Snow and musical instruments

Feb 02, 2009 12:28

Snow )

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Comments 65

anna_wing February 3 2009, 03:59:22 UTC
Also the Chinese zither or guzheng, which is fundamentally incompatible with playing the piano, since one develops fierce callouses on one's string hand. And ideally is supposed to grow one's nails long on one's plucking hand, though I preferred artificial claws myself.

I used to filk.

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elfwhistletree February 11 2009, 13:55:00 UTC
OK, I'm not too surprised that I forgot the guzheng from my list ;-)

I preferred artificial claws myself === that statement could be taken out of context :-)

I'm fairly sure you would filk again, in the right situation?

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johnnypurple February 3 2009, 05:14:56 UTC
Crazy times: you have snow that shuts things down, we have heat that shuts things down. A nice in-betweeny balance would be good, no?

Yesterday, I was listening to an interview with Alexander McCall Smith & he and his wife started up an amateur orchestra called The Really Terrible Orchestra - they do concerts and everything. Maybe that's what we should aim for?! :D

I also play a mean slapper clapper if that kind of thing is needed.

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elfwhistletree February 11 2009, 14:01:01 UTC
The snow has stopped here and we have sun today - I read that things have cooled down and calmed down with your weather a bit too. I can think of nothing sensible and comforting to say about the fires, so I'll just send ineffectual love ♥

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johnnypurple February 12 2009, 04:53:42 UTC
No love is ineffectual. ♥

At least it is cooler now and not as windy. Some nice rain would be a good "Fuck Off" for the fires still burning - one can hope.

I am sick of making lj posts about it, but posts about anything else seem so pointless and meaningless right now. *deep breaths* *is not tearing up again*

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elfwhistletree February 11 2009, 14:06:31 UTC
I have heard of the RTO - they rehearse in my old school, and Alexander McCall Smith plays the bassoon - an excellent choice of instrument for the musically challenged :-)

I will consult with uk_sef to see if she can come up with some music we can play over t'internet - something ambitious but rubbish must be possible!

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wolfy_writing February 11 2009, 18:00:46 UTC
I'd be the percussion section, I suspect. Among other things, I can play the gong! Correctly, and with proper technique! And the brake drum, which strangely enough is what you're thinking (it's what modern school bands use when they can't afford anvils).

I also learned the dumbek in high school, because it meant I got to hang out with the teenage bellydancers. ;-)

Tubular bells are easy, once you know the trick. They're keyboard percussion, like xylophones and marimbas, which means they have the same layout and notes as a piano. The main difficulty with tubular bells is being tall enough to reach.

I only learned the easy kind of steel drums, where the notes were written on the different spots. And I can't sing, but frequently do.

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elfwhistletree February 11 2009, 23:19:27 UTC
I suspect this band will have quite a large percussion section, composed mainly of Jezza incarnations - I will be sure to lay in a good supply of drumsticks ;-)

The dumbek looks fun - I'm sure your motives were entirely pure (NOT). I believe the excellent woman that my Welsh friend (AKA Jeff) is now going out with practices belly dancing, so she's on the guest list for when you eventually come to visit :-)

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wolfy_writing February 13 2009, 00:04:40 UTC
So wait, I'm in charge of Jeremys? Multiple Jeremys? That's frightening. One wants a real anvil, so he can play it with a proper hammer, one wants cannons, because they counted as percussion in the 1812 Overture, and one's trying to write the Tank And Flamethrower Overture while muttering something about staging a coup.

Belly dancers are fun, and well worth learning the dumbek for. I was a bit shy about dancing at that age (still not much inclined to dance), so getting to hang out and play the drums while watching other girls practice their dance moves worked out well for everyone.

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How hard can it be? elfwhistletree February 13 2009, 00:31:13 UTC
I was under the impression that you were multiple Jeremy's all by yourself ;-)

I think of the percussion volunteers, johnnypurple will be needed to play cello, and capra_maritimus to be most of the brass section.
uk_sef is flexible, and will probably end up conducting.

So that leaves you brumeux77, who is musical, quiet and well behaved, and _breathtaken, draycevixen and anazri - none of whom are completely without aspects of Clarksonishness ;-)

My dancing is like my singing - pretty much entirely for my own benefit - but I can join you in the appreciative audience.

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