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!