A189533

AUGUST 1st, 2024

What Have I Done ?

Having the chance to learn the piano professionally has always been my "American dream". As a self-taught player for years, I craved to enroll in a setting of class where I am able to learn the musical skill systemically under a proper guidance. On the 1st of August, I finally had a dream come true moment having my first piano lesson at Yamaha Claris Music SDN BHD located in Sunway Velocity Mall, Cheras. It was held on a one-to-one basis with a close supervision from their line-up of esteemed instructors. Mine is Sir Izul, a really experienced piano player having taught a lot of students and prodigies before ! It was a 45-minute session and my tutor introduced me to the foundation of piano as well as practicing some sight readings over popular beginner songs namely Brother John & Carousel.

What Points Should I Take Home ?

From Week 1, I have elicited some points to ponder upon ! Those are :

i. Humility

-Even though I have experience playing the piano before, also having grasped the components of Music Theory, I learned the importance of staying grounded and humble before people who are far more knowledgeable than us. It's the key to acquiring knowledge no matter how great we think we are !

ii. Patience

-Learning a musical skill definitely comes with a cost of patience. It might look easy from the first glance but every so often reality is always the other way around. I personally went through this experience from having to practice playing the songs unfamiliar to me, step-by-step !

What Did I Feel ? What Were My Thoughts ?

At first, I was a bit nervous because this was my first time joining a legitimate piano lesson. I was unsure whether or not my readily-available knowledge will suffice me to survive the class ! "Will I be expected to play pieces from Mozart or Beethoven ?" "What if I mess up ? Will that disappoint my teacher ?". These were ones amongst many that lingered in my mind the entire time rendering me feeling restless !

That being said, I definitely could not deny the fact that I was really hyped up and looking forward to the class. Possibilities are endless !

Did I Experience Any Difficulties & How Did I Cope ?

Nothing in this world is easy, especially on the first attempt. I had my difficulties too ! Because I am a self-taught player, the way I approached the piano was more towards on how I feel. I'll learn any components I want, when I want it, and how I want it. There's no flow or system. So when I actually had to conform to one like in the class, it made me a bit awkward !

The way I tackled this was by humbling myself down and asking a lot of questions to Sir Izul, making sure I was on the right track. I tried to erase the so-called "experienced player" in me and started fresh as though a total beginner. That may sound goofy but I'm telling you it did help with my progress ! I felt like absorbing the knowledge was much easier and faster.

2 Words To Describe My EP Progress So Far

i. Exciting

ii. Eye-Opening

What Is My Plan For W2 ?

My only goal this week before the next class is to practice, practice and practice ! I would like to put into practical all the things that have been taught to me from W1 as well as practicing the next concept beforehand so when I show up to the class, it will be a smooth sailing to the shore !

Practice Makes Perfect :)

A189533

AUGUST 1st, 2024

A187863

28/ 07/ 2024 - 03/ 08/ 2024

What have you done?

I've embarked on an exciting journey of guitar learning at Excel Music Studio, located at Paya Terubong. 1st of August was my first session in learning guitar with my instructor, Mr. Melvin. My class started with understanding the various parts of guitar and the way of holding it appropriately and comfortably. This week has been all about diving into the basics, specifically focusing on playing the E minor and C chords. Since I am a complete beginner, my tutor has been incredibly patient, showing me the precise finger positions needed for each chord. The highlight of my week was learning to play a verse of a song and sing along using these two chords under the expert guidance of my tutor.

Points to remember from week 1!

Through my first guitar lesson, I realized that learning to play the guitar is much harder than I anticipated. Even though I've only just begun with the basics, focusing on the E minor and C chords, it is clear that improvement will only come with consistent practice. Besides that, I found it challenging due to the discomfort of stretching my fingers and pain from pressing down on the strings. Despite these difficulties, I know that perseverance and regular practice are the keys to getting better.

Your feelings & thoughts

So far, my guitar learning experience has been rewarding, thanks to the encouraging guidance of my tutor and the satisfaction of finally being able to play a verse of a song. The support from my tutor has made the journey enjoyable.

Any difficulties/ concerns? How did you cope?

I initially faced difficulties with pressing the strings because of the pain and the unclear sound produced. However, with my tutor's guidance on proper finger positioning, I was able to cope and improve.

2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

Painful.

Exciting.

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

Next week, I will be learning rhythm and various strumming patterns. I will also learn the other new chords: G and D. My goal is to integrate these chords and hopefully play a complete song.

NICHOLAS OUN ZHUO KAI

A187902

1.8.2024

What have you done?

I have been learning how to play the simple chords of the guitar, mainly on the E minor chord and C chord this week. I have been taught how to position my fingers to press onto the strings since I have had no basics on the guitar before these classes. Upon learning these two chords, I have been taught how to play a short song using these two chords with the guidance of my guitar tutor. It has been hard for me at first but through multiple times of practicing within the 2 hours of class I have eventually managed to play the song consisting of these two chords.

Points to remember from week 1!

