Ahead to the Past (or The Sound of Musicians)
What with Pennsic looming gloriously ahead, I am reminded that I did not post about Gulf Wars, so here goes:
Gulf Wars was a blast. I do not recall having a better time at any SCA event outside of Pennsic. The merchanting was successful for both "Materialis" and "Drum and Whistle" (We dragged our friend Greg kicking and screaming, but he enjoyed the experience), the drive was not so bad, but the music...
I am enjoying playing music more and more, and I seem to be getting a little better all the time. My repertoire is limited, not only by the small collection of sheet music I have purchased from Melissa Murphy ( http://www.bellydancesheetmusic.com/ ) but also by my limited exposure to music theory - i.e. I cannot switch from the key of D to G on the fly, and I only just have an inkling of what that means. This is something I am working on, but slowly. The music too, is a slow process, since I mostly buy the sheet music directly from her instead of online. (I really should get all of this in PDF, in case my music box gets rained upon.)
On the other hand, my taksim (Arabic for: Jazz style improv) seem to be improving. Sometimes it's better than others, but so long as I am comfortable in the maqam (key), I can noodle around with the best of them.
Which brings us back to Gulf Wars. FolkloricFusion and I camped with Al Mahala, the middle eastern encampment which also houses the class/performance tent for Middle Eastern dance and music. In addition to myself and Greg (on the clarinet and hurdy-gurdy respectively (and both of us drumming), the jam sessions included:
-*- Joacim - violin player, not only a great musician and nice person, but he also had good booze
-*- Silvanus (aka Billy Woods) - a master percussionist, one of the people who shaped me as a musician. I learned how to drum from lots of great drummers, but he taught me how to be a better drum citizen.
-*- Majda, Onca, Ziah, and other dancer/musicans who would grace us with their, uh, grace
-*- More people! (It's a problem with writing this months after the event)
Several nights, we would go out looking for parties, but usually we ended up with a nice quiet melody and rhythm based evening of music and dance under the big tent at Al Mahala instead of poundage around a campfire. We had other musician join us, some professionals players out in Mundania, and it was wonderful. Sometimes songs we all knew, taking turns with the taksims, sometimes just jamming, always fun and friendly.
It is really nice having people I respect as musicians tell me that my playing is good, not just good for a beginner. I don't think I am ready to quit my day job (ha!) and become a professional musician, but I don't think I'm that far away from sitting in on occasion with a real band. Maybe just a year or two if I practice more.
I did not bring my fencing gear to Gulf Wars this year. Now that my feet are ready to let me fence, my arms are becoming rebellious: tendinitis in the right arm and shoulder. I blame a combination of clarinet and too much driving - hence the fencing and clarinet practicing being somewhat less than more. This too shall pass, and I will be fencing again. Oh yes, I will. Would you think that the clarinet would be so decidedly right handed? All of the weight of the instrument rests on your right thumb...grrr...
After Gulf Wars, we stopped by New Orleans to visit Marrus (check out her LJ and buy prints of her paintings!), techgnostic and other friends. I love certain aspects of the city, and if it weren't for the weather, the crime, the economy, and NYC having a better belly dance scene (especially for learning), we would consider moving there.
On the drive back from The Big Easy, we stopped at Unclaimed Baggage Center. Cool thrift store kind of place. They buy unclaimed / lost luggage; once the airline has reimbursed you for your lost luggage, they now own it if they find it - but they don't want it! So these folks buy the suitcases and boxes, sort through it, clean what needs it, and on with the selling! Some people come in to buy personal item back, such as jewelry and watches, or mayby just a favorite suitcase. We found some good stuff, some of which ended up in our shop. I got a paperback copy of Neal Stephenson's "Quicksilver" which was awesome. I suppose one could call it historical fiction, but it's much more than that.
We tried to stop at "MagiQuest", a combination between a laser tag shooting gallery and a Harry Potter LARP, but despite the signs and advertisements, that aspect of the entertainment complex was not to be open for two weeks yet. Instead, we opted to forgo the pirate themed mini-golf and just drove straight home. Well, almost straight. At 4 in the morning, we found a Waffle House in New Jersey! Of course we had to stop and get our last taste of the greasy air and greasier food. Their hashbrowns are excellent and can get more expensive than the entrees by the time you're done adding all of the extras.
In other news, I am enjoying my new Clarinet Mouthpiece. It's a C85 (whatever that means), and way harder to play than the one that comes with the horn, but I think it sounds better. It just means I can't play all night until I learn and strengthen a new embouchure. If I ever have money again, I will take clarinet lessons, quite possible from siegerat's father. It would would be great to not develop lots of bad habits before starting instruction, but that, alas, is not in the economic cards.
