Sorry to say it, but...

is Richard really up to this?

Sorry about the lack of posting.

We're (the orchestra) practising pretty seriously for a series of concerts and I've been giving master classes. I see Richard (of RBB) is still at it regularly. Ah, well, he doesn't get many gigs to interfere with his blogging.

We're having some wet weather in the deep south.

Makes it feel almost like a Northern Hemisphere Christmas!
The Sinfonia is having a break over the festive season, but I am busy playing carols and doing some small group concerts. I like to get into the festive mood by playing at community concerts. I guess you could say I'm a community kind of guy.
Enjoy your CHristmas. I am available to give bass lessons in January.

Hey, it's not all about you!

Anonymous said (a couple of posts ago)...
"Something for real Bass lovers, take alook at this bass player:
http://doublebassblog.org/2010/10/guy-tuneh-chamber-music-performance-from-october-2010.html"
Why do people leave anonymous comments? If you stand for something, why not add your name?
Anyway, I watched this video. The chap is obviously used to being the soloist. Here he is playing the bass part. Why can't he stand still?
The conducter should him just to calm down and play his part without making a spectacle of himself.
If someone did this in my bass section, I'd take him aside for a little chat.

Practice.

The best practice occurs when the body is warm and running like a car on the open road. Too many people get disheartened in the first ten minutes or so of their practice and give up.
Practice should start with at least ten minutes of warming up.
Scales and arpeggios are one good way to warm up. Try to play throughout the range of your instrument. Use a metronome and use harmonics, and open strings, to check your intonation.
Most improvement in your playing will not come on one day, so use repetition to slowly overcome obstacles; plan for the day when these impossible tasks will become easy. Also take time to cement your past gains and to enjoy where your playing is at.
Remember that your tone, how you sound, is everything.

Hi bass lovers.

Sorry things have been so quiet down here lately. I've been busy practising and playing. Here's a link to a bass blog I came across the other day. Click here.
I'll write a longer post soon. I got and email from Richard (of RBB) asking me to share my thoughts and knowledge more often - I think he might want me to post some ideas to help with his bass playing... I can understand why. Anyway, mustn't let him down.

Always busy, always planning.

Hi,
Just thought that I'd better take a little time from my busy schedule to update this blog. The Sinfonia has been quite busy lately, we did a New Zealand Composers' concert, a Mozart spectacular and some Beethoven piano concertos all in the span of about three weeks. I'm thinking about performing some solo bass pieces, with my pianist friend, and might venture into the North Island. I guess I could always stay with my friend Rich while I am in Wellington. I could pay with bass lessons. If any of you devoted readers live further north (than me), I could offer the same deal for accomodation. Just leave a comment on my blog if you're interested in taking me up on this generous offer.
God bless.