h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've spotted a slight inconsistency concering the guitar parts of the entry. The paragraph before the why the guitar bit says to start with the nylon strings first as it's gentler on the fingers. The next part (the bit I wrote - gloat, gloat) says to go for steel strings if you're going to lay them anyway. Many go with the former saying to use nylon strings while I'd say the opposite. This is probably a matter of opinion. I started on nylon strings but didn't find it anykinder on the fingertips when switching to steel. Perhaps others find it different. My point - I think - is if you intend to play a steel strung guitar, play a steel strung guitar to begin with. After all you'll end up with a nylon strung guitar that may never be used again. Cheap steel strung and nylon strung guitars are easy to get but don't make the mistake of replacing the nylon strings of a Spanish or classical guitar with steel strings. Nylon strung guitars are not designed for that - they also don't very good with steel strings. I know enough people who've tried and failed.



PS - A great entry and I'm not just refering to my bit

Yes, more inconsistencies.. This time on about woodwinds, though.

I mentioned under the "changing from clarinet to saxophone" thread that some people's excuse to have saxophonists begin as clarinetists is that the saxophone is too large to hold.. Above that in the entry, it is mentioned that this is not an excuse, it is the truth. Both of these are opinions, and the opinion that belongs to a child's band director will be the instrument that the child will use. But for an adult to choose, if he wants to play saxophone, he has no reason to learn clarinet. Anyway, those two phrases seem to be contradictory.

Also, where it is mentioned in the entry (beneath Saxophones) that oboes and saxophones are in the same key, is just *not* true! Oboes are in C. Saxophones come in Eb or Bb. These are not the same. The person whom I questioned on that, then said that playing oboe music presents no technical problems for a saxophone--this is *not* being in the same key. Please change that?

Two more things: the spelling for "practice"/"practise" isn't consistent, and I don't know what a 'CV' is (mentioned underneath The Cello). Would a footnote be appropriate for that, or would you like to enlighten me, Das Mouldy Sandwich?

(Heh heh, I was embarrassed earlier too, after a "Who is Tony Blair" question... )

I don't know what a CV is either or at least not in musical terms. The CVs I use are either to do with jobs or statistics.

A foot note is probably enough though I'll leave things like to the editors

Hi folks,

I've made a couple of amendments in response to your ace comments. One thing though; I can't find the bit about oboes and saxes being in the same key! Please can you point it out to me. I'd also be really grateful if you could point out the inconsistences re: practise and practice (I can't see these, either!) and I'll fix them as soon as I can.

Cheers.

>>Learning the saxophone isn't really that hard, especially if you do have a strong clarinet background. It requires the same skills and the fingerings aren't that different. If you're looking for books to learn from, the oboe books are in the right key and are good for developing a strong technique. Style, on the other hand, is something you'll have to learn from a teacher, or from recordings of Charlie Parker and the like.<<

From the last paragraph under “Switching from Clarinet to Saxophone”, right before “The Bassoon” (the third sentence).



>>First you will have to decide what instrument to take up, how much time you will have to dedicate to your practice and, indeed, where you will practise.<<

This is second sentence in the second paragraph.... There’s other examples too, all throughout the entry. *helpful hint* If you are on an IBM-compatible, Control+F yields a “find” dialogue box. On a Mac, it is Apple+F. Depending on your machine, there might be a “Find and Replace” command you can choose from that same menu as well. You could also copy the code into Word and do a Find/Replace for practice/practise....


Thanks Sam (and for responding DMS too ); you're great!

In my pedant's hat: I'm sorry to have to tell you that British English uses 'practice' for the noun and 'practise' for the verb. We have several others that do the same (eg licence/license) where Americans have dropped one - the verb, I think.

Ah hah. That's useful, isn't it?

Okay, second comment scratched.

OK Shee,

I've fixed the bit about oboes being in the same key an' all. And many thanks again for all your work everybody.

Sam.

Thank you for all your hard work, Sam.

Shee, you're most welcome.