The Top of the Piano is NOT a Good Place for a Digital Recorder

Found that out during my last piano improvisation practice session......and I won't place the recorder on top of the piano next time.....and there WILL be a next time, because I enjoy learning this way!

During my last improvisation-on-the-piano-practice, I focused on slowing my march down.....really trying not to march at all.....but I ALWAYS go back to the marching in my mind.  BLAST that band practice!!  Ha!  Just kidding, as I love the memory of marching with my high school band and am thankful that 30+ years later the beat lives on in my mind!!

Here are my recent recordings:

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #1

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #2

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #3

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #4

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #5

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #6

Piano Improvisation, April 21, 2010, Recording #7

Table Hill Performing at the Radio Springs Hotel

Adrian Kosky and I play as a duo we call "Table Hill," most weekends, these days.  We strum and twang up on a variety of instruments, including baritone and standard dulcimers, a strum stick, a banjo dulcimer that the luthier, Bob Magowan, named a "jocimer," and guitar.  It's always a learning experience for me as I play music.....whether I am actually wanting a learning experience or not......and I'm always thankful for the chance to play music for the folks at the Radio Springs Hotel.

Lately I've been taking my handy-dandy-digital recorder with me to these weekend gigs and trying to capture the essence of my learning experiences.  I'm not always happy about what I learn.....but I'm always happy that I can learn and move forward......leaving behind bits that bother me and taking with me nuggets of a positive nature.....to, hopefully, become a better person and a more musical musician.

Here's a sound clip from last Sunday's live/raw performance in Lyonville:

Table Hill Performing at the Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville

My Own Music Therapy with a Magowan Mountain Dulcimer

Nothing new is happening today, so I am reviewing mountain dulcimer sounds from my past.

In September 2008, I played around with micro cube special effects knobs while playing random, improvisational, sounds with my dulcimer.....because I needed to hear and do something new.  Here are several recordings from that living room session....including, in the first sample, the sounds of picking up my pick to resume playing after I dropped it, dropping it a second time to pretend like I meant to musically do that!

2008 September Sound Sample 1

2008 September Sound Sample 2

2008 September Sound Sample 3

2008 September Sound Sample 4

Playing/Improvisation with a Piano

I played a dulcimer most of the afternoon today in Daylesford, and I recorded a few of my tunes as I played by the pond at Tasma House Music and Arts Retreat.  I thought I might share those simple sounds via my blog, but....once again....I have been easily sidetracked by my own thoughts.....and I'm sharing some piano improvisation, instead.

Playing with Picasa Web Albums

Today I am practicing picture uploading on Picasa.  Here's a little bit of a slideshow that shows a recent press release/promo photo shoot that Dominic O'Brien was conducting at Tasma House Music and Arts Retreat for an upcoming article in the "Prime" section of Melbourne's newspaper, The Age.  As it is plain to see, the musical vibe was quite lovely.

Tasma House Music and Arts Retreat, photos of press shoot by Dominic O'Brien

[edited to change slideshow to embedded photo album]

An Easter Koala!

I've just returned from a visit to Shoreham Beach with a camera full of koala pictures!  It was a beautiful Easter blessing to hear the rhythm of ocean waves whilst photographing a koala in a eucalyptus tree!  Amazing.....awesome, actually!

After photographing this little guy about 10 feet over my head, I was lucky enough to see ANOTHER koala near the ocean.....but that one was VERY high and far away.....pictures not as good.  This pic I am pleased to share!  I love these kinds of surprises that life can bring.  I thank God for them.

Fun Sounds Out Loud at the Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville, Victoria

Here are two more sounds clips from my fun with the folks at the Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville, Victoria, Australia.  This is live performance, unrehearsed, unplanned, un-set-listed, unprocessed, unpredictable....even on tunes like "This Old Man"......never know who might sing along or bounce with us.  Adrian Kosky on guitar and Me on the dulcimer.

This Old Man

Cindy

AND....at the end of evening, Ken picked up a dulcimer and did some fine strumming!