You see, one of my friends in my class also started learning guitar not too long ago. Then he was trying play a D minor chord. Yup, even though it looks easy, it stretched the fingers and causes quite a lot of strain.
The top string, the highest sounding note, is normally tuned to play an E note during an open string state. Hence, it is commonly referred to as an "E-string". However, some girl in my class had a bad habit of mistakenly calling it a "G-string". I have no idea why, but I guess that the G chord is one of the easiest to play, and during that chord, the top string plays a G note.
Anyway, the above mentioned guy (he's a very good friend of mine, and was sitting next to me) seemed to have strained both his fingers and the strings, the top string snapped off with a resounding "twang" in the middle of class. Because that girl was sitting on next to the other side of him, and was observing him struggling, she knew what happened. So when the whole class was startled, she announced out loudly across the entire room.
"He broke a G-string while fingering a minor!"
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
16th May 2008
Dots once again went gym with Jony, Mett and Ming. This time the cousins brought along a friend, Joey. Expended all my energy running 3.4km in exactly 20 minutes; both meters reached showed those values within a fraction of a second. Still trying hard to make Emmett run. Wow, Jonathan's really strong. Then went Hougang Mall to eat. Why not coffee shop? Cheaper lehx. I no money liao, still need to pay $8 for someone's birthday gift... Not that I'm against it, but all these money issues always seem to have impeccable timing and occur simultaneously! Well, it's for a good cause, though. =)
I came down from the steps, lifted my head, and I saw her. She smiled at me, and I smiled at her. I was too surprised to do anything. I walked past her. And that's it. It's already been quite a while, I wonder whether your feelings are still there? Should I continue to wait on or leave for someone else?
I came down from the steps, lifted my head, and I saw her. She smiled at me, and I smiled at her. I was too surprised to do anything. I walked past her. And that's it. It's already been quite a while, I wonder whether your feelings are still there? Should I continue to wait on or leave for someone else?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
8th May 2008
The practice on 24th April went okay. We chose this Chinese song, with two vocalists, one clarinet and one keyboard for tomorrow's performance. I still remember, I used this little keyboard, plugged in to an amplifier. I'll admit it wasn't the best of equipment, but I've always been in much worse situations. Well, ya gotta make do with what ya got. So, the practice went smoothly, and after the practice, we had a little discussion where everyone voiced out their views, and suggested areas of improvement.
Well, today we had a "rehearsal" on the actual venue, the Moberly Amphitheater. Well, it's the second time I'm performing on that place, but I clearly don't remember the setting up of equipment taking two whole hours. It's just two keyboards, three mikes at most, one drum set which had two overhead mikes, two guitars, one bass and their amps. 2 hours; 120 minutes; 7200 seconds. Maybe it's the weather, or I suppose I was in a hurry for Campus Crusade's Vision Tea meeting, where me and David were in the worship team. That went smoothly, I might add. But anyway, for some reason that I also don't know, my group got to go inside Moberly Jamming studio and we polished on the vocalist's harmonics.
I think most people notice that when I play that light hearted Chinese song 发现爱, I tend to bounce my hands, so-called just bang random notes on the keyboard. While, most of the time. Yes, I understand that it's a bad habit, and that I shouldn't do it, but I can't help but just doing so like some beginner keyboardist, since the vocalists tend to give quite an eye treat. One male and one female, for the curious. I admit I'm wrong for taking this performance too light heartedly. But then, one of my seniors, a graduate was listening to us play. I had no problem with that, but after rehearsing once, and he definitely noted me play, because he left his seat and stood next to me, he made a few intriguing remarks.
"Are you self taught?"
"Nope."
"Are you classically trained?"
"Yup."
"I suppose you were classically trained by a teacher quite some time ago. Anyway, you tend to hold the sustain pedal until the end of the bar, which is alright, but if you play a wrong note, there would be dissonance."
"Okay."
"You should also look at the others when you are playing."
"No problem."
"Anyway, your technique is wrong."
"Hmm... Okay."
Fact is, I'm classically trained, and I still take piano lessons from my piano teacher and get her valuable guidance, mentoring and advice once per week in her house in Siglap, near Kembangan every Monday. Since playing the main accompaniment in the Angklung Ensemble during Primary 4, I've been trained to look at conductors or other members, even horizontally by using my peripheral vision. The reason I was able to hold down the pedal even during the most of the changing of chords was because there was no wrong note. Not that I could hear any, and many of those those chords fit together to form 9th or suspended chords, like C and G makes C9, used abundant in these "in the air" and romantic melodies, so no need to change the pedal prematurely. Yes, my technique for that song is wrong. Even 6 year olds can tell that playing with only my index finger (in some parts) and waving my arms with fingers straight as though I'm splashing water on a strangely dry pool that happened to have black and white keys, and very frequently releasing the keys instantly and using the sustain pedal to hold the notes are not quite professional ways of playing a keyboard.
