Thursday, January 3, 2008

Some Points I’ve been wanting to share: 2/1/08

*Tomorrow there is supposed to be some snow. Want to know why? Because there is a cold front and wind coming in from Siberia. Siberia. I always forget how far away the US is from everything else. When we first went into Tesco’s on our 1994 trip to England: there were eggplants, which were for some reason called aubergines. They were a beautiful shade of rich dark purple and they were from Zimbabwe. I remember that fact just astounded me, but of course Zimbabwe is much closer to London than it is to the US. And we have California…

*There is a small charcoal grey mouse that lives under the Northern Line platform at King’s Cross Station. It was scampering around the platform and there were a number of us watching its progress. I was quite concerned that someone was going to step on the mouse because the platform was so crowded. Eventually, right before the train arrived; he climbed down to the tracks and raced into a hole on the far side. I was then concerned that the train had squished him, but I think the little mouse has a handle on this whole city life thing because he was there on the platform again the next day.

*I am working my way through “The Complete Electric Bass Player” which I am using to teach myself how to play the electric bass. Anyhow, what I hadn’t expected was how difficult it is to stabilize the instrument- any time I want to shift I find my body moving in the direction of the shift (a higher note and my whole body swings forward and to the right and vice versa). Anyone got any tips?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

have you read "spy mice"? it sounds like those books.

http://www.heathervogelfrederick.com/books_spymice1.htm

there's three of them- they're set in NYC, but they have counterparts in london. good reads.

Will Barrett said...

Casey -

Bass Guitar Stabilization:
1) It's not an upright, so be gentile.
2) pull the strap tight enough that it doesn't move
3) when sitting and not using a strap, make sure that the instrument rests firmly on your leg.
4) Unlike an upright, higher notes are closer to you. Resis the urge to push away to reach them.
5) It's a guitar. Why does it need to be stable?

-Will Barrett

Casitareina said...

Matt- I've heard about htose books- good to have your reccomendation, I'll see if the library has them

Will- thanks :) Any suggestions with index finger strain on my left hand? I was figuring that I need to watch my hand a bit more and make sure that it is spaced more effectively...

Will Barrett said...

Yo've got me there. I'm not that advanced. Your guess is as good as mine, but I think "don't squeeze" would be a good place to start...

freshbread said...

To play bass guitar well you pretty much have to be black. Sorry, Casey.
You'd know that if you watched more South Park.

Somehow I don't think it's just "a mouse" living under the platform, but for urban fairy-tale's sake let's just assume it is.