Well, I just downloaded a Blogger widget through Google and this is a quick test to see how it goes.  I'm a big fan of all things Google and this seems like it is something that I could use.

The Better Way

The Better Way
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I was doing a bit of a walk-about close to where I worked and found the subway zooming by. I probably could have used a slower shutter speed but I was without a tripod. Still working on my technique, but, that's part of the fun of photography.

Warden passage

Warden passage
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I took this shot on my way home from work in Scarborough.

Cadence this Wednesday

Here's the Scoop...
Cadence's Juno Celebration Performance
@ Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St West, Toronto Ontario
(1 1/2 blocks south of Dundas West subway station)
Tickets are going fast, so reserve a seat and coming early for dinner. They have great food at Hugh's.

To order tickets in advance, call: 416 531 6604
$10 advance, $12 at the door

I'll see you all there. I'll be at the back taking photos late in the evening.

NYCO Rehearsal Last Night

Well, just had another North York Concert Orchestra rehearsal last night. After being off for a week, I felt like I was sight-reading again. At least I have proper music to take home and practice. Anyway, you always sound good when your part is covered up by the whole orchestra. Once you are singled out, you really notice what you need to work on.

Rebel XT continued

Now, I'm not a camera aficionado, but I do know what I like. After purchasing the Canon Rebel XT, I've become camera crazy. I'm playing with all the creative features that this camera offers and I'm still trying to learn more. I am finding that I like playing around with the different shutter speeds and the different types of photos it can produce. I'm still trying to wrap my head around ISO speeds and when to adjust the aperture, but overall, it is a fun hobby. I feel like I have to drop a few of my many hobbies in order to improve on my other hobbies.

Canon Rebel XT

I just purchase the Canon Rebel XT. I am a big fan and I highly recommend this camera to anyone who has the money. I just have to figure out how to use its full potential.

Quick Tip: Relax to play fast

Playing quick passages can be very difficult. More often than not, it is a mental hurdle that holds us back. Frustration tends to settle in and then we tense up. Once tension takes over, our playing muscles cannot move as freely and quickly as we would like them to. Try relaxation exercieses when your practicing leads you into a brick wall. Breathe easy, slow things down and chill out; it's music.

Practice Backwards

While at my last NYCO sectional, a fellow contra-bassist suggested we practice some of the difficult passages backwards. Not it in the literal sense of going backwards via note-by-note, but breaking phrases up in sections and starting from the end first. I have found this practice technique quite useful and extremely practical. When attempting to learn a piece of music, most people begin from the beginning of a piece and plough on through until they get to the very end. What ends up happening, at least in my case, is that I get quite familiar with the opening sequences of a piece of music because of all the starts and stops that come about. Eventually, when I'm at the middle of a piece, I begin to lose interest and when I finally reach the end, I am completely disenchanted, that is if I ever reach the end. What eventually happens with this latter method is that I will start a piece of music strong, but then I will fade in technique and energy by the time I hit the finale. To paraphrase Joseph Conrad "In with a bang, out with a whimper." Now, this inferior technique also applies to the micro level of difficult runs, passages, bop heads, memorization, etc. By first learning the end, one can set theirself up for continual growth. The way I see it, "end-first" is kind of like building blocks. First you learn the last note, then you stack on a couple of other notes that lead into that last note. After that has been mastered, add a couple more notes to that phrase, and so on. This isn't revolutionary but it does make sense. We, as musicians are essentially trying to communicate. The notes and phrases we try to employ in our craft are our sentences and simplifying the language is the best way to get our point accross, or at least for us to understand our own thoughts or the thoughts of the composer. It can be as simple as "See spot. See spot run. Run Spot run."

Practice...

I haven't practiced in a while due to various circumstances. I feel awful for it and want to get at it again. Here's hoping tonight I get a good session in.

Quote of the week

"There are lies, big lies, and then there are statistics"-anonymous

"35% of households asked know not to believe statistics" -BassBassDude

Bass Stool

Normally when playing bass, whether it be jazz or classical, I trained myself to play standing up. Seeing that I'm not getting any younger, I'm finding that standing for 3 to 4 hours at a gig or rehearsal is slowly taking its toll. To make a long story short, I am now in the market for a bass stool. Anyway, I don't want to break the bank on a seat, but, I would like something that does the job. The only drawback to having a bass stool is the fact that it's another thing to lug around. Getting through doorways was hard enough with only a bass in hand, but with a stool in the other, things could get a little tricky.

