Humor You'll Spend the rest of your life ...

Gandalfe · 2026-09-21T16:47:08+0100

Hadda steal this from the *other* forum to share today. It hit the spot. Shared it with my Facebook friends. Don't mind me, carry on.

"You've spent a lot of time learning to play all the notes on that horn. You'll spend the rest of your life learning when not to."
Leon "The Demon" Wright

Grumps · 2026-09-21T18:11:46+0100

That second part is a bit optimistic; for saxophonists.

Colin the Bear · 2026-09-21T18:25:45+0100

The longer you live, the more plagiarism you see. 🤔

Gandalfe · 2026-09-21T19:25:42+0100

Colin the Bear said:
The longer you live, the more plagiarism you see. 🤔

Since when has sharing an attributed quote been stealing? I prefer to think of that as sharing a good idea. YMMV.

skeller047 · 2026-09-21T21:20:45+0100

Colin the Bear said:
The longer you live, the more plagiarism you see. 🤔

Gandalfe said:
Since when has sharing an attributed quote been stealing? I prefer to think of that as sharing a good idea. YMMV.

I think Mr. Bear was talking about notes. But this brings up a question I have long had.

We saxophonists of the jazz-adjacent persuasion often talk about transcribing jazz solos, especially those by the acknowledged masters of the art. There are countless videos of people playing along with said masters, some quite accurately, matching them note-for-note. One can buy books of transcribed solos.

Why aren’t these solos protected by copyright? I know the RECORDING has a copyright, so those play-along videos of people trying to catch a Trane will not be monetized, and ad revenue will go to the record label (presumably to be distributed later to the songwriters and performers… maybe…)

But isn’t the solo itself a copyright-able work of art? Do the publishers of written transcriptions have to pay royalties and get a license from the performer (or the performer’s estate)? I don’t know the answer, and hope someone here does.

Colin the Bear · 2026-09-21T23:13:29+0100

Gandalfe said:
Since when has sharing an attributed quote been stealing? I prefer to think of that as sharing a good idea. YMMV.

The quote itself is reworded ancient wisdom. Grasshopper.

Jimmymack · 2026-09-21T23:19:20+0100

skeller047 said:
I think Mr. Bear was talking about notes. But this brings up a question I have long had.

We saxophonists of the jazz-adjacent persuasion often talk about transcribing jazz solos, especially those by the acknowledged masters of the art. There are countless videos of people playing along with said masters, some quite accurately, matching them note-for-note. One can buy books of transcribed solos.

Why aren’t these solos protected by copyright? I know the RECORDING has a copyright, so those play-along videos of people trying to catch a Trane will not be monetized, and ad revenue will go to the record label (presumably to be distributed later to the songwriters and performers… maybe…)

But isn’t the solo itself a copyright-able work of art? Do the publishers of written transcriptions have to pay royalties and get a license from the performer (or the performer’s estate)? I don’t know the answer, and hope someone here does.

Are you sure that that is what you really want? Be careful what you wish for.

ghostler · 2026-09-21T23:47:28+0100

The "neo-talk" 😎in this forum reminds me of the Uncola satire commercial years ago:

"Cola nut or Uncola nut, can you choose?"
(Selects Uncola nut.)
"Very good, weedhopper!"

I sort of think it is a matter of learning professional manners playing with others. Know your place in the piece being played especially when singers are involved.

It is a player maturity thing / discipline learned over time, is it not? :sax:

skeller047 · 2026-09-22T06:33:48+0100

Jimmymack said:
Are you sure that that is what you really want? Be careful what you wish for.

I really want the answer. I doubt that things will change regarding copyright.

I applaud the ideas that original works are “owned” by the person who creates them, and that said person should be paid for use of those works. That said, the abuses of copyright and patent laws by record labels and software firms turn my stomach. Any law that is reasonably complex (patent and copyright law are good examples of this) can be twisted to suit the desires of those rich enough to hire many lawyers.

ghostler · 2026-09-22T17:08:02+0100

The title of this thread, "You'll Spend the rest of your life ..." reminds me of the song, "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" because I like it's tonal poem ballad nature.

I got razzed out one time for putting it on using my keyboard for pre-concert hotel lobby music with Scotty, our alto saxist doing the solo.

Chord changes are a bit harder for some but Scotty being also a gigging musician knew his stuff. Some get miffed over such minor details. That was some 40 years ago.

Here in New Mexico we call such critique, "Getting wrapped around the axle."

Not in reference to any here in this discussion, just one of my "Outer Limits" experiences from the past.

JSL · 2026-09-22T17:14:40+0100

"It's taken me all my life to learn what not to play"
-Dizzy Gillespie

skeller047 · 2026-09-22T21:11:10+0100

I just realized that I will likely be playing pentatonics until I can no longer pick up my horn. And I’ll be thinking of them even when thought is the only activity I have left.

Pentatonics are like water. Water — the universal solvent. Pentatonics — the universal melody.

20 minutes of 8th notes at 72. Tomorrow will try 80. Concentrating on accuracy and relaxation.

I really respect Casals, and the older I get the more I understand his attitude. I too, think I might be making progress.