Through my first lesson of guitar, I found out that playing the guitar is extremely difficult. Although this first lesson of guitar just dwells on the two chords which are the E minor and C chords, it's just clear to me that I can only get better with practice. Besides, I also found it hard because of the ache and discomfort I have experienced while pressing onto the strings of the guitar. It's quite evident that I can only improve with practice!

Your feelings & thoughts

So far it has been a good experience with the encouraging guidance from my tutor and also due to the satisfaction of having to finally play a short song with the guitar. Although it's just a short song with two chords, it's quite exhilarating to be able to finish it off within the first lesson.

Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

I experienced discomfort and pain while pressing onto the strings of the guitar, but I managed to cope with the guidance from my tutor as to how to position my fingers correctly in a more comfortable way.

2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

Very exciting.

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

Next week I shall be learning two more new chords which are the D chord and G chord. I also plan to integrate these chords I have learned into a longer and complete song.

A189694

29th of July 2024 until 4th of July 2023

What have you done?

I have chosen to learn electric guitar in M3 Studio & Music Academy located in my hometown, Alor Setar. 29th of July was the first day of my elective posting, which i had my first physical guitar lesson from my instructor, Mr. Chan, a very experienced and friendly guitarist. He first asked me to play what i know so far to find out the level I'm in as well as to work on my weaknesses. The way he conducted the teaching was different from most teachers as he taught me the basic and intermediate skills of guitar through songs instead of the other way round, as his philosophy is to let me taste the dish firsthand before learning how to cook, then we can learn the ingredients of the dish and how to cook it. With that I'll be able to get a taste of different genres of music in this short elective posting. The class was a 1-hour session, which he introduced me a song called Silhouette by KANA-BOON. I've learn basic electric guitar techniques through this song, for instance, power chords, artificial harmonics, rhythmic picking, hammer-on and pull-offs. Most importantly, he taught me how to correctly hold a guitar pick for faster guitar picking. I continued to practice on the song for 1 hour daily for the rest of the first week until i was able to play the entire song on a normal speed.

Points to remember from week 1!

i. patience

Guitar practice takes a lot of time, which i did at least 1 hour each day in order to master the song given as a task by my instructor in a week. I find it tough for my fingers to adapt to fast playing and it is frustrating at times. However, i know with patience and time, I'm confident i can master any song.

ii. discipline

It may not seem very exciting to have to follow a schedule when it comes to guitar but a little discipline will go a long way. It requires some discipline in me to allocate at least 1 hour a day to practice my guitar as that ensures me that I'm making progresses everyday. The progresses i made each day is a reward to me and i find that very encouraging too.

Your feelings & thoughts

I was certainly feeling excited on the first day of my guitar lesson as learning to play electric guitar has always been my dream and now it has come true. Besides, I was happy that I'm learning in Mr. Chan's music center, as he is a fun guy and a dedicated teacher, which makes the whole guitar learning process very enjoyable.

Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

Yes, the adversity i faced was mostly in mastering the techniques of the song I was given to practice throughout the week. It is a fast paced song and to no one's surprise, my fingers dexterity was just not enough to make that leap. Nevertheless, i was discipline with my practices and i was a able to find the causes that were holding me back through my etiological thinking. It was mainly because of my weak little finger on my left hand and also the slow fingerpicking of the right hand that resulted in slow playing. As i expected, through regular finger exercise practice with a metronome, my right forearm gained a lot more stamina and my fingers were stronger which allowed me to play faster than i used to be. From this, i learned that practice does not make perfect but perfect practice makes perfect.

2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

- amazing

- fruitful

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

I was able to master all the techniques taught by my teacher in week 1 through plenty of practice. I will address my difficulties in playing fast to my instructor so that he can suggest me ways to improve on my speed. Overall, I will keep up the drive and my passion in mastering more techniques in guitar for week 2 as well as applying what i have learn in week 1 for the following weeks.

A189451

2nd August, 2024

What have you done?

I have embarked on a journey to learn a musical instrument called piano at Yamaha Center located at Wangsa Maju. 2nd of August was my first session in learning piano with my instructor named Mr. Kho Lay Khar. He is very passionate about piano and I can tell by the way he teaches me various things with immense knowledge. He teaches me how to read the piano sheets and what certain notes indicate. I learned a few names which are minim, dotted minim and crochet. I have been taught the key positions and how the pedal functions. Personally, I think the pedal adds a beautiful tone to any key notes I play as it prolongs the beautiful musical sound that makes it seem any song you play can be a lullaby. My first piano song was a classical Lavender’s Blue Willard A. Palmer, Morton Manus, and Amanda Vick Lethco. I first heard this song in a live performance of Cinderella in Sydney and it moved my heart in various ways. I learned how to position myself correctly and play the right key notes with the help of my instructor. Playing the right tempo is crucial in order to produce a beautiful lullaby and pressing the pedal at the right time produces perfect synchronization.

Point to remember in week 1!

Through my first piano class session, I realized that learning to read piano sheets is much harder that I anticipated. To be able to synchronize all ten delicate fingers while reading the piano sheets and figuring out what every key note indicates takes abundant practice and patience. I learned many important chords such as the G major chord and D7 chord. I also learned to play the piano sheets with both hands so that it synchronizes beautifully. I learned that with patience, I can play anything beautifully.

