Lighter Touch, Louder Voice

            During Wednesday morning’s song practice, since I really couldn’t afford to buy new guitar strings, I made a conscious effort to strum more lightly. In some ways applying such mental effort to my playing caused me to make mistakes on songs that I’ve learned to play without thinking. I noticed though that I was singing louder when I played softer and it wasn’t just that my voice seemed louder because it wasn’t being drowned by the guitar. Not only did I have more volume in my voice but it also seemed that my singing was more in tune. Plus, I didn’t break a string!

            In the early afternoon, now that I had some room on my computer, I had a look at the last video that I’d shot of my song practice on Saturday. The last half of the video was of me changing a string but I did get some footage in the beginning of me fumbling through some songs. I’d managed to position the camera this time so that I was in the centre of the frame and I think the height of the camera was fine. I think I should stand back more though because the top of my head was out of the frame. I’m pretty sure the guitar would still be loud enough from a little further away and since I’m using a microphone the voice will still be the same volume.

            In the late afternoon I took a very hot bike ride to finish exploring the area south and east of Don Mills Road and Eglinton. For the most part the most interesting thing about that neighbourhood is how incredibly boring it is. There is not a building with character anywhere in the whole area.

            I went back the way I came and stopped at Whistlers at O’Connor and Mortimer to use the washroom. On the patio, as there often is, a jazz trio of guitar, bass and saxophone was playing a standard that I couldn’t name.

            When I got home I left the cold water running while I went over to the liquor store to buy a can of Creemore. When I got back I drank a glass of water and ate a slice of cold watermelon. Probably because of the long ride in the heat I felt drained afterwards and didn’t last long after dinner before going to bed about 45 minutes earlier than usual.