Date & Time Activity Commentary Pictures with Captions

Thursday, Today I met with I didn’t realize that there

September 28, my project were so many different
2017 facilitator and filled types of strings, whether
1:30 pm-2:30 pm out the forms for different guitars or
1 hour required. We then made differently or
went to a guitar different widths, and I
store and he helped also didn’t know that
me to pick out what there were so many
kind of accessories different picks. I’m
(new strings, capo, excited to start learning
picks) I would need how to play guitar.
for my guitar. He Me and my project facilitator met at Ken
also taught me all Stanton and he helped me to find some good
the different parts strings and other accessories for my guitar.
of a guitar.
Saturday, October Today I spoke with I am really excited to
30, 2017 my facilitator over play the guitar and start
5:00-6:00 the phone and we really making progress,
1 hours decided on how I but I am also nervous
would go about because I just realized
learing guitar. We all of the different
decided that it things that go into
would be best to playing the guitar well.
learn chords
directed around a
specific song and
once I was good at
those chords goes
on to chord
switching and
strum patterns. We
also chose the song
Letters by Enter the
Haggis as my song.
Sunday, October Today I began I realized how very bad
1, 2017 learning 2 of the 4 I am at guitar and how
5:00-6:00 main chords I need hard fingering the
1 hours to learn (C and G) chords really is. You
and practiced have to be careful not to
playing those 2 mute any strings which
cleanly and also is made harder by my
practiced trying to really large hands, and
switch between the you also have to bend
2 chords your wrist a lot to finger
effectively. some chords which can . I am practicing guitar in this
be slightly painful. picture specifically a C, with my fingering
sheet in front of me to make sure I am playing
the chords correctly.
Thursday, October Today I practiced I realized just how bad
5, 2017 the 2 chords I have playing can hurt when
6:00-8:00 already learned and you play for a long time
In this picture I am practicing a G chord and
2 hours also learned 2 more and I also started to gain
switching between a G and an F, again looking
(F and a minor) and calluses. I’m nervous
practiced my about being able to
dexterity in switch chords quickly
 switching between but still excited and at my fingering sheet for reference.
all 4 of those confident that I will
chords. improve.

Tuesday, October Today I practiced My fingers are

10, 2017 the same four becoming more used to In this picture I am focusing on switching
6:00-7:00 chords that I have consistent playing and between the F chord and C chord quickly and
1 hour learned and my dexterity between cleanly.
practiced switching the C and F chords is
between the four good. G to anything
quickly. A large needs work but going to
part of learning G is relatively easy.
guitar, after
learning the chords,
is just developing
muscle memory in
switching, so it will
be a large part of
my practice.
Friday, October Today I again I’m realizing that my
20, 2017 practiced the four big hands and fingers
5:00-5:30 chords focusing make it really easy to
Half an hour mostly on the F accidentally mute
chord because right strings that I need to
now it is the most play, especially on an F.
unclear chord.
Monday, October Today I practiced I realized that keeping
23, 2017 playing my 4 beat and playing
6:30-7:30 chords and also syncopated rhythms
1 hour began practicing with my right hand is
some basic harder than I thought it
strumming patterns would have been.
with my right hand
at the same time.

In this picture I am
practicing a G chord and starting to try and
practice some simple strumming patters.
Friday, October Today I quickly I’m realizing that I need
27, 2017 practiced the four to play with proper
7:00-7:30 chords and resumed form, so I do not form
Half an hour practicing bad habits in my
switching between playing.
the 4 especially C
and G going both
ways.
Friday, November Today I practiced I’m realizing that having
3, 2017 my four chords and a tempo to keep with a
5:00-6:00 switching them strumming pattern
1 hour while also trying to rushes me on my chord
keep a steady changes and they need
beat/strumming to be quicker and
pattern with my smoother.
right hand.
Thursday, Today I mainly I am pleased with my
November 9, 2017 focused on progress as I can start to
6:00-7:00 strumming patters play (although no too
1 hour and being more well) some basic chord
consistent while progressions for songs.
also trying to
switch between
multiple chords.

In this picture I am
practicing an F chord and trying to switch
between an F and G chord cleanly and quickly
while keeping my strumming consistent.
Tuesday, Today I practiced The G chord is the
November 14, on the G chord farthest from all of my
2017 7:00-7:30 individually and other chords because it
30 minutes made sure that my doesn’t have the anchor
fingering was clean that all my other chords
and that I was not have in common, but I
muting any strings realized on its own it is
with my fingers one of, if not the, easiest
while I played. chords to play.
Thursday, Today I practiced The C chord is a
November 23, just the C chord and relatively easy chord,
2017 made sure that it but I realized that I had
7:00-8:00 was clean and not been muting the 4th
1 hour muted in any places string a few times and
while I played. accidentally not muting
the 6th string like I am
supposed to.

This is a picture of
my playing my song in my front room for some
family members. I am currently playing a C
chord
Friday, December Today I went back I realized just how
8, 2017 to the G and C for complex the strumming
6:00-7:00 just a few minutes pattern gets during the
1 hour and then put the chorus, especially
rest of my time into during the second verse
focusing on the when there is a pause
strumming pattern then a sudden pickup.
in the song.
Tuesday, Today I decided to I realized that although
December 12, focus my time on the Am and G are the
2017 the Am chord two easiest chords I
7:30-8:00 which was must play, they are also
30 minutes relatively easy to the furthest apart and
do so I also therefore the hardest to
practiced the switch play after one another
between the Am which happens
and the G consistently throughout
the song.
Wednesday, Today I practiced I realized today that
December 20, individually on the although the F and C are
2017 F chord and the closest chords I
6:00-7:00 specifically on have, they are still
1 hour switching from the difficult because the
C to the F. switch usually makes
me accidentally mute at
least one string in each
chord.
Wednesday, Today I practiced I realized today how I
December 27, with the song accidentally slow down
2017 playing in the and pause during some
5:00-6:00 background so I of the rougher
1 hour could try to get transitions rather than
used to the tempo keeping a steady tempo
and how quick which I will have to
some of the chord work on.
changes really are.

This is another
picture of my practicing the guitar, I am
currently strumming a G.
Tuesday, January Today I quickly ran I found out that even
2, 2018 through the song a when I don’t play some
5:30-6:00 couple of times chords perfectly enough
30 minutes with no specific important notes come
focuses. out and it still makes
sense in the song, so I
shouldn’t focus too
much on fixing but on
what the next chord is. I
also realized that the
song gets repetitive and
 slightly awkward
without someone
singing along.
Friday, January 5, Today I again just I realized that even
2018 took some time to though singing along
6:00-6:30 practice the song all helps to fill in some of
30 minutes the way through the space left without
and I’m also drums/bass guitar etc. it
learning the lyrics makes it even harder to
and notes for follow the strumming
singing the song patter and I will have to
while I play. practice more if I want
to try and sing while I
play in my presentation.

This is an image of my project facilitator Tolik

Sirotinsky after one of his performances with a
church group