Notes_Norton

A Whale Of A Tale - Kirk Douglas

Being that I write aftermarket styles for Band-in-a-Box, and that in the past the styles were slightly different for different computer OS's I owned Atari, Mac and PC. I dropped Atari when it faded away. When the styles became 100% compatible I quit buying Macs. It's not a "I prefer this OS over this other OS" decision. Instead I make my decision by the software I use the most. The StyleMaker app in Band-in-a-Box has more fine tuning features on BiaB Windows than BiaB Mac. That means it's possible to write better styles on BiaB Windows, and since that is part of my monthly income, that is were my money goes. Plus my primary way to make a living is by gigging. I play by backing tracks on a computer (ThinkPad). If my computer crashes, I have another up and running on stage and all I have to do is move the USB-Audio interface to the second computer and the show goes on. This has happened twice since I went computer in 2002 so the ThinkPads are very reliable computers. In fact, I just retired a 2002 machine because it finally started giving me minor problems. If a Mac crapped out on the gig, and I needed a new one, it would take a week or more to get a replacement or repair. In that time I'd be running without a spare. If a Windows computer craps out, I can pick one up at Staples, Office Depot or even Walmart if I need to. So since Mac went Intel, and BiaB styles went 100% cross platform compatible, I haven't owned a Mac. I often suspected that their changes that made all software obsolete was a way of making money using the planned obsolescence formula :D Addition, I did own an iPad, but when the battery died and I couldn't get it replaced, I bought a Galaxy which I like better. It's easier to move files back and forth to my Windows PC with the Android than it was with the iPad. Again, nothing against Macs, there are pros and cons for both platforms, but my business keeps me in the PC camp. Insights and incites by Notes

One of the great pianist/singers of the past. "Discovered" by Miles Davis and made her career playing in the DC area for most of it. "Come Dance With Me" - Shirley Horn

I just unpacked my new Zoom Q2n-4K. I downloaded the manual, printed the manual on paper so I won't have to be near a computer to read it. The manual says that I can power it with either 2 AA cells or a 5v USB cable. What it doesn't tell me is this: Do I have to take the batteries out to use the USB, or can I leave them in? I don't want to damage the unit, and the manual doesn't tell me. I would assume the device is smart enough to switch over if both batteries and USB are connected, but you know what they say about A$$-U-ME. ;) Thanks, Notes

She had a good career but left the stage too soon.

We had to learn that Ray Price / Engelbert Humper-whatever song for a wedding back in the 1990s. The couple used as their first dance. It got a lot of laughs. Not a problem, at the time we either charged $50 to learn a song or the couple cold pick one from our list for free. Most of the 'first dance' songs bridezillas choose are obscure album cuts that we'll probably never play again. This one took an hour to do in Band-in-a-Box/finish in Master Tracks Pro and we got a lot of play out of that one before it died with our audience. It's all music - it's all good - it's all better than being a wage slave for a living. Insights and incites by Notes

My first Mac had a Motorola CPU. Then they changed to IBM (Power PC) and everything I had went obsolete. Nothing would work anymore. Then they changed to OSX (say Oh-Ess-$EX) and everything I had went obsolete. Then they changed to Intel, and everything I had went obsolete. Here we go again

Or "Theme From Jaws"

When The Levee Breaks - Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie And guitar slinging Minnie

OP - a picture of Cy Klops

I just found out I'm colorblind. The diagnosis came completely out of the purple.

Too bad we weren't playing "Drown In My Own Tears". Your friend should have been playing "Stuck In The Middle With You". :D

Because every once in a while I need some Musica Latina Quimbara - Celia Cruz & The Fania All-Stars

White Room - Cream lyrics: ...You said no strings could secure you at the station...

Undun - Guess Who Randy Bachman's guitar work on this cut is sublime and Burton Cummings not only did a nice job on the vocals but played a great flute solo.

Switching drummers is not something to lose your head about. We had a drummer who used to chain everything to his stool to keep them from creeping. We played in a bar that had a waterfall behind the stage and one night he was back too far, and he fell into the water, the drums followed him. Fortunately the damage was mostly light and cosmetic after things dried out, and in retrospect seeing him fall into the shallow fountain with his drums following him is pretty funny. He was a good singer and he got up front to sing a few songs a night, and since drums were my first instrument, I'd put the sax down and play drums. I'm so glad it wasn't me taking the dive. Insights and incites by Notes

Same tune as "O Sole Mio" with different words

Behind Those Hazel Eyes - Kelly Clarkson

Why do cows have hooves instead of feet? Because they lactose

Heart attack caused by High Blood Pressure - Huey 'Piano' Smith and the Clowns

I spent 5 weeks in Australia in our fall, your spring 2018, before the fires in a class B camper van. I started in Brisbane, up to Cape Trib, over to Darwin, down the Steward hwy to Kangaroo Island and meandered over to Sydney. We saw tons of great scenery, enjoyed your cities, and saw all the wildlife species on our list (cassowary, platypus, echidna, dingo, kangaroo, wallaby, penguin, lyretail, koala salties, and so much more). However what I like most about Oz were the people. We met scores of friendly, cheerful, and helpful people -- not a sourpuss in all 5 weeks. I could move to Australia if someone would adopt us :D Anyway, my heart cried when I read about your fires. Good luck this season. Insights and incites by Notes

Indeed. Leilani and I were in a 4 piece, trio and then a 5 piece band before we went duo. Before that we were both in separate bigger bands. I was in a 7 piece and if I remember correctly she was in a 5 piece band. The last was the 5 piece. We lost a bass player. Family problems. We were out of work 2 months auditioning and then breaking in a new one. A few months later we lost the drummer. Illness (sadly). We found a drummer with a small kit, kept steady time, had tasty fills, supported but didn't overpower the band, and she could even sing backup well. How lucky!!! We were only out of work a month. Then we went to our first gig. It was at country club. We were to play in the dining room for a dinner set and then dancing but the crowd was so big they had to bring in extra tables. So they pulled back the accordion pleat walls between the lounge and the dining room and asked us to set up there. The new drummer who I think was a Seventh Day Adventist said, "God will never forgive me if I play in a bar." I said "God will have to forgive me for homicide if you don't play in a bar tonight." Where did she think we were going to play? Why didn't she bring that up at her audition? The next day I bought a keyboard that had an internal sequencer and a drum controller (I think it was my old Octopad). Since I play drums, bass, sax, flute, at the time only rhythm guitar, and I get around on a keyboard I figured I could make my own backing tracks. (I still don't consider myself a keyboard player - but a keyboard hacker - I have one smart and one dumb hand on that instrument.) I bought a Teac 4 track reel - to - reel and I recorded the keyboard/drum parts and added bass, guitar and whatever else on the other tracks. Mixed to cassette and played on an akai speed calibrated mixing two bay cassette deck. Then came MIDI sequencers and my load was lightened. Our first year the work was light, but since our second season in 1986 we haven't been out of work until COVID came along. We even had to block out times to take a vacation or else we wouldn't get one. So I've been done with groupies for a loooong time, and that's OK with me. I got lucky with Leilani. Insights in incites by Notes