I just counted the money I've been setting aside for residency, it's up to $27.18. So to all the other visitors, try setting aside pocket change toward being a resident.
I was in the tourist area yesterday, I told an airbrush guy about letterville, but it would have been nice to have a card. Having 500 printed and selling them to people like me would be a big hassle,what with all the continual shipping and handling, but what if there was a place on this site where a "page" of cards could be downloaded to one's own printer? Then you would just cut them apart with scissors, and there you have it. Only problem is, my printer is acting up.
I was setting at a stoplight today, and saw a sign that had the entire background as a blend. Nice job, very smooth blend. It reminded me of a question I've had for years now: What's SO APPEALING about a nice blend. Seriosly, I really like them. Is it that the eye is drawn ever so smoothly "into" a color? Today I had a different idea, maybe it's similar to what I read on a different website. It's called Anvilfire, and it's for blacksmiths, but a very interesting site. They have a section called "ask the Guru". I wish there was a faster way of explaining this,but here goes: I asked about making my own gong, 'cuz I always wanted one, and is a gong similar to a cymbal, and why do cymbals have those ridges? This is part of what they said, to the best of my memory: The ridges are part of the manufacturing process, the cymbal is turned while being made. A cymbal is really a bell, but of a different shape. Western style bells have their shape very intentionally, it's not just for appearances. On a western style bell, the intention is to eliminate some sounds (frequencies), while retaining others. For instance, the rim may ring at 516 cps, and the body at 258cps, the frequencies between being eliminated, the half frequency harmonizing with the whole frequency. However, on an eastern style bell, all the sounds are kept, the ring starting at one frequency and working on through the other sounds as it continues to ring. That's why the sound changes as it continues to resonate. They did a better job of explaining it, and it is hoped that you can see where I'm going with this: Is a well executed color blend like an Asian bell or gong, leading your perception through a series of colors? Maybe alot of hoo-ey, but just a thought. There is a neat (or was) company reprinting old books on tecnical things, with a few newer books thrown in, It's called "Lindsay Publications". I've ordered numerous books from them, one being about making musical instruments from common or discarded objects. The author calls it "found sound", (not the name of the book). Anyway, in it he tells of making gongs out of discarded oxygen bottles,welding or scuba. apparently, the steel and constuction are of high quality. He tells how to cut off one end and hang it. I've done it several times, it has an UNBELIEVEABLE quality sound. The "guru" guy mentioned these gongs and said they carry the full range of sound, like an Aisian gong. Try it, you'll like it!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
Hey James, just huntin' further down in the stack of recent posts & got curious about your latest "musings" Being a drummer, the gong/cymbal tangent was interesting. I'll bet there are an abundance of discarded scuba tanks to be found around here, so I just might remember to try that out. My wife loves chimes, & I just built an arbor that will provide a lot of space for hanging plants & chimes, so maybe I'll make myself a scuba-gong or two.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
Doug, I got my tanks at a fire extinguisher place, they're one of the few places that safety tests tanks. I got the ones that failed the test. A cutting torch makes quick work of it. It's best to hang it from one bolt in the middle of the top. And be sure to knock off any "slag" from the torch, as it will cause a buzzing sound, and dull the overall quality of the ring. I tried making a REALLY BIG one from a hydrolic cylinder about 12" x 5'. It doesn't have a dome on top, so I torch cut a hole on each side, then slid a steel bar through the hole, for a chain to hang it by. I know it must be quality construction, but I get lousy sound from that one. I think it's the loose mounting, causing a buzz.
Now about my original inquiry: WHY is a smooth blend SO APPEALING? If one were to put graduated color bars next to each other, simulating a blend, it wouldn't have the appeal that a smooth blend would. There must be an explanation. "Inquiring minds want to know".
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
james..you need to stay outa that tennesse mash..you guys brew up there in those dry counties....hehehehehehehehe the sound in metals has to do with the carbon content. metals that are high tensil(less carbon)will have a ring to them, bendable(like rebar, high carbon) make dull sound. now alum tubes will make nice ringing sound.....but copper tubes are dull....i worked in auto parts...and exhaust pipes...some make nice ringins sounds. go to a parts store and get a foot of each straight pipe in different diameters...all sound different.
