Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is a slow blues tune played with a bass and drums. There’s an intro, 3 sets of 12-bar blues chords, the second being a bass solo, and an ending. There’s two extra measures in between each 12-bar set.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I combined different blues patterns and ideas to develop a blues tune, using slap bass, the 12-bar blues chords, and a swing feel.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I needed to be sure of myself when I practiced with the group. I felt comfortable telling them what I needed from them and we worked well together.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I’ve never played with a bass or drums before and didn’t know what to expect. They never played with a harp so it was a new experience for all of us. We all enjoyed experimenting.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

It was a challenge for me to step out of my comfort zone and ask others to join me.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

As time goes on, with participating in class, doing homework and the projects, I have become more confident and now have a “can do” attitude with others challenges in my life.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Thinking and acting outside of the box can be rewarding.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this!

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

I’m playing a rhythmic, repeating pattern for the tune “In the Mood.”  This is a tune I loved as a child and would dance around the house when my big brother played this on the piano.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Using the dominant for an introduction, in this case I’m in the key of C and so built up a pattern on G.  Learning rhythms in the SHJ and during class and recognising repeated patterns made this possible.  This is my favourite quarter as I enjoy learning rhythms.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Patterns, they have always been there but I couldn’t see them without learning the skills in this quarter.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I had looked at trying to play this tune about 3 years ago but didn’t get very far.  Learning the patterns  has made it easier to play and remember.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I could hear the tune in my head from when I was a child and then playing it on the harp was the challenge.  I’ve used many ideas from the classes, including a section I learnt in the SHJ.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

If you really love something, just have a go.  I was surprised that I could actually play this tune and how much fun it is to play.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Recognising patterns in  music and how they  repeat.  I’ve just never seen it so clearly before.  Then being able to apply the skills from this quarter to a piece of music that I love from my childhood.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I love playing this tune and it makes me feel energised when I play it, no matter how down I might feel, it lifts my spirits.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

The 3rd quarter: Power of Pattern
Focused Training: Nataliana Beyond the Page

My final project is playing through this piece.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I learned various patterns and practised various hand shapes, techniques, harmonies and expressions.

It was nice to notice various patterns. I could literally experience them while practising this beautiful piece. Practising made me experiment with how to be more expressive.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Logistically: I practised to be able to play through this piece. I memorized it all naturally. The lead sheet of the webinar replay helped me notice the patterns and the whole structure.

Emotionally: I experimented and searched for how to play more expressively, emotionally and reflectively.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I know especially I’m not good at playing descending patterns. So I want to practice more because I know the more skilled I become, the more free I’ll be!

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

This piece has a lot of emotions. So, playing (expressing) them in my way is exciting and also challenging. And I loved this process. I felt as if this piece would enter my body, and I would hear the woman called Nataliana begin to tell the story even though I don’t know how Nataliana’s life would be or her background.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

When practising tunes, I often hear them ringing in my head. It feels like I have a window in my head, and I can feel the different wind from there. This time, I felt I became more sensitive and reflective.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Experimenting creatively with how to play this phrase or that phrase and figuring out how to make this note or that note more cogent is really interesting and fulfilling.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I was almost there, but I really know I need more practice. Sadly, this time, I didn’t have enough time. However, I’m glad I could play through this piece anyway.
I continue to solidify my basic techniques to become more free!

This time, my goal was to play through, and I played slowly, so my video became 5 min. 30 sec long. So, during the chat, please press play from the 2-minute point to make it 3 min.30 sec. This is the second part of this piece, which I began practising after the half-bake. So, it’s really incomplete!
I made the 2-minute time stamp below the video. Thanks.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is the second half of a song I’ve been working on all quarter. The whole song is too long for the project, and many have seen the first 2 verses already. I know we aren’t supposed to solicit feedback on Final Beginnings, but I’m really curious about something and would love your opinions: Reminder: the first verse was a baby being picked up and touched for the first time. The second verse was two children clinging to each other frightened in a storm. The playing was rubato and I started this video with the two main chords how they were used in those verses. Then I played the end of the chorus “The Human Touch”. The third verse (first in this video) is from when I met my husband. I play this much more rhythmically because it is happy. Then I slow down and use more altered chords and various arpeggiations for the final verse which is about my father and sing the last chorus in that same style. The question is: what do you think about ending the song in this style? Should I leave that sad verse out so that it is a more positive song all in one basic style? It does get very long because it is so wordy and can’t really be sung too fast…. What do you think? The four stories were planned from the start, but I didn’t know how the music would end up…Thank you!