Your feelings & thought

Musical instruments have been a part of my life since I was 7. I initially took piano lessons when I was small but I still had trouble playing piano using piano sheets therefore I was more keen to play piano by ear. I mastered the piano by ear and I forgot how to play the piano using piano sheets. Therefore, I’m immensely grateful that I can finally learn to play my favorite instrument with the piano sheets and truly understand what every note means and the correct way to play it. To be able to master a song brings me so much joy that my house is constantly filled with classical piano songs all around the clock. To be able to master my favorite classical piano song, Lavender’s Blue, brings me to the moon and I am beyond excited for the next session.

Any difficulties/concerns? How do you cope? 

I initially faced difficulties with learning how to read the piano sheets while synchronizing my hands to play the precise key notes. However, with Mr. Kho Lay Khar’s guidance and multiple at home practice sessions, I could play Lavender’s Blue song with perfection. 

2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

I. Exciting

II. Favorite

Your plan for the next week (Week 2)

Next week, I’ll be learning to play multiple new songs involving crescendo and decrescendo. I shall also learn beforehand how to play piano, mezzoforte, and forte for the next session.

A187916

02\08\2024

What have you done? 

For my elective posting, I have decided to take guitar lessons in Ziaf Music Class located in Kulai, Johor and I was guided by Sir Faiz as my instructor. In my first guitar class, my tutor asked me to learn about basic keys, timing and also rhythm. This required me to hum to the correct key provided by him. This is just to test my knowledge in basic music and keys. We also practice on simple basics of timing and rhythm by practicing counting beats and measures to keep time while playing. After that, I learned some parts of the guitar to understand the names and functions of various parts of the guitar, such as the body, neck, headstock, fretboard, bridge, and tuning pegs. Later, I also practiced on basic finger placement such as which fingers to use on which frets and how to press the strings down properly to produce clear notes. I also did some finger exercises by repeatedly picking guitar with each string on each fret. In this session, my tutor explored some weaknesses that I can improve for the next session such as I need to practice more in finger movement as I had difficulty in pressing down the strings and coordinating my finger movement. 

Points to remember from week 1!

1. Consistency- I believe in order to play well I have to keep practicing regularly and aim to practice every day even for short sessions to help build muscle memory and make it easier to progress. 

2. Be patient- learning guitar is quite difficult for me as I don’t have any basics of playing guitar before this and it takes a lot of time for me to adapt with it. So, I think it is very important for me to be patient and take it slow in order to stay focused. It is also important to take time to adjust my techniques especially in strumming and pressing the chords. 

Your feelings & thoughts 

At first, actually I felt so nervous as this is my first time learning it but somehow in the middle of lessons, I quite enjoyed it and it was a very good experience to learn it properly from my tutor. At the same time, I also doubt myself as it is so difficult to learn how to play guitar but as I said i need to be patient and also take my time to adapt with it. 

Any difficulties/concerns? How did you cope?

I think the most difficult part is how my fingers hurt so bad ((😭😭)) from repeatedly pressing the strings in order to produce a clear sound. I had so much difficulty in placing out my fingers especially my last pinky fingers and it frustrated me. However, my tutor gave a lot of advice on how to properly press the strings such as it is better to press it in the middle of the fret and how to properly hold the neck of the guitar so that i can move my fingers easier. My tutor also helps me to improve my rhythm by using a metronome so that I can take my time to strum and pick the guitar.

2 words to describe elective posting progress so far

Exciting and Fundamental 

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

My plan for next week is to familiarize myself with finger practice and mastering the finger movement easily with correct sound produced. I also plan to learn some basic chords such as C and G, as well as able to play a simple song using these chords.

A189130

August 1st 2024

What have you done?

For this elective posting I have decided to start learning piano. One of the reasons that influence my decisions are I am an avid music listener. I love listening to myriad of genre and exploring musics. So I thought it will be good to start learning any of instrument and the first thing that came up on my mind is piano . Piano seems interesting and I think learning it will be quite a challenge. So for the first class I learn what’s the basic finger position on the piano keys and how to read a music sheets and basic notes . As for me I never learn any musical instrument before in my life so it’s quite exciting and challenging. But it is quite okay cause I just need to play left and right hand separately.

Points to remember for week 1!

For the first lesson I feel it is important to know the correct initial position of the 10 fingers on the key and basic to read and play notes. I do find it’s quite difficult to learn but after some times I become accustomed to it .

Your feeling and thoughts .

I feel exciting and fun as I got to learn the instrument and I wish I could play more fluidly without looking and the music sheet and ponder what kind of notes is it on the sheets.

Any difficulties /concern .? How did you cope ?

I feel quite tired after the session but it’s mostly cause of my hand is not accustomed to the position of the piano keys. But I think with more practice it will go away .

2 Words to describe elective posting progress so far

-fun

-exciting

Your plan for next week (Week 2)

I plan to practice more so I could read music sheets without thinking much about it.