Reflection: Week 7: 27 February – 2 March 2012

Topic (Theory Class): Performing 12 bar Blues

Reflection Question: How do I practice and apply my 12 bar blues at home?

I haven’t once practiced my 12 bar blues composition at home because there were a lot of assessments due on the same week. However, since I always come to school early, I practiced my 12 bar blues every time after I arrived at school. After the practices, I feel that what have been taught in theory class were important, especially on how to apply the rests when playing the instrument. I also still encounter difficulty to follow the accompaniment. Nonetheless, I made those practices effective by record them so that I can compare in which aspects I have been and not been well, and which ones I should improve.

Instrument class

I practiced my 12 bar blues in the instrument class. However, I haven’t asked for my instrument teacher regarding on his thoughts about my performances because I haven’t showed my playing to him. Nonetheless, I feel some improvements with my playing. I didn’t stop a lot in the middle of playing the composition.

Practice Videos
1.   Improvisation

During the class, my instrument teacher has taught me how to improvise using blues scale. He said that we can play any notes when improvising using blues scale, as long as the notes that we play are notes on blues scale. I think I've done well in improvisation since I feel that the improvisation I did on the practice above is good to hear. I will practice more on improvisation to gain my skill on how to apply it on instruments.


2. A blues scale

After playing B blues scale on last 2 weeks, this time I tried to play A blues scale. Although it was the first time I play blues scale, I didn't encounter any difficulty and even I only did a minor mistake on 0:51. Looking at last 2 practices on blues scale, I think I am quite fast in learning scales. Thus, I would like to play other blues scales on the practice next week.