New Year's Resolutions

My goals for 2014:

1.  To make significant progress in the following areas of primary importance:

• Photoshop - Using and creating brushes, patterns and textures, mastering the various types of layers
• Playing Bass - 

1. Increase my repertoire by learning at least one new song each week 
2. Learn to play more jazz and jazz swing
3. Increase my use of the standup acoustic bass, 
4. Sing more with a band; sing while playing bass
5. Increase frequency of solo practice -- one hour each day, minimum.

2.  Blogging -  

• Blog more frequently, try for daily postings
• Stop trying to be friends with certain bloggers who just don't seem to like me; provide support and links to others who do; find new friends and allies in the blogosphere 
• Improve my blog content so that it appeals to more readers
• Back up my blog monthly, to avoid losing content should enemies try to shut me down

3.  Other Goals -

• To extricate myself from accounting and taxes so I can focus on more interesting pursuits
• To refurbish and restore my 1966 Volkswagen Bug
• To exercise more by taking a daily walk of two miles, slowly increasing the distance
• To lose another ten pounds (twenty if possible)
• To continue my studies of the French and Spanish languages, by reading more blogs, articles and even books in these languages.

The Band Loves My String Bass!

Ah, a personal goal at last accomplished.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the friends of my band, who also plays bass, was contemplating buying a string bass.  He asked if I could bring one of mine to our practice location in San Jose, so that he could try it out.

I own a couple of string basses that had been gathering dust in my music room at home, largely unused, as I rely on my bass guitar for practices and gigs.

I brought my Palatino laminate bass to the practice room.  It is a cheap bass, though constructed well and nicely set up for easy playing.  I also have a fully carved bass that I hope to play in future gigs.  It is much more expensive and has better tone, and I surely wouldn't want to leave that in the practice location.

My friend tried the Palatino bass and I haven't heard from him since.  I think he decided an upright string bass is not for him.  However, I decided to leave the bass in the practice room and use it for some songs.  The band was fascinated with its appearance and was keen to try it out.

My first attempt was to play the bass part to "Stray Cat Strut" and the wife of one of the band members videotaped it.  The band loved it.

Last night we practiced again and I played the string bass on several songs.  Again, the band loved it and felt that the string bass has a much better sound than the bass guitar.  We will use the bass at a party on June 11th, not for all songs but on several of them.

I am now practicing string bass daily at home, using my carved bass (a Calin Wultur Panormo), and I'm excited:  I have always planned to play string bass with a band...someday.

Someday has finally arrived!