For this project i loved the fact that we were able to learn something new, that we otherwise would have never experienced! On Google days my friends and I would run up and down the halls yelling "GOOGLE DAY!" We tweeted about it and posted our videos and pictures on Facebook because we knew what we were doing was awesome, but also uncharted! It was so cool to learn the ukulele and I definitely gained huge respect toward people who can play stringed instruments. I especially loved the freedom involved with the project. We were able to choose, no only what we focused on, but also how we spent our time. It was nice to be in such an unstructured educational society, for once. I really hope to continue learning the ukulele because it's fun to be able to play multiple instruments. I didn't realize how much I was going to miss it until after our last presentation day finished and my friend Mike was taking the ukulele home.
Overall, this was an awesome project. GOOGLE DAYS ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Day Number Five (December 13, 2011)
This will be the last time I write in this blog, unless we continue our Google Project into Second Semester!
I know it has been a while but I missed out on our last in-class Google Day so I had to make up for lost time on my own!
I went over simply reviewing the notes I had previously learned and getting back into the groove of strumming the chucking. It may seem like I haven't made much progress throughout this whole program when in actuality, I personally feel like I have gained a lot. I played piano for years, clarinet after that, but I had never attempted a stringed instrument. To be able to now strum and play a few songs on the ukulele is actually so awesome! I always want to show off my skills, even if I play extremely slow and segmented songs...I'm proud that I at least have SOME basic knowledge!
Today for the class, I presented what I had learned. I played, "I'm Yours" while the class began to sing along. Sadly, I'm still not very skilled at the ukulele so I got my chords mixed up and played to slowly to keep up with the class's singing, BUT it was still fun to talk about what I'd learned throughout first semester!
I WILL BE CROSSING MY FINGERS THAT WE CONTINUE OUR GOOGLE PROJECTS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. This was so awesome.
I know it has been a while but I missed out on our last in-class Google Day so I had to make up for lost time on my own!
I went over simply reviewing the notes I had previously learned and getting back into the groove of strumming the chucking. It may seem like I haven't made much progress throughout this whole program when in actuality, I personally feel like I have gained a lot. I played piano for years, clarinet after that, but I had never attempted a stringed instrument. To be able to now strum and play a few songs on the ukulele is actually so awesome! I always want to show off my skills, even if I play extremely slow and segmented songs...I'm proud that I at least have SOME basic knowledge!
Today for the class, I presented what I had learned. I played, "I'm Yours" while the class began to sing along. Sadly, I'm still not very skilled at the ukulele so I got my chords mixed up and played to slowly to keep up with the class's singing, BUT it was still fun to talk about what I'd learned throughout first semester!
I WILL BE CROSSING MY FINGERS THAT WE CONTINUE OUR GOOGLE PROJECTS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. This was so awesome.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Day Number Four (October 31, 2011)
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (first off)
Now for Day FOUR, strumming was way less of a challenge than it had been in the past. I was finally getting the technique down (or at least...my own technique that worked for me)! It was awesome! Plus I now REMEMBER chords and how to play them! It was especially awesome when I played "I'm Yours" again this week because it was smoother between chord transitions AND I started working on incorporating "chucking" into my playing! The chucking definitely added to my performance and gave the song more personality and rhythm. At one point I played through with my friend's Drew and Zack. Drew was on the guitar while Zack drummed along on a bongo. It was so sweet to hear!
Here's me playing "I'm Yours!" It's not perfect, but it's definitely way better than before. And there's a ton of background noise...being in a band room and all...
Now for Day FOUR, strumming was way less of a challenge than it had been in the past. I was finally getting the technique down (or at least...my own technique that worked for me)! It was awesome! Plus I now REMEMBER chords and how to play them! It was especially awesome when I played "I'm Yours" again this week because it was smoother between chord transitions AND I started working on incorporating "chucking" into my playing! The chucking definitely added to my performance and gave the song more personality and rhythm. At one point I played through with my friend's Drew and Zack. Drew was on the guitar while Zack drummed along on a bongo. It was so sweet to hear!
Here's me playing "I'm Yours!" It's not perfect, but it's definitely way better than before. And there's a ton of background noise...being in a band room and all...
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Zachary trying out the Eukulele!
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| Zack Talbott showing off his skillzzz |
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| And me, wearing my "hipster" glasses for spirit day! |
Day Number Three (October 20, 2011)
At the beginning of Day 3, I had to relearn how to strum consistently because I'm still having an issue with that. After a few minutes of slow strumming I got it down though. Really, I just need to work on moving only my wrist, instead of my whole arm. My friend Mike clued me in there...he also worked with me on "chucking" where you strum, then cut off the note by using your hand to mute all the strings. It's pretty advanced for me now but it'll be a cool technique to use in the future.
I also played through "You Are My Sunshine" a couple times, just to warm back up to the eukulele and then it was on to a brand new song!
I also played through "You Are My Sunshine" a couple times, just to warm back up to the eukulele and then it was on to a brand new song!
SOMETHING NEW? OH YES!
Yesterday my classmate Harrison taught me how to play Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours!" It was so awesome to play another song that i recognized. It's also pretty fun when your friends jump in to join you and sing obnoxiously out of key. AND, I almost played it up to speed...almost!
These picture are the four chords I had to use (but they're not in order.....): C, F, G, and oh gosh, I can't remember....I'll get back to you on that one!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Day Number Two (October 5, 2011)
Day two has come and gonnneeee!
Today, I relearned technique of strumming and the fingerings for the three chords I learned last class! Too be honest, i spent about 20 minutes just trying to remember how to strum, the motion is hard to master for a clarinet/piano player!
I also looked up a fingering chart because i wanted to learn chords on my own, without the help of others...unfortunately, first I had to ask Mr. Matthys how to READ the fingering chart.
The very last thing I did, which was the most fun, was learned how to play some chords to go along with, "You are my Sunshine." Although there's only about 5 different chords you use, I had to play it in like super-duper slow motion. But it was a blast playing a real song!!! And it was also preeetty funny seeing my friends sing-along with my playing at the pace of a slug. (There is definitely a reason why we're in band, not choir)
Today, I relearned technique of strumming and the fingerings for the three chords I learned last class! Too be honest, i spent about 20 minutes just trying to remember how to strum, the motion is hard to master for a clarinet/piano player!
I also looked up a fingering chart because i wanted to learn chords on my own, without the help of others...unfortunately, first I had to ask Mr. Matthys how to READ the fingering chart.
The very last thing I did, which was the most fun, was learned how to play some chords to go along with, "You are my Sunshine." Although there's only about 5 different chords you use, I had to play it in like super-duper slow motion. But it was a blast playing a real song!!! And it was also preeetty funny seeing my friends sing-along with my playing at the pace of a slug. (There is definitely a reason why we're in band, not choir)
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