Happy Thanksgiving!

For each new morning with its light,
    for rest and shelter of the night,
    for health and food, for love and friends,
    for everything Thy goodness sends...  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monday's Muse

If the only prayer you say in your life is 'thank you', that would suffice.  ~ Meister Eckhart

Monday's Muse

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.  ~ Confucius

Monday's Muse

To play without passion is inexcusable!  ~ Ludwig von Beethoven

Monday's Muse

Music is a weapon in the war against unhappiness.  ~ Jason Mraz

Eat the Frog First

 "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."  ~ Mark Twain

Has the time come to stop procrastinating and just do the work that is required to accomplish something?

I'm making a public declaration that this will the year that I intentionally practice arpeggios.

I know my arpeggio shapes. I recognize them. I play them... just not enough. Not enough to play pattern combinations fluently up and down the full range of my instrument. Not enough to play major and minor chords with ease. Not enough to execute with the added test of speed.

So, beginning October 15, I am including 15-20 minutes of arpeggio practice in my daily practice. I do the arpeggio practice first. The time passes quickly and seems to be the amount needed to ingrain a particular pattern sequence for a given chord and complete a speed test.

It has been truly humbling. I have a ways to go before I can even pretend to be speedy. I'm identifying some real weaknesses. And I'm counting on a significant pay-off!

What's your frog??

Monday's Muse

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes