I Believe

Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
I believe that a friend of mine - a music teacher, as well as a performer on musical instruments going back to the Middle Ages - would retort that the sounds coming out of the music rooms in her school when brass players are learning resemble those made by a cow in labour!

She has also been on a personal crusade for years to educate people as to how great a recorder can sound - if only the players are taught to breathe properly! Unfortunately, she says that most children are just told to blow into it any old how, with all the emphasis on fingering and sight reading - and breathing and posture doesn't get a mention. The result is that the sound is appropriate for a funeral dirge, rather than something to enjoy.

You only have to listen to a brass player who sits all scrunched up - as compared to one who knows how to get the best out of their lungs and embouchure - to imagine the transformation that she has achieved with her pupils.

With best regards,

Jack
 
W

wife divine

Supporting Member
I believe you are absolutely right. I even got on my own nerves when I used to play the violin and as for recorders ? Never let a friend's son choose a prize that you won on the shooting gallery at Southport Pleasure Beach then let him in your car for a 30+ mile drive home.
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
wife divine said:
I believe you are absolutely right. I even got on my own nerves when I used to play the violin and as for recorders ? Never let a friend's son choose a prize that you won on the shooting gallery at Southport Pleasure Beach then let him in your car for a 30+ mile drive home.
Click to expand...

Sorry, WD - that word picture had me laughing till I cried!! :D

I think I would have been inclined to stop the car after the first couple of miles, and lock the recorder in the boot - or, quite possibly, the boy . . . :cool:

Reminds me of the old joke about the woman who asked her husband where he'd got the guitar he'd just brought into the house.

H. "I borrowed it off the kid next door."

W. "But you can't play the guitar, can you?"

H. "No - and, as long as I've got it, neither can he . . . !"
 
Mesmerist

Mesmerist

Well-Known Member
I believe it was funny to meet someone at a contest who asked (very nicely) if I was Mesmerist. I nearly lied and said No I'm Mike Lyons.
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
I once went to a course on horse ground-handling skills - and, as various husbands / boyfriends dropped off their womenfolk, realised I was the only bloke on the course. I got chatting to somebody in the next seat, and at two minutes to nine, a woman in front turned round, looked at me very hard, and said,

"We're just about to start, you know!"

"Yes", I said.

Short pause for thought, and then she said, in the most condescending voice I've ever heard,

"Oh! You're horsey, are you?"

Looking at her with a slightly puzzled expression, I replied,

"No - I'm English."

I believe we never really hit it off . . . maybe she just doesn't like blokes with beards?
:cool:
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
Mojo: "I believe winter's on its way . . . "

Into each life, a little rain must fall - unless you live in the Peak District, where we measure rainfall in feet and inches, rather than millimetres . . . :eek:

Average - 4 ft 4ins. ; 2012 - 5ft 2ins.

I believe that what some people mistake for my sun tan is actually rust! :D
 
mikelyons

mikelyons

Supporting Member
Mesmerist said:
I believe it was funny to meet someone at a contest who asked (very nicely) if I was Mesmerist. I nearly lied and said No I'm Mike Lyons.
Click to expand...
...and I believe I'd have felt great pride if you had reported that you had - imitation is the highest form of flattery, after all! ;)
 
Mesmerist

Mesmerist

Well-Known Member
I believe I'm feeling very sad. Our lovely gorgeous Bass trombonist is in hospital fighting for his life and we don't know if he will even make it through the night. And him? He's just worried he's letting us down 4 days before the National Finals. We are going to play without him because quite frankly he is one of the nicest most positive men ever to walk this earth and there simply isn't anyone who can take his place. Get well my friend.
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
All I can say is that he, you and his family and friends have my sympathy and best wishes.

"And him? He's just worried he's letting us down 4 days before the National Finals."

What a man!

With best regards,

Jack
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
Between me, the docs, and switching to tenor horn for the last four and a half months, I believe that we've cracked the breathing problem which kicked off last winter . . . I tried playing the baritone again tonight - and . . . .

upload_2017-9-20_1-0-30.png



I collected it from the band room this evening after the main band practise - but couldn't wait until tomorrow to try it out, so I drove out into the hills on a dead quiet road (single track with passing places - i.e., a patch of mud beside the tarmac!), and tried it tonight. Much to my surprise, I found it easier to play than the tenor horn I've been using - but obviously playing the tenor has helped to get my lungs working, so that temporary switch paid off. :)

I believe I am one very happy bloke!! :) :) :)

Jack the Baritone Man
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
I believe Baritone Man is back . . . :)

This afternoon I blitzed both the tenor horn I've been using and the Besson baritone that I borrowed again from the band. Considering that the baritone has only been in store for four and a bit months, and I gave it a thorough cleaning, oiling and greasing before handing it back, the valves were very reluctant to move at all, let alone freely!

After that, I tried it out in practise, and found it very much easier to play than the tenor - but distinctly confusing . . . I'd see a low E on the music, press down 1 and 2, set my embouchure as it would be for a low E on tenor, and out came a horrible "BLERRHHH!"

Or I'd get the embouchure right for a low E on baritone, but be flummoxed by hearing a concert pitch D when my ear was expecting a concert pitch G o_O . . . :rolleyes:

Still, after three quarters of an hour, it was starting to fall into place - and as I'd had the loan of a tenor while I couldn't manage a baritone, my sight reading hadn't gone out the window, and my embouchure strength hadn't gone with it. Having the tenor to play helped to keep me from climbing the walls with frustration, too!!

Hmm; by the time I stopped playing baritone (last March), I could only manage 10 minutes before being totally exhausted. This afternoon, I did 45 minutes, and only stopped because I was hungry and wanted to eat. Very encouraging!

Jack :)
 
Jack E

Jack E

Well-Known Member
Thank you, Mike; will do!

I went along for my lesson this evening, and my tutor picked two pieces I'd never played before out of one of my tutorial books; one of his reasons for doing it was because they were a mixture of crotchets, minims and semi-quavers. He commented that, not too long ago, it would have taken me 10-15 minutes before they started coming together; tonight, each one took no more than a couple of minutes.

He said he expects me to be turning out with the main band in the town's carnival next year - and I do believe he's right . . .
:)

With best regards,

Jack

It surprised me, considering I've been playing a tenor since April, and haven't played the baritone since early March, how quickly and easily I've slotted back into the different embouchure and adapted my ear to playing in Bb again! Though the tenor horn has a very pleasant sound, I just love the gutsy OOMPH of the baritone :D

I believe my personal Christmas has come 3 months early this year . . . :cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top