Videos: Don't Know Why Improvisation

This is me playing the introduction of Don't Know Why. It was an easy part to play, but I forgot several of the notes. I improvised a bit as well, in order to put my own spin on the song. I think right now it sounds bland because there is no backing. I think I should also improve on my tone and articulation, in order to give a more soulful performance. Perhaps the improvisation should also be more inspired.

This is me playing the bridge of Don't Know Why. I think  I did this better than the intro, as I hit most of the notes right. I also found a good set of notes to play as improvisation. The rapid sequence of notes is very good as an ending to the bridge. I think that if I play it well, it will also improve the songs in general. I have to work on it more though, as I nearly missed a note.

Week 3

Week 3
How have developments in technology change the ways in which we engage with music?
Technology, or advances in it specifically, has also been a major factor in the spread of music. Nowadays the internet is the most common medium of music, along with television. These two mediums are made possible with technology, and this technology allows people to access and find music quickly. The internet also allows us to download music applications, like iTunes for example. Advances in technology have also allowed people to record their own music easily, create new unique genres of music (like Daft Punk and Skrillex), and put new spins on songs (electric instruments). Thus, technology advancements are important in music.

Instrument Class
This week we didn't have any instrument class, as it was taken up by presentation preparation. However, I continues to learn the melodies of Don't Know Why with my lesson teacher, to prepare for my ensemble performance. I had a nice bit of improvisation for the song, which I hope I can continue to improve and develop for the assessment.

Videos: Fly Me To The Moon

Here I'm playing the melody of "Fly Me To The Moon". The melody is actually derived from the B major scale if I'm not wrong, which made playing it rather easy. It has a nice sounding melody which I like to play, so I might consider using this song instead. I need to find a way to improvise some of the notes of this song, as my melody right now is a direct copy of the song's melody.

Here I am playing the chords of "Fly Me To The Moon". I admit that this video isn't too good, because I wasn't able to play it with the 7th chords. I substituted the 7th chords with the normal majors and minors. As for the playing itself, I think I did rather well, although I should improve on my speed and strumming pattern. I also have to learn the 7th chords if I want to make it sound better.

Videos: Don't Know Why

Here I am playing the chords of jazz song "Don't Know Why". The video quality isn't really good, so there's this strange effect on my playing. However, the chords of this song are quite easy, and I memorized them within the first 5 minutes of trying. I still have to work on my strumming pattern though, because it was a bit unorganized in this video. I also have to keep working on my 7th chords.

Here I am playing the melody of "Don't Know Why". I want to use this song for our asssessment, so I'm practicing it now. The melody itself seems simple, and I found it out by myself. However, I need to work on my playing because it sounds too soft. I played okay though, despite some minor problems with my fingering. I might have to find some improvisation opportunities within the song though.

Term 4 Week 1-2

Week 1
What is the role of music in your life?
Music is a very important part of my life I guess. It serves as a good source of entertainment and relaxation for me. I'm usually quite bored at home, but having music allows me to get past boredom quite easily. It's also a motivator and a stress reliever for me, as some songs have motivating lyrics. Listening to songs while working also motivates me for some strange reason. I can also express myself with music, by singing songs with emotional meanings. Although that does sound sort of sad, it actually helps a lot to relieve my stress with music. So, music is quite important for me.

Instrument class
I tried to learn a new song for once in instrument class called Hotel California. It was a difficult song as I'm not really good at plucking strings. However, learning this song might prove useful for my assessments, as it helps my fingering at the same time. At this point though, my playing is still unclear, and my articulation is still pretty off.

Week 2
What are the uses of music in society?
Music has a lot of roles to play in society. Everyone would agree that music is a source of entertainment, as it is omnipresent in everyday life. In fact, society would be very different without music. No national anthems, no jingles, no catchy songs, it'd all be rather dull. Music is also used as a source of revenue. Out in the world people use music to make money by selling their work and playing concerts. Its a good although difficult job to take though. Other roles of music include helping people express themselves, enhancing the brainpower of people and being used in therapy.

Instrument class
Instrument class this week was mostly used to prepare us for the notation test. Although I didn't do so well in the end, Mr. John helped us a lot. He showed us how to distinguish what chords were being played by analyzing the notes. The examples given were quite easy, as he only drilled us with 7th chords. Of course, that left us sort of unprepared for the 9th, 11th and 13th chords, but its okay. Mr. John tried his best to prepare us and that's what matters.