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

So many skills from the Academy! Let’s see, for this I used: Altered dominant chord, rhythm (and NO comping rhythm), blues scale improv that became the melody, playing a tag that is three times turnaround at the end

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Well, being that it is a lifecycle story, I had to revisit my father’s death as I was writing and learning to sing it. The lyrics would come at odd times and I’d review them before bed to solidify them, which was sad for the final verse. It reminded me of hearing my father crying himself to sleep after my mother died. Which also made me crying myself to sleep all these years later.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I was blocking myself by trying to force the song in a different direction than it wanted to go.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

HAH! This song was in my head so much that I couldn’t work on learning songs for my chorus! (shhh-don’t tell them)

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Sometimes I think the songs are already there, I’m not writing them, I’m “catching” them and learning to play them….

What were your personal “Ahas”?

I’m learning to take more time for myself.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

This is the second half of a song I’ve been working on all quarter. The whole song is too long for the project, and many of you have seen the first 2 verses already. : Reminder: the first verse was a baby being picked up and touched for the first time. The second verse was two children clinging to each other frightened in a storm. The playing was rubato and I started this video with the two main chords how they were used in those verses. Then I played the end of the chorus “The Human Touch”. The third verse (first in this video) is from when I met my husband. I play this much more rhythmically because it is happy. Then I slow down and use more altered chords and various arpeggiations for the final verse which is about my father and sing the last chorus in that same style.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is my Alaska Bear Blues in D using the slap bass.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The slap bass is what I focused on learning. First to get the rhythm with the left hand and then adding in the right hand. Next was to change chords and keep the rhythm. Then the doing vamp for one of the choruses, and then add a chorus with different notes. The final thing that I added was to sing while playing this.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Going out of my comfort zone and perseverance to get that slap bass.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

My downfall is rhythm. This took a bit to get with the left hand and then add the metronome right hand. I worked with the homework for the chats and Sally for the catchup coaching and observed others and the input from their homework to improve.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I started out with the 12 bar Alaska Bear Blues for the pictogram for the first assignment as kind of a chortle. Then after the next two lessons and working on the slap bass I was freaking out as to what I would do for my project. Then I thought why not go back to my pictogram and use the idea for my project.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I think perseverance in focusing on what is hard for the moment even though it’s not perfect will eventually provide a new skill for other situations.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Practice to let me get the groove and coordination and then having fun with how to use it.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

Just enjoy and let the grins and giggles take over.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

The project is an attempt to create a bridge between two different patterns in my life, one for which I used the pictures from Nepal because there it is showing at its most, is where I am really engaged almost to the point of losing myself, the other one which is represented in the second part of the video is where I withdraw from the world and people often for days, being in nature and little details there are really important

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I used the harmonies from the contemplative blues but without any set structure and tried to create two really different atmospheres with them

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Logistically I was mainly struggling with the lighting of the room and iMovie as I couldn’t find out how two get the pictures even shorter and the black between the pictures a bit longer in the first part which is how I wanted it to be.
Emotionally after having gone through my struggle with connecting with anything about the blues at all and had some ideas for the second part, finding a possibility to express the first part was hard and took a lot of trying different things

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

The biggest block probably for this quarter was to find a way to engage at all. I was so often told by my former teacher that I can’t do anything that’s based on rhythm together with blues feelling really foreign to me and feeling like I am not a good enough musician to improvise at all (had never tried it before) that to find a way to approach this that would work for me was the biggest challenge

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

A lot of inner questions about right and wrong came up, as did the question what is music, am I good enough to express myself, …

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I started to recognise how often I don’t do things because I feel not good enough to do so

What were your personal “Ahas”?

The feedback I got after handing in my first attempt to play around/improvise on the chords and the recognition after sending the link to a few friends that there are people who really like the stuff I do

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

My version of Gershwin’s Summertime. I thought up a lot of nice stuff to play and then started to leave more and more of it out, for the sake of fluency and tempo. I hope to play this on my performance coming Saturday, also if I now had to improvise to ‘mask’ mistakes. I like the beginning and the end best, but if you really must for the length, you can start it in at 1:05 missing the start, or play it till 3:19, missing the end. 

