to noodle out

English translation: fiddling with scales and short music tunes

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

English term or phrase:	to noodle out
Selected answer:	fiddling with scales and short music tunes
Entered by:	Andreea Bostan

15:11 Jan 11, 2008

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Slang / Probably American slang

English term or phrase: to noodle out

Greetings,

Please see
http://www.fleetwoodmac.net/penguin/caillat.htm

Caillat: "Songbird was a great moment for me. As I recall, everybody had gone home or were leaving. Christine was noodling out in the studio and playing this song. I had the mikes up and listened. I didn't know what she was playing, but it was gorgeous. That song required the depth of a concert hall. I had recorded Joni Mitchell at Berkeley Community Theater. I remember that Berkeley Community Theater was the best live recording . . . . and so we called over to Berkeley Community and it was not available . . . they said, 'hey, there's Zellerbach Auditorium down the street.' So we set up the truck and made the plans. We ordered the orchestral shell. I talked to the prop guy and I said, 'give us three spots and focus them on the piano,' and we ordered a dozen roses and they were laying there for her. She came out and she just went, "Oh my God.'"

Many thanks,

Simon

SeiTT KudoZ activity Questions: 3738 (none open) (1 without valid answers) (9 closed without grading) Answers: 1 United Kingdom
Local time: 16:46

fiddling with scales and short music tunes

Explanation:
n/a

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Note added at 7 mins (2008-01-11 15:18:53 GMT)
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it also means messing around
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=1347182

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Note added at 8 mins (2008-01-11 15:19:39 GMT)
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its basicall just messing around with a tune or melody and not really taking it seriously

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Note added at 10 mins (2008-01-11 15:21:40 GMT)
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it is slang, very specific to music and probably just guitars too.

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Note added at 1 day20 hrs (2008-01-13 11:42:39 GMT) Post-grading
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thank you

Selected response from:

Andreea Bostan
United Kingdom

Grading comment

many thanks - an excellent answer
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +6

to improvise music

Paula Vaz-Carreiro

fiddling with scales and short music tunes

Andreea Bostan

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +6

to improvise music

Explanation:
To improvise music on an instrument in an idle, haphazard fashion.
HTH

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Note added at 4 mins (2008-01-11 15:15:56 GMT)
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it is slang.

Paula Vaz-Carreiro
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Portuguese,

English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

disagree

Andreea Bostan: it does not mean to improvise; messing around; its like doodling but with music

3 mins

-> Collins English dictionary: to improvise aimlessly on a musical instrument//How do you explain that all dictionaries seem to define it that way?

agree

R. Alex Jenkins: Oxford Dictionary: to improvise or play casually on a musical instrument // MW: : to improvise on an instrument in an informal or desultory manner

4 mins

-> Thanks Richard. The Colins also defines it like that.

agree

NancyLynn

15 mins

-> Thanks Nancy

agree

charlie47

19 mins

-> Thanks Charlie

agree

Darya Kozak

28 mins

-> Thanks Danissimo

agree

Irina Schwab

38 mins

-> Thanks Irina

agree

Claire Chapman: //Thanks, Paula! I knew that you knew :-) but thought that it should be clarified for the non-native English speakers.

1 hr

-> Thanks Claire and well pointed out - I mean that the term is TO NOODLE and not 'to noodle out'//Yes :-) well done! I completely forgot.

agree

V_Nedkov

9 hrs

-> Thanks V.

5 mins confidence:

fiddling with scales and short music tunes

Andreea Bostan
United Kingdom
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Romanian
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

many thanks - an excellent answer

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