This summer I participated in a series of beginner photography classes through Shutterbug Photography here in Columbus. I completed two sessions of classes throughout an 8-week period, which consisted of small-group learning as well as group photography outings. Our instructor, Braddley Addams, was a great mentor and provided lots of individual feedback and even offered his advice & assistance outside of class.

These classes & this project came at a perfect time in my summer and college career. I was very conflicted about what to do for my STEP project since joining the program, but I decided on a creative endeavor because it allowed me to try something new, gain a new hobby & skills, and do something that is unfamiliar & different from what I am used to doing in a school setting. My summer was full of classes, work, and family commitments, so it was really nice to take a step away from all of that and do something for myself just because it was interesting and exciting to me. I am really grateful for the chance to pursue a hobby that I’ve been wanting to take up, and be able to do so in such an immersive way.

Having a great instructor, a small learning environment, and the time to practice outside of class made this experience a truly great & transformative part of my summer. Braddley was a very passionate teacher, and he was amazing at explaining basic photography concepts in a way that was easy to digest for someone totally new to the material. Additionally, the classes are kept small to encourage discussion & participation, and to allow time for individual attention. Finally, Braddley was always willing to help students and answer questions outside of class, and even met me at a local photography store to help me pick out equipment.
Aside from the collaborative & unique learning environment, the time of year made this experience particularly transformative. I’m really glad I did my project during the summer, because this allowed me plenty of time to practice the skills I was learning in class without the burdens of a normal school semester. Although I was still busy with summer classes & work, photography practice was always a welcome respite from my academic activities. This also allowed me ample time to be outside to photograph nature & enjoy the nice weather of the summer in a new way.

To that end, I’m really grateful for my STEP project and the resources that allowed me to have such a well-rounded summer. I was able to try something totally new to me, and gain all of the basic equipment & skills in order to feel confident in my photography abilities after just 8 weeks.

Picking up this hobby has proven to be not only a fun experience, but also a useful skill. My friends and family are now always eager to have me take pictures at gatherings, and I am glad that I can now do more with a camera than just hit a button to take a picture. Learning this new skill in a short time has also shown me how I am capable of learning in different environments, and how I am able to grow & practice in new ways. Picking up new hobbies & activities is always a good exercise in staying humble, appreciative, and eager in the context of a new skill. It is really exciting to learn something new and feel confident in your abilities, and I am really happy with how STEP helped me achieve that.

Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps

Emily Murphy

For my STEP artistic and creative endeavor I performed with Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps as a contracted member within the colorguard. This entailed a month of training in Castleton, Vermont and then a subsequent tour of the country including Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado, and many other locations. We performed in over 30 shows with a brass, percussion, and dance ensemble placing 4th overall and 2nd in dance performance this season.

One of the greatest parts of my time with the Boston Crusaders this season was my ability to meet people from many different backgrounds. As a top 5 drum corps the majority of participants travel from around the US and world to take part. We had several international students from Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan as well as several from the Netherlands.

Having people who were from different backgrounds is one thing, but having so many people unable to speak English, or learning English on the road was a unique experience of this season. While on the road we found surprising ways to communicate and connect as we taught them about American culture while learning about their culture and various words in Spanish, Taiwanese, Japanese, and French.

In addition, I had the opportunity to take on a leadership role within the organization this season. My job entailed logistics management and communication between the membership and designers. Throughout the beginning of our season I found myself constantly struggling to keep up with the demands of the position. Between loading buses, fixing equipment, and costuming as well as performing, it seemed like much more than a full time job. I even began considering quitting the position I had been striving for for years.

Finally one of our caption heads sat me down to ask about how the season was going. After expressing my concerns and explaining all of the tasks ahead, I distinctly remember being asked who I thought would be able to take over my role the following year. Silence. I had thought that by doing everything myself I was lessening the burden on those around me and helping the organization. However he had made me realize this was not in fact the case. Being able to delegate tasks not only would allow me to better perform the things that I personally had to do, but would set the organization up for success once I left.

Since this conversation I have had to make a conscious effort in assigning jobs such as bus loading, supply restocks, and prop crew tasks to other members. While I am always there to ask questions, I now train others to take charge of many of the things I used to do myself. While this is still a struggle at times, I am working on being able to more effectively delegate tasks.