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The power of pattern, repeating patterns, but in slightly different forms. That happened quite naturally, because I came bored with what I did.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I needed to divide the song in pieces to be able to find harp parts that worked. It gets more and more difficult to concentrates on both singing and playing equally.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I took the freedom to not think about the chords, but just listen to what forms lay best in my hand and if I liked the sound of them. That took so much more time that I had a bad feeling about finishing and having enough time to get if fluently played. 

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

The more I got it in my fingers the more my enthusiasm grew.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Let it go. Somewhere something will happen to give you the time you need.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

The moment I thought i had to speed things up and then it worked almost immediately..

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

It not a perfect version! But also I’m so happy that more and more I’m getting capable of masking (sometime huge) mistakes.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

I tried to incorporate elements from slap bass and the 9ths into the intro and close of a simple folk song. The 9ths sounded wrong without dropping down a note or two afterwards, so I added that element. I aimed for experimentation rather than smoothness in this recording.  Suggestions on incorporating the jazz elements appropriately into traditional folk would be appreciated.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I used elements from slap bass, 9ths and just improvising on the order.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

This is my first attempt at editing iPad video or uploading to Youtube. It scared me and my mistakes embarrassed me but it seemed better for this project to do it on the fly than to work for perfection.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I have trouble letting people see my mistakes.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

It was hard to decide which traditional folk song to use, but I thought simplicity was best with everything new I was trying to do.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

The class both helps and hurts actual performance because I am learning what from the jazz style can be used with folk and still sounds traditional

What were your personal “Ahas”?

The drop down after the 9th

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This video has the concertina melody of Arioso sent to me by my friend I am accompanying.  I played my accompaniment as a voiceover.  I simplified it even more than originally.  My goal was to keep an even tempo no matter what.  — not easy when the melody tempo varied.  Hopefully, playing live, together will be easier.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I simplified the written music to the extent that all I had was lines to keep me on the beat and chord names.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I thought, “why am I having so much trouble with this?”  Then, I played accompaniment to a video with cello doing the melody and keeping a steady tempo, and that was much easier!

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Two weeks ago, I came down with Covid, and have been really sick.  So, a lot of what I wanted to do in follow-up after the half baked simply didn’t happen.  It’s just in the last few days that I’ve gotten back to playing my harp.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

The challenge was getting Covid, which I am not over yet.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

What initially seemed impossible (Bach’s Arioso), can be made possible.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

My “aha” is that I actually got things together enough to submit a final BEGINNING project, despite Covid!

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

To protect the innocent, I’ve hidden the identity of the concertina player.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

Sudden Waves – song written by the late Les Barker (I’ve had his permission to perform/record this song) 
Used to sing in G, reworked here in F

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I’ve missed a lot this quarter, and frankly, I can feel it. This project has been tricky. Patterns, simplifying (supposedly!), shifting an arrangement to suit my voice (even though I’ve changed my mind about it!) . 

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I’ve struggled.
I was clear this was what I wanted to work on but I’ve concluded that moving it to F was a mistake. I’ve had little time and this is rushed now, but it is what it is, and I’ve learned what works, and what doesn’t by comparing this with an earlier recording in G.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

That old “you can’t do this” or “you can do better” has been a constant. I felt a bit defeated, but determined I’d send in something at least.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

My own expectations of how this ‘should’ be

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Finding time and space is hard and I need to work on the project alone and undisturbed. 

What were your personal “Ahas”?

That it’s good to try to make the harp ‘fit’ my voice rather than sing to fit the harp. But also, switching key was a mistake!

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

There’s another recording, in the original key that is my preferred version…but this class made me experiment with keys, so I’ve gone with submitting this imperfect piece! 

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

Final Beginning project “Psalm 18”.  An attempt to put some SHJ into an old favorite song.  Worked in some arpeggios, a couple scales, an ascending baseline or two, some sixths and grace notes.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Summer Harp Jam, Noodle Toolkit, and Snippets, plus DHC & SFP ‘s combined Master Chat (opening arpeggios).  

