What's Made You Happy Today???

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 05 Jul 2014, 16:13

A silly email from my niece standing beside my car which is parked on double yellows outside an antiques fair. Caption: "BUSTED!!!"

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 07 Jul 2014, 11:16

Playing at being a deejay as I mix a CD of Irish music for my Keep Fit instructor Maxine, whose birthday it is today. Love the euphemisms in that Foster and Allen song: Always beware and keep your garden fair, let no man steal away your thyme.....the lusty sailor stole her thyme away..... Nowadays it's cherries.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 08 Jul 2014, 14:44

Getting the telephone back after 4 days without.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 08 Jul 2014, 16:29

....oh, and ANOTHER brilliant piano lesson from Mrs. Mabel Mucklethwaite.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 09 Jul 2014, 20:22

Going into Musicroom to take a proper gander at the new (15-16) ABRSM piano pieces, taking the Grade 1 book up to one of the display pianos, playing the RH parts of the first 2 pieces (A1 and A2) perfectly at sight, then playing both hands on half the pieces, almost perfectly. This in a shop. If I'd had copies of my 2 hymns in my back pocket, I'd have played those too on organ mode - as we discussed, Fiona!!!

Post by **Feg** » 09 Jul 2014, 22:35

Riding my motorbike across to the other side of Edinburgh unaccompanied to have it MOT'd AND thoroughly enjoying myself in the process.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 10 Jul 2014, 18:23

A whole afternoon tidying up both mine and my neighbour Helen's garden in the sunshine, mowing, weeding, strimming, trimming and putting down weedkiller. Now I have dinner to cook and I'm just in time for Composer of the Week on the Third Programme.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 13 Jul 2014, 10:57

Having another

with regard to learning the piano.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 13 Jul 2014, 16:01

Well, what was the lightbulb?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 13 Jul 2014, 16:46

Firstly, the realisation that piano teachers don't necessarily teach the piano in a sense of they tell you and you do it. A lot of the experience comes from the student having these realisations along the way. A piano teacher can not begin to tell a student the sorts of things he or she will experience, but can give very helpful practical pointers and provide answers to questions. The student just has to let the teacher be his or her mentor, not wetnurse.

Noticing in the hymns just how common certain chord patterns are, such as (in C) the keynote C played with finger 5 of the RH (or finger 1 of the LH) with the third degree E - but BELOW the C played with finger 1 of the RH. The 2 hymens I play feature that, Hyfrydol (in F) with the F (RH5) and A (RH1), Blaenwern (in G) with the G (RH5) and B (RH1). Now I notice my homework Bach has a broken version of a D with the F# below it. Scales, arpeggios and triads REALLY ARE the building blocks of music!!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 13 Jul 2014, 18:18

Yes, and I can't tell you how demoralising that is for someone who loathes scales and arcaboos...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 13 Jul 2014, 18:58

Gill the Piano wrote:Yes, and I can't tell you how demoralising that is for someone who loathes scales and arcaboos...

And I loathe ***** *******. But it's fair to say we pianists all have our weaknesses and I could grow to like it if I tackled it the right way. Studying theory helps. I've nearly finished one g1 theory exam paper, after dinner I'm going to tackle another one, then it's on to a couple of pages of my g2 book for Mabs to mark Tuesday week.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 13 Jul 2014, 19:18

Every Sunday, I suppose you play stuff with key signatures of four or more sharps and flats. So to understand those alone, you MUST be better than what you think you are at scales! You're a Grade Eightsworth for goodness sake!!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 14 Jul 2014, 12:51

Watching the first lectures of my free University of Edinburgh Music Theory course. This all ties in neatly with what I'm doing with Mabel at the moment and the feeling of being a 'student' again without paying a penny, dirham, zloty or dong in tuition fees!

I should offer my thanks to Fiona Feg for her recommendation of the course.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 14 Jul 2014, 16:58

Sounds excellent...are you learning lots? I'm going to go and have a look at that site; it's always useful to have something to recommend to people.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 14 Jul 2014, 17:02

Here's the link for you Gill:

https://www.coursera.org/course/musictheory

You have to register for it first, but it is free as I say.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 15 Jul 2014, 15:08

Looks interesting... are you enjoying it? Is it nice and clear?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 15 Jul 2014, 17:15

Yes, from the little I've dipped into it I have found it quite digestible. Missed it today however, it was my mother in law's internment...and yet again I was ostracised and cold shouldered by my wife's brother and sister in law. They are really insincere, hateful and highly selfish people, but what I find hypocritical is their creepery towards people high up in their community, such as their vicar and the like, juxtaposed with the poison message they put in my wife's birthday card last August. Bullies we could do without in our lives....and now her mother's gone you can be assured we won't hear from them again unless they wish to instigate any trouble. Here's hoping.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 16 Jul 2014, 15:31

