A bid to keep to my 2010 new year's resolutions...

OK! This one is the new addition to the list! Hahaha...800 bucks? Cmon la..cheaper can auntie? It is a 1963 Epiphone Firebird VII. Old style... but i'd want the brown tobacco sunburst. No nice pic of it tho..

Anyone wants to contribute to my 'electrified string fund'? Hahaha...

After briefing at Bishan Stadium for the Aviva Ironman Triathlon, i met up with Mila for lunch and study. While she studied, i borrowed guitar player's magazine from the library.

Arrrghhh!! It's been bothering me these days and i can stop it till i've shortlisted a few electric guitars so i can aim and start saving for it realistically!! Shitt... my head's playin' with me.

So first up, things i like for in music? Not rock that is too heavy.. i like bon jovi. I like beautiful solos like the ones churned out by santana. I like to blues down and jazz at times... listening to BB King strut his stuffs is so soothing. Basically, a guitar with good sustain and deep sounding cleans. (Haha..after so much research, i have this terms in my vocab now!) I also would like one that allows me to do fingerworks solo better. I just like strong tones.. not much of the 'chimey' bell sounds. (Anyway..i found out how to make my Black sounds like and electric guitar chime! COOL!!)

Specs wise, after research on materials and components.. i'd like those solid bodied mahogany with neck through joints or set necks (for better sustain it seems). Fretboard wise? Anything la.. rosewood or maple, got ebony better! Pickups (or 'pups' as they term it in forums..) I prefer humbuckers to single coils.. a mix of both could be fun! Bridge wise, a simple tune-o-matic with stopbar enuf. I dun really fancy trems. Scale length..25" or ard this wld do. Number of frets? Anything la! Hahaha... i just wanna play!

Basically, I've shortlisted these few electric guitars to aim for by the end of this year.... How i'm gonna get the money is what i will have to think of later!




1st on my list is this Paul Reed Smith SE Soapbar II! SOAPBAR eh?! Hahaha... it refers to the pickups that were designed to look like soapbars.. On ebay... it costs $1K. Haiz...great reviews and i really like the simplicity of the purpose and design.

This is of course my first choice that i will aim for. However, actually i am slightly indifferent about this guitar with the next in line. Its just that maybe, resale wise, Paul Reed Smith seems to be a 'better brand'..






Second on my list is this beautiful Schecter C-1 Lady Luck! Smooth curves and simple design too! Very much cheaper than the PRS at ebay costing $0.5K plus. I checked out the reviews.. like the PRS SE Soapbar, it was picked as one of the editor's choice. Not bad at all..

Of course if i had a thousand i'd go for the C-1 classic! It has the same shape but different components and a beautiful vine artwork on the fretboard the way i love it...

Maybe one day, i will go into inlay artwork since i like design and art..






Then i have the Epiphone Les Paul... my original aim! (Until of course i started to research more!!) Darn... all these research causing me great headaches...

The les pauls are priced quite ok and there are many variants to it... if i could get the elitist, then i should be rich! But think i'd just get the standard..

Bottomline is... i need to get started somewhere!







There is the stratocaster. Nuff said. Super popular yet quite ex. Price past $1K unless i get a second hand. Still, i need to be damn lucky to get one.





Lastly.. there is this Ibanez AX320.. Picked as one of the Editor's choice too for its great sustain and tone. No price for it stated online...

I think it will be ard the same price range as my first 2 choices as it falls in the mid-range guitar section.




But for everything it's worth... all this aim is nothing without skills and the love to stroke the black. I still love acoustics best! (The Art Fazils and Jack Johnson plus all the other cool acoustic songs. Even classicals and Bossa.) Stroking the black till i sleep.. But if i get a guitar, i'll name her 'Camille' like Kamilah in english... Hahaha... Its just a habit of naming stuffs. R1 is my laptop. Hitam is my sis's car. Junior is Kamie's teddy. Ari was my old bicycle's name. Donky was my srambler's name. My bicycle changes name everyday depends on mood though! The best thing is.. i talk to them a times! It's kind of weird but i've been doin it since young.. maybe its the very few things you can confide in that goes one way kot?

Confiding in you still tops it all...YOU! You knowwho..

So back to the guitar topic.. Being a musician i think embodies bringing the best out of the instrument you are using and not forcing it to do things it can't. Every instrument has its boundaries of performance.

