What is to be Gained by Abusing Instruments?

[myorgan]

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...6&acctid=10340
https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?f...2&acctid=11694

Help me understand–what's to be gained by abusing an obviously top-quality instrument? When I first began teaching, I watched a co-worker take a screwdriver and repeatedly jab and assault the chorus' upright piano in the band room. What was the point? He was near retirement, but I was tempted to retire him early. I've also seen organs so abused they would be lucky to still be alive. What gives?

The two instruments above are barely left standing, and at least the Steinway was a quality instrument at one time. I wonder what happened to make the instrument of so little value they wouldn't maintain it? Grrrrrr.?

Michael

[gtc]

As a hobbyist who restores old electronic equipment (mainly tube radios) I see value in well built equipment and instruments and am distressed to see such stuff vandalized.

Seeing otherwise good tube radios turned into guitar amplifiers has always annoyed me.

Seeing images of tone-wheel Hammonds left by the roadside in the rain also distresses me.

An of course we have so many abandoned pipe organs rotting away in churches, or former churches, around the world.

A few years ago I visited my alma mater college which now has more than 30 music rooms with pianos in them (back in my day there were only about 6). About half of those pianos are Kawai or Yamaha grands and I was distressed to see their physical condition. As it happened the tuner was there on that day and I asked him about how the pianos were treated by the students and he said "Not as well as they should be".

My guess is that students take out their various frustrations on the pianos and, because they are in a room with only a small window in the door, I guess they think they can get away with it. Maybe CCTV is an answer.

In my experience, those who vandalize stuff have no sense of value because -- for whatever reason -- they have never worked to earn (or raise) the money to pay for anything worthwhile.

[myorgan]

In my experience, those who vandalize stuff have no sense of value because -- for whatever reason -- they have never worked to earn (or raise) the money to pay for anything worthwhile.

GTC,

Key statement on your part! It seems like kids in school today have an attitude of, "You owe me," and are willing to go to all ends to get what they want. I had a student only show up for half my classes last term, and when she was there, she consistently criticized what the other students had chosen to sing–wasting all their time. The parents were upset with what I put on her report card and wanted the grade changed. I suggested they come up with a grade, and I'd put it on–even though we all knew she didn't deserve it!

Michael

[aeolian pat]

Abusing instruments reminds me of my fourth grade piano teacher who threw my music across the room and said, "Why do you bother" I never thought to tell her that I heard more than the notes on the page.

[human-potato_hybrid]

What do you mean

[Silken Path]

What happened to the Steinway & Sons was University of Georgia students. (Voted "most party college" several years.)

[Silken Path]

That S&S sold for $7399.

[myorgan]

Miracles never cease! I suppose parts can be pirated.

Michael

[human-potato_hybrid]

[myorgan]

How does the video relate to the thread (other than the mis-applied title)?

Michael

P.S. There are threads regarding the AOC and how it used elsewhere on the Forum.

[human-potato_hybrid]

Just an attempt at humor :)

I actually made the video before I saw the thread

[fhauffe]

What's going on in some instances is misdirected anger targeted at the instruments. Other targets include wives, husbands, subordinates, coworkers and anything else near at hand. It's amazing how much anger there is. Oh well...

[myorgan]

Floyd,

And this is supposed to be the kinder, gentler generation? I think we missed the mark somewhere.

The band director I referenced in the beginning was back in the 1980s. I haven't seen that behavior since.

Michael

[ChristopherDB113]

The guy who attacked the upright piano with the screwdriver, is he in charge of maintaining or tuning it? Maybe its been giving him a lot of trouble lately? Maybe you work on old import sports cars and sort of understand where I'm going with this?

[beyerjf]

This may ruffle some feathers but here goes.
The photograph below was posted by the proud grandfather on a Facebook page known as Vintage Home Organ Group. Some of you may be familiar with it, some of our more prominent members are here and there.
After seeing the picture I posted "Good time to teach respect for the instruments. Banging of keys and just making noise not allowed"
Several agreed with thumbs up, One said he couldn't agree, indeed he posted a video of several children at the consoles of several organs he owns just making noise.
In the photograph, every tab is engaged, all drawbars are out.
My question is two fold:
1. If that organ were turned on and played indiscriminately like untrained children would logically do, what is the potential for electronic damage, particularly on these older instruments.
2. Where and how do you draw the line exposing/encouraging children to experiment with the home organs that at one time were very expensive items.
In other words what is abuse and what is early education? Is anything to be gained by just letting very young (3-5 years old) handle the instrument with little supervision?

[myorgan]

My question is two fold:
1. If that organ were turned on and played indiscriminately like untrained children would logically do, what is the potential for electronic damage, particularly on these older instruments.
2. Where and how do you draw the line exposing/encouraging children to experiment with the home organs that at one time were very expensive items.
In other words what is abuse and what is early education? Is anything to be gained by just letting very young (3-5 years old) handle the instrument with little supervision?

The answer to your first question is, "Probably nothing." The sound will quite probably become annoying to you long before it causes damage to the instrument.

The answer to your second question is more likely, "When something breaks." Even something breaking is a form of education–both for the child and the parent who has to pay for the damage, and find an obsolete part to fix the damage their child has caused.

Unfortunately, we have a generation of parents now who have no idea how to parent. Their children are left to their own devices, and very often cause damage to someone else's property before the parent learns anything. My Pastor's kids fall into that category. I (& the parent) watched the oldest one repeatedly strike the newborn in the head to make him cry. I had to stop it because the parent did nothing. In theory, the older child could have caused brain damage by repeatedly hitting the newborn with the incomplete skull protection all newborns have. Technically, that's abuse, but I chose to try to educate the parent instead. She nervously laughed it off.

"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right. Stuck in the middle with you!"

Michael