Two things:

Finding in my local 'Polski Sklep' some of the best little bite sized cakes I've ever tasted (chocolate coated gingerbread with raspberry compote in the middle) AND getting an AFFORDABLE dual fuel bill that was only £22 more than July 13's bill.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 16 Jul 2014, 16:07

I must go to a Polksi Sklep and get some kabanos sausages when I make bigus (no idea on spelling). Sauerkraut, cabbage,pork, onions,kabanos and wine, served with crusty brown bread. Yum.
Your ma-in-law's departure means you have a brilliant cue to break off all relations with the relations. Excellent. Good riddance.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 16 Jul 2014, 16:35

I used to like the Sopocka ham, though we always go in for the Costa drinks and occasionally the Tymbark ones, which includes a carrot juice. Not Polish but the Ahmed jellies (from Pakistan) are worth getting as they include mango and I love mango. However they set really quickly!

I just love going into my Polski Sklep and just picking up something up at random that has no English product description on it and trying it as more often than not I'm pleasantly surprised!

I think I'm going to have to ask you to have a good talk to my wife 'woman to woman' next month. I've just had another look at the nasty letter and believe me, you would NOT want it for your birthday, especially from a member of your so-called family. My argument is that if they felt like that, they didn't even need to spend the money and time to write and send it. They could just have kept those nasty thoughts to themselves and not bothered if they couldn't say anything encouraging and positive. Yet her father would NEVER have done a thing like that to her. Too much a gentleman indeed. Yet she said to me last night that her brother did not utter a single word to her yesterday. I said that I noticed that too (the pig ignorant little...) but that may have been because I was with her.

...and it's only one month to her birthday now. Too late for that signed photograph of Boris Johnson now.

Post by **Feg** » 17 Jul 2014, 18:19

I've been married for 30 years today

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 17 Jul 2014, 18:22

Congratulations Fiona Jane - and Dave also.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 17 Jul 2014, 19:58

Happy anniversary, Feg! Even the Great Train Robbers didn't get that long... I trust you're being whisked off to a top notch eaterie where deep fried Mars bars are NOT an option.

I'm happy because I've discovered I'm a computer whizz. My pooter wouldn't connect so I lost my temper, called it a %^$£^*% and slammed it shut, and disconnected the doobrey box thing. I sent a tantrummy postcard to Dave & Teresa explaining why I would never be on line again and ate my tea. I decided to give it one last go...and it worked! I must have fixed it! Call me a boffin...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 17 Jul 2014, 20:38

Oh, looking forward to getting the tantrummy postcard, though I don't know if tantrums can have such arty handwriting!

I need to neaten my scrawl if I'm going to do the theory grade 1, essential for writing notes/rests/clefs/symbols on staves. I started my grade 2 book today, which kicked off with ledger lines. Top space of the bass equals under the second ledger line of the treble (G). Bottom space of the treble is to above the second ledger line of the bass, and I've worked with that F in the Beethoven 'German Dance' in G from CTM 1 many times, so I'm familiar.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 18 Jul 2014, 02:24

The bobble of the note should be exactly in the space/on the line and the stick should be 3 spaces long. I speak as a dinosaur who writes out compositions by hand because I'm not bright enough to use Sibelius software accurately, and done badly it's 'orrible.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 18 Jul 2014, 06:21

It's actually easier I think because you don't have to figure out which button to press or where to click to put in a note, rest or whatever. You just write it in on yer manuscript. Like buying a cellphone for only £9 instead of an environmentally hostile showy offy expensive contraption that tries to kid you into believing you cannot live without it whilst screaming out 'steal me, steal me'.

Post by **Feg** » 18 Jul 2014, 10:12

Gill the Piano wrote:Happy anniversary, Feg! Even the Great Train Robbers didn't get that long... I trust you're being whisked off to a top notch eaterie where deep fried Mars bars are NOT an option.

Fat chance of that happening, Gill. We've never really done the romantic wedding anniversary event stuff so don't see us starting now. However, we are under instruction from the kids that we have to go out for a nice meal just the two of us.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 18 Jul 2014, 18:24

...where deep fried Mars Bars are not an option...?

Post by **Feg** » 18 Jul 2014, 20:34

Deep fried mars bars are not fine dining

Our local chippy had them on the menu once upon a time but the novelty soon wore off and I haven't seen them for a long time.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 18 Jul 2014, 21:44

I'll always remember Hardeep Singh Kohli doing a very informative routine about the art of the deep fried mars bar....

