Sad piano music

Actually I'm feeling quite good about the re-writes. This is really what I was foot-dragging about. The narrative is just boring description -- even if action is happening -- if there isn't a driving goal. And Penny's voice needs that go-for-broke craziness; the few scenes or bits that were working for me was when she was making strong (and surprising) choices.

Planning is going well enough I might be able to start editing actual chapters this weekend. 

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Too early to take a break, but music still calls. I broke out the trumpet again to see how much of my lips I'd lost. I'm a couple notes shy on the high end but mostly it is my tone that suffered from being away from daily practice.

The flute, I'm finally finding the ways to get that second octave with a clear tone and without having to play FFF to get up there. I've started playing two-octave scales, and the changes to the embouchure as I go up and down are becoming muscle memory and instinctive.

That's the problem with teaching an instrument, you know. And why most good players are lousy teachers; it is because they have internalized certain things until they are merely instinctual. I am no longer conscious of rolling the flute slightly with the octaves -- but I know I'm doing it, because that's how I got there in the first place.

What I think would be simple and easy is some noir noodling. The sort of moody background stuff which is mostly bass, harmon mute, brushed snare, and vibraphone. Of course I have a bass. But I don't have the acoustic bass I want.

I should have bought that fretless ukulele bass I saw. Well, okay. I can play bass parts on my chin bass. There's just the little matter of finishing the build.

I cut a neck out of...can't remember the wood now, I think it was yellow maple:

As a visualization, rough-carved a styro body and painted it glossy red, but I didn't like the look:

So I've picked up a cheap violin kit and I'll try fitting to that. I don't care too much if I waste the current neck; it was a first trial of the kinds of shapes and dimensions I believe I need.

I have new toys; finally got around to making a rolling cart for the smaller bench-mount tools:

And I also dropped a few bucks on the oscillating spindle sander I've been wanting for so long (which is currently at my work site doing a big project.)

And maybe all of those new tables I built will give me enough space to do a couple recording sessions after hours...