It's been a minute since I've been on this page. Last month was January, my least favorite month. All those cheerful Christmas lights are gone and New York just looks drab and ugly. Plus, sick students, sick clients=NO MONEY! February is already way better and I'm glad I've made it to month number 2!
Had a great performance on Saturday at Troost with Gospel of Mars. I want more performances for us. It's a good band. I have a lot of fun with us. Plus, I like being the only act on a bill. I like playing 2 sets. First set was all about the fireworks, the second was about the subtlety. By set 2 I'm usually in a state of surrender. Not unlike exercising. You get past a point where "I'm tired" doesn't have any meaning any longer. Next day I couldn't do anything except watch a Zombie Apocalypse show. Completely exhausted but in a satisfying way. 2 sets will do that. I want to give all of me away.
Last night I had a good practice session on my horn. I had one major, well, 2 major breakthroughs. First was quite simple: I've been playing on this metal Otto Link mouthpiece, a #8 model. I really like it but have been getting this 'chirp' I don't like and its also quite easy for it to Kirk out and jump octave, squeak and all that stuff. I was about to send it off to my fellow in Portland for inspection/perfection when he suggested a couple things. Problem solver: ligature needed to be tighter. Twist of a screw and more practice. No more chirps, squeaks and my tone immediately got darker and more centered, just how I like it.
I am the master of the $1000 solution to the $4 problem. This one cost me nothing but the willingness to experiment.
Breakthrough 2: My high G# popped out. And then it popped out again, and again, then I managed to sustain it. My high G started to happen too. High F#, A, Bb, B, C, C#, and D are easy now, but that break point. Let me just tell you. I don't have the best practice habits, this I admit. But it's taken me a decade of reaching for those notes to get them, and they are getting easier every time. That feels so good, real boost of confidence!!!
My highest notes on soprano are popping now too. I don't take soprano so seriously but still, I've had my lovely 'fish horn' since 1999 and it's taken me until now to nail high Eb-F.
Need to celebrate that good stuff!!!
J
Photos: Efrian Gonzales
Had a great performance on Saturday at Troost with Gospel of Mars. I want more performances for us. It's a good band. I have a lot of fun with us. Plus, I like being the only act on a bill. I like playing 2 sets. First set was all about the fireworks, the second was about the subtlety. By set 2 I'm usually in a state of surrender. Not unlike exercising. You get past a point where "I'm tired" doesn't have any meaning any longer. Next day I couldn't do anything except watch a Zombie Apocalypse show. Completely exhausted but in a satisfying way. 2 sets will do that. I want to give all of me away.
Last night I had a good practice session on my horn. I had one major, well, 2 major breakthroughs. First was quite simple: I've been playing on this metal Otto Link mouthpiece, a #8 model. I really like it but have been getting this 'chirp' I don't like and its also quite easy for it to Kirk out and jump octave, squeak and all that stuff. I was about to send it off to my fellow in Portland for inspection/perfection when he suggested a couple things. Problem solver: ligature needed to be tighter. Twist of a screw and more practice. No more chirps, squeaks and my tone immediately got darker and more centered, just how I like it.
I am the master of the $1000 solution to the $4 problem. This one cost me nothing but the willingness to experiment.
Breakthrough 2: My high G# popped out. And then it popped out again, and again, then I managed to sustain it. My high G started to happen too. High F#, A, Bb, B, C, C#, and D are easy now, but that break point. Let me just tell you. I don't have the best practice habits, this I admit. But it's taken me a decade of reaching for those notes to get them, and they are getting easier every time. That feels so good, real boost of confidence!!!
My highest notes on soprano are popping now too. I don't take soprano so seriously but still, I've had my lovely 'fish horn' since 1999 and it's taken me until now to nail high Eb-F.
Need to celebrate that good stuff!!!
J
Photos: Efrian Gonzales
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