Clayton Whetmore, here: David Goldberg wrote:
To which William replied:Last week while I was in the pit playing Ruddigore, I found during a fast fingerful passage that I was whacking the keys down - that is, my fingers left the keys on the way up so as to already have full velocity at the moment of contact with the keys. I'm not sure that was really helpful, but it felt good, and it seemed to be more work to restrain myself. Paddlewhacking probably reduces string life though.
"Paddlewhacking," eh? I think I have a new vocabulary word :)The etymology of paddlewhacking may have actually been derived from the name of an infamous bank teller whose story bears retelling:
A frog goes into a bank and approaches the teller. He can see from her nameplate that her name is Patricia Whack.
"Miss Whack, I'd like to get a $30,000 loan to take a holiday."
Pattie looks at the frog in disbelief and asks his name. The frog says his name is Kermit Jagger, his dad is Mick Jagger, and that it's okay, he knows the bank manager.
Pattie explains that he will need to secure the loan with some collateral.
The frog says, "Sure. I have this," and produces a tiny porcelain elephant, about half an inch tall - bright pink and perfectly formed.
Very confused, Pattie explains that she'll have to consult with the bank manager and disappears into a back office. She finds the manager and says, "There's a frog called Kermit Jagger out there who claims to know you and wants to borrow $30,000, and he wants to use THIS as collateral." She holds up the tiny pink elephant. "I mean, what in the world IS this?"
The bank manager looks back at her and says...
"It's a knickknack, Pattie Whack. Give the frog a loan. His old man's a Rolling Stone."
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