This experience is something I see directly translating into my professional life, even though Physical Therapy and Dance are two very different career paths. The ability to multitask is something so crucial as many physical therapists have to manage multiple patients at once while filling out paperwork, cleaning equipment, and collecting educational materials. In addition, a wide array of people are in need of physical therapy services and being exposed to many different backgrounds will hopefully set me up for success when interacting with various demographics.

During the summer of 2023, I’ll be traveling to New York from 6/21-6/27. My plan for the trip is to work with Ray Walker of NBC News. He’s a news reporter and media associate who covers local trending topics in the Brooklyn area. I and Ray plan on shooting a documentary story on local black music and fashion designers that are from the Brooklyn area. I’ll be doing the main camera work for documentaries as well as editing.

When I got in view of the massive skyscrapers from my window seat something in me just click and got massively inspired. My perception of a regular city was different from what I was seeing in NYC. The world seemed so much bigger when I was roaming through the streets of Manhattan. I felt like there was a box that was lifted when I was just walking down the street. The biggest eye-opening experience I had, while I was visiting, was just seeing the culture of the people. You had every type of person walking down the street. It was just constant change on every corner.

Being in NYC for a week gave me a different perfect from a day-to-day living situation. You have to be able to handle your finances well but also adapt quickly to situations. The city makes you tougher and coming back to Ohio I felt and still have that feeling of grit and grind that NYC brings to you.

On the first day of filming my documentary, I went to a local park in the heart of Brooklyn. This was my first recorded interview for my documentary and I was skeptical and so interested at what some people would say. My first interview was with a group of teenagers. One boy and one girl. They were from Brooklyn and had such a different upbringing and story compared to mine. They had to fight for a lot of things that I would have taken for granted. From early on they had to deal with violence from peers and a school system that was underfunded and couldn’t do much to help. I visited their school and was able to see and put into perspective how they lived during the school year. I thought this interview was so important because early perspectives on life in childhood and especially in your teenage years can shape who you are as an adult. The interaction just really had me thinking about my own life and how blessed I was for a supportive school system and friends growing up.
On my third day, I went to coney island beach to do some more interviews. This time I was hoping to get a mix of different types of people. I was hearing stories from so many different types of people from so many backgrounds. Some college kids were just on vacation with locals who were going through discrimination in their local town. The one interview that stuck with me was an interview I had with a policewoman who didn’t want to be seen on camera. She mention how the youth were just lost and had been let down by their communities. She wanted to see change but couldn’t see it happening. I asked her about her position and how she could help but she went on to mention how she was and has been censored from her job but also even as a child didn’t feel heard.

Doing these interviews I had to think deeply but also quickly to continue the conversation. I had to understand and connect with the person I was interviewing fast and that was something I didn’t have much experience with in the past. After doing so many interviews and being in this difficult situation my speaking skillset has definitely increased and im going to be able to put these new skills to work in the classroom and for my on-campus internship job,

The change and experiences from my time in NYC were something I will never forget and the skill is something I will forever have with me. Being dropped in such a huge city and having to adapt to a new way of transpiration even learning how locals speak was a massive adjustment. But these skills and not just found in NYC. When you go to a new job or a new environment in general you have to be able to adapt and get on the same wave as everyone else. Now that I have a taste for what it’s like to move to a bigger city with more opportunities I now can start getting more of an idea after graduation if and where I want to look for a job. This trip has been nothing short of a blessing and im planning to do a similar one to California next summer.

     For my STEP Signature Project, I attended Joffrey Ballet’s Adult Summer Intensive in Chicago, Illinois. During this four-day program, I attended daily ballet technique classes, learned Joffrey Ballet repertoire and variations, attended a seminar on the history of Joffrey Ballet, and had the opportunity to try out non-ballet classes like character, yoga, and floor barre.

     While I was doing this program, I realized how passionate I was about ballet and how dedicated I was to growing as a dancer. I realized that sometimes this passion sometimes makes me neglect taking care of myself, both physically and mentally. Because I was dancing for 5-6 hours each day on this program instead of my normal 1-2 hours each day, I learned that staying mindful of and honoring my physical and mental limits in the studio is a strength and not a weakness. I had to make sure I was aware of how my body and mind were feeling each day and adjust how I approached my classes based on my level of physical soreness and mental strength. Additionally, I realized that being passionate about dancing and taking small steps towards my dancing goals are much more important than trying to be “perfect” in the studio and rushing towards my goals. 