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Adding noodling and grace notes and rhythmic triads to an old favorite song.  It took several takes, and it was hard to decide which take was “better”

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

My LH is pretty automatic on 1-5-8.  On earlier takes I varied my LH more and my RH less.  This one had a basic LH (and stuck with it) but varied the RH more.  Hard to choose which one to submit.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I needed more time on the strings to really relax.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I can’t think of a good answer to this right now

What were your personal “Ahas”?

I should share the drills I was using earlier this week to loosen up my noodling a bit

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

An old favorite song can take on a life all its own when you’re ready to try it

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is my Q3 Final-Beginning Project. Original composition called “Taking Out the Garbage Blues”.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I incorporated the following into this piece after the helpful half-bake feedback:  added finger snapping, dissonant chords, an interlude with speaking, and a few lyric changes.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

The usual: enough repetition to clarify what I wanted to play, get it under the fingers, and smooth it out. Emotionally: letting go of the need to be perfect.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Freedom to let my right hand improvise in spots without much thought. Freedom to express emotion (which is typically trained out of classical musicians).

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

Getting my fingers to do what I wanted them to do and remembering note ideas without writing them down.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

By not spending more hours trying to be perfect, I was able to spend time on other important projects in my life; things that are more important than being perfect. Also not feeling like all my other projects need to be perfect to be complete.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

It’s okay to share what doesn’t feel “perfect.”

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I’ll be out of town most of Monday the 16th, so may miss class that day.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is for Power of Pattern (not a choice above).This is Nataliana.  I still shy away from posting, and decided to just do it.  

Describe your written materials – if there’s anything in particular you want to say about it to help people know what they’re looking at, add that here.

My version of Nataliana is very slow, and not yet totally  in my fingers.  But I love that the power of pattern really allowed me to learn it. I’d like feedback on the tempo.  I think it  needs to be picked up a little – that it’s too slow.  That an audience might find it dragging.  (I don’t yet play for an audience, 😉 )  Also, I’ve taken many liberties in rhythm, to express musicality.  What works and what could be improved upon?  Thank you!

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The power of pattern – finding all the patterns and understanding the piece made it accessible to me. I had held onto this piece for years  – because of overwhelm and doubt  –  before actually being able to break it down and playing it through your course.  

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I needed to work on a lot of technique – and still need to improve on that technique to play with flow and expression.  Particularly, the right hand downward triplet pattern in what I’ve labeled as section E; as well as the downward arpeggio pattern just before the ending section of the piece.  

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Major block within myself to put my playing out there for others.  The power of the patterns also opened up the possibility of tackling this piece section by section, pattern by pattern.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

For me, this is a very emotional piece that immediately touched me.  Technique issues were the biggest factor interfering with what I wanted to express in my playing.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Will think about this…..

What were your personal “Ahas”?

All mentioned above……

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is a “failed” attempt to record in some fashion what has turned out to be the most humbling song I’ve ever tried to write. It’s a video of me blindly fumbling to sing a song while it’s being created. It’s a leap of faith and an honest effort to connect with a part of myself that has been crying to heard for the past year and a half.

I will…hopefully record another more completed version this week. But this was a necessary start!

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Flexibility. Simplicity. Openness. Stillness. Touch. Connection. Reconnection. Listening. Seeing. Failing, falling, crawling…and sharing it with the world. Reconnection.

These practices and principles have allowed me to reconnect with myself through this song and commit to creating the space for that.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Both logistically and emotionally, this project forced me to surrender. Surrender my need for the perfect shot. for the right notes. for the best voicings. for the best vocal take. for well mixed audio. One of the most challenging musical/arts experience I’ve had.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

This is the last song on an album I’ve been working on for close to 3 years. While all the other songs have poured out of me organically (they usually do), I felt a lot of resistance with this one for some reason. It was hard to follow… hard to know or understand how to end it. I realized through singing her over and over again, spending enough time with her to /really/ pay attention (which I wouldn’t have done without these program holding me accountable), I could finally hear her message – the antidote to my block: “Hear me”.

The last 3 months have been traumatic for me, and even before that I was having such a hard time connecting with my music…committing to my spirit in that form, specifically. Which I know is the most natural and healing form….

Every single line from every single song I’ve written the last 4 years points to the same message: stop trying so hard. My subconscious wants me to hear this SO BADLY that s/he has spelled it out in every possible way she can and still….I forget so easily.

