SMART Goal Project

SUMMARY

Focus / Instrument

Bass Guitar

Intention (SMART Goal)

By May 5, I will learn the pre-chorus of the song Seaskape by Toru Minegishi on bass, by following Seaskape (bass cover) and these TABS for my April SMART Goal. It’s a fast-paced song, so I’m hoping it will help me to play more efficiently, with smoother fretboard movements. I will work on this goal during the first 10 minutes of class, and at home with my own bass.

PRE-PRODUCTION – INQUIRY

Leader(s) in the Field / Exemplary Work(s)

Geddy Lee is the bassist for the band Rush and one of my favorite bassists in general. He’s an incredibly talented musician, with a distinctive playing style that first inspired me to pick up the instrument, along with his ability to proficiently play rhythmic bass lines while juggling lead vocals and synthesizer work.

Training Source(s)

 

SMART Goal Schedule

From March 14th to 16th, I worked on playing the song with tab reference until I had it committed to memory. From then I worked on my technique, practicing quicker fret movements at a starting BPM of 50, and working my way up to faster speeds. On April 12th, I began practicing contextual interference, by playing without looking at the fretboard at a BPM of 86.

PRODUCTION

SMART Goal Starting Point Evidence

(4/11/23)

SMART Goal Ending Point Evidence

(5/11/23)

POST-PRODUCTION – REFLECTION

21st Century Skills

Ways of Thinking (Creativity, Innovation, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving)

The original tabs I notated for this song proved to be pretty difficult for me to play due to my small hands. I had to change them around a bit to ease the strain and get the corresponding frets closer together. I also had to work to minimize the amount of excess noise during my playing, like using my non-plucking fingers to keep certain strings still.

Ways of Working (Communication & Collaboration)

I worked mostly by myself, so I didn’t do a lot of collaboration. Communicating was difficult, as I’ve always had difficulty asking for help, but this session I tried to push myself to do so more often. I think it’s helped me to do so in a lower-stakes environment like School of Rock.

Tools for Working (Info & Media Literacy)

While my Musescore reference for my song was in staff notation, I primarily referenced a tabs translation of it (“E4” for G#, “D2” for E, etc.) instead of playing from the sheet music. For whatever I end up playing next, I’d like to practice referencing staff notation more often.

Ways of Living in the World (Life & Career)

Practicing for as long as I have has helped me to practice a sense of perseverance. I often grew frustrated when I made too many mistakes, or when I wasn’t playing fast enough, and many times I thought there was no hope for me to get it right. But since I kept at it and took my time, I could see how I progressed and became more proficient in playing.

Self-Evaluation of Final Version

While I’m happy with the speed I was able to play it, I feel that it’s a bit sloppy. I didn’t do a great job minimizing the excess sound, so you can hear the other strings being prodded. It’s a bit hard to avoid when playing as fast as I was, but I’m sure there are measures I could have taken. Besides that, I’m pretty satisfied with it; I didn’t think I’d be able to play it that fast by this point.

Grammar and Spelling

I use Grammarly for spellchecking.