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Just another reason why this place is so great


Aidan

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To say that last night's gig ended unexpectedly is an understatement. It was a solo piano job at a private Christmas party, held at the client's home.

 

The house had been experiencing power problems all night - the lights on the steps down from the car parking area were out, so I was extremely careful when lugging equipment up and down.

 

The client wanted me to lead the singing of some carols, in pursuit of which I'd bought down with me a box of booklets kindly lent by my church with the words of the most popular songs in.

 

I had taken everything back out to the car at the conclusion, and had just grabbed the box of carol sheets from my client when it happened.

 

I stepped into the also-unlit pond, going up to my chest in freezing 5ft deep water. The outside air temperature was -5C. Somehow I managed to haul myself out and people came to my aid, taking me back inside. I was in deep shock and shivering.

 

My client put me in a room with a roaring fire and bought me a change of clothes, gleaned from his grown-up stepson. I had them retrieve my dress shoes from my stage costume suit carrier and now at least dry, managed to drive myself home, the car heater on full blast all the way.

 

Writing about it now sounds almost comedic but it really shook me up and I've not really been myself all day. The good news is that bar a couple of minor dings on my hands from scrabbling out, I wasn't injured and crucially, my back was OK. The other good news is that my iPhone, which was totally immersed, still works and the contents of my wallet (ditto) are still negotiable.

 

Anyway, this morning I felt up to Facebooking a quick note about it and then Vikki and I headed to her parents' house to help host their golden wedding party.

 

It was about halfway through this event that my still-working iPhone rang. I noticed it was an international number and assumed I was about to be offered some timeshare or some such scam.

 

Instead, it was our very own ITGITC, Tom.

 

"I saw on your Facebook profile about you falling into the pond and I was worried about you," he explained.

 

Well, I was able to assure him that I was shaken but physically OK and we had a really nice chat though all too short as I didn't want to cost him a fortune ringing an international cell number and I kinda had to get back to the party too.

 

Now, how utterly great is that? The concern over Meccajay (and welcome back, Jay, btw) shows how much the gang here looks after its own and here I was on the receiving end of such similar kindness.

 

So Tom, thank you so much for your call. You are a true gent - and I'm just so glad that the British and American words for "pond" are the same :)

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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Hi Majuscule, no thankfully got attention before that was a problem. I did struggle to get warm in bed when I got back but OK again now.

Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37

Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D

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That was an unfortunate event. Glad you're OK Aidan. Take the herbs and vitamins anyway. ;):D

 

KC definitely has a different vibe. Not just an internet forum. A virtual family. :thu::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Aidan, that's just terrible! I've been called by Tom/ITGITC too and it's an unnerving experience.

 

:wave: Hi Tom!

 

 

Seriously, glad you're okay. I saw that post on FB and judged by your tone you'd be alright.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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psst... just so you know... Tom is trying these days to buy his way into heaven. They do have beer there, right?

 

Glad to hear you're okay Aidan. Stay warm and safe!

Hardware:
Yamaha
: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro|
Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | 
Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB |
Novation LaunchPad Mini, |
Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy|
Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele

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Recording
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Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs |
IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs |

 

 

 

 

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Boy, between Aidan and Meccajay, this place has had more than it's fair share of water-related issues lately!

 

Glad to hear you're okay, Aidan! I imagine falling into a freezing pond in the dark of night would be quite a harrowing experience.

 

And yes, this place is special, and the Grand Poobah of Posting is definitely a big part of it! :thu:

 

Noah

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Wow... What a way to end a gig. Very relieved to read that you are doing OK, and weren't seriously injured, Aidan. Keep us posted, and take extra good care of yourself.

 

A 'virtual family'indeed; great group, wish I'd joined sooner...

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5C? What is that in normal degrees? Like, 40 or something? Who has a 5 ft deep pond at their house, anyway? I'm surprised you didn't tell us it was 1-1/2 Meters deep or something?

 

:snax:

 

Glad you're OK!!! The stories I hear on here never cease to amaze me. Beats a desk job any day, doesn't it?

 

BTW - you could probably almost fit your hobbit house in that pond, eh?

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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5C? What is that in normal degrees? Like, 40 or something?

 

-5Celsius more like 23 Farenheit.

 

BTW, Celsius is the "normal" degrees. Oh, Americans........ :)

 

Oh how wrong you are. I was joking, but for the record, Tf = (9/5)*Tc+32. So Tf = ((9/5)*5)+32

 

In otherwards, 41 degrees F. So my off the cuff estimate of "around 40" was pretty frickin close, but who's counting?

 

 

...wait a minute... you have MINUS 5, I thought he had 5.... BIG difference. Well, if it's 5, I'm right, if it's minus 5, you're right. How's that?

 

EDIT: I just went back and looked. On my screen, the minus was at the end of the line, and the 5 was on a new line, so I missed the minus, sorry.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I guess we could say the job was a ... wash?

 

I guess from what you wrote, you didn't play the job ... ?

 

Did you get paid? How exactly does this work?

 

(At least the piano was intact. :) )

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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What an awful thing to happen, glad your ok. Here in the UK it's been unusually cold the last week. We usually struggle to break freezing but it's getting as low as -10C here and to fall in a pond at that temperature is scary.

 

On the good side Aidan, you have unknowingly just passed your Army arctic training! Wait, Ray Mears will be in touch!

 

Totally irrelevent, but I'm impressed by the Iphone surviving.

 

Actually I just bought a headband with a an LED torch on it for my dads car, maybe a thought?

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Aidan, glad your OK a step like that could have really hurt your back.

 

As for Tom he is what we call down south a true blue friend, or as I say a man I would buy a beer for anytime.

Jimmy

 

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho

NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT

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