TODAYS MUSIC PEEVES

GLOBAL WARMING IN TX

I'm sitting on my back porch in Texas this Saturday and it's 82 degrees! This is no way to start a new school year.

Many 14 year olds woke up before 2pm and went to their first marching band practices this week. They were sadly fooled by mild temperatures. Many probably went home and complained about how hot it was on that parking lot. What will they do when the real Texas shows up? Where is the real Texas that eats the soles of your shoes? The real Texas that proves you shouldn't drink milk before practice.

TRUMPET GIRL

I saw this ad on a band Facebook page today. It was followed by genius comments from other directors (I guess) how idiotic and stupid this was. They were appalled at the idiocy of the creators of this ad and were offended.

It's showing a hot chick with a trumpet! What can be bad about that? It's not out of Essential Elements or the Blue Book for goodness sakes. It's a hot chick with a trumpet! This will help your recruitment more than any hand placement embouchure pic. I know this is probably sexist but it's still accurate. So sue me John Boehner!

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AARP MUSIC RANT

There's a good chance that this is going to come off as an old man rant, but I have my AARP card so I'm entitled!

I know that music and music notation have to evolve but I have real conflicts with some examples I come across.

Yes, some of it "brave" and greatly pushes the art. Yes there's bad classical music.  I'm talking about the extremes and how they notate it.  I think that some of it is done just to look cool and seem relevant.  It's too often done to bring attention to them and not the art.