Hyperactive Beat-Box

Just a little fun video on Beat-Boxing and Video Editing

Imogen Heap - Just For Now (live at Studio 11 103.1FM)

A friend of mine saw Imogen Heap live at Massey Hall here in Toronto and opened with this.


Pretty cool doing live-multi tracking.

Quote of the Week

"I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good."
- Seneca
"I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good."
- BassBassDude
"The town where I grew up has a zip code of EIEIO."
- Martin Mull
"My parents only had one argument in forty-five years. It lasted forty-three years."
- Cathy Ladman

Weekend Recap

Playing with someone new is always an interesting experience. I find myself with mixed emotions when thrown into these kinds of situations. Excitement to have a new situation presented and anxiety to think that you are not capable enough to keep up seem to run rampant with the anticipation of the first tune. This past Saturday at One Up, I had the fortunate opportunity to play with a new guitarist. Once we began, I could easily recognize that this guitarist had some very good chops and that I would have an easy time playing with him. Everything went very well even though I am still fighting through my bass tuning in fifths. Regardless, everything seemed to come together very well once we jumped into the first set right on through to the end of the third set. Anyway, by the end of the night, my hands were were spent and was happy with the way things sounded and I hope to play with Brennan (g), Lianne (v) and Dan (d)in the future.

What's coming up

Hey, this Saturday December 9th, I will be playing at One Up Lounge. We start at 8pm and will be there until midnight. Hope to see you there.

Stanley Jordan plays "Return Expedition" w/ Charnett Moffet on Bass

I never tried this type of slap bass on an upright. Anyway, a little virtuosity never hurt anyone.

Quote of the Week

To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser.
- Robertson Davies
I'm going to stay in show business until I'm the last one left.
- George Burns
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.
- Samuel Butler
It is better to have never lost your keys in the first place.
- BassBassDude

Quote of the Week

You can only be young once. But you can always be immature.
- Dave Barry

Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.
- Samuel Johnson

If we were not all so interested in ourselves, life would be so uninteresting that none of us would be able to endure it.
- Arthur Schopenhauer

If my looks could kill, I should get a mirror.
- BassBassDude

Toronto Condo Show pics

Here's a few shots I took at the Toronto Condo Show 

Quote of the Week

"If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."
- Jimmy Buffett

"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland."
- Woody Allen

"There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion."
- Sir Francis Bacon

"Biblioteque"
- BassBassDude

Recap

The Toronto Condo Show went very well. Playing the entire length of the show really took its toll on my hands but it was a great chance to work on my bass in 5ths. I was surprised how quickly I made the transition; it was almost flawless. Although I fudged through a few lines and chord changes as well as falling back on some old habits, I found new short-cuts and lines and started figuring out how the changes would feel under my hands. Anyway, my hands are completely worn and still tired from the amount of playing I had done.

From a business perspective for Melodious Vibes at the Toronto Condo Show, we developed new contacts and many potential gigs for the future, which is what you can only hope for. Both the show owner and show manager were very pleased with what we had to offer and we hope to be back at the show next year in October.

Thanks to all who came by and said hello.

Coming Up... Toronto Condo Show

Here's what's going on this weekend...

THE TORONTO CONDO SHOW
Metro Convention Centre (North)

The Toronto Condo Show is a 1-stop exhibition designed to cater to the needs of everyone who is, or wants to be, a part of the emerging condo culture in Toronto. Attracting potential buyers overwhelmed by selection and unsure of where to begin, trendy young professionals looking to fuse modern design with small space, and seasoned owners who know exactly what they want, The Toronto Condo Show presents 3 days of everything “condo”.

Show hours:

* Friday November 10, 12pm - 8pm
* Saturday November 11, 10am - 8pm
* Sunday November 12, 11am - 5pm

Hope to see you there. Come by and say hi.

Video: Christian McBride & Niels H.O. Pedersen

I've always been a fan of Christian McBride & Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen. Both are fantastic players with two unique sounds. Here's a short clip of the two of them together. Enjoy.

Quote of the Week

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
- Charles M. Schulz

Sometimes I lie at night, and I go to sleep.
- BassBassDude

Recap

Here's a quick recap on this past weekend.

My appologies for not being present at the Road To Asia pavillion. I had come down with an "illness" and was unable to attend.

My lesson in 5ths went really well. I picked up some new exercises that would help with my technique and accuracy. Although the names are a little odd (vomit, flesh burning, and El Perro) they are very effective. The neat thing is that these are exercises that Joel Quarrington uses. I also found out that rubbing a small amount of almond oil on the strings helps keep them soft. As a beginner/novice at thumb postition exercises, I'll probably take this advice to heart. I'll probably start rubbing them down before I begin playing at the Toronto Condo Show.

