Busy!

I had to take an unplanned break from blogging, but I am back and busier than ever!

Only weeks away from the big concert and we're still finalizing songs and changing things around and polishing/composing solos. I feel so overwhelmed and I wish I could go to the dojo instead of work every morning.

Our newest song is so complicated! Just look at the notes I took for it:



I've got to work on a solo for that song too, but luckily it's a short one. I'm finding that composing solos is a little easier. I learned a trick that works for me: I record the basic beat that you put the solo over and then I play it all day long on my headphones. I think there is something seriously wrong with my attention span. I think I have the opposite of an attention deficit disorder. It's like I have an attention surplus disorder. I can listen to the same thing for hours and hours and not get bored. In my last job, I did major data entry and would type in names and addresses and stuff all day long--7 1/2 hours a day--and not get bored. I just put the headphones on and got into a zone and was able to focus on boring stuff for long periods of time. So for solos, I just put on the basic beat and just listen and let the music get into me. You know how it is when you know a song so well that it just seeps into your bones and muscles and playing it doesn't even involve your brain anymore? That's what I'm trying to do with the beat and then I'll just kind of throw a riff out there in between typing up stuff for work. I think it's because I'm not trying so hard to force things to come out. Things get subliminal and I go from there.

Oh, and I have to work on my spins. For some reason, I am really horrible at spinning. I just do everything I can to not fall over. I would like to incorporate a spin into my solo, but I know that's asking for trouble. And I hate practicing spins because the bottoms of my feet get all worn out and rug-burned. I'll have to get some advice on that.

In the meantime, I'll be busy. And if you haven't heard already, Emeryville Taiko will be in concert with Aiko Taiko and guests from Zanzylum.

Hope to see you there!

Who, me? Shy?

On Monday night we were working on Mokuyobi, and for some reason, I was totally overcome with shyness. I don't know what it was, really. I mean, I'm a shy person in general, but with this group I've opened up and relaxed a little, and with taiko, that's my one point where I really let go and have fun and whatnot. But when we were playing, Janet was kiai-ing and jumping around and being super genki and then I got really shy. It felt like the first day of school all of a sudden--you know, when there are cool kids orbiting all around you, but you're nervous and shy and you just kind of peek out from behind your mom's legs. It kind of annoys me because I LOVE Mokuyobi. That was the first song that I really struggled with. There is a basic beat, and then there are patterns that you play over the basic beat and when you play it correctly things just lock together and it sounds really cool. Mokuyobi was the first taiko song I learned where I was like: Wow! I didn't know taiko could do that!!! And then of course I was hooked.

Right now I'm listening to the recording I made of the song and hearing all the kia-ing is making me shy again right now! What is wrong with me?? I think what I need to do is get over this weird bout of shyness and polish up my kiai power skills.

Oh, and if you're at all interested in seeing Mokuyobi live and loud, come to the Solano Stroll this Sunday September 11. We'll be playing at 3pm at the top of the hill.

And since I'm in the promoting mood, Emeryville Taiko will be holding a major full length concert on Sunday November 6 at 7:30pm at The Julia Morgan Center for the Arts in Berkeley, California. It's actually what I've been working toward all this time, and it's gonna be a big deal, believe me.

And here is the lovely flyer yours truly designed for the event:


And if you're interested in being added to the Emeryville Taiko mailing list, please send me your name and address and we'll be sure to get a postcard out to you. Believe me, we only mail things out once or twice a year, if that. And we would never think of selling or trading your name because we have a hard enough time trying to figure out where the *(@#% we put it on the dinky computer anyway.