Saturday

Another busy week of Birthday meals, work and writing of reports (on those rare occasions when the County Server is actually working) has meant little piano time.

Drum wise:

Tuesday: 2 hours John Riley comping exercises.

Weds: 1 hour Riley

Thurs: 30 minutes Riley 30 minutes improv

Fri:
1 hour hand technique - Bill Bachman triple strokes
30 minutes: John Riley.

With the Riley material I am trying to adapt my hi hat technique a little, using the heel/toe method which generates a nice sound whilst also slightly improving the feel (to my ears anyway) No wonder so many of the old school guys played this way!

Since starting to work on the Riley material I have been pleased with the physical improvements but need to remember to achieve a balance between the pure mechanical exercises and improvising with the same materials to fully work them into my vocabulary.

I've also been slightly shirking my arranging/composition this week. Hopefully now I have my new laptop and 3 days next week in Switzerland things will change.

Also I have somehow become FAT again. Things will have to change!