     I remember on the third day of my program, I woke up feeling very sore and exhausted from the intense days of dancing I had had. I did not feel as motivated as I had been the first two days of the program and did not feel like I could push my body as much as I had previously. Instead of pushing myself anyways, I took it slow that day and modified exercises that felt too intense that morning. This allowed me to feel less stressed mentally and was proof that I was learning to listen to my body and mind. I ended up feeling better later that day because I had gone easy on myself in the morning.

     I also remember a variations class I had where I tried to push myself by learning the variation in pointe shoes, even though I usually learn variations in flat shoes. The class started out okay, but, about halfway through, I started feeling pain in my ankle and decided to take the pointe shoes off and change back into flat shoes. I was frustrated I could not make it through the whole class in pointe shoes, but I was proud of myself for listening to my body so that I could avoid injury. I ended up wearing my pointe shoes in class the following day; I listened to my body and modified any exercises that hurt and I ended up doing better and feeling less pain.

     I also realized how passionate I was about dance because of the people I was surrounded by. All of the people I met on my program truly loved dance so much and were supportive of everyone in our classes, even though we all came from different dance backgrounds. I felt so encouraged to give it my all every class because of the energetic and welcoming environment we had. I normally struggle with confidence in ballet class, but I had so much confidence when I was on this program. I realized that although confidence comes from within me, my confidence grows when I am surrounded by a community of other confident individuals who support me.

     I will take the lessons I learned on taking care of my mental and physical health into all of my ballet classes I take as well as my daily life as a student. Regardless of if I am in a ballet class or a regular academic class, taking care of myself enhances my performance and motivation and prevents burnout. Additionally, making sure I am in an encouraging community for each goal that I am trying to achieve will allow me to feel more passionate about my goals and believe that they are achievable. This program has taught me that listening to my body and mind by slowing down does not make me lose progress or does not make me weak but helps me to achieve a healthy relationship with my goals.

1. My STEP Signature Project involved attending a photography workshop in Oregon and Washington led by professional photographer Tony Small. The workshop spanned seven days and included activities such as hiking and taking photographs at various natural attractions. The goal was to learn photography principles and practices, develop photography skills, and create a portfolio showcasing the progress made during the workshop.
2. Throughout the completion of my STEP Project, my understanding of myself, my assumptions, and my view of the world underwent a significant transformation. Prior to the project, I had always considered my creativity as something enjoyable but not necessarily worth investing in or pursuing seriously. However, engaging in this artistic endeavor allowed me to realize the importance of pursuing activities that bring me joy and fulfillment, regardless of their practicality or external validation. I discovered that being able to express my creativity through photography brought me a deep sense of satisfaction and self-discovery.
3. Several key aspects of my experiences during the STEP Signature Project contributed to the transformative change mentioned above. The transformative change I experienced during my STEP Signature Project was influenced by several key aspects of my experiences. Firstly, the guidance and mentorship provided by Tony Small, played a crucial role in expanding my photography skills and knowledge. Interacting with someone who has extensive experience and expertise in the field allowed me to gain valuable insights and techniques that I could apply to my own photography. Tony’s feedback and guidance helped me refine my artistic vision, improve my technical abilities, and explore new creative possibilities. In addition to the mentorship, the interactions and relationships I formed with other participants in the workshop were instrumental in my transformation. Collaborating and learning from my peers allowed me to broaden my perspectives and learn from their unique approaches and experiences. Through group discussions, critiques, and shared experiences, we created a supportive and inspiring environment that encouraged personal growth and exploration. The hands-on learning experience, including hiking and exploring natural attractions, provided a conducive environment for personal growth. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to adapt to unfamiliar settings and capture the essence of the surroundings through my photographs. The process of exploring new landscapes, observing intricate details, and finding unique angles or perspectives heightened my awareness of the beauty and intricacy of the natural world. Moreover, the challenges I encountered during the project, such as unfavorable weather conditions or technical difficulties, played a significant role in my transformation. These obstacles required me to be adaptable, resourceful, and resilient. Overcoming these challenges not only improved my photography skills but also instilled in me a sense of confidence and belief in my ability to overcome obstacles in other areas of my life. I learned to embrace imperfections and find creative solutions, leading to personal growth and a greater sense of self-reliance. These experiences helped me develop self-reliance, problem-solving skills, and resilience in the face of challenges. The combination of mentorship, collaboration, and experiential learning opportunities shaped my transformation throughout the project. 

