Posts made by BigDub

@Niner said in A little humour:

Yogi Berra explains Jazz.

Interviewer: Can you explain jazz?

Yogi: I can't, but I will. 90% of all jazz is half improvisation. The other half is the part people play while others are playing something they never played with anyone who played that part. So if you play the wrong part, its right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong enough. But if you play it too right, it's wrong.

Interviewer: I don't understand.

Yogi: Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can't understand it. It's too complicated. That's what's so simple about it.

Interviewer: Do you understand it?

Yogi: No. That's why I can explain it. If I understood it, I wouldn't know anything about it.

Interviewer: Are there any great jazz players alive today?

Yogi: No. All the great jazz players alive today are dead. Except for the ones that are still alive. But so many of them are dead, that the ones that are still alive are dying to be like the ones that are dead. Some would kill for it.

Interviewer: What is syncopation?

Yogi: That's when the note that you should hear now happens either before or after you hear it. In jazz, you don't hear notes when they happen because that would be some other type of music. Other types of music can be jazz, but only if they're the same as something different from those other kinds.

Interviewer: Now I really don't understand.

Yogi: I haven't taught you enough for you to not understand jazz that well.

Once again, Yogi is credited with not saying anything about something he knew nothing about.

here's a bit of a change for me, in that it's a Historical scene of my home town. Around the turn of the century (20th) this was both a general store and post office. In my lifetime there was never a post office and this store was not there anymore. Another one opened a little down the road.

When I sing, vibrato is involuntary. To not have vibrato while singing takes a great deal of concentration. When I play trumpet it is almost always intentional and I have to make it happen in various ways.

@Kehaulani said in How do you feel about vibrato?:

Not really asking what one feels is logical, but authentic, original sources, i.e. texts, commentaries, etc. I could've been clearer.
No problem, Kehaulani, I understood and share your desire to really know some historical evidence as to when and how it began to be used.
In my effort to search it, some of those thoughts came to me as a result of things being mentioned about vibrato. They were mostly talking about singing. That brought up the idea to me that playing the trumpet can sometimes imitate the phrasing and expression of the vocalist. This includes vibrato, of course, which has also evolved over the years as to how much is appreciated and considered tasteful. I hear it when I watch old movies from way back.

@Kehaulani said in How do you feel about vibrato?:

When did vibrato become commonly used on trumpet?
Were earlier trumpets, in ensemble playing, vibratoless and then vibrato added later?
Did the technological advantages in trumpet construction have a concurrent influence on trumpet vibrato?

I believe the vibrato of the human voice was what trumpet players strove to emulate. Then came the process of trying to mimic it and the various techniques began to show themselves. This is only speculation on my part, but I think it might have some merit.

After a hard physical task a good vibrato can be quite a comfort.

I forgot to mention, that last Lighthouse Painting was from a photo by Ivan Hunter he kindly allowed me to use for reference. Thanks, Ivan!

@administrator said in Artist on BOARD:

Why aren't their any paintings of Hoboken?

Well.......I have never done a cityscape and Hoboken would be quite a ways down the list if I were to start

Recently I came to a realization that I was "using" vibrato as a cloak, in a way, instead of reading using my ear and staying right on pitch. I am using it less now, but not entirely eliminating it. There are times when it is called for, for my taste anyway.

@GeorgeB said in Artist on BOARD:

Beautiful, Wayne, simply beautiful...and so peaceful looking.

Thanks, Kehaulani and George.
That one is from Maine, George. Pumpkin Island Light

here's another one if you haven't seen it yet

A neighbor of mine in Boise Idaho used to be in a Mariachi band. ( He is in his 80s ) I asked him if he wanted to play as we stood chatting outside. Sí, como no? He said.
As soon as he made a note come out- it was vibrato. Every note, every time....that's how Mariachi bands roll. Very rapid vibrato. Not for everyone. I silently got a kick out of it but didn’t want him to stop. He hadn’t played for 15 yrs, too. Sadly he is now in the Veteran's home and doesn’t remember me any more.

First of all, I will not declare it right or wrong universally. That task is for the much better informed. I will share my thoughts, however, which most of you know I freely do on occasion.
If it sounds like too much, it might be too much.
If you are in a group, it might be better to cut back on it a little, as it can affect the intonation of an ensemble.
I think that previous message was for me, mostly.

@Robrtx said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Niner That looks like a wonderful day, grilling with family.

Just an aside, I recently bought an "Inkbird IBT-4XS" grilling thermometer off of Amazon which has solved any overcook/undercook issues I may have had. Monitors up to 4 meats simultaneously and can link to a smart phone...........I'm not a paid endorser, I just think it was a really cool purchase for someone who likes to grill......

Well, I had to use an oven mitt to pick my phone up off the grill and it didn’t work very well after that. So, there’s that.

There’s something very peculiar about the eye doctor's methods of figuring out what prescription to give me.
I have to decide everything. "Which is more clear, number one, or two?
Two.
"How about, three, or four?".
Uh, seems like three?
"How about one, verses three?"
Hmmm, now could I see three verses two?
"No, it doesn’t work that way".
Ok, then let me see two again.
"There you go."
So after about 50 scenarios, we have determined just what is best for my eyes.
I never felt less sure of a decision. Yet here I sit with the glasses they came up with for me, based on my opinions only.......

@Tobylou8 said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@BigDub said in So, how's your Fourth?:

@Tobylou8 that same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. Best cleaning job I ever did and it was clearly noticeable to me. I am happy for you.

Thank you kind sir! I should have suspected something was amiss when high C's became erratic, and we had a lot of them this program. I had been very busy and figured I wasn't practicing enough, even though my routine was the same. It's been one of those springs when everything ran together. Maybe it was left over granola bar?? Anyhow, long, long brushes from Harbor Freight saved my keister!!!

First reference to keister. Good job with that.
I don’t think a cleaning like I mentioned was ever as significant as this last one a couple of months ago. It was like releasing a caged animal back to its natural habitat. Or something like that.

@Tobylou8 said in Artist on BOARD:

I can't remember the movie but it was Sandra Bullock and she was working in a "Starving Artist" paint shop. She pressed buttons and a sponge would make a mountain ridge, another one would paint birds. It was a funny scene. Anyone remember the movie?

Sounds like a horror movie to me

@Tobylou8 that same thing happened to me a couple of months ago. Best cleaning job I ever did and it was clearly noticeable to me. I am happy for you.

My community band plays a concert in Yardley, Pa. 45 minutes from me. Out of all the concerts we do, this is the most enthusiastically received.
We are a very patriotic group as it is, but for this we pull out all the stops.
This is the only concert that charges admission, which may well be why the audience is so receptive and enthusiastic. It is quite a sight to see a packed house with seemingly everyone waving an American flag to some of our more patriotic songs. They never disappoint.
This is about the 6th year I have done this one.

here is another one to view. North Carolina Mountains Overlook