody as well as the chords. For practicing, I still play the chords only the 1st and 7th. Until I play it really good, then I will play all the notes in the chords. In this video, I still made a little error at the end. 

                                           practice #2:  This is my second video practice playing with both hands. I have improved. I played it better by playing it with faster speed but I still made mistakes at the end so I still have to practice. 

                                           practice #3:  This is my third practice video. I played it even faster. But I still need to figure out a solution to play the last part fluently so I do not have to make mistakes like I did in my past 3 videos. 

                                           practice #4:  This is my fourth practice video. I am very excited that I can finally play it without any mistakes. I can play the last part fluently also with faster speed. What I need to do next is to play the accompaniment (chords) completely. 

                                           practice #5:  This is my fifth practice video. I could play it really well in the video. So i just have to do the next step to play the chords with complete notes.

12 bar blues melody

                                            practice #1:  I am done with my 12 bar blues. This is my first practice video to play my own composition. It was quite good. I need to ask feedback from my teacher in the next instrument session

                                           practice #2:  This is my second practice video for my own composition. I played it well. I just did a little mistakes. I got feedback that I have to change my last bar because it does not sound really good. So, I will change it and practice it. 

                                           practice #3:  This is my third practice video. I played my own composition and as you can see I have changed the notes for the very last bar. I already got the approval to change it to make it sounds better. I also changed the fingering in the second set so that I can play it more fluently and it really worked. 

                                           practice #4:  This is my fourth practice video. I  can play my own composition really well. I did not make any mistakes. I could play it with a good tempo in the video. I think what I should do next is to play it with both hands. 

12 bar blues chords

                                       practice #1:  This is my first video of my practice. I have not done my composition so I am starting to play the chords. Actually 12 bar blues recognized from consisting the 3 chords (1st, 4th, 5th) like I did in the video, which are C7, F7, and G7. I realized that I still play it really slowly so that I wont make mistakes.

                                       practice #2:  This is my second practice. My 12 bar blues composition is still in progress so I am still practicing to play only the chords, which are C7, F7, and G7. I think that I can play it faster in my second practice but still I play it slowly anyway. So I need to speed up the tempo.

                                       practice #3:  This is my third practice video. My own composition still in progress. This is me playing the 3 chords (C7, F7, and G7). I can tell that I play it faster and also better from my first practice. I also did not make any mistakes, so I have improvement. In the next practice, I want to try to play it really fast, to see whether I can do it or not later for the performance.

                                       practice #4:  This is my fourth practice video. My 12 bar blues is almost done, I just need to do a final touch with it. In this video, I could play the 3 chords (C7, F7, and G7) good enough. I think it went really well because not only the fast speed but I could do it fast without making any mistakes.realized that I still play it really slowly so that I wont make mistakes. I noticed that I only played the 1st and 7th notes of the chords for the past 4 practice. Now that I can play it well, I want to play all the notes including the 3rd and 5th.

March 2012

27 Feb-2 March (Week 7)


                   I was absent on tuesday and wednesday because I was sick. Although, I have practiced my melody on weekend. I played the chords first and practiced to play it fluently. Then, I tried to play both hands including my melody. I could play it well. Unfortunately, I could not practice on school days because I was sick. 


5-9 March (Week 8)
Subject/Topic: 12 Bar Blues Rehearsal
Reflection Question: Explain how the rules of blues in development of early jazz!



                    The Blues was an important influence on the development of jazz. Highly expressive, blues songs expressed the stories of African-American at the beginning of 20th century. it is recognized by a 12 bars performed with the chords progression consisting of 3 chords with the 1st, 4th  and 5th chords like we did for our 12 bar blues. 
                     Today, we used theory class to rehearse our composition. We performed in front of the class and we did some kind of a collaboration together. I could play it well and I need to practice it again. 


12-15 March (Week 9)
Subject/Topic: 12 Bar Blues
Reflection Question: How is my understanding now about improvisation especially in Blues?


                     Now, I can understand about improvisation and also in Blues after hearing all of my friends blues composition and improvisation rehearsal. I think improvisation is important because it is a part of the jazz blues performances.
                      In instrument class, we practice our 12 bar blues in a group. We chose the members for our group. Then, we practice to play in a colaboration. I played my third one and then play the whole composition. Mr. Herry's feedback is to play it more like jazz by plating it with accent. 


19-23 March (Week 10)


                      Today, we used both theory and instrument session to do our assessment, which is performing our 12 bar blues. We did it as a group in a collaboraion. I think my group did it pretty well and we did not make any mistakes. Fortunately, all of the groups could perform and finish the assessment today.