Friday, December 03, 2010

Embouchure, coming back

Seems like. Been practicing again, and I can sense it is coming back. I left my hobby of trumpet playing when I did the doctorate, that was some 6+ years ago. Some part of life seems to be coming back. I took the hobby as a way of relaxing and having a bit of artistic engagement. So I would turn on the CD - play the minus one and belt out a tune from Duke or Chet. It was fun.

Now, I am having a bit of time for it. The missus proded to me to pick up my trumpet again.

This reminds me of my talk last month when I was in Spain attending a conference. I was sitting with a mixture of PhD students and professors all from various countries discussing the idea of doing PhD. We all concluded that one must be a little bit crazy to do this, specially if you do something in the field of mathematical logic or theoretical computing (which I did). You got to be extremely out of your marbles to attempt this. You have to be a bit odd with some loose screws to go through the process of not having a life. Because that is what you are going to experience while you are writing your thesis, you ain't got a life. You may also pass up some opportunities for good employment. That thesis becomes a ball and chain on you.

All of that said, I do feel I got some edumacation.

8 comments:

said...

My middle son got a scholarship to study euphonium, but gave it away for bass guitar. Sigh!
Anyway, in regard to trumpet, Louis Armstong was the greatest, in my book.

LPC said...

Pr. Mark,

Same in my book. It is not a matter of technique but the genius of simplicity.

At least your boy still likes music. Yes the guitar is more hip to the kids and a bit more glamorous, the girls will attend to him for sure.

LPC

Joe Krohn said...

Good for you, Lito! My wife is always prodding me not to. ha ha. She refers to the twisted hunk of metal as the other woman. She can be cold and unforgiving. The trumpet that is. :)

Joe

said...

Exactly: simplicity.
I'm sure there were more technically brilliant trumpeters than Satchmo, but his melodic lines and feel are unsurpassed.
Same goes for any instrumentalist, imo - I'd rather the poet than the technician.

Having said that, Miles Davis comes 2nd!

Mercurius Aulicus said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc_BFM_wJMU

LPC said...

Joe,

Since you are a pro muso, the horn can be a mistress no?

I play solo flight at the moment, it is for enjoyment and relaxation.

LPC

LPC said...

Pr. Mark,

Right here in Aus we have a technician of the horn, James Morrison. He can make that horn screeeem.

For Satchmo though, I seldom here him hit the 3rd octave C.

Glad you mentioned Miles, I need to revive my CD collections of him.

LPC

LPC said...

MCB,

Attorney, thanks for that youtube, I was LOLing as I listened to it. I love English comedy. I was fan of the Goon Show and religiously listened at the ABC when they were still airing the old shows a decade ago.

LPC