[Author's note: this entry is transcribed. The missing original was handwritten in several sections so I'm not even sure they all landed on this date.]
Here’s the new park security camera with backup and tamper alarm. I like it because it happens to be twenty feet from my front door, right where I park the eBike and the scooter. Another two $600 bicycles disappeared across the highway last week. My unit, without the battery, is not worth lifting, so I take the battery inside the house. It is never a good idea to appear too prosperous for the area where you live, guys. (Not too much later, somebody did steal my electric bike.)
Because I foolishly waited at home a couple nights this week for a phone call that never came, I missed my usual tour of the beach area and the open mics. If I didn’t say, I’ve stepped music practice up to an unprecedented three sessions per week. I never practiced that much in my teens. I know that’s brutal, but if the musical tires are spinning, I have to get things moving again. The unmotivated will drop out; the movers will know this is temporary.We (Trent & I) are up to fifteen tunes or a half set. The problem is they are still shaky. Remember, I have never yet sang a full gig in front of an audience, that would be new to me. But I have no misgivings about getting on stage as soon as possible. I have no fear of rejection, in fact you might say I consider rejection nothing more than positive motivation the other party gets backwards. Think of it like the boxing match where the loser still makes millions.
I don’t believe it myself, but I’ve invented another original bass run. I do not take such claims lightly. Just y’day I was scanning the top 500 country hits of all time, listening to any titles that might have potential for my act. My current lists have always contained up to 20% of these top hits. I listen very closely to the bass lines of every version I can find. I listen closer than possibly 90% of all musicians, not just bassists, and I recognize something I’ve never heard before.
So when I say original, I don’t mean it isn’t buried in some obscure B side, I mean it has never before been played in contemporary country music in my lifetime that I know of. Thus, zero influence. I needed a novel way to walk from a 5th to the root. There are certain combinations that are just not played because of the fretboard layout. So I faked it by literally crossing my fingers. It worked. And it looks flashy, too.
[Author's note 2016-02-04: I was to later learn that this type of bass pattern is not only flashy, but many of the so-called bass experts tell students not to play that way. Ha, that's all you need to say to get me to incorporate it into my act. Within the year, I was regularly using the technique to spice up the otherwise "studio" bass lines of Jimmy Buffet tunes. Such bass lines can be difficult to play unless you are seated comfortably. I was soon using the method whenever I could, the more so because I also later learned that guitar players not only avoid crossing their fingers to play, they consider it a mistake. Ha!
Years later, despite truly dedicated effort, I cannot find anyone with both the time and aptitude to follow up on duo arranging. Musicians do not laugh, because I can play in a duo any day and I'm not talking about that same old. I mean the technique of modifying both the bass and guitar parts of a bass-acoustic duo to interlace in a way that gives the impression of a fuller sound. And if you think this is easy, you have not tried it. Come back once you have.]
ADDENDUM
Bingo was the mediocre and afterwards I called a quick meeting of musicians such as were present. Most like the country duo concept but are unwilling to give it a try themselves. This gives me a chuckle since I’ve considerable experience with people who wait to see and then jump on the bandwagon. It’s different this time, a duo like this is not something you can emulate by copying our song list. This year’s practice sessions have been intensely concentrated on arrangement, not technique. (For the historians reading this in 2525, I did not say my idea was original, only that I am not consciously copying anybody.)
Only Trent is willing to give it a try. I believe I said already, but Trent and I have something the rest do not—we both have classical piano and theory backgrounds. Not that you could learn what we do with lessons, but it becomes more than difficult to even analyze what we’re doing without at least some music theory background. And I mean that to the point some people could say we use trickery. But my performing theory is four words, “Just make ‘em happy”.
The meeting centered on vocals, where Eddie and I are the only singers in the crowd. He’s got this new technique to hit lower notes by staring up at the ceiling. It works, although I could not hit any lower notes [that I could before], my low E (my Johnny Cash E) is much more solid, but still "crumbly". Eddie’s voice is an octave above mine and were more, what’s the word? Vibrant? It doesn’t sound like we’re struggling as badly as others trying to sing, and being an octave apart, we are not really in unison by definition.
A new trumpet player was present. He was a little under the weather from an all day party. I’ll give him a call but I can’t use a third person right now under any circumstances. I figure horn players these days all have backing tracks, so I gave him a list of the beachfront clubs that hire or let you play for tips. When he talked money, I could tell he’s got the experience so he may do good around here.
Except for my coffee outing I stayed in all day. I’ve still got an upset tummy, but I’m not bent over in pain. No, I rarely get that ill ever, I’m just sensitive to any changes and know when to take it easy. Now JZ is the opposite. The guy won’t say anything or even ask for help and he could be half dead. This time he’s going in for mouth surgery. That will likely be Monday.
[Author's note: in the end, this dentistry cost him $8,500. He never saved a thing by waiting.]
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