Thursday, May 1

Post 1153, Day 121 of 2014
- 1,217 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Back to playing tonight. 

While aiting around for my set, I had an enjoyable conversation with a young guitarist who was eager to soak up some music philosophy. I went all pedantic, but he seemed to appreciate it anyway.

I don't have a whole lot to teach about how to play bass. Technically, I am flawed, and limited to the playing my style, the one that best allows me to self-express.

But generally, I have put some principles into practice, things I now do without thinking, that have led other musicians to want me in their sets.

One of these is an axiomatic fable I heard many years ago:  

"When someone asks you, "What do you play?", don't answer by naming your instrument. Tell them, "I play the song. I play it on my bass [instrument]. Uou don't hire a carpenter whose answer to, "What do you build?" is, "A hammer."

Look at music the way you look at any art. First you respond to the whole piece, then examine your response, How you were effected by the piece. See what you can do to better understand that feeling, that response. Only when you've sorted that out, look at the techniques the artist used to get that reaction, to see what you can learn. You can learn a lot by learning and copying those techniques, but you might do better by seeing how, in your medium, you can get that same effect, evoke those same feelings. Do that, you own it clear. 

Finally, I said, the key to the whole thing is listening, hearing what everybody in the  ensemble is doing, how it fits together, and where you can add value. That requires listening skills that don't come naturally (or do, but have been repressed). When things don't seem to be jelling, find the common thread, the small part that is working, and elevate that, bring it out. That's worth knowing how to do.

In every human interaction, too.

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 Food and Diet Section

2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         205.6 lbs

Previous Weight:        205.0 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      + 0.6 lbs

Diet Comment

I think this little variation might be due to the salt in my Chinese restaurant lunch yesterday.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch
A kale protein shake (almond-coconut milk, kale, raw organic cacao powder, hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), chia gel, whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, celery and stevia-inulin blend, and toasted cheese on a slice of Ezekiel 4:9 Flax bread.

Dinner

Grass-fed beef burger, Baby kale sauteed in tomato-garlic oil, and cole slaw. Just like last night.

Snack
Almonds , pepperoni and cheese, Quest bars.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  40 oz.   Water: 84+ oz  

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