4. The change and transformation I experienced during my STEP Signature Project hold significant value in my life. Firstly, embracing and nurturing my creativity has allowed me to develop a fulfilling and meaningful outlet for self-expression. It has taught me the importance of pursuing passions and hobbies that bring me joy, even if they may not align with expectations or practicality. Furthermore, the skills and knowledge gained through this project are transferable to various aspects of my academic, personal, and professional goals. Understanding photography principles and practices can benefit me in any field I choose to pursue. It has enhanced my visual literacy, attention to detail, and ability to communicate through visual mediums. Additionally, the project helped me build social connections and expand my professional network, which can be invaluable for future collaborations, opportunities, and support. Ultimately, this program provided me with a stronger sense of purpose and direction. It has reinforced my commitment to embracing new experiences and seeking personal growth. By recognizing the significance of pursuing passions and embracing creativity, I can better navigate my academic journey, personal development, and future professional endeavors with a sense of fulfillment and authenticity. 

For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in a week-long trip through Oregon learning and practicing photography. We explored several different locations throughout the state, and learned several key photography skills. We learned how to adjust the three parts of the exposure triangle, how to shoot in different lighting scenarios, and how to edit images using Lightroom and Photoshop.

The main thing I really reflected on throughout this trip was immensity. There were so many moments on this trip that reminded me of just how small we are compared to the rest of the universe. These experiences reminded me to be grateful for the planet we live on and its beauty. During this trip I also thought a lot about how thankful I am for my parents and all that they have sacrificed in order for me to be able to take part in experiences like this one. As immigrants, they left behind everything they ever knew and continue to work extremely hard to this day just to ensure that I have access to all of the opportunities they never did. This trip made me resolve to do good and be successful so that I can try and repay even a small fraction of what they have done for me.

In particular, shooting along the Pacific Coast and our night time astrophotography shoot were two experiences when I truly realized how infinitesimal we all are. Standing along the ocean, feeling the salty breeze and staring out into the never-ending vastness; or staring up and seeing an infinite number of stars dot the sky – these moments were truly breathtaking and forced me to be more introspective. It helped reinforce my belief that we should all be living life in a way that makes us happy and fulfilled, rather than always concerning ourselves with how others may view us or how our achievements compare to those of others. I think this is such an important lesson that is so hard for many people to learn, and I am so glad I had this experience to remind me of that as it was something I had begun to forget. 

Being able to disconnect from the world for a week and spend so much time in nature was also much needed for me. It was so liberating to be able to get away from the constant stress and excitement of always being connected, and to really spend some time taking in the silence and peace of being alone in nature. As we hiked and drove our way through the state, I found so much time to sit with my thoughts and contemplate life, in a way that I never get to amidst the normal hustle and bustle of life. I came out of the trip with a newfound appreciation for silence and now try to find more quiet, reflective moments whenever I can in my life. 

One conversation I had with a peer about the dichotomy of being a child of immigrants was really illuminating and made me feel so seen and understood. We both sincerely appreciate the opportunities we have to participate in experiences like this one and overall have a much better quality of life than our parents; but at times we also feel immense guilt about enjoying all of these things while our parents have never even had the chance, regardless of the fact that all the sacrifices they have made have been in order for us to have a better life.  

All of the lessons I have learned and further reflected upon throughout this trip will be extremely valuable for me going forward. Whenever I feel myself getting caught up in the rat race of life, I will be able to take a step back and remind myself of how small my place in the world is and that happiness is infinitely more important than conforming to others’ ideas of success. Looking back at all the beautiful sites I got to witness will remind me to be grateful for all that I have been able to experience, and to appreciate all that my parents have sacrificed for me. The photography skills I have learned will also continue to be helpful, whether I continue to pursue it as just a hobby or try to turn it into a source of income. 

