Google Experiences

One Last Post!

First of all, I'm really glad that we did these Google projects. I saw so many incredibly creative projects and ones that seems even professional. And I learned a lot of new things about my classmates as well, overall it was just a super fun, but super educational experience that I feel all bands, if they can afford to put this in their schedule, should try! With my project, I developed a much greater respect for flute players and other players in general. I do not think I will be continuing to play flute though:) But overall, great experience that I feel very grateful and thankful Mr. Matthys gave us this opportunity.

-Sammy Wong

Independent Practice 2+ Filming

We took about 60 takes, 3 of them we both could actually play through the whole song. It was stressful at times; when one of us was doing great the other couldn't get the notes out, and vise versa! But it was kind of fun at the same time! You could tell from our recordings that overall, each take we took our tones sounded better and better! The final take we chose does have some squeaking to it and a few wrong notes, but it was the best we could do, and I'm very proud of it!:) Brings back so many memories, we sound exactly like a beginning band!!

-Sammy

Google Day 7

Sorry my posts are all really late! (It feels as though remembering to post on our blog is harder than actually learning a whole new instrument!!!) But this was the day we could finally play through the whole song, nonstop, without any of us dropping out halfway! And yes! One of our classmates (a flute player) told us she could identify, out of all the squeaking, tuning issues, and much slowed speed, that it was in fact Jinglebells! (quite the accomplishment!) But she told me that my tuning needed A LOT of working on.

-Sammy

Independent Practice

I went over to Jessica's house and we practiced like crazy! After awhile, I started to get lightheaded from all that huffing and puffing. I really applaud Jessica for all the lung capacity she has!!! I use to think the clarinet took a lot of air, but the flute is much worse!! I definitely now have much more respect for flute players:) Jinglebells is coming along!

-Sammy

Google Day 6

We finally are starting to get the hang of Jinglebells! I'm finally starting to get the hang of how to blow into the flute and can correctly position the flute on my chin every single time! Now all I need to work on is fingering and tone...

-Sammy

Independent Practice 2+ Filming

Today Sammy came over and we rehearsed Jingle Bells a couple of times! We then proceeded to start filming, and we filmed it multiple times and chose the best one! Overall, I think there was a tremendous amount of improvement (considering that in the beginning I couldn't even get the notes out), and I really began to enjoy playing the clarinet! It's not everyday that I get to try out a new instrument, so I am very thankful for the opportunity!

-Jessica Lee

Google Day 7

Sorry that this blog post is roughly 2 weeks late! Keeping track of a blog actually takes a lot of thought!! Anyways, Sammy and I were able to go through the whole piece of Jingle Bells without stopping, and although there were MANY MANY tuning issues, one of the students who heard us could tell what song it was! (Thankfully).

-Jessica Lee

Independent Practice

Yesterday (Sunday, November 27) Sammy came over to my house so we could work on our Google project some more! We were finally able to make it through the whole piece! YAY! Even though there were a few squeaks here and there, and the occasional wrong note, the majority of the song ACTUALLY sounded like what it was supposed to!


-Jessica Lee

Google Day 6

Yesterday we had out sixth google day! Yay! As you know, Sammy and I have been learning "Jingle Bells", and it is beginning to sound somewhat like the actual song! We (slowly, but surely) have been learning and memorizing all of the notes and fingerings. I was actually beginning to get the hang of playing the clarinet until Sammy saw my embouchure and gasped in horror... :( So, I had to play it again with the "correct" embouchure and sure enough, I was back to squeaking... Oh well! I will soon get the hang of it! At least I have all of the notes memorized! :)

-Jessica Lee

Google Day 5

Hello! Yeah, we decided Silent Night was waaay too hard to memorized so we decided to pick a Christmas song from our old Red books!! So far we learn the notes, but then right after we tend to forget them. I learned that compared to the clarinet, the flute's keys feel random and not natural. And we decided that instead of playing infront of the class live when we perform our piece, we are going to make a powerpoint and record ourselves playing to show to the class. That way we won't mess up as much under the pressure of the the watchful eyes of our classmates and our band director!!

Google Day 5!

Sorry that this post is overdue! Today we decided to pick a new song because "Silent Night" was just too hard... But don't worry! Our new song still fits in with the whole Christmas theme that's going on! We've decided to play "Jingle Bells" (and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas if time permits...). We were able to learn the first couple of lines and my constant squeaking has gone down tremendously! Sammy is able to memorize all of the fingerings for the notes quickly as well! Overall, we made great progress! :)

~Jessica Lee

Google Day 4!

Today, Sammy and I picked out a song to perform. It's none other than the holiday classic: "Silent Night". As of right now, it's a go-with-the-flow type of process (as in we're learning the notes as we go). Sammy and I have learned the first line of the song and aside from our terrible tone (and my constant squeaking), it's coming along! We should (hopefully) have it in no time! :)

~Jessica Lee

Google Day 4

Hello! Successful day! Jessica and I picked out our song we will play for our presentation which is Silent Night. It is a stretch but our goals are high and we are hoping for the best! Today I taught Jessica the first 4 measures of the song and vise versa. Our tones are HORRIBLE. BUT we are getting the notes out (sort of) and when playing for a fellow band member, he could identify the song we were playing, which is always a good thing! My biggest problem is I keep switching from the high notes to the low notes as I play. I need to control my blowing and not blow as hard. But after awhile I got the hang of it! (sort of) Jessica is getting the hang of blowing into the clarinet and though the first note is hard for her to get out, she has the fingering down!

-Sammy

Google Day 3

Sorry! My computer has been having some technical difficulties with the internet BUT I am fin ally starting to get some notes out of the flute! High notes seem to be more easier for me, being use to blowing hard on the clarinet, but my low notes, though takes a bit more time to get out, sound good too!

Google Day 3

Today Sammy learned how to play middle B flat, middle C, and middle D. And, she also learned how to play high B flat, high C, and high D. She is off to a great start and will be an expert in no time!

-Jessica Lee

Day 2: The Basics

Today Jessica learned how to hold the clarinet properly, how to wet her reed, and how to place the reed on the clarinet properly. One problem that she keeps facing (likewise as I did when I first started playing) is that she wants to create the embouchure an oboe player would (both lips placed on the mouthpiece when the correct placement is top teeth on the mouthpiece bottom lip on the reed) At the end of the day, Jessica did get the right embouchure and even could muster up a few notes! I was suprised at how fast Jessica could play a C and G and I am excited for our next Google day!

-Sammy

Day 1: The Basics

Today I taught Sammy how to use the head joint of the flute. Sammy looks very promising! Right off the bat, Sammy was able to make the basic noise needed for playing the flute. Next up is my turn to learn the clarinet! Let's just hope that it will go smoothly...

-Jessica Lee