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Friday, February 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Charlie

Charles Darwin turns 200 today (yesterday actually, according to my watch) and in the 150 years since the publishing of On the Origin of Species his genius and insight into the workings of nature's hand have been proven time and time again. Indeed, it would be years before biologists and geneticists found the mechanism of genetic mutation which allowed for natural selection to take place.
Undenied prescience yes, but Darwin's theory was never able to account for well documented instances of de-evolution. My premise begins with the postulation, supported by a vast amount of research, that drums were the first musical instrument. Rather than launch into a lengthy explanation I'll use a simple illustration to demonstrate my point....you'll get the
picture.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Chuck, you rock! Happy Birthday!

As much as I appreciate the humour in your "de-evolution" diagram, I resent the placement of the trombone AFTER the trumpet. Everyone knows the trombone came before the trumpet!!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Miss Vivian,

You are dead wrong. The trombone evolved from the trumpet, as a massive improvement I might add. Not to go into too much detail, the original trumpet was an animal horn that early man honked on. This crude instrument eventually transformed into a sort of metal bugle over time. During the end of the middle ages someone had the bright idea to put a movable slide on the lead pipe of the instrument thus creating the slide-trumpet, an instrument capable of playing chromatically. Not long after that, in the early renaissance, the Italians perfected the instrument by developing the slide.
If you wish to learn more about the development of these and other brass instruments feel free to enroll in my Brass Tech course at McGill.

You are welcome.
Dixxx

Anonymous said...

Okay, Smarty-Pants, you're probably right (PRobably!)but if you look carefully at the diagram in question, there are definitely valves on said trumpet. And EVERYbody knows that the trombone came before the VALVED trumpet! IN your FACE, Buddy!

Maria Callous said...

You guys are losers. My instrument's origin predates all of yours. Suck it monkeys!

Anonymous said...

Wrong again MC,

Technically your "instrument" did not come into existence until the 1980's. There is a room in your parents basement filled with instruments that predate you and your "instrument". Anyway, I can (and do) slap my willy on the coffee table, that don't qualify it as no "instrument"....just don't drink coffee at my place.

Bite me.
Dixxx

Maria Callous said...

Done and done. Trombonists are pervs. Long live the wretched vocalists.

slapper58 said...

Unfortunately I have to agree with Dixxx on this one. The voice is just part of you and no more of an instrument then my legs are walking aids or my hands sex toys.
As for which came first the trumpet or trombone, the instrument pictured is actually a euphonium, stretched and squished down to size.
Where can I get me one of those coffee tables I hear so much about??

Maria Callous said...

We'll that's the last time I try to be sassy in order to resolve an argument. I've learned my lesson! Assholes.

Anonymous said...

To appease any possible trumpet playing readers of the blob, I have found 2 clips that show the trumpet at the height of its artistry:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1QO3nNs25E

This one also come with some kickass drum soloing at about the 2:20 mark:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVClihTMN-k&feature=related

It's all kinda been down hill for trumpet since the 1970's.

Dixxx