Re: What other hobbies?

OVERLORD Sat Nov 14, 2015 11:38 am

I loved reading your your story George, and I enjoyed your video. This is the first time I hear about the Leblanc factory. I looked it up and the factory was in La Couture-Boussey. It's about 1,5h drive from where I live. The village's website says there is a museum for wind instruments.

http://www.hdmedia.fr/visite-virtuelle/hd/cbpidpWjh-musee-des-instruments-a-vent.html

GallopingGhostler Sun Nov 15, 2015 9:51 pm

Thanks Ron, Rod, Rusty and Overlord for your kind comments. I put together a little something today for the upcoming holiday season, Joy to the World played with this French bari sax.

Video Link: Google Drive: George Playing Joy to the World on Bari"

Marleysky Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:15 am

George, that was awesome. Love the sound of that sax.
The retail store where I work started playing Christmas music over the sound system. Way to soon for me ( and most of the customers) Someone snuck into the office and turned the volume way down. I like Christmas music in the season, not after Halloween. Should start after thanksgiving. I may have said this before, but I would be happy to empty my pockets of loose change ( maybe even some folding money!) to the little red pot for the Salvation Army while listening to you play that sax vs the annoying bell ringing. Thanks for the preview!

Overlord: Thanks for the link to the French museum. It looks really cool, takes you on a quick virtual tour. Nice old wood winds and the tools they're made with.

GallopingGhostler Mon Nov 16, 2015 9:48 am

Thanks, Marleysky and what I could remember when I was younger, you wouldn't hear Christmas music until after Thanksgiving Day. I think the potential for sales gain (greed) has caused many stores to abandon traditional values and jump the gun on the season when it comes to music. (Did I jump the gun, LOL?) Shocked

And you are correct, I enjoyed watching Overlord's link to the woodwind museum. There were many clarinets on display including rare ones such as contrabass clarinet. Nowadays those go for above $15,000, I'd be reluctant to own one and almost afraid to play it in public with the potential for theft. I started on a Bb soprano clarinet in 6th grade in 1965.

When I do my kettle playing, I play a cappella traditional Christmas songs, because these were published before 1923, placing them in the public domain according to US law. This helps keep the establishments and Salvation Army from legal entanglements with copyright licensing, should someone video my playing and post publicly to social media or blog.

GallopingGhostler Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:48 am

Yesterday I did another improvement, adding the missing rhinestone jewels to the lower guards over pads. Bought 9mm ones from Wal-Mart for $3 a set and used hot melt glue and my heat gun to fasten. One that is a little darker is a 10mm I installed earlier, had to sand the edges to get it to fit, was too much work, hence the 9mm's.

Here I put together a little something on clarinet. This is on my 1965 LeBlanc Vito plastic student clarinet my father gave me in 6th grade. Intonation is a little flat as I lack a shorter barrel to raise it. Throat register is about a quarter sharp. I've learned to compensate.

Google Drive Video: George on Clarinet

Tuesday, played for the Salvation Army Clovis Corps Christmas Kettle kickoff dinner.

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