One of the world's best bassists

Just realised that one of my two favorite bassists appears on a top 10 list of the best bassists in the world.
Though I slightly doubt the legitimacy of this poll (no Victor Wooten to be found, what the hell!? More like: 'top 10 most popular bassist'), but the website still seems legit, which makes me feel proud for him. Of course, he got many votes from fangirls who only like his appearance, but he scored many points for his headbanging and screaming awesomeness, as well as his beautiful bass solos.

In addition, he's my motivation for playing bass. It's because of Reita if I bursted into the Metronomie music shop at my town and bought my first bass, without any musical knowledge or skill whatsoever. I remember my first few months of learning to play the bass, when I tried lowering my strap so I could play it just like him. I could play pretty accurately with a pick, if slowly, but the angle was too pronounced and I couldn't even pluck a single string since my wrist couldn't bend enough, so I had to adapt to a new pick-handling technique similar to Reita's which I still use now. Also, lowering the strap meant sharper angle for my fretting hand too, so it wasn't comfortable at first. It took me about a week to get used to this new playing method.
So anyway, I'm happy he is known by many around the world as a great bassist. I'm also impressed that even though the GazettE never toured outside of Japan, they are pretty well known.
 I mentioned I had antother bassist I admire, I'll cover him in anoter blog post.

Dear Santa...

Yes I know it's too early but I just found out about this. It's a website where you can order Visual Kei stuff, and I found things from the GazettE!! :3

First, the picks and signature/imitation guitars are on sale on http://japan-discoveries.com !!!
I've always wanted Reita's bass, and his RF's imitation is only for 60'000yens (while his signature is 400'000Y) which means it's about 800$. But I guess I'll have to buy a good amp, a F-154DX, and much more stuff before that!

Anyway, what I'm certainly gonna buy are the picks and scorebooks
http://japan-discoveries.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&categories_id=23&keyword=gazette&x=0&y=0

I especialy want Aoi's for the arts, though I don't think they're .73mm and Reita's look a tad too triangular to me.
But I want the scorebooks SO BAD. I've always wanted to learn the proper basslines since I suck at learning by ear (and it's especially hard for basslines). Also, I've talked about some people about forming a GazettE coverband!

There are the scorebooks for Dai Nihon Itan Geisha teki..., NIL, Stacked Rubbish and DIM. 
I'm getting way too exited just for scorebooks, but it's something I've wanted to have for so long now! And on top of that, it'll allow me to practice reading music notations, since I don't read a lot of music. All I need to find now is NEGA's scorebooks :3

So yeah no social life this winter.

Justice for the hippies

So, let’s talk about the Occupy movement, that protest movement speaking against the social and economic inequalities. Here, the people speak against the rich, saying that the system is based on finances and power, which favors the greed of the few, to the dismay of the many in need. It’s the 99% rising up against the mighty 1%, and you’re part of that 99%.

This is a global day of actions for our rights as citizen. Our freedom is at stake, and we all need to unite and rise up against the corrupted government that finances the greedy and wars. Now’s the time to claim our rights promised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are the 99%, we won’t let this happen.

Or so that’s what they pretend to be defending, the protestors aren’t all fighting the good fight in there. Most occupiers don’t even know exactly what they’re protesting about, and there have been cases of drug consumption leading to overdoses and death, and even sexual harassments.  For example, 23-year-old Ashlie Gough of Victoria, who died of an overdose in Vancouver. What kind of a protest is that? Hippies following a random protest to justify their personal beliefs and needs?

While most of them are surely fighting the good fight in there, some others are mainly opportunists, or just randoms who go with the flow and don't stand up for themselves.

Anyway, of course there are a majority who fights for the real justice in there, but still, everyone has their own point of view in the matter. (Mine is, damn hippies  arguing 'bout "Hurr-durr we're 99% we's so opressed, tax the rich!")

How to play guitar like a boss

If you're learning how to play guitar, the most important thing to acquire first is accuracy, and with accuracy, the speed will come very easily.

And when I say slowly, I mean real slow, starting at 60bpm, and then making your way up to double the speed of the original line you're playing (but not if you can't play it without timing issues). You need to be able to play it flawlessly first, maybe whitout even looking at the fretboard.
Then, when you think you mastered it at 60bpm, (to the point were you don't make any effort playing it and it's almost natural) start rising the bpm for every 1 to 5 minutes you play the line. Whenever you feel tension while playing at a certain bpm, that means it's the fastest you can play accurately. When that happens, you should stick to a lower bpm for some time, and try it again later. It's that simple, you just need a lot of patience, since it might take 2 days to learn a single line perfectly.

I found another blog post about this, here's the link: http://lorinator.feminoise.com/the-real-secret-to-playing-fast/