Iris

=Iris Hung =

Guitar 11 //"One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words."// -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

My life? I think so.

I've played guitar for about 7 months, 5 of them with a mentor. I like to read and write and walk and dream about anything that pleases me. Catch me staring out the window? I'm not sleeping with my eyes open (though I //can// do that, especially in Spanish class), I'm just thinking. I love music; listening to underground artists, mainstream successes, and ancient classical masterpieces, or twinkling (or banging) away on my family grand piano, or sitting in a quiet corner with my guitar, those moments are my favourite.

My blog: [] If you want to read about my 5 month adventure learning to play the guitar, click on "In-Depth 2011" under "Categories" on the right panel.

Blackbird by The Beatles Fast Car by Tracy Chapman Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Bubbly by Colbie Caillat Take a Minute by K'naan Lucky by Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz I'm Yours by Jason Mraz any song that belongs to Jason Mraz :) Nowhere by Joel Plaskett Jimmie's Still Jimmie by Joel Plaskett Count on Me by Bruno Mars The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars I'll Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie Good Riddance by Green Day Said the Whale <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Girl by City and Colour <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Dispatch <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Sara Bareilles <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Vincent by Don McLean <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">I'll Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
 * <span style="color: #028bb6; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Songs I like: **

<span style="color: #7603c9; font-family: georgia,serif;">media type="youtube" key="Ar0bmGshhTs" height="315" width="560" media type="youtube" key="YNFIBLVM7iA?version=3" height="315" width="560" media type="youtube" key="GxQ9HS7Ao1I?version=3" height="315" width="560"

Goals for Guitar: Learn at least a song a week. Get tips for strumming and finger-picking techniques. Have a good time! :)

<span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week One: Blackbird by The Beatles <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Two: [|Count on Me] by Bruno Mars <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Three: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Four: Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Five: Good Riddance by Green Day <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Six: Half of my Heart by John Mayer <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Seven: Own Side by Caitlin Rose <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Eight: **Genre- 90's** I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, This I Promise you by N-Sync, Something, As Long as You Love Me by BackStreet Boys <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Nine and Ten: Individual- The Girl by City and Colour. Group- All About You by McFly <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Eleven: Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Twelve: **Genre- Christmas** Here It Is Merry Christmas by Slade <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Thirteen and Fourteen: untitled. by Iris Hung <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Fifteen: The General by Dispatch <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week Sixteen and Seventeen: Cha-Ching (Music Video) by Hedley
 * <span style="color: #ef4de7; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Weekly Recording/ Performance: **

<span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Something in the Air by Tom Petty <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sweet Home Alabama by Lynryd Skynrd <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Clocks by Coldplay <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stand by Me by Ben E. King <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ode to Joy by L. v. Beethoven <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eight Days a Week by The Beatles <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let in Be by The Beatles <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jingle Bells <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wonderwall by Oasis <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Good Feeling by Flo.rida
 * <span style="color: #0b0be5; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Songs we learned in class: **

Reflection Q&A's: 1. The individual performances that I was most proud of would be "Count on Me" in Week 2, "Details in the Fabric" in Week 11, and the song I wrote myself. "Count on Me" was my first performance, and that's always very exciting. I really got to learn "Details in the Fabric" well and play it as it sounded in Jason Mraz's recording. I remember only being able to learn the first bar of music on the first day, but when I got it right, the rest of the song just came along. At first I though writing my own song would be awful, but I ended up really enjoying the process and I was proud to play my song at the end of the two weeks. My favourite group performances were "Falling Slowly" because it was our first performance together, "Half of my Heart" because we added little bits and pieces of our own, and our Cha-ching MV because it was alot of fun to make.

2. The performance I like least would probably be "The Girl" because I never did manage to play it at the level of City and Colour's sound. A lot of his plucking and strumming is spontaneous, and that is something I still have to get comfortable with.

3. I really improved on playing bar chords. I used to think I was physically incapable at reaching bar chords, but now I can play whole songs made only of bar chords. I've also gotten to play a lot of songs with finger picking, which I really enjoy. I've also learned to pick out tabs myself, and that something I'll use for the rest of my life.

4. I'll probably just continue playing on my own and see where that goes.

5. We sang along with Leslie for her song "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

6. My favourite part of this class was the fact that we were able to work at our own pace and level. I loved how we could go into the cafeteria to practice songs that we wanted to play. Most of all, it's really exciting to look back and see how much I've learned over the course. I don't think I would change anything about this course... the final project is really cool too. :)