Mid-week at Dev's

2013/11/06
2100-2230

In attendance: Chris, Dev, RM, Scott

Arriving at Dev's for 1830 for a pre-meeting dinner I find that I am the first to arrive.  Scott arrives a little before 1900 but Chris is nearly a full hour late!  The group takes this in stride as he travels from two states away to attend meetings.  Conversation and catching up while waiting on Chris.

Dinner at a local Indian fine dining establishment from 2000-2045.  It was Victor's suggestion that the group meet for dinner and at this particular restaurant.

Circling up and beginning at 2100 with Scott running calisthenics.  Scott proclaims first primary work and sets the metronome at a "slow" tempo.  Working in eight notes changing from alternate picking in one position, then all release in the next position, then all return in the next and then the pattern repeats.  Some observations are made regarding rushing during certain picking approaches.  The next exercise is to play a first primary variation where a pattern (1-2-3-4) is played on one string while counting out loud in 5 and once the fingering/counting pattern resolves, moving to the next string.  As an added challenge on the way down the neck from 1st string to 6th, the open string is added as the first note and the counting is in 4.  Some comments are made regarding the challenge of staying with the count and the not rushing ahead of the click.

Work then proceeds to VOAC.  Comments after the first run through include "That was much better than the first run through at last meeting" and "The dynamics seem more pronounced".  A question is asked about dynamics in the "pulse" part and RM noticing the difference in playing the "claw" alone with two "pulses."  The tempo is referenced with the metronome, it is played again and immediately afterward the tempo is verified with the metronome.  A comment is made that the tempo slowed slightly but that this was "not too bad."

EOTN is next.  The initial run through is met with a comment of "yikes" immediately afterward.  Lotsa mistakes and misses and a bit of discussion follows as to what was experienced during these misses.  Also a brief discussion is made as to the bass players giving their notes their full value as well as request to RM from Dev: "Can you please play it perfectly at next meeting?"  RM agrees to comply.  Another run through followed by a request by Scott to improv.  Dev suggests that Scott begin by playing a motif and we would all join in.  Afterward some discussion on difficulty trying to find tone centers through some of the shifting that the improv presented (Scott's initial motif also had a non-diatonic chromatic element that I can best describe as outlining a progression similar to "White Room" by Cream).  Dev recollected some work that the 'Circle did about 3 years ago with recognizing tone centers and hinted at revisiting this.

At 2210 Chris announces that he needs to leave and after a some discussion and a brief pause the meeting is completed at 2230.  Before he does  leave we engage is a bit of chat centered around Chris' movie watching project and his request for future movie suggestions are plentiful.  After Chris leaves Dev and Scott introduce RM to an episode of Metalocalypse which rounds out an evening of work sandwiched between some socializing and camaraderie building.