Images of Heceta Head Lighthouse and Tumalo Falls

My STEP signature project was a week-long trip to Oregon that focused on landscape photography. We learned basic photography tips and tricks and got to travel all throughout Oregon. On the trip, we utilized different camera techniques, lenses, and even software to edit photos.
While completing my STEP signature project I began to realize how much I loved photography. I am in a very science-based major and field of work in my everyday life. This project was a drastic change of pace from the STEM world. I’ve learned how to use photography as a creative outlet in order to let that part of my personality shine. I now can use all the skills I learned on this trip to really master the craft I had a basic understanding of in order to better myself as an artist.
This trip also opened up my eyes to a new part of the country I have never seen before. Besides learning so much about photography I got to see a place I never thought I would be able to travel to. We were so fortunate on this trip to see so many different places in Oregon and Washington. Throughout the course of the trip, we traveled over 1,200 miles across the two states. I have gained a new appreciation for the beauty of the states and how much they have to offer me.
Some interactions that led to this transformational experience would be the fact that this trip was a staff lead event. To begin, this made the whole STEP process a lot smoother. I was able to ask questions about how to utilize the STEP dashboard and what post-project reporting would look like. Overall it put my mind at ease as this trip involved lots of traveling, equipment, and planning to make it run as smoothly as it did.
Also since this project was staff lead we were lucky enough to have a professional photographer as one of our mentors on the trip. Going into this trip I only knew the very basics of photography. Now after only a week, I have a greater understanding of how to use a camera. I learned what settings to use in daylight versus night, I learned how to manually focus a camera, and even how to utilize the entire landscape in front of me in a photo.
Finally, the last key aspect that made this trip so life-changing was the friends I made along the way. I was able to make connections to people I would have never met at Ohio State otherwise. We were all able to help each other when one was unsure of to frame a photo or what settings they were using to get such a good image. Also, at the end of the trip, we all got together as a group to share the photos we took. We were able to see something we might have not seen on the trip through their lens rather than our own. It created a really great sense of community on the trip and made it much more enjoyable.
This transformation is significant to me because it was a great stress reliever in my life. As a rising fourth year, many ask me “What are you going to do next?”. It’s a question that panics me as I am not sure what the next step is for me. It could be grad school, it could be a job, truthfully I do not know. However, when I was on this trip this was not a question that crossed my mind once. Instead, I was able to have fun and grow as an artist in a stress-free environment that helped me find a new passion of mine that will stick with me forever.

I travelled with photographer Tony Smalls and a group of OSU students on a photography trip across Oregon, learning how to take manual photographs like a professional photographer along the way.  We visited several different areas across the state, including the Japanese gardens in Portland, Tumalo Falls, Bend, and Crater Lake National Park to experience the beauty of the environment and take stunning photos.  Finally, we received instructions about how to properly edit our photos in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to bring out the best in the photos we took.

More than anything, this experience made me appreciate the small (albeit complex) things that make life the way it is.  Taking photographs of insects and the underneath of leaves made me see the value and beauty of things in a way I never would have thought to consider before.  I took photographs of silly things that nobody else thought to get a shot of because I stopped to consider the small things that make nature beautiful.  In a metaphorical way, I also realized through taking my photos that perspective matters more than I originally thought.  A shot could be pretty when taken from one angle but changing that angle can bring out things in the scene that I previously did not see.  This is applicable to photography but also when dealing with problems outside of photography.  When confronted with a problem, stop and see things from a different perspective to get a better understanding of the bigger picture.

Aside from the more philosophical aspects of photography, this experience provided a wholly introspective and reflective period in my life.  Compared with my whole life, this trip wasn’t long, but it was enough to help me reevaluate where I want to be for the rest of my life, and I’m better for it.

There are too many moments to list here, but I can mention the most important events that shaped this trip for me.

The first ‘lightbulb’ moment was on the second day of photography when we visited Silver Falls.  I was still getting the hang of figuring out how increasing or decreasing my shutter speed and ISO would affect the quality of my photographs, but I took some fantastic photos that I am really proud of.  At one point I stepped underneath the bridge where everyone else was taking photos and took pictures of the clovers that were sprouting next to the stream.  I caught a fern on the top of the photo that acted as a canopy, shading the clovers, and really bringing out the vibrancy of the surrounding plant life.  It was such a small moment, but looking back at the photo that night, I was amazed that I took that photo.  If I saw it somewhere else, I would want to visit the place to see where it was taken.  The thing was, I was there already!  I took that photo!  I was floored that I was capable of capturing something so simple yet wonderful.  For the rest of the trip, I continued to pay attention to the small things that made a scene powerful and produced several more photos that nobody else thought to take because I saw beauty in the small things.