Quick reminder,

I will be playing with Melodious Vibes performing this weekend at the Toronto Condo Show. Hope to see you there.

Coming Up...

Besides a lot of wood shedding and another lesson, here's what's coming up for me.

At the JCCC there is the The Road to Asia Festival 2006; a two-day festival celebrating the richness and exciting diversity of Asian culture. The festival creates a thriving multicultural atmosphere which highlights Asian cultures through traditional Food, Arts and Crafts, Music, Dance and Martial Arts, all under one roof. I won't be playing but I will be there. Visit www.jccc.on.ca

The following weekend, come down to the Metro Toronto Convention Center for the Toronto Condo Show. I'll be playing all day at the Melodious Vibes booth. Visit www.torontocondoshow.com for more details.

Hope to see you there.

Video - Oscar Peterson w/ NHOP & Ray Brown

Two greatly missed bass players.



I was glad to catch both of them.

Quote of the Week

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."
- Henry David Thoreau

"Success can be found next to your lost set of keys. Good luck."
- BassBassDude

Lesson Revisited

I had my lesson on the weekend and it seems like I'm progressing pretty well with playing in 5ths. My tone is sounding better and my intonation is extremely close but not quite there when I shift quickly. In fact, the exercises given to me last week were etudes focused primarily on intonation; I just need to practice more effectively. Basically, effective practice comes from practicing slowly and deliberately with much concentration on each individual note produced. I also noticed that my left hand technique needed a slight adjustment in order to play properly in order to produce better accuracy and speed. My right hand bow technique also needed more work to create better tone and efficiency. Old habits die hard.

We also took a look at some music, of which I am happy to say is Bach's Suite #1 Prelude. Which brings me to one great asset of having my double bass tuned in 5ths; I can now play cello pieces. Now that's not to say that I couldn't play cello pieces, it's just that I can further understand what a composer is thinking when writing for cello. Furthermore, there is so much more fantastic pieces for cello than there are for double bass. It just seems more fun (and more challenging) to learn cello solos and on the double bass.

One last thing. I mentioned to my teacher that having my bass tuned in 5ths seemed to make more sense than having it tuned in 4ths. He agreed. Although it may be a little easier to play in 4ths, there seems to be something logical having my bass tuned in 5ths. My hands seemed to find notes with less trouble than when I was tuned in 4ths. This may be because I have a less of a learning curve having to figure out 3 of 4 strings, but old habits do die hard when your comfort notes are at different parts of the fingerboard.

There is a lot to woodshed before my next lesson and I need to bury my old habits and adopt better ones.

Coming Up...

Here's what's going on with me this weekend.

I have another lesson with my instructor. We'll probably keep ploughing through more on my technique with my left and right hands. Hopefully I'll get more stuff to work on (not to say that I didn't have enough to work on last time). Sorry, looks like I won't be at One Up Restaurant and Lounge. You can probably catch me next week from about 9pm to midnight. Other than that, I'll be spending most of my time working on my bass.

Have a good weekend.

For your listening pleasure...

Here's a quick snippet of Brian Bromberg's Wood II.

Audio:Shining Star

You can find more samples of Brian Bromberg's work at
www.brianbromberg.net
I might just have to pick this up. That and keep practicing.

Lights in the night

I took this shot back in the summer. I was playing around with the shutter speed at the time with a tripod. There is still a bit of motion blur that probably came from pushing down on the shutter button.
Lesson Learned: use the timer to avoid motion blur when slowing down the shutter speed.

Quote of the Week

"A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterward."
- Jean Paul Richter

"I laugh at the face of danger... if that's danger at the door, tell danger I'm not home."
- BassBassDude

Change has been made

I have now officially taken the road less travelled and joined the "Dark Side".

On Saturday October 21st, I made the switch to have my double bass tuned in 5ths. I went over to my instructor's place and in 10min, he threw on the new "Pirastro Obligato 5ths". As soon as the new strings were thrown on, it seemed like I had a brand new bass. The best way I can describe it is that it was as if my bass could finally breathe properly. The open strings seemed to ring more and the tone seemed less stifled and bottled up. Shortly after re-stringing the bass, my instructor broke down my technique and re-structured it from scratch. He basically said that in order to play in 5ths, you must have sound technique and that meant starting from the ground up. From what seemed like the most simple exercises, I felt very inadequate trying to fight through all that was given to me. It was as though I was going through music physiotherapy; my brain could picture what needed to be done, but my hands were uncooperative.