A few days ago, i blogged about the voice and how i felt that one should sing using one's true voice. Now, the voice is also and instrument.. like the guitar. I read forums about how people cant seem to play well on one type of guitar but feels he plays well on another. Then, the criticise the guitar saying that the designs are bad and all...

It is an established fact that it is virtually impossible to make consistently performing guitars. Every guitar is unique as it is made of different wood. (Duhh! If i use wood A on guitar A..i cant use the same piece of wood one another guitar ryt? Unless i destroy guitar A of course!) So, i feel one should take sometime to spend understanding his guitar and unleashing the best qualities it can provide. That would make one a darn good musician. They say BB King can put fantastic mood into a single note he plays... That guy really loves his music and instrument man! (He ever ran into a burning building just to save his guitar.)

Right now.. with Black.. i am understanding more and more about him. A cheap TGM plywood guitar you might say.. cost me 70 for a package. If i had the knowledge i have now, i probably wouldn't take a second look at it but back then, when all i wanted was to get started on a guitar and i put aside a hundred for my budget.. that black 3/4 sized steel string acoustic attracted me. Even though i discovered that it is not very resonant and that the action was very high (I get blisters EVERY time i play.. even now!) it doesn't stop me from playing and learning more about it and on it.. the enjoyment of making music simply masks off the pain.

Respect everything given to you..

At least now, armed with more knowledge, i can make better choices and hence more expensive too... haiz. More knowledge can be unnecessary and also burdenful... Proof? Im having a headache choosing from so many choices!! It bogs me down...

After this... still must think of amplifier! Mak dikau.. Kamie!! CAMNER?!

I keep telling myself...

If i put as much perseverence, passion, effort, desire and enjoyment into all that i commit to do... i will be the boy i was, the person i want to be..

I really miss myself...

The zola who had no sense of defeat in him. One with aggression so much that he veers not from fights and setbacks. One so reckless that he heads on to challenges instinctively without much thots at times... Stepping on people's toes whilst keeping my eyes dead on the objectives at sight..

Sometimes...i miss that self of mine. Beng told me i mellowed down a lot after i went into JC. But what mellowed me down alot, after much thot was actually.. Geraldine. The 'violent' breakup gave me much to ponder and reflect about myself. It actually made me very philosophical i think...

Well... sometimes i hate this soft self of mine. One that thinks of consequences... one that feels for others and fears hurting others... one who lets guilt burden me down and memories anchor me aground...

My only solace is the ceramah i heard while driving at 6am... abt one main characteristic of ppl going to syurga is those who possesses a gentle heart...

Haiz... this is what stroking the black makes u do...




Every chord, every voicing, every note, sets u reminiscing...

Each note is unique when placed in different settings... And A will sound different when it plays key compared to an A when it plays support to the key of G... it sets different moods... and as i stroke before i go to sleep... thoughts come as random as the notes struck...

There are pros and cons of what i am now... but it is not the optimum level condition yet... isn't that what many people try to achieve and some die without even feeling satisfied?

Aniways...

Silat Welcome Tea was yesterday... was quite fun. The camwhoring, the kicking of padding..lying down and bersembanging on the matt.. changing together, solating together.. sharing jokes and stories.. pantuning.. playing dumb games and singing... I miss the silat family feeling all these times being in holiday mood.. getting fed and fat. I have a new nama timangan given by Abang Azmi... TEMBAM?!!

I noe i am....shhh!

Well..its time to shred...

I think cycling doesnt really help much though i tink i have lost a teeny bit of weight by raising my metabolism slightly from what it is during the hols... Hahaha!

OK!! Gd luck mama for your kickboxing!! Get fit and flexible so u can kick my butt better k?? Nad..can kick Booby...oppps...Bobby i mean!

Plus...reminder for zola.. find out abt bus tickets back home!

May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...

Handed over finally....

No more extra commitments.... Now time to look for new CCAs!! Hahaha... I got two new ones now! Still looking at it...it's more of a stepping stone CCA kinda thing.

And ppl...

If you need to contact me... PLEASE CALL ME!! again and again if you have to...cos my fone's stranded.. Ahaha... bill problem la! If you msg... dun expect a reply. If u call..dun expect me to call back unless it's past 12.

Ahhh...school has officially began. Im sticking with 5 modules rather than following my animalistic instinct of loving to push myself with 6 or more modules. As it is...i only have 2 modules with final exams now. Haiz...but i have 2 project based modules plus 1 lab-based module. I'm slowly streaming it up to form my resume. On that will get me one of the jobs that i will happily do.

