5 Weeks in teaching gives me a lot of experience and entertainment. The students made a lot of fun and good in learning. Although I'm still not very satisfied with my teaching as there still got something which I need to alter and arrange it properly. However, I feel a great proud of myself that I finally had acheived something which I thought that I wouldn't able to acheive - which is involving in music part again.. I will not forget this in my life that brings a lot of enjoyable fun to me. To me, this has became a history.
Below are activities which I teached for my lovely students:-
Week 3, 26/10/05 , Wednesday
The first class was allocated at venue 700 and started from 4.30 to 6.00 p.m. The main purpose of this first class was to introduce the objectives of music composing class and what sort of activities and assignments will be given to students from time to time.
Besides that, I was responsible to tell the students about the major events that have been planned by our music club committees for the next semester. I explained to them about when and what are actually those events for. Those events include Utar Star Search 2006, Music Composing Competition and Musical Night. Next, I also told them about the courses that we will cover started from today until week 6.
After this, students were asked to introduce themselves. This is to understand and evaluate what are their strengths and weakness in term of music. Next, students were assigned to a position which they think they want to be. Positions include songwriter, musical instrument player, or singer. They were then grouped into minimum 3 people and maximum 6 people. Each group was required to think about their band name. The purpose of getting into group is to keep coordinating and collaborating with their teammates to achieve a set of goals.
Next, I basically told them what is the actual sound recorded for a CD compared to other sound format that we listened, for instance the difference between mp3 and wave format. Lastly, I introduced to them software called Adobe Audition 1.5. It is a kind of home recording software which can teach them to compose a song.
Week 4, 02/11/05, Wednesday
Holiday (Hari Raya) – No activities was held for this week.
Week 5, 10/11/05, Wednesday
This week I had changed the style of teaching. I would prefer to use sharing technique rather than just teaching. Students are encouraged to participate in the class and give some feedback. Since there were many new comers in this class, I introduced myself what was my background and what was my experience in music. I also showed them my masterpiece of my song which I created from year 1998 until the latest time. This is to convince them that they would learn many useful and practical things from me in terms of composing music.
I introduced them some useful websites which provides a lot of news and local production songs created by local composers. They can also post their questions inside the forum to get the answer from local composers. At the same time, I also introduced them some great notes and books which I would use it as part of my teaching lessons.
Next, I also reminded them that the class has limitation. We are lack of trainers and instruments which would probably cost a lot of money that we could not afford to get it. Therefore, the only way to minimize the budget we have is to do home recording. It is kind of do-it-yourself (DIY) recording.
Besides, I also told the students how basically the flow of final products is made. Before finished the class, each of students is asked to find two lyrics together with song which they think that it is good and terrible for them. They need to come out the reason of why they selected them. This small assignment will then be presented by next week activity.
Week 6, 16/11/05, Wednesday
The class was allocated at venue 804 and started from 4.00 to 5.30p.m. Student was invited to go out and present their selected two songs which I told them to prepare last week. After the presentation, I used their lyric as my teaching lesson today. By looking the lyric, I gave them a clear picture of how to structure the song lyric. Notes prepared by me were then presented by using projector. Important notice about creating songs, tips on writing song also been given to them. Few examples were shown to them so that they would have a clear understanding of what it actually means. I also recommended them to follow the rhyming and syllable pattern that usually being used by musician.
Students are also got a chance to participate with small activity. Few students are requested to come out and fill in the song structure of the particular lyric. For example, they need to allocate where intro, verse, chorus, bridge, and others were. At the same time, they were listened to the song before allocating the song structure accordingly.
I also told them what are the requirements and expectation of listener and musician in current trend in terms of lyrics. I also make a clear differentiation between the poem and lyric so that students would have a more understanding of the differences and would not make the mistake when writing lyric.
Lastly, I started introducing the Adobe Audition software. In order to make them used to it, I explain certain functions that normally being used and told them to go back and try the software. Due to lack of time, I finished the class after finished telling the functions of the software.
Week 7, 23/11/05, Wednesday
The class was reallocated at venue 703 due to closing at venue 802. The class started from 4.00 to 5.30 p.m. The first thing I taught was what type of sound formats are used in song composing. For example, sound formats like mp3, wav and midi. I explained each of them clearly and the differences. Next, I explained the meaning of sample rate.
Next, I also taught them how to use sound effects when necessary. I also told them when and where the sound effects can be allocated. I also played some examples to them so that they would have a clear understanding of what I meant.
After this, I started demonstrating the Adobe Audition software. Software was presented by using a projector so that students would have clear picture of how the software is running. Today, I emphasized in recording the sound part. Volume setting was also been taught so that they know how the mike got connected correctly. Next, I asked two students to be my player and singer. Both were important to record their sounds. After that I explain carefully the waveform that was generated by them. Lastly, I taught them how to save the file.
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