tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post4539836321356014147..comments2023-05-28T09:52:26.071-05:00Comments on Finding the Right Words: Independence DayMinervahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803450940250232122noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-39276171254300259192009-07-07T14:00:56.656-05:002009-07-07T14:00:56.656-05:00I've always envied people who learned how to p...I've always envied people who learned how to play the piano. My poor brain just refuses to accept that it's possible to read more than one line at a time; I suspect that this would be a problem with some strings, too, but I don't know for sure. I've always thought it would be neat to learn to play the harp, but never had the spare cash to spend on one. Pity, though; there was a very pretty Irish harp for sale at Silver Dollar City a few years back, when we had season passes (so we could take The Boy to get disgustingly wet every weekend). I heard a hammered psaltery quartet once; that was frickin' <i>awesome</i>. I wish someone in the local SCA group had one, so I could test-drive it.<br /><br />The oboe isn't that hard, once you've gotten used to the reed. The fingerings are a lot like flute fingerings, or recorder fingerings (allowing for the lack of keys, of course). As far as vocal goes, I've always said that I can carry a tune in a bucket....provided it's a big enough bucket. :P<br /><br />cicelyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-89003382166190223452009-07-06T20:25:32.175-05:002009-07-06T20:25:32.175-05:00Alicia--thanks!
Cicely--from one band nerd to ano...Alicia--thanks!<br /><br />Cicely--from one band nerd to another, I knew what I was asking for and was not bored in the slightest. My nutshell version: I started at 5 or 6 with piano lessons, which progressed to violin in 4th grade since my school had an orchestra, but then clarinet in 5th grade because we moved to a district that only had band and not orchestra. When I went to college I left my clarinet home but joined choir, so now I sing mostly but I'd like to pick my clarinet back up someday. I thought about learning oboe at one point but never got up the guts. I picked up flute on a lark one summer for fun with my clarinet teacher (he taught all wind instruments), and once I played a soprano sax he had and I tried to convince my mom I needed it...no dice there.Minervahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803450940250232122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-57649040078413542122009-07-06T16:25:42.493-05:002009-07-06T16:25:42.493-05:00Ooooh, bad move! Prepare to be bored at length! ;...Ooooh, bad move! Prepare to be bored at length! ;)<br /><br />I started on clarinet in grade school. Two years later, my younger brother and sister wanted to start band, but my folks could only afford to buy one instrument, so my sister got the battered second-(at <i>least</i>)-hand trumpet, and my brother started on the clarinet. This worked well until we were all going to be in the same band---there's a little-known law of physics that states that two kids cannot play the same single-mouthpieced wind instrument at the same time---so my folks found a used oboe in a pawn shop, and I taught myself how to play that. <br /><br />Then, going into high school band, it became evident that trying to march with an oboe was not only likely to be expensive in terms of reed purchases, but potentially a novel form of suicide, so since I was bigger than my brother, the director put me on bass clarinet (my best, least self-conscious instrument) for marching season, and I played oboe during concert season.<br /><br />I picked up flute at college (obvious move for a biology major, no?), and when my brother got to play the school's contrabass clarinet, I played with it when I'd come home on the weekends; <i>that</i> was a <i>trip</i>! (And there's an anecdote I could add here involving an onion-and-mayo sandwich, but always leave 'em wanting more, right?)<br /><br />I tried learning bassoon, but I have these short, stubby little fingers; even with the hand-rest unscrewed and removed, my pinky refused to reach the lower keys.<br /><br />Oh, let's see.... Years later, I joined the SCA, and started playing recorder (the tenor is my favorite), and I can play <i>with</i> (as opposed to play) a bowed psaltery.<br /><br />Wake up!!!<br /><br />Now, aren't you sorry you asked? :D<br /><br />cicelyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-71913817813596080402009-07-06T12:01:49.951-05:002009-07-06T12:01:49.951-05:00Love the new found poem! It's so fitting ;)Love the new found poem! It's so fitting ;)Alicianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-16540225226714908432009-07-05T21:35:43.020-05:002009-07-05T21:35:43.020-05:00Cicely--Statler and Waldorf are also endearing, ye...Cicely--Statler and Waldorf are also endearing, yes. For awhile they did movie reviews via the internet. I have to see if they are still doing it. <br /><br />As for the video, wow! Thanks for the volume warning, but that is amazing. <br /><br />Incidentally, what do you play? I studied clarinet through high school, still hope to pick it back up someday.Minervahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803450940250232122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-59123362060512271852009-07-05T20:57:45.035-05:002009-07-05T20:57:45.035-05:00Me again; and I swear, one day I will learn to be ...Me again; and I swear, one day I <i>will</i> learn to <b>be sure to sign before posting</b>.<br /><br />I like Sam, but I also have a sneaking affection for the cranky old geezers.<br /><br />And now for something completely different---the National Anthem, as played on the Electric Baseball Bat: <br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9LXHrzOVYA<br /><br />(You may want to approach the volume cautiously; the first note practically blew me out of my chair!)<br /><br />cicelyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-6598549289229503172009-07-05T20:38:57.649-05:002009-07-05T20:38:57.649-05:00Cicely(?),
thanks for the link! I LOVE Sam the Ea...Cicely(?), <br />thanks for the link! I LOVE Sam the Eagle, I think he's my favorite non-core Muppet character.Minervahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17803450940250232122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735825520095400787.post-40649402879221678172009-07-05T18:01:53.491-05:002009-07-05T18:01:53.491-05:00Independence Day fun:
Stars & Stripes FOREVER...Independence Day fun:<br /><br />Stars & Stripes FOREVER! (Muppets Variation)<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA9NbPAK8o&feature=player_embeddedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com