The second moment was photographing the sunrise at Crater Lake.  We had previously visited the lake the day before and captured the lake with the night sky, but it was cold and windy, and I was underprepared for the bitter cold the night would bring.  The following morning, I pulled up my woolen socks and went out to the lake at 5:15am.  Seeing the colors in the sky reflected on the lake as the sun rose higher and higher provided a moment of reflection and tranquility that I almost never get in my day-to-day life.  The photos I took did not do the scene justice.  It was a moment of incredible peace, and I will remember it forever.

The final moment occurred near the end of the trip when we visited the Heceta Head Lighthouse.  It was my first time seeing the Pacific Ocean in person, and there was a cloud shelf that lined up perfectly with the ocean that made it look like the sea and sky transitioned perfectly into one another.  Not only was I able to photograph the lighthouse on the backdrop of the setting sun, but I was able to truly take in the gentle ebb and flow of the tide as the sea breeze rustled my hair.  I took more photographs at this location than I did at any other location because I was mesmerized with the whole scene.  There weren’t many other people besides our group there, allowing me to capture the scene in its entirety.  Someday, I would like to return to experience it once again.

Often, my life is rushing from one thing to another, and I don’t stop to take in the moment.  This experience allowed me to slow down and actually appreciate the world around me in a way that I don’t often do.  In addition, I have been wanting to create something meaningful in my life for awhile now, and I was finally able to learn a skill that allowed me to capture an image in the way that I wanted it to look.  No photographer takes the exact same image, even if they are in the same location at the same time.  I created images in the way that I wanted them to look and feel, and now I can share them with others to convey the thoughts and feelings that I felt while taking them.  Finally, I learned the basics of photo editing to fine-tune my images into pieces of art I can be truly proud of.  I learned useful skills that allowed me to expand upon the creative side of myself, and I can take those skills to appreciate the world in a way that I didn’t before.

For my STEP signature project, I went on a week long photography trip to with other STEP students, OSU staff, and a professional photographer. Throughout the week, we traveled around Oregon and parts of Washington photographing the scenery. By going with a professional photographer, we were able to learn about the process of taking and editing photos.

During the STEP project, I was able to gain confidence in my self in many ways. For example, before going on the trio, I had never had to navigate an airport by myself, and now I have navigated 3 airports on my own. I was also able to gain confidence in my photography. Early in the trip, I did not have a clear idea of what many of the setting on my camera did. By the end of the trip I had become better at setting the camera to something appropriate and fewer of my pictures were ending up too bright or too dark.

I spent the week leading up to the STEP trip dreading going because I had never navigated an airport on my own, I had never spent so much time exclusively with people that I did not know, and I was not particularly confident in my ability to take good photographs. I only started to feel better about going on the trip once I had met my roommate. Getting to interact with the other STEP students really helped my feel more confident and comfortable on the trip. Spending time in the car or getting lunch with the others on the trip helped to build relationships that really helped on the trip.

Getting more comfortable with people on the trip also helped me feel more confident in my photography. Early on the trip, I really did not know what I was doing with my camera, but I was able to learn by talking to the other students as well as the advisors. The was particularly helpful on the day when we did night photography because I would not have had any idea what I was doing if I had not been able to ask others for help.

Additionally, as we traveled throughout Oregon, we were presented with many different photography opportunities. This meant that we had to change camera settings to suit the new environments and subjects. This gave me the opportunity to experiment with different settings and find different ways of photographing similar subject matter. Further, because we were traveling, I was also able to gain confidence with navigating place that I had never been before.

This change was valuable to me because I recognize that I will not be able to avoid talking to people I do not know or going places on my own once I graduate. Being more confident in the work that I produce will also be important. Even just the opportunity to get comfortable with the idea of talking to the advisors will help me with the idea of actually reaching out to instructors or advisors when I need help.

Step Post Project Reflection

Project Title: Adding Range To My Music: Learning Bass

Student: William Gilicinski

Advisor: Mary Pohlschneider

The main goal of my STEP signature project was to learn how to play bass guitar, with sub goals being able to read bass clef and record a song using my bass skills. I learned how to play under the instruction of Steve Perakis out of Music and Arts.

