In need of some encouragement

[David B. Stang]

Friends,
I'm feeling a little bit discouraged for two reasons.

First, I am really struggling with my aural temperament tuning. I 
understand intellectually how it is supposed to fit together, how all 
the intervals ought to beat, and so on. But I have been practicing at 
home and at customers' homes for a few months now, and I still just 
can't do it right. By "do it right" I mean get it close enough to pass 
the RPT exam (I use my ETD to test myself). My main problem, I think, 
is, I just can't always hear the beats. For instance, I can nearly 
always hear the F3-A3 Major 3rd, and the F3-D4 6th. But I struggle to 
hear the A3-C#4 and especially struggle to hear the C#4-F4. I can't 
percieve those faster beats. And sometimes I can't hear the beating even 
when it's supposed to be slow. Sometimes the 5ths and 4ths are loud and 
clear; other times they are not there at all. Are my ears the problem? 
Is it my brain?

Second, I am discouraged with my business. I could use some more 
customers. I have gotten every kind of marketing advice imaginable - 
that's not what I need. I am unhappy because I am kind of shy, and I 
just don't do some of those assertive things that many business people 
do. It doesn't come naturally for me to sell myself. (Like my friend Jon 
Ralinovsky who was just e-ridiculed on this list, for simply posting the 
link to the Cincinnati Seminar without tooting his own horn about the 
good stuff he has lined up!) Maybe I don't have the right personality to 
run my own business.

Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.
Thanks

David B. Stang, 2/3-rds of the way toward RPT
Columbus, Ohio