JohnG

My very first LP "The Twangs the Thang"! R.I.P. Duane.

First time I experienced the Bluesbreakers was on the 15th of May 1965 at the Arbor Youth Club in Pyrford, Surrey. A few of us helped the roadies get John's B3 onto the stage, then the other gear. After a little while John and Eric showed up and thanked us, then McVie appeared followed by Hughie Flint. A great evening was had by all. I was gobsmacked. Sadly, I never did get to see the band with Peter Green.

FTFY! (Curtesy of the speling polease.)

Probably correct, Tim. I dare say Stonehenge and similar monuments around the world witnessed ceremonies for the passing of leaders and warriors way back into pre-history. It seems to be something the human race does. Speaking as a colonial, I see it as something the British seem to do particularly well. Whatever the crimes of the British political classes in the past, I do believe Liz was a woman of peace.

Eight men to carry it. It's lead lined, so rather heavy. Apparently it was made more than thirty years ago. Wal Mart? This is the UK, so if not British oak then surely a Fortnum & Mason's hamper at least? Wal Mart, indeed? ... Pah! ?

Fare thee well, dear and respected Monarch; a source of stability in this mad world. A head of state to beat all in times of crisis. I don't suppose you can spare me a million can you Charlie boy?

It would appear that Craig Anderton is no longer President of the MMA! Looking at their web site today I found that he is listed as "former president" and Athan Billias (of Yamaha) is now president. That all happened very quietly indeed. Anybody know anything about it?

Strewth! That must have been unbelievably painful! What a strong organ. Did it ever regain its full functionality, one must enquire?

In 12 Tone Equal Temperament (modern) tuning, every note except the octave (2:1) is out of tune, i.e. not a perfect harmonic ratio. E.T.

Takes me back to spring '65 when we helped the John Mayall Blues Band get John's B3 onto the stage at the Arbor youth club in a tiny village called Pyrford in deepest Surrey. I believe they hadn't brought enough roadies to lift the beast. It took four of us and nearly broke our backs. We'd just finished when Eric (Clapton) and John (mcVie) turned up to do their thing. (Check it out on Eric's gig list, 15th May, '65 - whereseric.com) Eric spent most of his evening watching two gorgeous, mini-skirted chics dance around their handbags, as they did back in those days. A memorable evening.

"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh. ("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.) "I think it ought to be twenty-two." "Just what I think myself," said Pooh. "It wasn't an easy sum to do, But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he. "That's what it is," said Pooh. Courtesy of A.A.Milne

Yes, that's quite true. However, if you're determined to make orchestral tracks sound better, a tempo map based on your favourite interpretation can bring some life to it. Then you can do some (a lot of(?)) shuffling of note start/end times. But, agreed, It's a lot of work. Not too bad for a simple short song, but potentially months of work for a complete orchestral score! Note velocities/dynamics are handled in a much improved way with the latest version of the program. I managed several sections of the Haydn Missa in Angustiis (the Nelson mass) as a rehearsal file for a singer learning the work a few years back. She was to sing one of the parts with a full orchestra but was unfamiliar with it. Not so much these days as I approach my dotage.

If you do decide to try scanning it in, one of the most accurate I've found (and I've tried a few) is the latest version of SmartScore, SmartScore 64 Pro or for the slightly less well off, the MIDI only version. The full version will additionally generate Music XML which you can import into e.g. Finale or Sibelius. It will take note of marked dynamics e.g. pp to ff, and also hairpins, etc. The latest version also includes a piano roll editor which gives you access to MIDI control lanes so you can draw in the dynamics if you like. I upgraded my copy last year and am very pleased with the results. Take a look here www.musitek.com.

Summer holiday

Battered Hey Doc poor mwa, or a saveloy wiv me chyps.

Gets used every Friday evening here, along with with the chish and fips.

Way, way back, in the dim and distant past, there used to be a pub in the little town of Addlestone in Surrey, UK. It was situated on the corner of Brighton Road and Station Road and called the Duke's Head. It used to be my regular, for a while at least. Now no longer in existence, demolished to make way for a block of flats. The pub sign is inside the The Bulls Head Inn, Lititz, Pennsylvania. Back then Peter was a regular at our folk club evening up until he had the hit with "where do you go to my lovely". One more appearance and we saw him no more. Paul Simon made an appearance once too. Was it '64 or '65? I forget. Ah! Memories. So long ago, so far away.

Nah! Andy was a püssy cat. It was that Teddy who was the sinister one. The way he used to follow Andy about, I always wondered what he would get up to if he didn't have the camera on him at all times. Mark you, Andy did wear some pretty strange gear .. and that hat! Least said about the hat the better. And that Looby Loo ... now there's a cute chic if ever I saw one.

Bill and Ben, Bill and Ben, flower pot men. What about Andy Pandy, or Muffin the Mule? (Er, I'm not sure the last one is permitted these days.)

Good grief DangerMouse! ? What grate catastrofee happuned hear? ? Did somebodee say sumfink sumone took objection to? Cor blimey! And all whilst I was tucked up warmly in my beddybyze, ? hiding from the thick fog as bonfyre nite happened all around. ? ? In future I'd better stick to my day job, moderating the MMA forum. ? Oh well.

Which album were those lines from, William? (So familiar.) I was watching a documentary, over the weekend, about the day the wall came down by John Snow, and it reminded me ... "Now life devalues day by day As friends and neighbors turn away And there’s a change that even with regret Cannot be undone Now frontiers shift like desert sands While nations wash their bloodied hands Of loyalty, of history, in shades of grey." Thanks Floyd.

I see what you did there. (Almost looked it up!) ? Pfft. An onomatopoeic interjection representing a sudden cessation, disappearance, or ending (of something). (Meant to simulate the sound of something disappearing in a puff of smoke.)

So sorry to hear that Kenny, It takes me back to July last year when we had to have our cat, named Tigger, put to sleep. He was 21 but had been with us for 13 years. At least I could hold him in my arms as they administered the injection. The main thing, I find, is to remember all the good times together and the happiness he gave you and you him. You did the right thing and ended his life on a high note. RIP Duke.

I'll have you know my name is Miss PIGGY, not miss pigs!

Don't you "E to the eye pie" me, you scoundrel! ? ?