After an hour-and-a-half, I left my instructor's place with a great new sound in my bass and a renewed passion in relearning what I had already learned.

Quote of the Week

"Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws."
- Douglas Adams

"If my brain were moving any slower, it would be moving backwards."
- BassBassDude

One Up Recap

Just a quick recap, played my first gig at One Up on Saturday night that went well. I never really played with the guitarist and drummer, but we got pretty comfortable with each other pretty quickly. Although I developed two blisters early on in the night, things went very well. I look forward to the next time we get to play together.

Just on the side note, I'll be playing at The Marlowe in Richmond Hill tomorrow night. Hope to see you there.

Endpin Upgrade

This past weekend I bareley got through a gig because of a recurring problem that I developed with my double bass' endpin. Basically, I had to do a few "modifications" for my endpin to work, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to use my double bass. Anyway, I got through the gig without damaging my bass and decided to replace my endpin.

When taking my bass in for repair at Heinl's, I decided to take the plunge and invest in a better endpin than just installing one that was of equal quality of the one that was broken. I'm not sure why, but it seems that I felt a little bit more comfortable with my bass. Whether it was the new endpin or if it was psychological, I'm happier with this purchase. At the very least, my endpin won't fall out while I'm playing.

Changing strings - Obligato

Upon my decission over the summer to switch my double bass tuning to 5ths, I just found out that Pirastro has a set of Obligato strings that are tuned in 5ths. To me, this is perfect. I've been playing Obligato strings for the past two years and I love the sound it produces from both pizzicato and arco playing. Furthermore, they are slightly softer than the Thomastic Spirocore strings that I was going to buy so this can help me get around the fingerboard a little better. Anyway, I'm very excited about this finding. I'll probably buy my strings in mid-October after a few gigs and take the plunge. The change is coming.

Quote of the Week

"If you don't find it in the index, look very carefully through the entire catalogue." - Unknown

"If you can't find it, it is probably lost."
- BassBassDude

Quote of the Week

"People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest."
- Hermann Hesse

"I have plenty of courage and character. I am my own worst enemy."
- BassBassDude

Play! A Video Game Symphony

Get your tickets now!

PLAY! A Video Game Symphony is a Symphony world-tour featuring music from blockbuster video games. The music is performed by some of the finest, world-class orchestras and choirs. All concerts take place in classy, prestigious venues. Graphics on large screens suspended above the orchestra accompany the scores, highlighting memorable moments from the video games.

The concert tour took off in North America on May 27, 2006 in Chicago, followed by Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand.
PLAY! features award-winning music from a catalogue of blockbuster video game titles.

Says producer Jason Michael Paul: "We are working with distinguished orchestras that are concerned with providing quality programming for their fans all over the world. They all know about the success of our previous productions and are extremely pleased with the idea of presenting PLAY!.".

* FINAL FANTASY®
* THE ELDER SCROLLS® III: MORROWINDTM
* METAL GEAR SOLID®
* THE LEGEND OF ZELDA®
* HALO®
* SUPER MARIO BROS.®
* CHRONO TRIGGERTM
* CHRONO CROSSTM
* WORLD OF WARCRAFT®
* KINGDOM HEARTSTM
* SHENMUETM
* SILENT HILL®
* BATTLEFIELD 1942TM
* SONIC THE HEDGEHOGTM

PLAY! features around 20 titles in total, following the tradition of Dear Friends-Music from FINAL FANTASY by highlighting memorable moments of the games, showing the orchestra performing and soloists playing as well.

This should be a blast... in fact I know one of the double bassists playing in this.

Quote of the Week

"If your parents never had children, chances are you won't, either."
- Dick Cavett

"If your parents never had parents, chances are you won't be thinking too much about your family tree."
- BassBassDude

Dennis Masuzzo on Tuning in 5ths

Here's an article I found by Dennis Masuzzo on tuning in 5ths.

"For every challenge of fifths tuning (relearning three of the four strings and a new fingering system); there are many advantages, including the ability to play low C without an extension and a sense that the instrument vibrates more naturally. Intonation is one of the best reasons to play the bass tuned in fifths. I feel a connection with the other stringed instruments as though we are speaking the same language.

Learning a new fingering system for fifths tuning poses a problem initially; but if you have proficient knowledge of the fingerboard, across as well as up and down in fourths, you might enjoy the challenge of finding fingering solutions for fifths tuning. Occasionally, I shift farther to reach a given note; otherwise I use the same fingering system in fifths tuning that I use when the bass is tuned in fourths. It’s a small sacrifice for playing an instrument I enjoy more than ever."