(PS- Call it immature, but I thought it was humerous talking about stools and how awkward it would be to lug them around)

Inspiration everywhere

You just never know when it will hit you. This time I found myself wanting to figure out a song thanks to the NBC show "Scrubs". "Men At Work" lead singer Colin Hay's appearance on this show lead me to want to figure out the song he sang throughout one of the episodes. Those who are a fan of the show know what I'm talking about. Anyway, after thoroughly enjoying watching a couple of "Scrubs" episodes, the Colin Hay's "Overkill" tune kept ringing through my head so I just had to go and figure it out. Anyway, it's fun learning new things, especially when you weren't planning on it.

In need of good copies

Last night I had my first rehearsal with the NYCO. Everything went well until we had to play; sarcasm intended. We received music for Beethoven's 5th, but the copy we had to play from was completely illegible. It didn't have any markings on the different movements and a good number of notes were cut off. It was quite frustrating but, it helped develop a much needed skill. Patience. Apparently, my feelings if ineptitued were shared with many others in the orchestra because most players were having the same difficulties as I. Hopefully, this is the worst it gets.

NYCO Concert Recap

The North York Concert Orchestra had its second concert of the season last night; my first as a part of its double bass section. It is always a bit of an adjustment when playing in different venues. Whether it be in your practice room or on a theatre stage or in a great sounding acoustic church, you have to make necessary adjustments. Last night at Willowdale United Church, I felt that we did a great job and the audience seemed to respond well to the Orchestra's performance. Thanks to all for coming out and supporting us.

NYCO Concert

Last night went well with the NYCO, even though it was a portion of the songs we will perform. I noticed that we tend to play things slightly faster when playing live. Granted you are a little excited, but, I should have gotten my hands ready to play some of those pieces that fast. It's not that I didn't keep up; the tempo we played at blind-sided me. Well, if you missed last night, you can catch the full concert this Saturday evening.

For details, visit www.nyco.on.ca

Reminder: North York Concert Orchestra

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

7:30 PM

Benefit concert for the Downtown Alternative School (DAS)

Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
165 Front Street (at Frederick Street)
Toronto

NYCO:
Copland - Outdoor Overture
Glazunov - The Seasons: Winter

With the DAS Choir:
Traditional Quaker - Simple Gifts
Anderson - Sleigh Ride

NYCO:
Dvorak - Symphony #8

Tickets: $10 - $25

Visit www.nyco.on.ca for more details.

Click here for a map to the theatre.

See you there.

Little Jam

Last Friday, I had a small little jam session with a couple of people that I did a recording with late last year. We went through a few jazz standards and a couple of contemporary songs as well. I always find it interesting to see how other players process music, especially those who have been self-taught. I threw out a tune that the others didn't know at all. Although it took a little bit of time to figure it out, it came out sounding pretty good. In fact, everyone always brings different things to a song and it is always refreshing to see how a person interprets printed music. After all, "there's more than one way to carve a turkey" or "all roads lead to Rome". Anyway, we got to where we wanted to.

Find a mentor

Many people have this idea that they can learn everything from a book. This applies to those that want to learn music. Sometimes a person would buy a book or magazine with "tabs" in the hopes of being a virtuoso. But, we all know that learning music from books can only take you so far; they have limits. Don't get me wrong, when used properly, books are a great resource for musicians and artists alike. They can give you ideas to further your musical progress or be a source of reference to rehash some techniques. By far, having a competent mentor or teacher to show you the ropes is the way to go. A teacher can show you the tiny little things that you may be doing incorrectly and give you feedback. They are 3-dimensional fonts of knowledge that can give you visual, audio and tactile tips. Anyway, my point is to find your musical Yoda. They can guide you through your books and

NYCO Concert Details

Here's the low-down on the North York Concert Orchestra concert.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Willowdale United Church
349 Kenneth Avenue
North York

Copland - Outdoor Overture
Champagne - Danse Villageoise
Glazunov - The Seasons: Winter
Dvorak - Symphony #8

Here's a quick link to the gig courtesy of Google Maps