Paul Maine

Software Engineer, Musician and Life Long Learner

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Miscellaneous

Louis Richard Emerson 1921-2011

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Photo of Richard Emerson
Richard Emerson

This post is a tribute to my friend Richard Emerson.  Richard was a friend, fellow musician and my world war II hero. He was nearly 90 years old when he passed. Richard played the keyboard and we performed at the Baker Theater in Lockhart Texas for several years. When Richard and I first met and discovered that we were both musicians – an instant connection was made that transcended the generation gap.

Richard told me many stories. He was a WWII pilot that towed gliders into Normandy on D-Day. He was shot down behind enemy lines and lived to tell the story.

I learned many new ( to me ) songs from Richard that I have added to my bands song list. Richard greatly enriched my life and many others. He was able to introduce me to Opera’s – without his prodding I would never have even tried an opera.

Goodbye my friend and thank you for sharing a part of your life with me!

Improve your Sound with Audi-Graph-Part I

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How often is a beginning musician asked to develop a quality sound?

A new software application has been developed by a NASA engineer and it is named Audi-Graph. It turns out that the notes on our instrument consist of a fundamental frequency and a number of harmonic frequencies. The timbre of a flute playing a particular note sounds different than a saxophone playing the same note. The harmonics are what make the instruments sound different.  If you compare a professional saxophonists sound to a beginner – you will notice a difference in sound quality. Once again the difference is the harmonics.  Prior to Audi-Graph the student would listen to a good professional sound and then try to emulate that sound. This is usually a process that is trial and error and can take many years.

Audi-Graph provides visual cue’s that can allow a student to make changes ( e.g. more pressure on the reed or opening up the throat ) and see how the changes compare to a professional’s harmonics.  Simply put – if you can match the harmonics  then you will have a professional sound. The Audi-Graph software includes an ever expanding library of classical and other musical styles artists that the student can use as a reference point and try to match harmonics.

After visiting the Audi-Graph website, I was so interested that I purchased the software. I am not a beginner but I see many potential applications that I will write about in future blog articles. In addition to greatly accelerating the time it takes to develop a professional sound, I see many other applications of this software for the developing and professional musicians.

Stay tuned for future articles.

Making a Sax Mouthpiece Stand

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A good friend of mine in Houston Texas just posted a “how to” article on constructing a nice mouthpiece stand. Many of us have collected a number of different mouthpieces over the years – it is nice to be able to see all of them rather than keeping them packed away. Its also convenient to try some of your old friends!

Don Kelly Mouthpiece Stand Article