# Rhapsody in Blue and gliding notes

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 5, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678 "2000-05-05T16:40:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2000, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678/21 "2000-05-09T03:43:12Z")

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I’m in the Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps of Toledo, Ohio ([www.glassmen.org](http://www.glassmen.org)). And I just made the connection- our show this year is Gershwin, although it’s his Piano Concerto in F.

Neil

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**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678/22 "2000-05-09T16:07:56Z")

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Which one of you will be marching with the piano?

_– Uke, who long ago discovered it was okay to play music while sitting down, with a drink within easy reach_

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2000, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678/23 "2000-05-09T22:36:45Z")

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Further detail on the valve values on brass instruments: The third valve is (almost) exactly equivalent to the combination of first and second, and the fourth (if there is one) is likewise equivalent to the combination of first and third. Like our humble Diva, I played bass tuba for eight years in high school and college, and I was the master of alternative and creative fingerings (Let’s see YOU play “The Hey Song” with a busted second valve!). Unfortunately, I wasn’t master of much else in the way of my playing, but everyone’s gotta be good at somethin’. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2000, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhapsody-in-blue-and-gliding-notes/18678/24 "2000-05-10T02:40:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*\*  
> Like our humble Diva, I played bass tuba for eight years \*\*

Uh oh. I better step in here before **TubaDiva** notices your post and opens up a whole can a’ whoop ass on you.

**TeeDee** is a **BBb** -playin’ momma. CONTRAbass. She don’t mess with any of those wimpy lil’ bass tubas.

She saw me with my darling little CC tuba once, and she’s been calling me “Stumpy” ever since.

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