Monday, February 25, 2013

Because second click-clack player is quite impressive...

From the second to last row of the theatre.

Bob: Look at that piano! That's one hell of a big piano for such a small stage. 
Me: I know, and they've got a trumpet, and a clarinet, and an oboe. Ooh, and a piccolo! How cute! 
*orchestra starts to warm up* 
Bob: I was in the band in school, did I ever tell you that? 
Me: Really? Me too! What did you play? 
Bob: The click-clack. 
Me: The ... huh? 
Bob: You know, the click-clack! That hollow bit of wood on a stick that you hit and it went click, clack, click, clack. 
Me: I see ... it wouldn't have happened to be the percussion band, would it? 
Bob: Yeah, how'd you know? I was pretty good too, I even worked out how to do the click, clack, clickclick, clack. 
Me: So were you first click-clack or second click-clack? 
Bob: Shut up! I was brilliant! 
Me: I'm sure you were. Best click-clack player around. 
Bob: Damned straight! So, what did you play? 
Me: (blandly) Second clarinet. 
Bob: Oh, well don't feel too bad. Not everyone can play the click-clack. 
Me: I'll try not to let it make me bitter...

NB.  The name Bob was randomly selected as a generic substitute for all my cohorts.  I'd say to protect the innocent, but then I'd spend the next twenty minutes laughing uproariously over the idea of anyone I associate with being innocent. 

37 comments:

  1. The click-clack is one of my favourite instruments. Seriously! I have one for use at my drumming circle.

    And the clarinet's fine too, if you like that sort of thing.

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    1. Well, if one isn't click-clack gifted, one must fall back on something like the clarinet ;D

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  2. I didn't even know that was an instrument soooooo I'm just going to leave it there lol

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    1. Consider it your new piece of information for the day! You're welcome :D

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  3. I'm sure the click-clack is a necessary instrument, but it has an image problem - it needs a new name, something that sounds more Italian and less Mother Goose.

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    1. It's actually called the Two Toned Wood Block, but I think Click-Clack gives it a sort of jaunty air.

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  4. You mean to tell me I could of been in the school band. I seriously think I could of managed the click clack. I toyed with the idea of the triangle or the tambourine but clarinet players intimidated me.

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    1. We are rather scary ... or at least as scary as one can be when the only song you know all the way through is "Sweet Caroline". Still, I rocked that song!

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  5. Yeah, but can he nick knack patty whack and give himself a bone?

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    1. If you'd ever met Bob, you'd know that he definitely can do all of those things ... in pretty much any way you choose to interpret it.

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  6. I should have given this instrument a try. Especially since I failed at becoming competent at any of the other instruments.

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    1. And if you can't master the Click-Clack, there's always the triangle!

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  7. Replies
    1. Who's there!

      Oh, sorry, that's knock knock, isn't it. My bad.

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  8. I can't believe I've never heard one of these?

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    1. Every well established percussion band had tambourines, triangles, castanets and click-clacks. If you were a fancy band you also had cow bells!

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  9. I played air click-clack. Does that count? ;)

    S

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  10. Back in my day (like I'm so ancient) we didn't have click-clackers at school. We just had to use stick.

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    1. Ah yes, back in the olden days when one would ride a horse drawn carriage to school and chalk slates were used (and often smashed over other student's heads, if Anne Of Green Gables is to be believed).

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  11. That's still a step up from when I played the two sticks. Yup, they gave the rhythm-less two sticks to occasionally bang together.

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    1. In our school those kids got the bottle cap stick. It was a stick with bottle caps loosely nailed to it so when the shook it the caps would jangle.

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  12. Let's not forget the infamous boobam, the egg shaker, the bock-a-da-bock, or the vibraslap -- which sounds a lot naughtier than it really is! Of course, finally, we must give an honorable mention to the cabasa -- not to be confused with kielbasa, which any good Polack knows is good eats.

    I was in the band. I was a really, really big band geek.

    I -- ahem -- still might be a teensy bit of one.

    I still play my clarinet.

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    1. LOL! My favourite was always the egg shaker. And that bugger was harder than it looked! It wasn't easy to get the right rhythm.

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  13. The clickclack! I love it!

    Sarah xxx

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  14. I want to start a band of nothing but useless instruments. One of us will be on click-clack, the other will play the tambourine. Who wants to play the triangle or the kazoo?

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    1. Ooh! Can I be the kazoo? I always thought that the kazoo looked like a fun version of the mouth organ.

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  15. I played the clarinet... I didn't even know the click clack was an option!! I should sew.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    Replies
    1. Sew a pair of pants... And if those pants are sassy pants, I could actually sue. :0)

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    2. There seems to be a lot of ex-clarinet players out there. I'm guessing that the schools got a deal on them or something and that's why there were so many.

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  16. I had to teach a recorder class to a group of Year 3's once....their response? Miss, do you know how to play the recorder? Sprung!

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  17. Second clarinet sounds a lot classier than the click-clack. Hahaha :) I didn't know that was an instrument, I thought it was just a toy or something... like those silly plastic recorders they teach us to play in school.

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  18. Hahahaha. I'm was a total band nerd in high school and I would have had no idea what a click-clack was if someone tried to explain it! I played flute, sax, and sometimes even drum line so you'd think I'd have come across it at one point or another, but nope.

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  19. WOW!!!! You know another click-clacker!!! That image you supplied with the story brought back a flood of memories playing in the Queen Street Mall. You must tell me more about this person!!! Details tomorrow night, please.
    Moi

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