I have performed enough times, be it in churches (children's/youth's/senior citizen's/main service/overseas etc), school events, posh concert halls full of paying adult audiences, music school's anniversary celebrations, simple gatherings in quite a few people's houses with derelict pianos where I had to play G, C and F# to get a chord sounding like C chord 2nd inversion. I've also accompanied choirs, played in bands, got last minute event fillers in between stage items, got dragged into pianos during dinner time and given song requests, title after title. If the person's unlucky, he's gotta hum or sing me the tune before I know what song he or she wants. Well, I can say that there are an abundance of very good musicians not just globally, but even in Singapore. And all that playing of the piano for more than 12 years has at least taught me not to declare out loud and after the performance the deficiencies of a musician not in your group or under your teaching, much less if it's only the first time.
Okay, maybe I'm going a little hard on this poor guy; I assume he only meant well. Ya, but we humans tend to remember only the bad stuff others say. But today was a great wake up call, reminding me of the need to be humble, and to stay focused in whatever I do. Of course, I'm the one to blame for my own inner strife. This event was not too bad, but many times in reality, the truth hurts, but then, the truth alone can't do much. What would really help would be the truth accompanied by love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
"Oh ya, and one last thing."
"Aha?"
"I like the way you just anyhow hit the keyboard, but you still sound alright and in sync with the others!"
=)
Well, today we had a "rehearsal" on the actual venue, the Moberly Amphitheater. Well, it's the second time I'm performing on that place, but I clearly don't remember the setting up of equipment taking two whole hours. It's just two keyboards, three mikes at most, one drum set which had two overhead mikes, two guitars, one bass and their amps. 2 hours; 120 minutes; 7200 seconds. Maybe it's the weather, or I suppose I was in a hurry for Campus Crusade's Vision Tea meeting, where me and David were in the worship team. That went smoothly, I might add. But anyway, for some reason that I also don't know, my group got to go inside Moberly Jamming studio and we polished on the vocalist's harmonics.
I think most people notice that when I play that light hearted Chinese song 发现爱, I tend to bounce my hands, so-called just bang random notes on the keyboard. While, most of the time. Yes, I understand that it's a bad habit, and that I shouldn't do it, but I can't help but just doing so like some beginner keyboardist, since the vocalists tend to give quite an eye treat. One male and one female, for the curious. I admit I'm wrong for taking this performance too light heartedly. But then, one of my seniors, a graduate was listening to us play. I had no problem with that, but after rehearsing once, and he definitely noted me play, because he left his seat and stood next to me, he made a few intriguing remarks.
"Are you self taught?"
"Nope."
"Are you classically trained?"
"Yup."
"I suppose you were classically trained by a teacher quite some time ago. Anyway, you tend to hold the sustain pedal until the end of the bar, which is alright, but if you play a wrong note, there would be dissonance."
"Okay."
"You should also look at the others when you are playing."
"No problem."
"Anyway, your technique is wrong."
"Hmm... Okay."
Fact is, I'm classically trained, and I still take piano lessons from my piano teacher and get her valuable guidance, mentoring and advice once per week in her house in Siglap, near Kembangan every Monday. Since playing the main accompaniment in the Angklung Ensemble during Primary 4, I've been trained to look at conductors or other members, even horizontally by using my peripheral vision. The reason I was able to hold down the pedal even during the most of the changing of chords was because there was no wrong note. Not that I could hear any, and many of those those chords fit together to form 9th or suspended chords, like C and G makes C9, used abundant in these "in the air" and romantic melodies, so no need to change the pedal prematurely. Yes, my technique for that song is wrong. Even 6 year olds can tell that playing with only my index finger (in some parts) and waving my arms with fingers straight as though I'm splashing water on a strangely dry pool that happened to have black and white keys, and very frequently releasing the keys instantly and using the sustain pedal to hold the notes are not quite professional ways of playing a keyboard.
I have performed enough times, be it in churches (children's/youth's/senior citizen's/main service/overseas etc), school events, posh concert halls full of paying adult audiences, music school's anniversary celebrations, simple gatherings in quite a few people's houses with derelict pianos where I had to play G, C and F# to get a chord sounding like C chord 2nd inversion. I've also accompanied choirs, played in bands, got last minute event fillers in between stage items, got dragged into pianos during dinner time and given song requests, title after title. If the person's unlucky, he's gotta hum or sing me the tune before I know what song he or she wants. Well, I can say that there are an abundance of very good musicians not just globally, but even in Singapore. And all that playing of the piano for more than 12 years has at least taught me not to declare out loud and after the performance the deficiencies of a musician not in your group or under your teaching, much less if it's only the first time.
Okay, maybe I'm going a little hard on this poor guy; I assume he only meant well. Ya, but we humans tend to remember only the bad stuff others say. But today was a great wake up call, reminding me of the need to be humble, and to stay focused in whatever I do. Of course, I'm the one to blame for my own inner strife. This event was not too bad, but many times in reality, the truth hurts, but then, the truth alone can't do much. What would really help would be the truth accompanied by love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
"Oh ya, and one last thing."
"Aha?"
"I like the way you just anyhow hit the keyboard, but you still sound alright and in sync with the others!"
=)
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
6th May 2008
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.
The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Metallica
... So many things happening, nothing to write about. These two events are mutually unacceptable, but who cares? Nothing Else Matters.
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