Flickr
This is a test post from 
, a fancy photo sharing thing.
I can insert pictures from my space at flickr:
See!
Comments Off
Tuesday 3 February 2009
Sax Update
A few weeks ago I ordered a whole lot of reeds and experimented like mad.
Very quickly, I fell in love with Rico plasticovers – about half a grade “softer” than I was using. What a difference something so subtle makes. The plasticovers are “ready to go” straight away and you cannot really get the “moisture content” wrong. I suspect that they give a less pure and rich tone than you could achieve with “traditional” reeds but for a beginner like me this is overcome by being able to stop worrying about whether it is me or the reed that is “not quite right” and concentrate on my own technique. Very quickly, the low notes on the tenor came good, I find I can develop very different tones and projections and can play loud and soft. It felt like a big “jump up”.
Of course, you then realise that some of my long tones are rather wobbly, that there can be an unwanted and unpleasant vibrato but I can work on that.
The other thing I have been doing is leaving the tenor on its stand. I find myself playing it every day without fail and often playing for a few minutes several times a day. The less structured approach is probably very bad for me, but I feel my confidence growing and more as if I am playing the instrument rather than it dominating me.
I need a stand for the soprano (or a stand for both at the same time) so I can work on both!
Comments Off
Lots of Snow
This is the second day of “close-down” following the heaviest snow for about 20 years in this part of England. Here in Horley we had about 6 – 10cm without much drifting, but just a few km North, on the North Downs, there was around 30cm (a foot) and some severe drifting which, coupled with the apparent inability of local government to respond and the lack of experience among local drivers, meant gridlock.
The snow was caused by easterly winds bringing very cold and moist air off the continent across a relatively warm North Sea and Channel. Heat and more moisture being pumped into the very cold air lead to a growth of shower clouds and showers, which fall as snow. Meteorologists call this “lake effect” snow from a similar phenomenon on the great lakes in North America.
Last night saw a severe frost (-6C) which froze the old snow surface hard and some new snow fell – very slippery conditions.
We now have some sun and a little thaw, so hopefully things can start returning to normal tomorrow.
Comments Off