… double basses.

A common misconception about orchestra playing is that it’s not physically tiring just because we are sitting down. I have to perch a sound vending machine on me for 3 and a half hours straight. It’s not as simple as it is.

Anyway, was shocked to find out that the senior player for MPO isn’t coming to play with us. That leaves me and another D.Bassist from Utar. She can play way better than me. So, honest little me decided to spill the beans and told her,

“Hey, I hope you know how to play everything. Because I can’t play half of what’s here.”

Well something to that effect. But just as I finished pronouncing doom on her, the UCSI’s orchestra coordinator came to check if our names were spelled correctly in the programme book. GUESS WHAT? I was listed as the Principal (Primary) D. Bassist. So much for trying to cover up my lack of skill.

So tonight in UCSI, I will be the Principal D. Bassist of the Joint UPM & UCSI Orchestra. God help me.

Moral: If God puts you somewhere and wants YOU to be the MAN or the WOMAN (dependent on your gender), YOU WILL be the man or the woman there.

Some people scream when they see rock stars… others faint when they are near there favourite TV serial drama actors…

But for a thing so good, it just makes me want to cry…

Introducing,

Picasa 3… get it now!!

God loves tech people. Amen!

 

p.s. refer to this for the other time I wanted to cry…

Holidays are coming… ARrRGGGHH…

I know.. I’m suppose to be happy… but the logistics are getting on me… On top of 3 guitars, a guitar pedal and various other luggages, I want to bring back the double bass… I shall name it Firewood (since it’s crappy anyway)… I need to practice.. either I bring it back or I come back up KL every now and then to practice.. what sort of holiday is that??? sigh… so today, kids.. the question is:

How do you get a double bass to displace itself from Serdang, Selangor to Kluang, Johor?

“Hey, ok, we’ve got C#, E, and G. So what do you think?

…?? huh? I’m sorry, could you repeat that?

We’ve got C#, E and G, what’s the call?

Oh… alright, C#, E and G… yes… erm… what am I suppose to do?

It’s exam now! Think give me the answer!

Oh ya right! Blur now, ok so I’m suppose to give you the chord?

Yes!!

What are the notes?

I just told you, C#, E and G…

Oh ok… somethings missing… look for… * *slight pause* * What were the notes again?”

That was the dialogue that occured in my brain during Music Language (theory) test paper today. I officially burnt my brain again. Wonder how long it’ll take to recover… I’ve got Music Awareness (history) tomorrow, so I better recover fast…

I woke up this morning… confused… all the exams are against me… I’ve been asking God what His plans are… why this… why that… how am I expected to excel in my final exams… it’s not fair…

I started to complain to God, asking why I don’t seem to score as I did before… what am I doing or not doing that hinders me from exceling… going from near fails to 3.83 for STPM back to mere passes is very humiliating. My ego is not eco-friendly, it consumes me.

That’s when a still voice cuts through,

“Cheng Yee, these people have learnt music for at least 5-6 years. You just started learning everything two and a half months ago. Be thankful you’re passing above average.”

That’s when it hit me, my attitude has gone from “God, I trust you to bring me through, it doesn’t matter if I pass or fail, I do my best, You’ll do the rest.” to “God, why can’t I be as good as I want to be? Why have you brought me into such territory?”

In short, I was this morning simply saying, “God, I deserve the best grades though I am not up to the standard because You brought me here!”

Can you believe it? I was putting the blame on God when I was at fault. Very convicted. I’m so ungrateful. Miracles have occured everyday yet I’ve become so absorbed in myself that I just don’t see them anymore.

So to complete the title, I want to kill… my pride. The following will be a dramatic paragraph of sounds of pride dying:

NO!!! You can*… Die!!… slice, dice, mince, ground, pound, chop, mix, stir, fry, saute, boil, steam, bake, season, cut up, peel, arranged and served. Food for thought! Ole!

Two events being promoted here:

UPM Choir in Concert with SJK(C) Sin Hua, Seremban

Featuring guest vocalists and Ian Tan Sui Peng as choir conductor.

25th October 2008 (Saturday)
Dewan Kuliah FEM 1, UPM
8.00pm

UPM & UCSI Joint Orchestra Concert

Featuring Mustafa Fuzer Nawi (conductor from MPO) and Cheryl Mah (conductor from UCSI)

Also featuring two soloist, one from UCSI and another from UPM. (UPM) Soloist Tham Horng Kent will be playing a piano concerto by Beethoven while (UCSI) soloist Winston Mike Law will play a flute concerto by Mozart.

31st October 2008 (Friday)
UCSI Auditorium
8.00pm

I’ll be playing double bass this time… hehe… hope I play well… haha

p.s. I made this poster… =D 

As an effort to understand the role and possibly explore the versatility of the double, I’ve been paying keen attention when ever I see a double bassist in action. Here are some examples I’ve picked up over the past few months that I think are worth my while to share (dang, I’m so long winded).