*Darn ass thinking he has a nice voice singin' in the background.*

Haiz...i tink people's voice sounds nicer when the sing with their true voice. At least it won't sound bad, it'll sound sincere. Rather than you force your voice into a weird falsetto and distort the air that passes thru the voicebox to produce a vibration that shrivels ears... I love sincere voices. When a singing voice is sincere...one won't sound bad. An example? Ah-niu! Remember the song "tui mian de nu hai..."? Hahaha...he was just singing with a normal voice la.. Still sounds nice!

Anyway...i dun feel a tad different now that im 17. Hahaha...

Had a surprise BBQ that was nearly spoiled by me and then Beng topped it up!! Hahaha...

After playing pool with the mama..i told her my plan for the day. She looked shocked! Hahaha..i told her that i want to go to Jurng East Library to return my books and then we'd watch the DVD i bought in JB together thru my laptop.. She looked like she was abt to burst!! Then she had to admit she has a plan for me... being a nice BF that i am.. I decline to ask further and follow her..though, we still went to JE to return the books and 'wasted' some time looking at shops there, (apparently to buy time as something wasn't ready yet..)

However, before that happened... i received an sms from Beng when i was returning the books..

"Bro, happy birthday. As old as me liao.....Sorri, workin, can't attend ur party."

And i turned to look at mama and had a suspectful eye on her....i asked in a tone, one a policeman would interrogate when an interrogee accidentally blurted out a teeny bit of clue and still wanting to continue to hide..."Wwwwwhat partyyyy?"

Of course i smsed that same thing to Beng too...

And that Dumbo replied!! Hahaha...he said "OOooopss! Not party...BBQ i mean." Haiz....Beng Beng... Kamie had to wrestle the phone away from me (of course i let her win! so dat i can STILL be surprised...hahaha.)

Even the taxi spoiled the plan! Hahaha...apparently, mama went into the cab first to tell the cabbie the place to head to. I wasnt supposed to hear but the cabbie didnt noe where the place is...he doesnt noe the directions too!! arrrghhh...so i had to step in.

Cut story short....When i finally got to open my eyes, i saw Hidayat! Hahaha...my JC fren Hidayat, then Jamal and Salmah and Nurul and Ain and Syah and Kak Teepah and Faz and GG and Jihan and Gejah and Syikin and her BF Nazri and Ain and even Vivien Luo Wanqing!! ...Bobby was there to with Nad!...I had a BBQ at Labrador Park! Best place so far for BBQ cos it's right in front of the sea and the breeze was great! We cut the melted chocolatey cake..(i cut it into triangles) and everybody mingled. That was the best part...every representative from my every part of life mingled with each other. Haha..people got new frens and people got to noe the cuzzins seeing how alike we are. (the "takotss!" and especially the part of seeing the female me...my sis!) Hahaha...Redha and Isa came with tonnes of macaroni gorengs...Nora and Harun came with a nicely written card. Samir came and left us for 3 other guys! Hahaha..(we tortured him mentally before we let him go!)

And my present? After the whole group gave me a card.... the hallmark card wrote.."i noe u'd like an off road vehicle for a present..." and they asked me to turn around... there was a bike! Not a motorbike!! A bicycle....

Now i cycle to school everyday....I still dread the hills of NUS...i tink even more now!

Well....i cant write much...

I am just very happy and thankful for the people god bless my life with. These wonderful people who i'm honoured to befriend...and these people who made my 17th birthday happen. Especially to the mama who initiated it....

I thank you from the heart of my bottom that you like!! Hehehe...no lah! I sincerely thank you and luv you all that came. What was special too is that the people who came were all those that i really consider close to an extent...it was special. Those who couldn't make it...thanks for the wishes!!

May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second richest man who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

1. He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!

2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.

3. He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha , that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.

4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.

5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world's largest private jet company.

6. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis. He has given his CEO's only two rules. Rule number 1: do not lose any of your share holder's money. Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.

7. He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch television.

8. Bill Gates, the world's richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.

9. Warren Buffet does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk.

His advice to young people:

"Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself and ... remember:

A. Money doesn't create man but it is the man who created money.
B. Live your life as simple as you are.
C. Don't do what others say, just listen to them, but do what makes you feel good.
D. Don't go on brand name; just wear those things which you feel comfortable.
E. Don't waste your money on unnecessary things; just spend on those people who really need it.
F. After all it's your life then why give a chance to others to rule our life.