The completion of this song – or at least the feeling of wholeness and sense of connection I now have with it – has shifted something into place. I remember now. I remember.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I make things too complicated. Everything you can think of. Things I didn’t even know could be made complicated. So obviously I overwrote and overwrote and rewrote and rearranged and replayed and restructured and revoiced the second verse of this song until I couldn’t take it anymore… I let it fall away and played blind.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

WOW what an easy simple question to answer! haha.

I will just say that since meeting DHC and being surrounded by such a wonderful community at the JPG confab, I feel transformed in a way I didn’t know I could. The reconnection to values like flexibility, vulnerability, letting go…I needed those this year more than I ever have. Fate.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

See above

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I don’t like this this video. I don’t like this performance…I don’t like that you all can’t see all of the beauty and soul and eloquence that came out of me before I started recording. I don’t like that my vocals are only in the left channel and that they aren’t as powerful and smooth as they are when at my best. I don’t like that it’s not even close to what I know the final recording will sound like (as if I know…). I just don’t like that you can see my flaws and my stumbling and I feel like I need to convince you that I really /am/ good at this instrument and at singing, I promise!!!

And I know that this is exactly why I’m posting this. Maybe I will record another, but as of now, I’m letting myself fail really hard…for myself. This is a gift to myself that you all give me the strength to give, simply by being here and by being you.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is an original song I wrote back in 2011 but I never learned to play the boogie woogie baseline until this quarter. I also added an instrumental chorus.

Attach your homework in PDF or JPEG format here:

Fool to Let You Go.pdf

Describe your written materials – if there’s anything in particular you want to say about it to help people know what they’re looking at, add that here.

This is a PDF of the words & chords for anyone interested in learning the song.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

I learned the boogie woogie baseline, turnaround & licks from the blues modules. I also played to camera more than I would’ve before joining the academy.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I had to practice the harp part quite a bit to get the boogie woogie bass & the transitions between the sections.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I feel pretty comfortable with the boogie woogie bass now! I had to learn how to practice all over again to master this. I had to overcome the inner demons that thought I should already be able to do this so that I could actually learn it.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

I struggled the most with the right hand in the improv chorus. I wanted to be more creative with it, but this is what I can do comfortably today…

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

My approach to playing and listening to music has changed on many levels. I’m more forgiving about wrong notes and focus more on connecting with the piece and being expressive vs being perfect, and I’m more relaxed about imperfections in other areas of my life. 

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Practice really makes a difference! It’s been a really long time since I’ve really practiced a piece to learn it. I like to play, but practice, not so much. I feel like I developed a new relationship to practice this quarter and have set some goals around repertoire building and maintenance.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is an original song that I wrote in honor of my parents’ 65th wedding anniversary.  It’s called, “One Lasting Love.”  It’s 5 and a half minutes long, structured essentially as 3 choruses with a bridge before the final chorus.  (Sorry, this has absolutely nothing to do with my half-baked project, even though that will also be worth revisiting and extending.)

Attach your homework in PDF or JPEG format here:

One Lasting Love lead sheet.pdf

Describe your written materials – if there’s anything in particular you want to say about it to help people know what they’re looking at, add that here.

This is a lead sheet for the song.  The rendition in the video is not an exact match to what’s notated, but it’s close.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

My first spark of an idea was to send a video greeting (since a snail mail card would not have arrived by the anniversary), but then some song lyrics popped into my head and it seemed like I could flesh out the idea fairly quickly.  I used the idea of a repeated pattern with slight alterations to create 3 stanzas and then added a bridge to create a more extensive metaphorical journey.  Even though I wrote it with my parents in mind, I tried to say things that were broadly applicable to any long-term loving relationship, emphasizing the deep emotional value.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I had a short deadline, so I wrote the lyrics and got some melodic ideas in one day; then the next day I tried to firm up the melody and harmony and teach myself to play it.  I found I needed to write out a lead sheet because it was too much for me to keep everything in my head.  More than once I despaired that I had bitten off more than I could chew in the time available, but I kept telling myself that there had to be a way I could do this.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I tried over and over to simplify my harp accompaniment, but I “knew” how it should go and I had a very hard time giving any of it up.  As a practice aid, I was able to simplify in a few different ways (blocked chords only, or la-la-la instead of lyrics), and those did help me learn the piece.  The final rendition, though, was not much simpler than the original idea.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