E.S.T. – When God Created The Coffeebreak (Live)

Jamie Cullum – All At Sea (Live At Bleinhem Palace)

Too bad the pianist of E.S.T. has passed away. Anyway, check out the fingers of the double bassist. Even the poles of stop signs aren’t as thick. They make it look so easy.

I have realised that a double bass is such a versatile and classy instrument. Compared to it’s pop counterpart the guitar bass, a double bass is able to funk better, jazz better and it sounds better by not being intrusive to the music. If I ever get a bass, it’ll be an electric double bass, not a guitar bass. Sigh, when will that happen?

Here are random musings…

Today I sat in a taxi. The taxi’s license had a section called Driver Status (Status Pemandu). The information after the colon was useful enough. As a whole it read: 

Driver Status (Status Pemandu) : Driver (Pemandu)

Gave me a shock. Must remember to check it the next time just in case it reads:

Driver Status (Status Pemandu) : Passenger (Penumpang)

Or even worse:

Driver Status (Status Pemandu) : 80’s Hippy (Ping-ponggang 80-an)

Wow…that last one has loads of references to past years, pong, ping-pong, pinggang (Hip)…

On a side note here are some musicianal slogans to print on bannars and stick on car bumpers:

Dubay? or not to pay?

Francino mocha-cinno.

Practice, Petruci, Practice!

Concerto de Ah Moi

Sonata De Coco

Domino’s Pizzicato

Forte Tarik

I’ll be Bach

Vivaldi the Baldi

Coda Cola

“Somebody shut him up!”

RUN!!

I’m suppose to have class in 45 minutes time at the music department. The conductor of Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra is conducting. I haven’t tuned my double bass yet. Probably playing Light Calvary today.

But here I am at my kolej’s cafe quite a distance from the music department, wearing shorts, slippers and a t-shirt. Why? Because it’s pouring here. Lightning and thunder abound. In fact, I just came back from another class, and a moment ago I was soaking wet.

The thing about this is that I had to cross an open field to get to my kolej. Not the wisest thing to do when there’s lightning and you’re more than 180 centimeters above; human lightning rod.

In this situation, there are two feelings to choose from. If you’re semi-unintelligent, you’ll feel surreal. Because you’ll feel as if you’re walking down a red carpet with photographers snapping photos of you. If you’re sane, you’ll feel immensely patrified. Which I was.

So as I walked, I prayed. Don’t want to be caught unaware. So I confessed my sin, commit my spirit to God and thank God for everything that He’s done for me. He’s been very patient. Thought of my family and friends to. Strange that only in the saddest situation (facing death) that we are at our most happy moment, appreciating everything and anything that has passed.

Alright… dinner time…

Friday was a the climax of my week. Because it was the day of Jazz and Pop Concert. Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous at all. Was more keen on getting it over with so that I can move on to do my assignments and prepare for my exam. I guess that was only for the first part of the day as I had a test in the afternoon, so I couldn’t focus on the music.

well… shifted the equipment in the morning… went back to rest for a while… then went off to have lunch and then practice then rushed off for Pertanian Dan Manusia test (music students forced to learn agriculture??) … rushed back to prepare for the concert…

Every time I was on stage with my electric guitar… I felt very calm… awkward isn’t it… I guess I was too overwhelmed by the fact that I was playing alongside with giants such as drummer Martin and bassist Hiro… It was such a pleasure and honour to play with them… every time my senior told me there was practice… the first thing I’ll ask isn’t what time it’ll be… but whether the drummer or bassist would be there…

Even after coming down from stage… I felt like I was drifting… like as if I had just imagined that I was on stage… Ah Mao was on trumpet… fantastic trumpet player… UCSI’s band had a double bassist… first time I saw an electric double bass…

The head of department told me that I was very lucky to have the opportunity to perform… the last concert, that itself performed by department staff only was in 2004, and the last concert with students in it was in 2002…

God’s timing is meticulously miraculous. Glory to God…

By the way, yesterday was the first time I intentionally watched TV. I was having supper in my kolej cafe, and they were showing ninja turtles the movie… I was thinking… “Cheng Yee, you’ve got to sleep now… loads of work tomorrow…” then I remembered that it’s Sabbath, is this a gift from God? I’ve always struggled with the question of whether God knows what I really want… yes the Bible says He does… it’s in my head but has trouble traveling down that 14 inches into my heart… yesterday… He did… and although I didn’t… I really enjoyed what He gave me… “Kau ah, bangga!”

p.s. My mind’s in a mess now… very tired.. hehe… photos and videos… erm… soon?