May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...

The New 'Ergo Noir' Acoustic Guitar from Charles Fox

Press release
Source: Brainstorm/Thought-Provoking Communications

Healdsburg, CA: A premium luxury instrument hand-crafted by Charles Fox for a few discriminating customers around the world, the new ergo noir embodies stunning departures from traditional lutherie and sets new standards for acoustic guitar making.

Introduced at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in Sonoma Valley north of San Francisco (August 19- 21st), a festival Fox co-founded in 1996, ergo is a one-of-a-kind "super guitar" for high-end collectors, leading professional musicians and serious investors. With a starting price of $15,000 without options, ergo embodies a wealth of new ideas, the world's finest tone woods and hours of exacting hand-crafting by master luthier Fox.

Ergo sounds and plays like nothing else and goes beyond the simple category of guitar to exist as "a compelling design object, empowering musical partner, inspiring creative muse, player's dream, performer's delight, collector's prize, a serious investment and a high end walk on the wild side."

Brace-less Parabolic Soundboard Where to start when describing the new ergo guitar? The instrument's most compelling feature. Is the brace-less, ultra low-mass soundboard. The soundboard's hollow-core wood plate weighs 40% less than its solid wood equivalent. Which means less weight to damp the energy of the strings, impede acoustic power and block the subtlest harmonics. When it comes to power and projection, ergo is a cannon.

Wedge-Shaped Body Working in close harmony with the parabolic soundboard, ergo's distinctive wedge-shaped body tucks in beneath the player's right arm more snugly and comfortably than a conventionally shaped guitar body. To compensate for the soundboard's inward tilt, the ergo fingerboard rotates outward away from the player, maximizing left hand playing comfort.

Elevated Fingerboard ergo's elevated fingerboard positions the strings at a steeper-than-usual angle to the soundboard and bridge. The pull on the bridge from this high angle is one source of the ergo's extraordinary power. The elevated fingerboard also offers added access to the upper frets of the non-cutaway ergo.

Compound cutaway The ergo's optional compound cutaway eliminates the abrupt corner left by conventional cutaways by twisting its surface gently inward, away from your hand, coming flush to the edge of the tapered heel for seamless access to the upper frets.

Adjustable sound port The optional adjustable sound port allows users to vary the ergo's sound field by selectively opening or closing this second opening into the air chamber. The sound port can be opened to surround the player with sound when playing for pleasure. Or closed to focus the sound for full projection when performing and recording.

Materials Typical for a premier Fox instrument, ergo incorporates a top quality European spruce soundboard, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, Honduras mahogany neck and Gaboon ebony fingerboard and bindings.

Specifications

Scale: 25.6"/650mm

Body: 15.125" wide/16.25" wide

Neck:

12-fret neck, 21 total frets, 1.75" nut, 10" nut radius

14-fret neck, 24 total frets, 1.75" nut, 10" nut radius

Bridge 2.25" string spread, 25" saddle radius

Media Contact:
Brainstorm/Thought-Provoking Communications
jccosta@brainstorm-on-line.com
Tel: 212.362.4271

Company Contact:
Website: www.charlesfoxguitars.com
Denise Richards
denise@charlesfoxguitars.com
Work: 503.292.2385
Mobile: 503.320.1125

If i can harness the same drive, ego and spirit i put into learning things that i like and really want to be good at into my studies this sem and the next... I will bring my CAP up to where i want it to be...

Next sem seems so fun!

Im taking 5 modules. I think... Including science of music! One of the two modules i really want to take in NUS. The next would be Animal Behaviour. Hahaha..That will be available only in next semester.

I have new CCAs too! Hahaha... Flight and Space - to get my Private Pilot's License.. Wahaha...Damn! If in year 1 i applied to SYFC, it would be free! But now, i can only go Mlysia since Sg is freakin ex. In Mlysia, its RM 7k-10k... Haiz...

Haiz...I need to work... to sustain passions. Luckily my matair is super low maintainence!! All she needs me to spend is my time with her. Hahaha...thanks my luva!!

May Allah guide us all..bless us with happiness and health n protect us from the dangers of this world, physically or mentally. Help us become successful people in the world and after...