Through my time learning bass guitar, I have learned I listened to music in an incomplete

way, and I found that practicing basic skills and fundamentals doesn’t always have to be boring. I have been playing the trumpet for the past eight years of my life, and due to this, I found I listened to music and entirely focused on the melody. Not only is it easier to understand what’s going on, as melodies tend to be singable, catchy, and high enough in pitch that it sticks out from the rest of the instruments, but that part was the only part I was wondering how to play. As a trumpet player I was never curious on how to play the bass part of a song, instead I would learn melodies. A large aspect I took on this step project was to add range to my music, something I meant literally in my ability to play bass and soprano parts. But I realized that not only can I play lower, I listen lower. So many songs I had tuned out the bass, but to tune out the bass leaves songs incomplete. Like forgetting the foundation of a house. Therefore, I found I listened to basslines with more and more intent to understand not only the bass part itself, but to how it aided with the rest of the song.

Also through playing trumpet for so long, I had gotten bored with practicing. Everytime I pulled it out I detested playing scales and fundamentals; waiting to practice the more challenging and exciting pieces. However, on bass I found that although I needed to practice my fundamentals and scales to get better, I still found it exciting and challenging. It was something new and challenging to focus on, and I learned that complacency and repeating the same thing over and over again can really lead to boredom and switching it up can bring back what I used to find exciting.

My time with my bass instructor, Steve Perakis, over the summer inspired me to keep on pushing through the barrier many beginners have when learning an instrument due to his unbound passion for the instrument and music in general. When learning a skill for the first time, especially learning an instrument, the first steps are hard and unrewarding. No fun comes out of repeating the same steps with the same failures; however, Steve was a model on what a true bassist should aspire to be. He has been playing bass for more than 40 years, but still loves it. He would know bass lines from many songs I talked about, he would constantly test me over the names of the different parts that make up the instrument, or what a note was called on the fretboard, but he would also just talk about what makes good music. A lot of the lesson time wasn’t even just about learning bass, but learning other aspects of music such as theory, or different approaches on how to play bass over the same chord changes or song. And the biggest lesson of all was that I needed to listen as hard as possible, even if it meant failing along the way. I had been so used to reading music that the idea of listening to a part, then trying to transcribe it by ear and play it was foreign to me. However, that listening aspect gave me another approach to how I enjoy music.

While I was starting out in the first couple months, my friends and I planned to have a jam session. This experience was new to me as I’ve only ever played with others in a formal setting such as a concert or marching band, but playing in a tight group is very different. Most of us had never jammed before, so the process was rough and satisfying in the beginning; however, as we began to understand how to communicate ideas with each other, and settled on what we wanted to play, it quickly became fun. At the end of the day, I had the most enjoyment just playing quarter notes at a steady rhythm, as I wasn’t skilled enough in the beginning to play anything more fancy or interesting, but even playing the easiest bassline felt satisfying and harmonious the way it supported the parts my friends had come up with. I realized that the fundamentals could still be fun in the right settings, and it gave me a great appreciation for my favorite bands such as Rush and how they are able to come up with such complex music.

With learning any music genre or instrument, listening is the biggest way to learn. Music is akin to learning a language, such that surrounding and engrossing yourself in the language is the fastest way to learn. My instructor would tell me to learn a bassline for the next lesson and it was up to me to search for a song with an easy enough bassline to play. He wanted me to not just follow the basslines he wanted me to play, but to explore my taste and dig deep on songs I wanted to learn. Because of this, my Spotify playlist quickly grew with great songs with pretty simple or easy basslines. Frequently I would try to estimate how hard the bassline in a song would be in stores, the radio, or wherever music was playing. Quickly I realized I would listen more to the bass out of every other part, especially because most speakers have pretty poor bass quality, making listening even harder. Through this method of constantly listening, I would almost relisten to the same songs I love with new ears.

This attentiveness to listening to different instruments or parts in music I believe is significantly valuable to my life in that when I try to digest songs by listening or relisting, they become more meaningful and interesting. Many bands and musicians have great craftsmanship and attention to detail that are overlooked during the first listening, or by simply listening to it as background noise. I believe that every part in the song matters, including the simple and monotonous. Although this might not be a revelation, I think this project has helped solidify that every detail matters.