music – Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning

Melody and Bass line of the Song of Sunset “Yuuyake koyake”.

<Caution! Sound will be emitted.>

Listening to this melody, most of Japanese become willing to go home.

Removing Persimmons’ Bitterness

Tonight, I think it is more important for me to write a SNS message to one of my ex-students, rather than to post something here.

Soaking the Stem part of a Persimmon into Strong Alcohol

I harvested five persimmons in my garden.

Seal it in a plastic bag and wait a few days.

I processed four persimmons for removing bitterness

By the way, I realized that notation software (to draw a music score) “Sibelius” of Avid is too difficult to learn. I have learned many computer-software since I started using a personal computer more than thirty years ago. Once I had mastered another notation software “Music Score3” of Silver Star Japan. But I’d say “Sibelius” is so difficult. It’s no way to use by intuition. Notes and rests change regardless of my intention. I am disappointed because, if many musicians can really use Sibelius, it just means that I am a stupid.

What I need to Learn for the rest of my life

It has been rainy today. I had worked in my garden for one and a half hours in the morning. But then, the rain started falling. I didn’t go anywhere. I just stayed inside watching DVD for Japanese education until 4 p.m. that is the time for piano practice.

There is one software that I need to learn. That is for writing a music score. Actually, this is not the first score writing software for me. About 9 years ago, I learned another software. But it was limited for its functions, I thought I needed to get a more sophisticated software to write music scores so that I would be able to use for my music playing.

I bought “Avid Sibelius” in the summer of 2022. There was another famous score writing software, which was “Finale”, but I chose “Sibelius” probably because of the name. I like the famous composer Sibelius and his music. That was three years ago. However, I still cannot use “Sibelius”. Although I could use another score writing software before, I have had no idea as to how to use Sibelius. It is impossible for me to do “Intuitive operation”.

But now is the time for me to learn it. Recently I wrote that music is part of my life. Thinking about the rest of my life, learning how to use Sibelius is so important. I am going to learn with so-called “Video Sharing Site” (you know the name of it,) as in the following photo.

Sibelius is running on left monitor and I am referring to a Video on right monitor

Can Protein Supplements cure my Pain in Elbow?

I am going to write about one of three major nutrition. It’ not about carbohydrates and fats, but Protein. When I worked as a Japanese teacher in a university, I had lived in a residence in the campus, and cooked almost of all of my meals by myself. A lot of foods were available for me to cook. I could buy many kinds of vegetables and sometimes buy pork and chicken. However, I felt that I needed to take more protein if I cooked and ate foods that were available to me there.

My solution was to bring 3 kilograms of protein supplement when I came back from Japan at the end of summer and winter breaks. It seemed to me that 3kg was enough for one semester. As I expected, 3 kg lasted in spring and fall semesters in 2024 until the end. However, I consumed all the 3 kg one month earlier in the last semester. It was still mid-June. Since I planned to leave there in middle of July, at that time, I didn’t think it’s a major issue. I just tried eating chicken breast more than usual.

But I got a problem. I think it was the end of June or the beginning of July that I got my elbow aching. It’s on right hand. The pain has continued since then. Even though I came back Japan, it didn’t seem to get any better. And then one day in August, I got an idea that perhaps my pain in elbow might have come from lack of protein. Once I noted it, I went to a supermarket, bought chicken breast a lot, and ate them. To my surprise, I felt that pain was eased a little by eating chicken breast which I thought protein rich food. But it was not effective enough and soon I realized that buying a lot of chicken breast every time I go to supermarket was cumbersome because it’s too heavy to carry to my home.

Then again, I bought 1 kg of protein supplement from Amazon. I shake three spoonfuls of white powder and milk, and drink it in every lunch. Still, my right hand’s elbow continues to ache. I wish the pain in my elbow get better soon. My biggest problem is that I cannot play my electric bass. I had not played it since July. I love playing music. It is part of my life. So instead of playing bass, I play piano a little these days. Of course, it’s just a little so that my pain would not get worse.

My one of three basses; The strings are intentionally loosened because I don’t play it for so long.

LQ Laoshi Tried Playing Fast, But…

LQ Laoshi with his Bacchus Electric Bass

“SOEUR MONIQUE” F. Couperin, played by LQ Laoshi 3.26MB, 3min16sec

I actually connected two takes at 2:02. I tried playing as fast as I can from the connected point, but I could not catch up the speed. I regret using a piano recording of speed of 54 that was too fast for my finger picking style.

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Listen to my music playing: J. S. Bach, Unaccompanied Cello Suite No.3, Prelude on Electric Bass (4.22MB)

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LQ Laoshi Plays BACH on Electric Bass Again

My electric bass Ibanez SR500 has got a problem with its built-in amplifier. It doesn’t work to generate bass sounds but makes noise like the following audio recording. Probably you will regret hearing the sound. I bought this Ibanez bass in 2010, in Tokyo. It has been already ten years. Since 10 years are not short for a life of an electric circuit, I don’t think I can complain about this.

Noise sounds from pre-amplifier of SR500 (414kB)

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Electric Bass Ibanez SR500 that I bought in Tokyo Ten Years Ago

So I changed my main bass from Ibanez to Bacchus. The big difference between Ibanez and Bacchus is with or without the amplifier inside. Ibanez basses always have an active circuit which is a built-in amplifier, but Bacchus basically doesn’t have an active circuit inside of bass. I had an experience of using Ibanez for three years in past, I was always worry about troubles on active circuit. The pre-amplifier used 9-volt battery which also had a problem for availability in store. I want to say that I like passive pick-up for my bass. It is simple, no need to worry about battery and electric circuit.

I played the most famous piece from J. S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite, that is Prelude from Suite No.1. I am not a good bassist, but I hope you enjoy it. The original cello version uses the open string of A near the end. I guess that the A-string of a cello is the highest. I also use the open A string for that part on my bass. But the A string on bass is the second lowest. So what is being played in high in the original is played in low in my version. Please do not complain about this. Because I know that many bassists have made much effort to play this A notes in high for this Bach Piece. If you play in low, actually it would be very easy. I admit my technique is poor but I am expecting that J.S.Bach in heaven might allow me to do so.

J. S. Bach, Unaccompanied Cello Suite No.1, Prelude in G major (2.70MB)