As often happens when I write a piece of music, I spent some time wondering whether I was actually creating it or merely remembering dimly a song I had heard before.  I understand how some composers can feel they are just a conduit for music that exists ethereally.  To my knowledge, I’ve never cribbed someone else’s piece, but I do worry about it.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I sent my parents this video (only a few hours later than I was aiming for), knowing that it wasn’t quite as polished as I wanted, but hoping to make a meaningful connection anyway.  They seemed deeply touched.  I felt like I gave them a valuable reflection of their relationship, and I’m learning that that is a very worthwhile thing to do.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

A creative impulse can definitely cause a struggle with the need to simplify.  I still tend to be my own harshest critic.  

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

For those who notice a lot of lever flips, it’s only one lever, it just gets shifted several times.  The consistent location on the harp makes the shifting easier than it looks.  (The change turns a major chord into a minor chord.)

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

My goal is to create a piece of music during 10 minutes or more with different parts.
I started this in the halfbake. Now I tried to enrich the chords of the intro progession, for example using 7 or 9 in the middle of the chords, instead of stacking up only thirds. For the second part I choose jazz waltz pattern. I struggle focusing the rhythm and playing melody. Now I’m able to use a single finger, more fingers in melody is disturbing my focus on the jazz waltz. Is there a hint how to practice, rhythm pattern plus melody?
Next question is, how to find a bridge from jazz waltz pattern back to another mood, for example to a more flowing, freely playing chord progression.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

rhythm pattern

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

Is there a hint how to practice, rhythm pattern plus melody?
Next question is, how to find a bridge from jazz waltz pattern back to another mood, for example to a more flowing, freely playing chord progression.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

LH and RH

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

Rhythmic pattern

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

be patient

What were your personal “Ahas”?

spend time on grounding with the LH

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

Simple arrangement and improvisation on Bach’s chorale Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Following a pattern makes it easier to make arrangements and to improvise.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

It took some practice and I also had to overcome the fear of ruining a notorious composition.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Following the chords and the patterns of the song gave me total ease, especially when I stopped thinking about how obvious my choices were and judging myself. 

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

The biggest challenge for me is always my lack of harp technique and self-questioning.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I don’t need to justify the way I play, simple patterns are enough.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

You can easily improvise just following the patterns and as long as you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter how simple or obvious the music is.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

This is my oh so imperfect final beginning of the blues structure by way of “Bag’s Groove” (with some added pedal slides here and there.)  I count in as an intro- play the head – then two additional choruses for soloing/blowing  – then an outro.    My focus was more on structure vs musical content (or even, getting things right.)

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

Just showing up to the chats made all the difference in the world.  (I only started watching the modules the week before half-bakes were due.)  It was the snippets that allowed to play the material in real time – and to notice – just notice – without judgment.  It was during a snippet, DHC began to translate bass-accompaniment-melody into a thunk-chunk-twinkle twinkle twinkle framework.  This allowed my brain to relax and not try to do anything more than that – whatever happened was ok.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I had to find my way into the course materials – more specifically – focus and coordination.  Once I realized I was trying to incorporate too many ideas at once, especially in my right hand, I needed a plan to untangle my thoughts so that my body would have the freedom to do what it needed to do.  My first plan of action…  Just listen to music! Let it play in the background and allow it wash over me!

Emotionally – Well, my eureka moment came as a result to listening to music. I heard something played – it was “Bag’s Groove.”  I thought – THAT’S IT!  That’s my way into the materials.  – just do that!  I heard it and was able to replicate it on the harp.  Heck, I didn’t even have to change the key!

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

I gave myself the freedom to NOT be creative.  Instead, I used a roadmap/an outline and followed the structure.  In doing so, I discovered what was there all along and what was working for me.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

One of my greatest challenges was having too many choices with my right hand melodic lines.  Every time I had a new melodic idea, my hand would attempt to play it – immediately.  The challenge was part focus and the other, coordination.  My brain kept spewing idea after idea after idea – all in one chorus (lol).  So I had to find a way to tame and calm my mind.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

I added more rhythm and quiet time into my life – feeling the pulse of life, more specifically the pulse of my life.   I began to embody the rhythms by adding more spontaneous movement as I walked around my place or outside.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

During half-baked coaching, DHC mentions I could also add “Bag’s Groove” to my “setlist.”  My thought was…  “Oh, you mean I could actually work on Bag’s Groove [for final beginning projects]?!! That’s a thought.   I was just using it as an exercise for half-bakes!  I was on my way to learn contemplative blues as my final beginning project.”  Then DHC says, ‘Well, you can have two.”