You can read more about Dennis Masuzzo and tuning in 5ths on his website www.dennismasuzzo.com

When You Got It... Flaunt It

Well, the run of "When You Got It... Flaunt It" is up at Herrongate Theatre. I had a great time playing and learned a lot. The cast and crew were great and I hope to work with them in the future. In fact, the way things are working out, this might become a reality in the near future. More on this later...

A little bit of ingenuity...

... and a lot of free time can reap great rewards. That and a lot of scrap parts. Click the link below.
Double Bass Fun.

Quote of the Day

"Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects."
- Lester B. Pearson

"The skillled use of a baseball bat is also known as Effective Persuasion"
- BassBassDude

Quote of the Day

"A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company."
- Gian Vincenzo Gravina

"Boring"
- BassBassDude

Quote of the Day

"We're not lost. We're locationally challenged."
- John M. Ford

"We're not lost. We're just taking the scenic route."
- BassBassDude

Fountain Play

Fountain Play
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

Just playing around with the Shutter Speed.

With my interest in tuning my bass in 5ths, I found that there is a book my Dennis Masuzzo called "Playing the Double Bass Tuned in Fifths".  Here's a quick overvies of the book from www.inrmusic.com.

Hey! Come back here

Hey! Come back here
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I took this photo while having a bit of a vacation up in Collingwood, ON. This boardwalk is part of the Hen & Chicken Trail that is just north of town.

When You Got It...Flaunt It!

Here's the info on the latest musical that I am a part of.

"When you got it... Flaunt It!"
Augist 18 - September 9, 2006

Herongate Barn Theatre
2885 Altona Road
Pickering, Ontario Canada
905-472-3085

visit: www.herongate.com for more details

Great Dinner. Great Show.
Hope to see you there.

Herongate Rehearsal

I've just completed two rehearsals for a musical theatre gig that I'm a part of. The rehearsals went well but I have a few things that I need to work on. Otherwise, I think I should be okay for these performances. More on this later. If you'd like, visit www.herongate.com

Electric woes

For a while now, my electric bass has been out of commission. I took it in last night to see what was the problem. It turns out that it just needs a bit of soldering. No problem. Although, the person looking at my electric did feel that there was a major problem with the action on my bass; I concurred. In fact, the action/tension on my electric has been horrible for a long time now. Anyway, I'm finally going to have that looked after as well. Hopefully this won't break the bank on a beat up electric bass. Coming out of there, I couldn't help but feel like I was dropping my bass off at a car dearlership's service department. Anyway, here's hoping they won't charge as much as well.

Quote of the Day

"Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything."
- Frank Dane

"If I'm on the winning side, am I really that foolish."
- BassBassDude

Aikido Recap

All attacks were Ushiro Tekubi dori (Two wrists grasp from behind). Techniques applied were Shihonage (Four comer throw), Kotegaeshi (Throwing by turning out uke's wrist), and Iriminage (Entering throw). After working through these techniques, we had to apply them in a 3-man randori. Shortly after Randori, we had to apply 2 types of Kokyunage (Breathe throw), JiJunage (Arm entering throw), and Koshinage (Hip throw). Overall, randori practice is a great workout (as either nage or uke) and can easily display one's level of Aikido.

Lesson learned: Never stand still in Randori. Keep in mind where you are going next and keep in mind your center.

5ths Tuning

Here's a bit of insight on tuning the Double Bass to 5ths courtesy of Wikipedia.

Fifths tuning is a non-standard tuning for the double bass, used primarily in classical and jazz music. In this tuning, the double bass is tuned like a cello but an octave lower (C-G-D-A low to high).

Although once the most common double bass tuning in France in the 19th century, standard fourths tuning (E-A-D-G) has since become the most used tuning for the instrument. Fifths has recently been repopularised by a handful of bassists, most notably American Red Mitchell and Canadian Joel Quarrington. Other players who use the tuning include Dennis Masuzzo, Silvio Dalla Torre, and Larry Holloway. Although still relatively uncommon (most fifths players are in Canada), its popularity is ever increasing.

Its advocates say the advantages of fifths tuning are:

* Increased resonance, volume and quality of sound (the strings have more common overtones, causing the strings to vibrate sympathetically).
* Superior intonation with the rest of the string section due to the uniform tuning (for classical players).
* Best method of obtaining a low C, without an extension or a fifth string.
* Mostly used by jazz players for the major tenth which can be played easily without a position shift.

visit: en.wikipedia.org

Quote of the Day

"Washington is the only place where sound travels faster than light."
- CVR Thompson

"Washington... yummy Washington."
- BassBassDude

The Change to 5ths

I've decided to make the switch. By the end of September, I will be changing my bass to be tuned in 5ths as opposed to the traditional tuning in 4ths. I've had many conversations with a bass player about this and he feels that this will be a good change for me. Although I am a little concerned about where this will lead with my playing or whether I can wrap my head around re-learning the bass, I am certain that this will be a venture that will be beneficial for myself as a bass player. Essentially, it's just another way of having a deeper understanding of my instrument.

