Stanley Jordan - 'Round Midnight

I remember when Stanley Jordan released Magic Touch.

Sure, people did the two handed tapping thing before Stanley. Eddie Van Halen won most of the claims for creating the technique in songs like Eruption (MP3), where the technique was used to add an extra fingertip to a blazing scalar run. Other guitarists would then point out that Allen Holdsworth invented the technique before Eddie was performing. This Wikipedia article indicates the history goes back a bit further, and, to the shame of all those Holdsworth fanatics, doesn't even mention him.

No matter whether it was Paganini or some guy in 1973* who invented the technique, Stanley was the first to receive widespread for fully using two handed tapping - where two distinct parts are played on the same guitar, often with one hand playing the bass line and/or chords, and the other playing the melody, although blending the parts at times.

Stanley's performance of Monk's 'Round Midnight (MP3), included on Magic Touch blew me away. It was certainly not the first time I heard the tune, but it was the first time it came into my collection. And, I suppose, in some ways it really was the first time I heard the tune.

I'd say this rendition is single-handedly responsible for this set of videos, but, really, it has both hands in the mix...

* While researching this, I found a page mentioning some guy who claimed to have invented the technique in 1973. This is, of course, after others had used it. Everyone wants to be first! =)

Brandonisms

Mr. B: "I want to learn about planets!"

aequitaslevitas: "Okay, do you know what planets are?"

Mr. B: "They're really small round balls I can turn into magnets!"

-- and, later ---

Mr. B: "They're like Alabama."

aequitaslevitas: "No, they're not like Olabama..."

Mr. B: "Alabama, not Olabama"

In Other News...

The rain that's falling is doing so rather slowly, despite the winds whipping around at there...

There was even some visible accumulation on Mr. B's sandbox lid, but that slushified after a moment or two.

This afternoon, I'll be recycling the oil slurped out of the DR, and then I can slurp out the hydraulic oil from the plow, refill it... and I need to pick up some grease so I can take care of the fittings on it... and I still need to finish figuring out how to get that beacon wired and installed*... and likewise the reverse/work lights... and I also need to replace the snowblower chain that broke last year...




Yeah, I'm one of those people hoping for lots of snow...

* I have the one fitting I needed; it's a lot narrower inside than I had hoped - very thick wall is good for stability, not so good for squeezing a connector in there like I had planned; need a smallish junction box that I can stick out there at the end of the pipe, which changes the bracketing needs completely. Very glad I didn't custom order a pair already - although my estimated sizes were accurate, so that aspect of it would have worked.

Hey, Cool!

Rest of Today: Snow and rain. Snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches with up to 6 inches in the higher elevations. Windy with highs in the upper 30s. Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow likely in the evening...then a chance of rain and snow showers after midnight. Total snow accumulation of 6 to 12 inches in the highest elevations with less elsewhere. Windy with lows in the upper 20s. West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Chance of precipitation 70 percent.

Won't get the lights done, but at least I should be able to get the plow ready for action... just in case any of this actually happens and sticks around. Weak pun intended.

Via axejudge...

Your result for What's your key signature?...

E Major

Congratulations, you’re E Major, now start pumping out those root notes on the bass. Yes, the quintessential key of rock suits anything that requires loud and low on the bass, high and screechy on guitar, and open fifths on electric keyboard. With 4 sharps it’s not the best key for winds or piano, but with the tuning on guitars, it’s like the two were made for each other. That’s probably why metal, punk and all sorts of hard rock throw down to this key. E is for energy after all, it seems.

So are you, of course. Energy and noise are what you’re all about! Go for the gusto all you want, friend. Overdoing your bubbling over amount of adrenaline can be bad. And don’t run over old people. That’s bad.

SONG EXAMPLE: Pretty much anything in the genres I listed up there.

INTERESTING TIDBIT:

* As if to drive the point home that this is a key to be played on loud amped up instruments, E is incredibly hard to play on the ukulele.

Take What's your key signature? at HelloQuizzy

Bah, what do they know. It's all about D Harmonic Minor. =)

No Accumulation Yet

Man, why is everyone else getting all the snow?

Not fair!

~ ~ ~

This is, realistically, a good thing. My mission to recycle oil failed. Apparently, you have to leave the container, which would then prevent me from draining the hydraulic oil. Of course, not getting the container emptied also prevents me from draining any more oil.

Oy.

If I need to plow, I'll hook up and top off the existing oil, and drain it as soon as I get a chance.

~ ~ ~

My other mission, to get a quote on an underhood compressor and an automatic chain system was a success. If I knew that place had existed before, I'd likely have gone to them for my truck. The really good news? They can also fabricate a tool holder and do all the light work as well, although I'm not at the point of quoting any of that yet.

The bad news is that an underhood compressor - above and beyond the minimal 12 volt model that will only work with the chain system and not provide additional utility - is about $10k. The slightly good news is that my choosing not to get a PTO didn't impact that cost much, if at all.