342nd day sober. I listed 20 things last night and did some practice. I've realized that if "video" online is now down to a few frames per second and frequent freezes - but the audio's OK - like a Ken Burns film, I might as well watch Ken Burns films. I found the excellent "The War" about WWII but sadly, only the first episode is online for free and I'd have to buy the rest. Buy "video" so lousy that it makes my head hurt to watch it closely? No, thanks. But I plan to become a regular at the Recycle Book Store, to buy shows like that on DVD when they show up. In fact, I'm about due to cash some books in.
I worked on long, high tones a bit more but think I was a bit tired out from the night before when I worked on them a lot. That's OK because there's nothing more powerful than regular practice. I've decided I'm going to work on a new song each week so I have something new in my line-up, to keep myself interested and also to not be so hard on the folks in the apartments near Whole Foods, who have to listen to me.
I also remember how, to learn a new song, it took getting a bit obsessed with it for maybe a week and then I'd have it down pat. So this week it's going to be "Misty".
I'm practicing using the old faithful 3C mouthpiece, but have a 5C waiting for me at the Amazon place, with the idea that instead of changing from the 3C to the Schilke 14A4A, I'd just change to the 5C when I get tired in the 2nd hour of playing. That would change the sound less.
Why all this sudden interest in the trumpet again? Firstly, it's my primary "survival tool" in that I can make money with the thing. Also, the way things are going there's a strong chance I won't be able to get back to Hawaii. That's a whole two years away at the soonest, and a ton of things can happen.
The flute is turning out to be a bit of a wrong detour in that I think the trumpet is honestly better for busking and a hell of a lot easier to care for. And the Western flute is different enough from the shakuhachi that I don't think it really helps my shakuhachi playing. I don't regret buying the flute, as when supply lines shut down the thing will probably increase in value, and besides, if I get back to Hawaii I can give it to my older sister.
Trumpet might not be all that bad for Hawaii anyway. I'd probably want to work on more quiet playing like Chet Baker and Miles Davis stuff, and that's fine with me because I like that stuff. I'll have to clean my horn daily in the tropical environment but I do a pretty good job of that already.
The shakuhachi is great training though, because it takes really deep breathing and is thus very healthy. It's enough easier to play than the Western flute that I can just concentrate on my breathing. So I need to order the "enhanced" Shakuhachi Yuu from Monty Levinson so I'll be set up with a good one that I can play into the 3rd octave and not worry about getting a bamboo one until I'm back in Hawaii if I ever am.
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