Quote of the Day

"This is the sixth book I've written, which isn't bad for a guy who's only read two."
- George Burns

"The sixth book I've written is still in the works, along with its five predecessors."
- BassBassDude

Quote of the Day

"An executive is a person who always decides; sometimes he decides correctly, but he always decides."
- John H. Patterson

"A procrastinator never gets anything accomplished. I'll tell you more about it later."
- BassBassDude

Sittin' in the sun

Sittin' in the sun
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I have a firm belief that nothing beats sunlight when it comes to photography. On top of that, nothing beats using sunlight at either sunrise or sunset. It is at these two times where it seems like you get the most colour and vibrance out of your photography. Anyway, I took this shot on a gorgeous day just before sunset. I would have liked to see how the photo would have come out had it been a few hours later. Unfortunately, my subject was not very cooperative with this idea. Kids these days...

Not quite a starry night with these fireworks

Not quite a starry night with these fireworks
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

Fireworks.

It's funny how much money you would spend for a few seconds of flashy fun. Either way, this shot was on a 30sec shutter speed. I guess that's why the shot seems to be taken in the middle of the day. Ah, the fun things you can do with the Rebel XT.

Quote of the Day

"Isn't it interesting that the same people who laugh at science fiction listen to weather forecasts and economists?" - Kelvin Throop III

"Isn't it interesting that the same people who laugh at Chuck Norris are usually not around to see their next birthday. Nobody laughs at Chuck Norris and lives to talk about it." - BassBassDude

The Bell City Chase-Team Running to Stand Still

"Complete 10 of 15 events that are scattered all throughout the city".

Since it first came to Toronto in 2004, I have been a huge fan of the Bell City Chase. This past Saturday June 24th, was no exception. Great weather, great people, great race. Although we did not win, it was the journey and all the events that took place that were the highlights including some personal highlights. Unlike some competitors, my teammate Dave-o and I can hold our heads up high for finishing without cheating and for running the race as hard as we could with the spirit that the City Chase had intended. Here is how "Team Running To Stand Still" ran the Toronto I Bell City Chase.

Starting Line. Dundas Square, at the corner of Yonge and Dundas, was our starting point for the race. We warmed up to "hip" style of Tai-Chi and went over all the rules of the race. The race began when we were told that our clues were at the two fire stations in the downtown core. Team Running to Stand Still decided to run East along Dundas, past Parliament, all the way to Regent Park's Fire Station to pick up our clues.

First Event. Dave-o and I decided to run North up to Riverdale Farm where we (we being only Dave-o) carried a bale of hay down a hill. From there, we had to build a life-sized Scarecrow. When completed, we had to take apart the Scarecrow, and then take the bale of hay back up the hill. Only one qualm with this event; our team arrived first but the event was not ready for us. In the long run, that didn't hurt us, but we did waste energy running around park looking for this event.

Second Event. We ran North to Bloor, then West to Mt Pleasant then North to Branksome Hall. Behind the school was a field where we had to quickly pitch a tent. No problem seeing that both of us are (ex)campers.

Third Event. I'm not sure why, but we ran South on Sherbourne all the way down to Queen St to Moss Park's John Innis Pool. With both of my calves begging for mercy, we both jumped into a pool of floating golf balls and rubber ducks. Each golf ball had a number that coinincided with a duck that needed to be found. This was a good event that didn't take too long because it was a chance to wash all that hay off us from our first event. Too bad my buddy forgot to take his wallet out of his shorts.

Fourth Event. Ran down to King St and grabbed a streetcar to 40 King St W. Under the Scotiabank building, we teamed up with another team and participated in a photo hunt with a Bell Mobility Cell phone. We had to find a man with moustache, a person with the City Chase logo, a manequin wearing jeans, and a person eating ice cream. This took a bit of time, but still, was not overly long.

Fifth Event. We jumped on the King street car and headed West to Fraser St (East of Dufferin) and ended up at Joe Rockhead's where we both had to do some rock climbing. I personally thought that this would be difficult, but it took no time at all to finish. By this time, my legs were not cooperating with my brain and refusing to run.

