Free For All

And they never, ever, ever end. Ever.

Flying sucks more than ever. My trombone is too big to carry on many of the smaller planes I have to use these days, so I have been checking it, which I hate to do. I put the gig bag into a hard golf club case (the gig bag is wrapped in bubble wrap and I pack clothes on either end to fill the extra space). I do have to pay an extra fee, but so far (probably 50 or 60 flights) there has been no damage. Whenever possible I try to be present when they inspect it since sometimes they want to unpack it and I want to be sure they repack it correctly. Of course I'd prefer to carry it on. Sometimes I wish I played the flute. The inconsistency of the creation and enforcement of carry-on policies is definitely a source of frustration. Hopefully this petition will help bring some change- I'd be thrilled to see the AF of M grow a pair. And the title of this thread made we wonder if Samuel L. Jackson might be a candidate for a spokesperson.

Thanks GA! Hi lbuchreitz- Welcome to the board! I've been a trombonist for about 40 years and love to play. I think it's great you're considering taking up a brass instrument- there are some things to consider, however. In regard to playing any brass instrument- one of the most critical elements in playing any instrument is a good sound. With brass instruments the quality of sound is dependent on the embouchure. Embouchure development is a process which takes time and dedication and requires constant vigilance. You can't play once a week and expect progress; it's important to have a regular routine and stick to it. Playing a brass instrument requires a pretty serious level of commitment. As far as issues specific to trombone, the main one is dealing with using a slide. It's basically a fretless instrument, like cello. Playing in tune is dependent on having the slide in the right place at the right time, so a good ear and consistent positioning of the slide are critical to success. Also, since a trombone has no valves one must articulate every note, so tonguing is another important skill. Playing with a good and controlled sound, good time and good intonation are the most fundamental elements of playing ANY instrument. If those things aren't in place, the other important components of melody, harmony and rhythm are basically irrelevant. I don't play trumpet, but the same embouchure issues exist, and the smaller trumpet mouthpiece is somewhat less forgiving than the larger trombone mouthpiece. Of course having valves makes things a bit easier than the slide, but there are still important tonguing skills to develop. That's a very short explanation of your question. I hope this doesn't discourage you. Basically, your level of success & rate of improvement will be dependent of how much time you put in. Playing trombone is a challenge and there are many potential obstacles that are unique to the instrument- that's one reason beginners often get discouraged. The rate of improvement is often slower than that of other brass and woodwinds players. All things considered, I do love it and wouldn't pick a different instrument if I were to do it all over. BTW, another good part of playing trombone is all the jokes. I would add to this that if you intend to proceed, the smartest thing you could do is get with a private teacher. This will help get you started and minimize the chance of developing bad habits at the fundamental level.

I figured "this just in" was something that Hef likes to say.

Happy birthday, Rahsaan! I first heard him when I was in college in the 70s. I've been listening to him ever since and my admiration has only grown. Definitely will be spinning some today. Hard to decide what to put on first!

When I hear him play I'm shaken but not stirred.

What a cool hotel! Actually the rates seem very reasonable considering it's in town. Love the slightly phallic sign, too.

Happy Birthday, Shawn!

Happy Happy Birthday, Lon!

I love his version of A House Is Not A Home from this one.

Yes, that one freaked me out too. Loved Night Gallery.

No Sunny, no Red Clay.

Or perhaps one of the Transformers took a dump.

I love 'em all. But MIE is my favorite.

George Coleman is a monster. I'm sorry to hear he is struggling. Is there a health problem? Is he not working much these days? I loved his stint with Miles. Miles in Europe is a personal favorite.

Box arrived today in perfect shape.

My Jamal box arrived today, thankfully without any shipping damage. Looking forward to diving in.

I worked as a projectionist in a movie theater in the 70s (my high school job). When The Exorcist came to the theater, it was scary the first couple times, then it actually became kind of funny after awhile. It was a shocker for that era, but the shock factor seems to have worn off with time.

Fair enough. It's a deal, ladies. Now hand me that Mason jar.

Very cool! The karate chop on the concrete block was scary, seeing the hand contort like that.

By the way, dalemcfarland and donz5, I don't think anyone has said welcome yet, so WELCOME to the board! Hopefully all this foolishness won't discourage you from returning.

Just picked this up. Really enjoying it- she's a talented singer, plus the arrangements are engaging and creative.

98 degrees, heat index of 110. Lovely.

Just got an email that Der Bingle shipped today. I had pretty much given up hope.

Very sorry to hear this. I enjoyed him on the radio for many, many years. A big loss.