Ok, since it has been some time now since I have indulged you with any new things, here is one I a, currently wrapping up. It is for my nephew who wanted to give something to a friend who treated him to a week of skiing at Big Sky Montana. This is the mountain here. Lots of detail and a nice challenge.
The patient in the hospital listened in as his roommate was asked by the crotchety nurse what he wanted for breakfast.
I'd like a glass of orange juice, and could you please just empty a used specimen cup and pour the orange juice in there? I want a little essence of that mixed in.
Then, also, could I have two fried eggs, leave them in the pan about 3 seconds per side, 4 at the most. And use crisco, not butter, or even motor oil would be fine. And two slices of bacon, rare, maybe even raw, if you can. Also, a cup of coffee, from a week ago would be great. I think that is all.
The crotchety nurse practically spits, “we can’t possibly make such a meal for one of our patients! Are you crazy?”
Not at all, nurse. That’s exactly what was served to me yesterday.
@dr-go
I know something that can go from zero to 200 in 2.8 seconds.
Me, when I step on the bathroom scale
I used to love the cartoon artwork of Don Martin. So much so that I bought some of his books. Here is a good example of the elaborate detail he used to draw. Hilarious, to me.
Re: Artist on BOARD
A portrait I just completed. Bittersweet, as so many of these can be. A beloved pet who has passed, but I try my best to keep that sweet memory for them this way.
I seem to be in a productive stage this year. I have a clear idea of what I want to paint. This is not always a given, by the way. Just glad the juices are flowing. This one was from a photo I took, from the driver's seat of my Uncle's Buick. The passengers were quite panicked, but I assigned my uncle to hold the wheel so we were fine. The second picture is the photo I took those many years ago ( with a film camera, by the way). Then I decided to recreate it in a winter setting. Here are the pictures
One I have recently completed for my brother and sister in law. This is about ten minutes away from where they live. A gift.
I painted this in response to the way the sky looks on a crisp winter night just at the tail end of sunset. This is my own backyard view in central NJ. Early morning isn’t bad either!
Saw this farm a couple of weeks ago. I have seen it probably a hundred times, but this time I saw it differently. Stopped on the side of the road and took several pics. And here’s what I came up with. Hopewell, NJ farm. 
Don’t assume anything by the title of the song. And…..it’s a French horn player to boot! One or two other things: this was a former student of my wife's when he was a boy in elementary school. He is now a professional horn player. He definitely lives up to it. Stay with it. It gets more amazing as it goes along!
@Tobylou8 said in Do you see what I see??:
@Dr-GO said in Do you see what I see??:
@Tobylou8 said in Do you see what I see??:
...I see 2 trumpets with tuners on them.
BINGO!!!! If these two cats use them.... just sayin'. Thanks for responding. I had forgotten about this awesome video!!And I am not so sure this is a good thing... Perhaps just perhaps in a recording studio, but not in real time performance.
Why? It is a section leaders responsibility to be in tune with the ensemble, not necessarily the perfect pitch. I have played in many an ensemble when the leader (bassist) insists on tuning to them. Tonight, I play in a big band rehearsal at the University of Dayton's piano is a quarter tone flat where I have to put the tuning slide out about an eighth of an inch from the perfect pitch. I have a tuning app on my phone, but I tune to the piano, not the app, and I expect my entire section to tune with me (which they do).
Tell Wayne... , and Dan.... . I think they know what they are doing. Be interesting to know why they used them I think.
I feel that great players like that would be hampered by a tuner, unless it corrects the pitch somehow electronically. Watching or relying on a tuner when you’ve already got a trained ear seems like a Tour de France racer using training wheels to keep him/her upright
@GeorgeB said in A real OLD comebacker here:
I like that TrumpetBoards saw fit to have a place for come back players. I came back to playing in the spring of 2016 at the ripe old age of 80 after a 51 year hiatus. Those 3 years up to now have had plenty of ups and downs, including 3 lip injuries last year, but things are really starting to work out for me. This year I have changed bands because the one I belonged to since the fall of 2016 was no longer challenging enough. The one I recently joined offers plenty of challenge, including being able to play beside a 30 year pro trumpet player who goes out of his way to help me learn the band's extensive play list. Right now I am in Trumpet heaven.
I hope other come back players here will join me in sharing our trials, tribulations and, most importantly, our successes and joy from playing the devil's instrument we all love so dearly.
George, you are an inspiration to us all, I think. I know you are to me! Keep it up, I am right here for you.
@dupac I am here, too. Invited by Dupac, and Toblylou8.
I guess that is a good endorsement
@trumpetb said in Is there such a thing as a “natural player”?:
I have done many things in my life and in many of them I have been told I am a natural. Mostly that happens after many years of very hard work.
Let us assume they are right and I am a natural trumpet player.
I was not a natural trumpet player at first and for a very long time. It only took 8 hours a day of constant practice every single day for around 10 years to finally become a natural. That is only about 30,000 hours hard graft.
Louis Armstrong was also I believe called a natural, he practiced for 7 years.
More than likely he practiced for 12 hours a day as it was a passion with him. That is also around 30.000 hours of hard graft.
We both share 30,000 hours of hard graft Louis and I.
I have been called a natural in many other activities, rifle shooting, pistol shooting, golfing, archery, driving.
It is funny how I always became a natural after devoting many years of very hard work (that nobody noticed).
I think it takes a lot of unnaturally hard work before you can legitimately be a natural.
I find it insulting to be called a natural to be honest it ignores all of the immense effort that it takes and has been expended to be able to finally make everything appear to be totally effortless and natural.
So my answer is, No there are no naturals there are people who put in immense efforts to be become good enough for people to then think they are naturals
People will say that when they really like your stuff. It’s easier and still a nice thing to say, by the way, than, “you sure put in thousands of hours of hard work to achieve this level of competence”. I get it with my artwork, “such a talent” they say, “I can’t even draw a circle or a straight line”. Neither can I. That’s why they make compasses and straight edges. And yes, I am grateful to get nice compliments like that, and take it for what they intended it to be. But I have done it for over fifty years, honed the talent that I had to start with. Not just woke up one day at age 7 and started painting masterpieces. I still don’t think I paint masterpieces, or play them either, but that’s why I keep trying.
@GeorgeB said in Community Band:
My trumpet teacher back in 1953, a pro trumpet player, told me to play with better players as often as I can. I didn't realize at the time just how great that advice was.
I agree 100% with you, George. I have been playing in a community band for 8 years now, but lately I am sitting next to the lead trumpet player. He definitely makes me a better player because I don’t want to let him down. He is also very gracious and gives me plenty of constructive criticism. I try my best to only have to hear something once.
@lukarino said in A little humour:
Now this would be a pretty good icon for TrumpetBoards, perhaps.
I like to say, if I’m in a group, I’d rather be the worst one in the bunch and try to keep up than have to be concerned for everyone else’s playing.
