Just the two of us.

Yes, I know, there's a song with the
same name as this blog post's title.

What I'm talking about is that there are only two bloggers left here once again. Yes, you guessed it, Robert's blog has buggered off once again.

Personally, I've had enough of him. I think Peter has too, after Robert copied his blog.

Anyway, I've removed the link to his 'gone blog' from Richard's Bass Bag.* I won't be putting the link back if (and when) he shows up again. 

I've already done an hour of guitar practice this morning. I'll get onto some violin practice next. Hopefully I'll get a bit of double bass practice done too.

I've set up a new repertoire for the guitar, consisting of six tunes.

The Accordion Lady, Autumn Leaves, Billie's Bounce, The Girl From Ipanema, Stella By Starlight and Sweet Georgia Brown.

Those are six very good tunes to concentrate on.

I'm also doing a lot of work on scales and my pick.

I've already mentioned that I turned up at the Aro Valley Jazz Jam yesterday to find out that it wasn't happening. This is the second time this has happened to me. Ah well, I won't be going back. You'd think that they'd advertise if it wasn't happening. It's supposed to happen on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. 

So, why am I doing so much practice when I have nothing on the horizon?

As the old saying goes, "Funk is its own reward."

Ciao uno.

* the original bass bagging site

Weekend Catchup.

 

1) Saturday: I spent a bit of time organising my double bass and guitar schedules. It's good to have a practice plan.

2) Saturday: My mother turned 105 posthumously.

3) Saturday: Had a lovely catchup with Lynn and Peter. Thanks to you both.

4) Saturday: Robert took his fixed up bike for a ride. 

5) Sunday: The All Blacks beat Scotland. Yes!

6) Sunday: The result of the NZ election looks very close. It might just favour National and the silly  worrying little parites they work with.

7) Sunday: The spouting on the back of our house was gushing water yesterday as it rained heavily. I'll need to get the ladder out some time soon and check out what is blocking it.

8) Sunday: I'm off to the Aro Valley Jazz Jam this afternoon. I know that I sometimes moan about it afterwards but it is good to have a play. As usual I'll be taking my violin. 

Well, there you go. 

Ciao.

Jesus Christ!

 

AJ

BJ

Which one? The angry one or the pretty one?

I got threatened in a comment on my last post for using this guy's name with an exclamation mark. I was threatened with hell and/or a stoning. (As a place, shouldn't hell have a capital letter?)

Should I have said, "Angry Jesus!" or "Beautiful Jesus!"?

Normally, when someone threatens me with violence, I can call the police. Does this still count if someone is religious?

Robert, a blogger who comes and goes, said, "Do you want stoning or hell for irreverent blasphemy?"

Now, I bet that if I replied, "I'm going to run you over with my car next time I see you." I could be in serious trouble. How do people like Catholics get away Scott free when making similar threats? Ah, the power of religion! A bit scary really.

Well, I'm off to get some practice done. I'll watch out for people carrying stones.

Ciao.

Guy Fox Day.

 No, I HAVE spelt that correctly.

I'm talking about the day that celebrates male foxes, not the silly cracker thing.

It is a little weird how both days fall on the 5th of November, but that's life.

Okay, okay, I know that you'll want to hear about my music practice.

I probably told you that this month I want to devote each day to practising one of my 30 tune repertoire pieces. My original intention was to do this on both violin and guitar, but I have decided to turn my main concentration back onto violin. 

Let's take a look at how my practice is going this year.

Double Bass.

42 1/2 hours of practice. I haven't been pushing the double bass too hard this year, and it's a very long time since I've had a bass gig, but I want to keep my chops up. I'll put in as much time on it as I can.

Guitar.

83 1/2 hours of practice. I often refer to this instrument as my hobby instrument. I've played it for a long time and want to keep improving my technique, but I play it mainly for fun.

Violin.

220 hours of practice. This is my main instrument these days and I want to get out and play it. This month I am putting in a concentrated effort to tidy up my 30 tune repertoire so that I might be able to get out and play some gigs. The violin comes first.

Total Practice for the year so far - 346 hours. This has probably been my most productive practice year ever!

* * *

Well, today and tomorrow I need to track down a butternut pie to take to Peter's on Saturday. They're evidently pretty hard to come by, but I have discovered a couple of places that might have them. I yearn for the good old days when he ate sausage rolls. Ah well, gotta move with the times.

Okay, that's it for this morning. Enjoy Guy Fox Day, though there are no foxes in the wild in this country. Before you complain, remember that Guy Fawkes's adventures happened in England.

Ciao tutti.

Just reading Rob's latest post.

 

Peter is on my back to write a post, so here goes.

Here's something from Peter that I really liked.

I think he must have used AI to get that image. I liked it and used it on my Facebook page. I wrote, "If you regularly practise more than one musical instrument, it's okay to play with yourself. Just saying." It has had over 40 likes so far. Thanks Peter.

Back to Robert's post. It doesn't really tell us much. The latest posts he got rid of were much more interesting. He did a good job of playing the violin on one. Ah well, they're all gone now.

I'm going to Peter and Lynn's for afternoon tea on Saturday. Peter wants me to bring a butternut pie.

I'm doing some research to see if I can buy one. Ah, life was simpler when Peter ate meat savories. 

The November repertoire based practice is going well so far. Well, it is early days. I've only got half an hour still to do today. The November practice requires at least two hours per day. It is good to set goals and keep to them.

I just realized that the name on Robert's blog is incorrect. It should have the word 'Angry' before 'Jesus'. AJ will be pissed off!

Well, that's it from me for today. Make sure that you make goals and get your practice done.

Ciao tutti.

A new practice schedule for a new month.

 "Thirty days hath September,

April, June and November."

Hey, that's the same number as the number of tunes I have in my violin repertoire!

One tune for every day in November!

I've decided to also learn those 30 tunes on my guitar, so I'll know the repertoire on two instruments.

Don't get me wrong, the violin will still be my main instrument.

Every day I'll target one specific tune on one instrument. I'll give that half an hour (on each instrument) then I'll devote another half hour (on each instrument) to three or six repertoire pieces.

In those two hours of practice I'll also make sure that technical practice (scales, etc.) is not neglected.

On the guitar that includes pick work and on the violin that includes long bows and intonation checks.

There you go.

I've done my guitar hour. Now it's violin time. It'd be good to get a bit of double bass (bass has its own repertoire) practice done too.

Ciao tutti.

Working again.

 

Hey, I said working not war king.

Bloody computers. Updating my (our) computer has been a taxing event. I have just got things almost back to normal. Akish and The The The Guy have also helped by getting their blogs going again. Unfortunately, there were problems with P. E. Nis's blog. Never mind, I'm sure he'll make his presence known with heaps of comments. 

Unfortunately, I must leave you there for now because I have quite a bit of music practice to catch up on. I have been looking after my elder grandson for quite a bit of the day. 

Hey, it is great to have things working again!

Long may it last!

Ciao.