Sixth Event. We caught the King streetcar heading East to Strachan. Jumped off and ran up to Trinity-Bellwoods Park to play ultimate frisbee. The object was to play against another City Chase team and score 2 points in order to advance. Loster has to stay and play again. Our team forced a turnover and we scored a nifty point as I sqeezed a pass to Dave-o into the endzone. After another turnover, Dave-o threw a pass into the endzone where I made a diving catch to score our second point enabling us to advance. You usually know it's a good catch when everyone on the pitch start jumping up and down cheering and congratulating you on such a spectacular feat. This was easily my highlight of the day and thank God for Robaxacit Platinum.

Seventh Event. We ran East along Dundas past Bathurst to Scadding Court Community Center. In the bowels of this center, we found many anxious City Chasers weilding fishing rods surrounding the perimiter of a pool full of fish. In the nearby corner was a table of bait. We had two choices: 1. Spend 30min trying to catch a fish. 2. Spend 30sec Eating a worm. One qualm; don't bite a worm when trying to swallow it.

Eight Event. Dave-o and grabbed a Spadina streetcar and headed north to Harbord. We headed East up Queen's Park to the Royal Ontario Museum. From there, I had the priveledge of properly dressing Dave-o up in a toga. No problem no qualms.

Ninth Event. We jumped on the Subway and headed East to Christie Station. We headed south to Bickford Park where we had to fill a bucket with water using sponges (sans hands). Anyway, that took no time, and was by far the most forgetable of events. At this point, my legs had decided to go home.

Tenth Event. Scavenger Hunt. This was our ultimate low. We wasted over an hour trying to find a business card that had one of our names on it within the Church and Wellesley district. Although it took a lot longer than we were planning, we finished the scavenger hunt and headed to the finish line.

Finish Line. We jumped on the subway and headed south from Wellesley to Dundas and made a final dash to the finish. Our finish time was around 5 hours and 20 minutes.

We both had a blast and we will be in the race again next year with yet another top 10 finish as our goal. As I nurse my race injuries and battle scars, I can hold my head up high and say that Team Running To Stand Still finished with the right spirit in mind from beginning to end. Cheers to all that finished with that same spirit.

visit:
bellcitychase.com

iPod Nano

I just bought a brand new iPod Nano and I am happily impressed with it. It's incredibly small and I need to get a case. It's a lot of fun, but I can't help but feel that I'm going to break it. Here's hoping for a lot of good luck while I have it.

Zephyrologie

A couple of years ago, I went down to the Montreal Jazz Festival and found a plethora of differnt types of music. One of which was a French brass band by the name of Zephyrologie. At the time, I was completely blown away by the sound that these ten musicians could create with what is essentially a marching band with soul. This is a group that cannot be easily described but does have its roots in soul, jazz, funk and rock. Sadly, they will not be anywhere in Canada this year, but hopefully, they will reach our shores in the near future.

Click here to listen.
Also, please visit zephyrologie.com

Marlowe-Richmond Hill tomorrow night

Hi all,

I'll be at the Marlow-Richmond Hill Tuesday June 20th. Here's the details:

155 York Blvd (Leslie & Hwy 7)
Richmond Hill, ON
905-771-8645

We begin playing around 7pm. Hope to see you there.

Too cute... rookie photography mistake

My boy and the ducky.
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

With all the photos I shoot, my main problem is that I create motion blur. In a nutshell, I should A) shoot with a higher shutter speed with a possible flash or B) start using a tripod. Then again, I should focus more on C) not moving when I shoot.

Hi tiger

Hi tiger
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

Another tiger shot, just a little closer. I contemplated purchasing lenses with Canon's Image Stabalizer on it, but thought otherwise. As a rookie shooter, I'm finding that I need to improve my shooting skills and having the IS models for my camera may turn into a crutch down the road. Besides, the extra dough was a bit of a deterrant.

Don't get me wrong, Image Stabalizers are great in various situations, but in my case as a hack, I'll leave IS lenses off my wish lists (for now).

Waiting Alone

Waiting Alone
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I'm becoming a big fan of the use of lines and shadows in my photography. I'm still working on it, but here's a taste of what I'm beginning to enjoy.

Practice recap

Holy busy batman. I've been in and out of gigs that I can't remember which gig was which. Most of them being wedding reception gigs.

Anyway, I rehearsed yesterday afternoon with a few friends for an upcoming wedding reception which went very well. It's funny how people you've known for years still seem to suprise you with new talents. Anyway, I look forward to playing with these extremely talnted people.

Doh... no Marlowe

Looks like I messed up my schedule. I won't be at the Marlowe tonight. Next week.

Sorry for those who were coming down.

