Update 220117: After fixing up this site, I’m redoing it! Instead of doing and tracking alternating-month creative projects, I’m just going to use this site to track my ongoing progress (particularly course-related progress) in these areas:
- Music: singing, music production, guitar, piano, composition
- Language learning: Chinese, Japanese
- Art
- Writing
Basic rule of thumb: If I buy or take a significant course on the topic, I will record my progress here, supplemented as needed by videos I’ll post on the Sarah’s Creative Yearbook YT channel. But some of the content (especially the more personal, private stuff) will be restricted, for patrons only.
Music
Ultimate intention: To have the versatility in music composition and production (electronic, instrumental, vocal) to express myself in any way I wish. Writing learning songs, original songs, musicals, and music that I actually want to listen to and can use as gifts, background music for other projects, etc.
My shorter-term process goal in the next few years is to go through each of these courses again, and recording thoughts, insights, making new projects, etc.
Pasek & Paul: Songwriting for Musical Theater
Charlie Puth: Pop songwriting
Pentatonix: A Cappella Arrangement
Blanks: Produce Pop Songs
Stevie Mackey: Sing Anything Like a Pro
- Take the course
- In 2021, I spent some time after taking Mackey’s class, continuing the daily mimicking practice. Here’s my progress on Youtube. I hope to return to this practice soon in 2022, but not sure if I’ll record it all…
Andrew Huang: Complete Music Production
Fundamental Piano
- In 2021, I spent a few months just practicing 15 minutes a day, working on Bach’s Goldberg variations (middle ones), scales, and some improvisation and sight reading. Here’s my progress on Youtube
Languages
Japanese
Ultimate intention: See how far I can go on this, with a focus on pronunciation accuracy and reading ability.
Chinese
Ultimate intention: Get as close as I can to native speaking/reading level, able to write songs in Chinese, and perhaps even short articles and stories.
Art
Ultimate intention: Able to draw (mostly) anything I want, from reference (animals, human faces, design), and be able to illustrate my own “album/CD” covers, picture books (illustrated stories), gifts for friends/family, and be able to design basic book covers and graphics for my website. Meaning I need to learn how to “see like an artist,” “draw what I see,” and understand some digital art/design/color theory/anatomy (human and animal), and basic landscapes.
Writing
Ultimate intention: Able to express what I am thinking clearly and with humor/a sense of personality. I also want to finish a few novel ideas that have been knocking around in my head for almost literally, decades, without disappointing myself too much 😉
NaNoWriMo Projects
November 2019: Missy & Mu (NaNoWriMo)
The old month-by-month organization