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Jul 2014, 15:09

There's an ART to it?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 19 Jul 2014, 20:59

Indeed there is! Too little batter and the milk, sugar, glucose and thick thick chocolate melt away before the first bite (in the fryer!) and too much and you've just got one huge oily blob. These articles are now haute cuisine in working class Scotland, and should there be a YES vote in September, there'll be quite a few of them getting consumed to celebrate (but probably not as much haggis neeps and tatties)!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 20 Jul 2014, 18:29

Good grief. Like doing a baked alaska. Or baked elastic, as Paddington called it.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 20 Jul 2014, 18:39

That's the general idea. Eccles and Chorley cakes will always be dead fly buns in my house. I will not repeat what Brian the food service manager called the chicken soup I was mixing up in one of the boilers one evening when I was catering portering at Derriford Hospital in my younger happier days.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 20 Jul 2014, 19:55

When I order a Chinese meal, Kim has got used to me asking for 'Flymo'. aka crispy seaweed.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 20 Jul 2014, 20:41

You could have gone a la France and had lobster thermostat followed by a cool glass of Stella Tortoise. Or Italian 'caricatures'.

Post by **Feg** » 20 Jul 2014, 20:50

Fruit Slice aka Fly Cemetery in our house

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 21 Jul 2014, 02:52

Kid at church today was talking about Jesus and his discycles...
We have chicken kevins for tea every now & then.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 21 Jul 2014, 06:29

Gill the Piano wrote:Kid at church today was talking about Jesus and his discycles...

Our local C of E is slap bang in the middle of a chav ghetto and one Sunday I was there (obviously before myself and their Director of Music entered an Israel/Palestine state) I'm sure I heard talk of the Virgin Mary (Megastore?) getting 'preggers'.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 21 Jul 2014, 18:07

Could've been worse...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 22 Jul 2014, 06:55

It's made me happy to have not got up in the night for a dangle after drinking buckets of tea and iced bitter lemon. Working with a wallpaper stripper inside in 25 degree heat outside has its benefits. And because my brain was engaged I had a fantastic evening's piano practice and am virtually ready to play my Bach Musette to Mabelcakes this afternoon, plus learning about how notes and time values are in ?/2 times. Dotted crotchets and quaver combinations in /2 work the same way as dotted quaver and SQs in /4 (swing). I had always found /2 time signatures difficult as I had always thought in crotchets. But you have to think and count in minims, so in 3/2 M M C C would be one, two, three and.....And semibreves, seeing a (unusual to me) dotted semibreve is three counts or a whole bar in 3/2 and not six...these musical lightbulb moments just keep on coming!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 22 Jul 2014, 17:04

dave brum wrote: Working with a wallpaper stripper inside in 25 degree heat outside has its benefits.

I should imagine you lost a couple of pounds sweating for a start!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 22 Jul 2014, 17:21

One place in the UK I would really love to visit is the Turkish Baths in Harrogate. But being a cat owner on benefits that would never happen. So if Dave can't go to the Turkish Bath, the Turkish Bath must come to Dave.

Mabel's off to 2 proms in London over the summer. I want to go to Leeds next year for 'that' but I need to find a tree with money growing on it (with the money I shall save by not going to Mabs over the summer, I could either spend on escort services, or some patching plaster which I shall attempt to apply without calling on the services of an unscrupulous overcharging darren)

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 22 Jul 2014, 17:27

Or you could put the money aside for your next lessons, or you could spend it on some music to have fun with.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 22 Jul 2014, 20:34

Gill the Piano wrote:Or you could put the money aside for your next lessons, or you could spend it on some music to have fun with.

Vice it is then. Time to look for adverts in corner shops offering 'organ lessons'.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 23 Jul 2014, 17:51

Playing in the Library of Birmingham once again. I love going there and just listening to other people playing and then taking my place and playing some repertoire pieces.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 23 Jul 2014, 18:04

And hearing other people play you hear new pieces - I've fallen in love with Astor Piazzolla by hearing Joanna MacGregor play him. How many people listen to you as you play, Dave?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 23 Jul 2014, 18:24

Usually I get people come up to me and say nice things. But today was quiet. It was 27 outside and that's where everyone was. And nobody came to play either apart from a teenage girl who played one Gospel song by ear.

There was a tall girl in short pants looking through the church music and I thought she may have taken one of the 3 books she had out to the piano and given us a tune.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 24 Jul 2014, 06:16

Getting an email from Helen Emo wishing me well with piano/organ practice for my 'world tour of Marlow' in less than three weeks time.