I think my cover's been blown...

I think my cover's been blown...
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I haven't been to the zoo in the longest time. Anyway, I took a few shots of the animals. Let me know what you think.

Marlowe Tueseday Night

I'm back @ Marlowe this Tuesday May 30th. Should be a good time. Good food. Good music. Good time. Hope to see you there.

558 College St
Toronto, ON

(416) 963-2229

7pm to 10pm


visit:
marlowe.ca for more details

Change of plans - The Marlowe Downtown

Looks like I'm back downtown tonight.

Marlowe Restaurant
558 College St
Toronto, ON M6G 1A1, Canada
(416) 963-2229

Click here for a map.

Same time: 7pm to 10pm

Marlowe- Richmond Hill

Tomorrow night, I'll be playing up at The Marlowe in Richmond Hill (Leslie & Hwy 7). We'll start playing at around 7:00pm 'til about 10:00pm. Hope to see you there.

Marlowe Restaurant
155 York Boulevard
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3B4, Canada
(905) 771-8645

Click here for a Google map.
visit www.themarlowe.ca for details.

NYCO Recap

Well, to sum it up, it was a well done performance by all. All I heard from those who came out were positive reviews. I had a blast learning all the music and being able to perform it with the NYCO. I look forward to reading through some of the other pieces we'll be performing next year.

NYCO Final Concert of the Season

Here's the scoop.

The North York Concert Orchestra's Final concert of the season will be taking place this Saturday May 6th at Willowdale United Church (349 Kenneth Ave) a couple of blocks south-east of Yonge&Finch. The concert begins at 8pm and tickets are still available at the door. On the program for the night is as follows:

Weber - Der Freischutz Overture
Weber - Concertino for clarinet & orchestra
Ricardo Mojica, clarinet
Beethoven - Symphony #5

Please come and show your support and I hope to see you there.

New to Aikido

Well, I know that this blog has been mostly been about me in music and my reflections on this subject. Some of the secondary articles have been about golf and running with a couple of my photos from Flickr. Anyway, my new passion began this week as I enrolled myself into learning Aikido. Similar to my other hobbies, it is a life-long endeavour and I hope to share some of my insights on this subject.

Gig Tonight - The Marlowe

If you're free tonight, I will be playing for a couple of hours at The Marlowe on College Street, west of Bathurst starting at 7:30pm tonight.

The Marlowe
558 College Street West
Toronto, ON
416-963-2229

visit
www.themarlowe.ca/collegestreet/ for more details.


Sorry for the late notice but I hope to see you there.

Wibi Show this Friday

This is my a capella alma mater (try saying that 5 times fast). Come out and show your support.

Wibi's Spring Concert
Friday April 21st is the date
8pm is the time

It will be held at York University in 050 McLaughlin College "The Dacary" (#51 on the map)

Just follow our signs

Tickets will be sold at the door:
$6 students and seniors
$8 everyone else


If you'd like to learn more about Wibi visit wibi.ca

Better Weather=GOLF

Angus Glen Clubhouse
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

The golf itch has kicked in and I can't wait to scratch it. I've already hit the driving range (just an L-wedge) and I'm feeling pretty good. Although I won't be able to get out to play much this year, I still can't wait to get the first round in. April rates in the GTA are looking okay so here's hoping that I get out sooner than later.

Bloor Bridge

Bridge
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I did a bit of a walk-about a couple of weeks ago and found this bridge at Broadview and Bloor. I wonder if I shot it in B&W if it would have come out a little better.

Quote of the Week

"Smoking is one of the leading causes of statistics."
- Fletcher Knebel

"There are lies, big lies, and then there are statistics."
- Anonymous

"..."
- BassBassDude

Mental Blocks

Mental blocks can kill you. Especially when performing live. Lucky for me, it was only a rehearsal. Unlucky for me, I had a mental block.
Wednesday night was another NYCO rehearsal and it was going well. When nearing the end of the night, I could not get through one of the finales in Beethoven's 5th. The worst part was that it was at a point where everyone rests; dead silence. My mental block was finding new points in this section to "un-deaden" these precious moments.
"Sticking out like a sore thumb" would be an understatement of a phrase. Sticking out like a pink neon sign outside of a cheap motel at midnight flashing "Vacancy" with an arrow pointed at my head; that would be a little more accurate.
Anyway, mental blocks suck.

Quote of the Week

"Everybody tells jokes, but we still need comedians" - Jimmy Wales

"You've been a fabulous audience. Have a great night and don't forget to tip your waitresses." - BassBassDude

"BassBassDude shouldn't quit his day job." - BassBassDude

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom

Zoom-Zoom-Zoom
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

I'm a big fan of driving. But, sometimes you need to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Cadence Last Night

4 on stage. No instruments
Originally uploaded by BassBassDude.