Big Aha  = Scrap what I thought would be my final project…  Do “Bag’s Groove” instead… And now have an added piece to my repertoire.  And not just any piece.  A piece I can groove with!!! [solecism intended]

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

I looked forward to uploading [this video].  It was the action of uploading a final project (and not so much the final project in and of itself.)  It was something I wanted to do, to complete, to share.

Whether you look at the video or decide to pass on it, thank you all for this great community.

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

Recording of Sous Chef performances. First 15 seconds is live performance at MC Octfest atop Sunset Grill with 25-30 mph winds – Conducive Conditions. The Studio recording is about 4.5 minutes – long song!

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

This course helped focus my understanding and exploration of the pattern and the pentatonic scale of this blues tune. The Blues Challenge loosened my grip on the form and inspired my improvisation and control of dynamics throughout the piece. The chat snippets also contributed to my improvisation.

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

The challenge of performing this piece was constant repetitive work on the balance and contrasts of expression, breathing space, and timing between the harp and voice. Because of the low bass, constant damping was necessary- using the damping as a strategy in expression and making transitions smooth is a continual practice. 

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Freedoms were letting loose my right hand to find common tone notes and chording as the left hand held steady the pattern – and doing that while singing. My blocks were self/critical judgement as I got looser and looser in the scale and octaves. I dont really know if the way I’m playing it works.

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

REmembering the sequence of lyrics was and still is a challenge. I think of it now as a story-play of flirting and seduction and that helps. Challenge number 2 the damping technique. The electric harp produces such low rumble, important to pay attention to and control.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

Patterns exist everywhere. In music, in behavior, in nature, in our social beings.  But it’s in music the awareness is now more acute for me and how I hear as well as interpret music. 

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Finding that my practice has become more focused on how to practice for performance.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

It’s messy and I can never do it the same way twice, a well 😉

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

made in response to a request to show left-hand ideas for The Butterfly Slip Jig. Er — Tell me if it piques your interest in Irish tunes! And if it’s interesting and engaging.  (Sally–someone said hey submit it so I did, but I’m not sure if you have too many already. If so, nvm me.)

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

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Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

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What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

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What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

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What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

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What were your personal “Ahas”?

I’m rather happy with a number of recordings I’ve made–now that I’m watching them after the fact. Not all obviously. But a few.

Is there anything else you want people to know when they watch your video?

Would you watch more of this kind of video if I made them?

Describe your final project so I know exactly what you’re sending me.

Applying blues scale to play along with the doors.

Describe your written materials – if there’s anything in particular you want to say about it to help people know what they’re looking at, add that here.

Just me having fun with the blues scale with the doors “la woman”

What principles from this course or from chats did you use to develop, perform, and record this project – and how did they play a part in your process?

The blues scale makes almost everything about this

Give a short description of what it took for you to be able to play what you did – both logistically and emotionally.

I just had to go for it and accept that time isn’t infinite.

What freedoms and blocks within yourself did you connect with (or struggle with) in the process?

Time and also time. The freedom of having my own schedule has both been liberating and difficult. I have a lot of freedom and many sets of keys and instruments to my devices. I love it but it can be a struggle to play them all. The 19 string harp a friend let me recently stopped holding a tune on middle C, hence I have nearly completely given up on playing it. I also really need to restring my 36 string harp. I’ve found that when I put in new nylon strings they need to be returned constantly or they get harder to keep a tune later? Is that just me or my harp? 

What challenges did you meet while connecting with your own freedom of expression in this project?

The harp difficulties listed and my time management and busy schedule but also just my own prioritization needs to be fixed. I need to reorganize my mind, my room, my life. I really want to acquire a nicer harp as soon as I can.

What other parts of your life were impacted by what you learned in this class, and how?

The community vibe in class had a really positive impact on me even though I wasn’t tremendously present it still left an encouraging and positive impact.

What were your personal “Ahas”?

Blues scale, 7 chords