The last two weeks in brief.
Actually got a few things to update about. *shock, horror*
Two weeks ago I had a professional singing lesson. This was actually a birthday present from my brother, which I hadn't gotten around to claiming yet.
It got off to an awkward start, because I hadn't realised the tutor expected me to bring material to work through. In sheet music form, which I don't own. But in the end I think that proved beneficial; rather than working to any of my own preconceptions he had to assess my voice for the range and control it actually had. Then he took me through a series of exercises to demonstrate the rudiments of correct breathing. My main problem with singing was that my voice was tending to crack under pressure; he showed me that this was largely because I was trying to compensate for its frailties with force, which only made matters worse.
The principles of breathing and singing from the diaphragm were something I was aware of, but had never properly understood until he showed me what it meant in practice. This part of the lesson largely consisted of ways to trick the pupil into breathing correctly so that they can learn to recognise how it feels and start doing it deliberately. Once I got through that stage, much of what I was being shown actually felt familiar; there was a technique to it that I was using sometimes without realising it was actually correct and therefore hadn't concentrated on. On his advice I'm going to get hold of Vaccaj's Practical Vocal Method and work through the exercises to see if I can improve my voice.
Managed to get to the cinema a couple of times.
It's been a while since I've read Casino Royale, but despite the need to update the story for the present day there are plenty of familiar elements in the story. Daniel Craig is an interesting choice, definitely a conscious effort to bring something different to the role, but I'm happy to report he manages to balance the new with the familiar and makes an excellent Bond. And there was a magnificently filmed chase scene which was as genuinely nailbiting as anything I've seen in many a year.
The Prestige reunites Batman Begins stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine with its director Christopher Nolan. Bale and Hugh Jackman play victorian stage magicians who start as fellow apprentices but grow into bitter personal and professional rivals, with Caine as a builder of props and tricks for them both. The film opens with Bale on trial for the murder of Jackman, then unfolds the story leading up to the murder in a series of misdirections as devious as any conjurer's trick. A film you immediately want to go back and watch again to pick up all the clues you missed. Gripping, superb, unmissable.
Last saturday I headed into London to spend a quiet evening with saintmaryuk. Had a long, pleasant chat over drinks at her hotel and dinner at a nearby indian restaurant. So good to see her again; I really don't get to see Mary nearly enough.
And on thursday I met up with Dave M, who I've known since we were five, and Julian, who was the bassist in my first band. I don't see either of them too often these days, but they hadn't seen eachother in about 8 years. There was a hell of a lot of catching up on eachother's news, along with news of mutual friends. I don't get to go out and just have a good laugh with friends often enough; happily they both said the same thing so we're going to try and meet up more regularly from now on.
All in all, it's not been a bad couple of weeks.
Two weeks ago I had a professional singing lesson. This was actually a birthday present from my brother, which I hadn't gotten around to claiming yet.
It got off to an awkward start, because I hadn't realised the tutor expected me to bring material to work through. In sheet music form, which I don't own. But in the end I think that proved beneficial; rather than working to any of my own preconceptions he had to assess my voice for the range and control it actually had. Then he took me through a series of exercises to demonstrate the rudiments of correct breathing. My main problem with singing was that my voice was tending to crack under pressure; he showed me that this was largely because I was trying to compensate for its frailties with force, which only made matters worse.
The principles of breathing and singing from the diaphragm were something I was aware of, but had never properly understood until he showed me what it meant in practice. This part of the lesson largely consisted of ways to trick the pupil into breathing correctly so that they can learn to recognise how it feels and start doing it deliberately. Once I got through that stage, much of what I was being shown actually felt familiar; there was a technique to it that I was using sometimes without realising it was actually correct and therefore hadn't concentrated on. On his advice I'm going to get hold of Vaccaj's Practical Vocal Method and work through the exercises to see if I can improve my voice.
Managed to get to the cinema a couple of times.
It's been a while since I've read Casino Royale, but despite the need to update the story for the present day there are plenty of familiar elements in the story. Daniel Craig is an interesting choice, definitely a conscious effort to bring something different to the role, but I'm happy to report he manages to balance the new with the familiar and makes an excellent Bond. And there was a magnificently filmed chase scene which was as genuinely nailbiting as anything I've seen in many a year.
The Prestige reunites Batman Begins stars Christian Bale and Michael Caine with its director Christopher Nolan. Bale and Hugh Jackman play victorian stage magicians who start as fellow apprentices but grow into bitter personal and professional rivals, with Caine as a builder of props and tricks for them both. The film opens with Bale on trial for the murder of Jackman, then unfolds the story leading up to the murder in a series of misdirections as devious as any conjurer's trick. A film you immediately want to go back and watch again to pick up all the clues you missed. Gripping, superb, unmissable.
Last saturday I headed into London to spend a quiet evening with saintmaryuk. Had a long, pleasant chat over drinks at her hotel and dinner at a nearby indian restaurant. So good to see her again; I really don't get to see Mary nearly enough.
And on thursday I met up with Dave M, who I've known since we were five, and Julian, who was the bassist in my first band. I don't see either of them too often these days, but they hadn't seen eachother in about 8 years. There was a hell of a lot of catching up on eachother's news, along with news of mutual friends. I don't get to go out and just have a good laugh with friends often enough; happily they both said the same thing so we're going to try and meet up more regularly from now on.
All in all, it's not been a bad couple of weeks.