A great Cadence show last night at Hugh's room. All a capella; no instruments attatched.
I was glad I could catch the tail end of the show.

Visit: Flickr for a couple of pics.

Cadence @ Hugh's Room - Tonight

WHO: Cadence, plus Special Guests Onoscatopoeia, the University of Toronto's Hart House Jazz Choir
WHEN: TONIGHT. Wednesday March 29. Doors open at 6pm, show at 8:30pm
WHAT: 2 sets of vocal fun!
WHERE: Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas St West, Toronto Ontario
(1 1/2 blocks south of Dundas West subway station)
WHY: Good vibes for the Juno Awards! We're nominated for: Best Vocal Jazz Album, Best Engineer (for producer/mixmeister Adam Messinger and Dylan)
HOW MUCH: $10 advance, $12 at the door.

I'll be taking photos...

Hopefully good ones.

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

Weaknesses Exposed

On Wednesday night, two of the double bassists that I play with in the NYCO were unable to make it to rehearsal. Well, in that kind of situation, your weaknesses are completely exposed. Essentially, I held my own. I still have much to work on and a lot to learn. Although, I learned very quickly how much I lean on the others in my section; mostly on when to come in after long rests. Counting is easy, but when the phrasing of orchestra is focusing on off-beats, it can throw you for a loop. Anyway, you have to be very focused when you're under-staffed, especially when your principal player is away.

Tiger Unleashed

Last night I finally received Apple's new OS Tiger for my ibook. It took a while to install but, I'm excited about what it can do. If you have a review on this, let me know.

Honda Civic commercial

Now, those who know me, know that I enjoy most things a capella. The "coolness" factor of being able to perform music without instruments is a feat. This commercial definitely qualifies as cool. Check it out. www.honda.co.uk/civic/ Oh, and make sure to WATCH the ad.

Bass Mute

One of the songs that we are performing for this coming concert with the North York Concert Orchestra requires a mute. I didn't realize that a mute could be used on a double bass in a performance setting, but I guess you learn something new every day. I decided to go cheap and painless with the common plastic mute that goes just around the strings inbetween the bridge and the tailpiece. My analysis, the word "mute" is loosely termed and should not be taken literally. All it does is dampen/take away the upper partials/harmonics. That's another story I should talk about later.

iLife '06

Last night, I received iLife '06 in the mail and I have yet to get my hands wet on all the apps. Being an convert since late 2004, I have been a strong advocate for apple. One of the apps that I can't wait to play with is Garage Band 3. Now, I never purchased iLife '05 and I wasn't very interested with the original Garage Band, but I was turned around by the easy use of pitch correction from this new version. Anyway, I'm curious to see what you think of iLife '06.

Here's a couple of
iLife '06 reviews

Speed Practice Notes

I was going over a couple of the more challenging passages of one of the pieces that I am going to perform as a member of the North York Concert Orchestra. I was told that the best way to get through fast/difficult passages is to slow everything down. Now, I've known about this for the longest time and have used this always. Go through it slow and once you are comfortable, pick up the speed. What I was not aware of until as of late, is that you must practice slowly but as if you were playing in real time. That is to say in a double bass setting, keep your bow strokes short and quick and keep both your hands moving quickly. I have always made the mistake of practicing slowly but with a technique that would not help me when the tempo picked up. I was always getting my hands used to playing long and heavy when practicing for speed. What I should have done was to practice "speed training". I'll get into this a little later. Anyway, you can always learn something new regardless of where you are in your playing.

NYCO Practice

Wednesday night was the first North York Concert Orchestra practice for the new year. It was great to see the group back together playing again. More importantly, seeing and hearing four double basses playing together in that setting was great. It is always nice to get back into things to rekindle your passion for playing and practicing.

Imogen Heap

I normally don't listen to electronic-styled music. But, because of the "Hide and Seek" arrangement by Transit, I began to look up stuff on Imogen Heap. I never heard much about her, but I'm becoming more intreagued with her stuff. Not my favourite stuff but her song writing is quite interesting. Anyway, it just turns out she's at the El Mocombo in Toronto. It's funny how one song can peak your interest.

Happy New Year

It's a new year and I'm finally back to Bloggin'. Just to start things off, a friend of mine brought this to my attention.
visit: www.transit-music.com
From what I know, they are an a capella group from North Carolina. They have an mp3 called "Hide and Seek" that is a must hear.

Take care and keep practicing.