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Wow! You made it this far? Read all that? You get a prize! I will now sing the theme song from... what? we are out of time? No! But my adoring public nee (TRANSMISSION ENDS)
Gulf Wars was a blast. I do not recall having a better time at any SCA event outside of Pennsic. The merchanting was successful for both "Materialis" and "Drum and Whistle" (We dragged our friend Greg kicking and screaming, but he enjoyed the experience), the drive was not so bad, but the music...
I am enjoying playing music more and more, and I seem to be getting a little better all the time. My repertoire is limited, not only by the small collection of sheet music I have purchased from Melissa Murphy ( http://www.bellydancesheetmusic.com/ ) but also by my limited exposure to music theory - i.e. I cannot switch from the key of D to G on the fly, and I only just have an inkling of what that means. This is something I am working on, but slowly. The music too, is a slow process, since I mostly buy the sheet music directly from her instead of online. (I really should get all of this in PDF, in case my music box gets rained upon.)
On the other hand, my taksim (Arabic for: Jazz style improv) seem to be improving. Sometimes it's better than others, but so long as I am comfortable in the maqam (key), I can noodle around with the best of them.
Which brings us back to Gulf Wars. FolkloricFusion and I camped with Al Mahala, the middle eastern encampment which also houses the class/performance tent for Middle Eastern dance and music. In addition to myself and Greg (on the clarinet and hurdy-gurdy respectively (and both of us drumming), the jam sessions included:
-*- Joacim - violin player, not only a great musician and nice person, but he also had good booze
-*- Silvanus (aka Billy Woods) - a master percussionist, one of the people who shaped me as a musician. I learned how to drum from lots of great drummers, but he taught me how to be a better drum citizen.
-*- Majda, Onca, Ziah, and other dancer/musicans who would grace us with their, uh, grace
-*- More people! (It's a problem with writing this months after the event)
Several nights, we would go out looking for parties, but usually we ended up with a nice quiet melody and rhythm based evening of music and dance under the big tent at Al Mahala instead of poundage around a campfire. We had other musician join us, some professionals players out in Mundania, and it was wonderful. Sometimes songs we all knew, taking turns with the taksims, sometimes just jamming, always fun and friendly.
It is really nice having people I respect as musicians tell me that my playing is good, not just good for a beginner. I don't think I am ready to quit my day job (ha!) and become a professional musician, but I don't think I'm that far away from sitting in on occasion with a real band. Maybe just a year or two if I practice more.
I did not bring my fencing gear to Gulf Wars this year. Now that my feet are ready to let me fence, my arms are becoming rebellious: tendinitis in the right arm and shoulder. I blame a combination of clarinet and too much driving - hence the fencing and clarinet practicing being somewhat less than more. This too shall pass, and I will be fencing again. Oh yes, I will. Would you think that the clarinet would be so decidedly right handed? All of the weight of the instrument rests on your right thumb...grrr...
After Gulf Wars, we stopped by New Orleans to visit Marrus (check out her LJ and buy prints of her paintings!), techgnostic and other friends. I love certain aspects of the city, and if it weren't for the weather, the crime, the economy, and NYC having a better belly dance scene (especially for learning), we would consider moving there.
On the drive back from The Big Easy, we stopped at Unclaimed Baggage Center. Cool thrift store kind of place. They buy unclaimed / lost luggage; once the airline has reimbursed you for your lost luggage, they now own it if they find it - but they don't want it! So these folks buy the suitcases and boxes, sort through it, clean what needs it, and on with the selling! Some people come in to buy personal item back, such as jewelry and watches, or mayby just a favorite suitcase. We found some good stuff, some of which ended up in our shop. I got a paperback copy of Neal Stephenson's "Quicksilver" which was awesome. I suppose one could call it historical fiction, but it's much more than that.
We tried to stop at "MagiQuest", a combination between a laser tag shooting gallery and a Harry Potter LARP, but despite the signs and advertisements, that aspect of the entertainment complex was not to be open for two weeks yet. Instead, we opted to forgo the pirate themed mini-golf and just drove straight home. Well, almost straight. At 4 in the morning, we found a Waffle House in New Jersey! Of course we had to stop and get our last taste of the greasy air and greasier food. Their hashbrowns are excellent and can get more expensive than the entrees by the time you're done adding all of the extras.
In other news, I am enjoying my new Clarinet Mouthpiece. It's a C85 (whatever that means), and way harder to play than the one that comes with the horn, but I think it sounds better. It just means I can't play all night until I learn and strengthen a new embouchure. If I ever have money again, I will take clarinet lessons, quite possible from siegerat's father. It would would be great to not develop lots of bad habits before starting instruction, but that, alas, is not in the economic cards.
-------
Wow! You made it this far? Read all that? You get a prize! I will now sing the theme song from... what? we are out of time? No! But my adoring public nee (TRANSMISSION ENDS)