Friday, March 25, 2011
3/25/11
Walked two miles yesterday! Going to keep trying to walk a mile or more daily.
This weekend I'm going to try and create some practice space in the house. I keep getting interrupted and it is frustrating. Probably not just for me. If I get enough energy I can create a space in the front and one in the back of the house.
I've been working on some different jazz patterns and exercises, scales following jazz progressions, etc. I've started slowly also doing these with the button accordion. I will also start learning some Esteban "Steve" Jordan songs for a tribute in August.
Last time I talked about the scales I would teach a new student. I would still do major, mixolydian, dorian, natural minor, and lydian. Then I would go for blues and also teach some common passing tones (b3 and b7) depending on the music style.
Hopefully by finals time I'll be lifting. I will post up some of the music workouts for the period in between.
KEEP LEFTING!!
This weekend I'm going to try and create some practice space in the house. I keep getting interrupted and it is frustrating. Probably not just for me. If I get enough energy I can create a space in the front and one in the back of the house.
I've been working on some different jazz patterns and exercises, scales following jazz progressions, etc. I've started slowly also doing these with the button accordion. I will also start learning some Esteban "Steve" Jordan songs for a tribute in August.
Last time I talked about the scales I would teach a new student. I would still do major, mixolydian, dorian, natural minor, and lydian. Then I would go for blues and also teach some common passing tones (b3 and b7) depending on the music style.
Hopefully by finals time I'll be lifting. I will post up some of the music workouts for the period in between.
KEEP LEFTING!!
Labels: Musica y Musicos, Woodshedding, Workout
Thursday, March 17, 2011
3/17/11
Work was great today. Just finished my second draft of my mid-term assignments. I related the work of Eugene V. Debs as an organizer and public health outcomes. I will work on it some more over the weekend. Sticks to the idea that equity improves health outcomes!
I have been working on some jazz drills and feeling like "geeze I should have learned these in middle school." Then I noticed on Tuesday during rehearsal and jamming with some friends that I was playing a bit differently. Decent stuff for a couple of weeks of work. I guess I'll have to keep it up!
It has been hard to keep up with current events. Japan, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Wisconsin, etc.
KEEP LEFTING!!!
I have been working on some jazz drills and feeling like "geeze I should have learned these in middle school." Then I noticed on Tuesday during rehearsal and jamming with some friends that I was playing a bit differently. Decent stuff for a couple of weeks of work. I guess I'll have to keep it up!
It has been hard to keep up with current events. Japan, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Wisconsin, etc.
KEEP LEFTING!!!
Labels: Grad School, Health, Hell In Handbasket, Musica y Musicos
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
3/15/11
Had a massage yesterday. Felt better. A lot of focus on the areas that are tight and twisted up. I could stand a long time. Hope I'm still doing well for awhile.
On the musical side I was very tired but tried some drills anyway. Wasn't pretty, will try again today before rehearsal.
What I did get out of it was an idea of how I would teach scales to a new student. I would teach C major one week, all white notes. Then the second week teach A natural minor, again all white notes. Then the third week teach the D minor Dorian mode - all white notes. Then the fourth week teach the G Mixolydian scale, you got it, all white notes.
If the student is interested in blues I would continue with the C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic. Follow that with the A Blues scale. Then for the 8th week give them a CD with a rhythm section playing a background appropriate for the scales and exercises given.
Of course scales exercises aren't that much fun, so a song for each scale would also need to be given. And encouragement to make up melodies and experiment with random notes.
KEEP LEFTING!
On the musical side I was very tired but tried some drills anyway. Wasn't pretty, will try again today before rehearsal.
What I did get out of it was an idea of how I would teach scales to a new student. I would teach C major one week, all white notes. Then the second week teach A natural minor, again all white notes. Then the third week teach the D minor Dorian mode - all white notes. Then the fourth week teach the G Mixolydian scale, you got it, all white notes.
If the student is interested in blues I would continue with the C major pentatonic and A minor pentatonic. Follow that with the A Blues scale. Then for the 8th week give them a CD with a rhythm section playing a background appropriate for the scales and exercises given.
Of course scales exercises aren't that much fun, so a song for each scale would also need to be given. And encouragement to make up melodies and experiment with random notes.
KEEP LEFTING!
Labels: Musica y Musicos
Monday, March 14, 2011
3/14/11
Well I had some xrays done on my hip and back last week. Let's see how those come out.
This is mid-terms week so I will be working hard to try and get all of my assignments done!
So many things to think about. I end up using FaceBook and Twitter more since they are good for many short and quick types of things. I'm wondering if I should keep the blog going? Feedback would be appreciated...
KEEP LEFTING!!!
This is mid-terms week so I will be working hard to try and get all of my assignments done!
So many things to think about. I end up using FaceBook and Twitter more since they are good for many short and quick types of things. I'm wondering if I should keep the blog going? Feedback would be appreciated...
KEEP LEFTING!!!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
3/9/11
Well, Blue Jeans closed. I had decided to go into the "woodshed" for awhile. I had a couple of gigs which took some time from practicing, but playing with a band with a different groove was cool.
So for lent I will do an hour of jazz drills a day. And if I miss a day I will make it up on following days or at the end of lent. Maybe I'll get a good habit going.
As for health - I went to get my x-rays done today. We'll see how it goes.
I'll post some info on the gigs and get back to this more regularly.
Keep Lefting!!!
So for lent I will do an hour of jazz drills a day. And if I miss a day I will make it up on following days or at the end of lent. Maybe I'll get a good habit going.
As for health - I went to get my x-rays done today. We'll see how it goes.
I'll post some info on the gigs and get back to this more regularly.
Keep Lefting!!!
Labels: Musica y Musicos, Woodshedding
