JimLucas Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Helen: ...I encouraged the little girl to try out the concertina. Of course, I was hovering... Rex: ...I carry a cheap mandolin along on gigs where I know there will be children present because....It is good to spark an interest in music in a youngster. I don't currently have a "cheap" concertina to take along, but on numerous occasions I have let children -- of various ages -- try my main squeeze, a lovely Aeola English. I have three important criteria: 1) The child must seem interested in the instrument for its music, and not just something to push and twist, or to make a loud noise with. 2) They must have the patience to take instruction on how to use it. And 3) I must have the strength to say "no" if they don't meet conditions 1 and 2, and *especially* if they are pushy and grabby. Following these rules, I have never felt my instrument in danger from these "children", ranging from 6 thru teen.s and beyond. There was even one 3-year-old who politely asked me if he could try my concertina, who listened carefully as I explained what to do and not do, and then displayed such care and competence that I confidently left him alone with it. On the other hand, there was one "child" of about 40 who without asking grabbed my concertina off the piano, who might have lost his ability to *have* children if I hadn't feared that such action would cause him to drop the instrument. Oh, yeah. At least three of those children have gone on to learn the concertina. (I know about the three, because they subsequently borrowed instruments from me to learn on. There may be others, that I didn't see again.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Hi Jim, Yes, I am also careful with instruments and children. I let the child try my instrument because she was entranced with the sound. She touched it reverently and only after I said she could. Having worked with emotionally disturbed children for 13 years, I felt confident I could control the situation. Or rip the instrument out of her hands and run like the dickens, if need be. (She wasn't emotionally disturbed, but I would have been if she hurt my instrument,) Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 I have three important criteria: 1) The child must seem interested in the instrument for its music, and not just something to push and twist, or to make a loud noise with. 2) They must have the patience to take instruction on how to use it. And 3) I must have the strength to say "no" if they don't meet conditions 1 and 2, and *especially* if they are pushy and grabby. I would add 4) Clean hands or the willingness to clean them before trying. Barnert's 6th law of Morris Musicianship: "Try to keep your fingers clean at pub stops." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 (edited) Amen to clean hands. I have always washed my own hands before playing any instrument and will not let any child or adult lay grubby hands on any of my instruments. It just drives me nuts when we are playing at some sort of outdoor function with food present and someone has been eating BBQ chicken with their fingers and merely wipes there hands with a napkin and asks to handle one of my instruments. My friends think it strange that I eat "finger food" like potato chips with a utensil if I am going to be playing soon. I cannot play with greasy fingers. Edited September 30, 2003 by Rex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Hiya again Rex, I guess I like your posts. I think you should eat your potato chips with chop sticks. Then when people ask, you can say that you are keeping your fingers nimble for instrument playing. (No, I don't use chopsticks. I would starve if I had to use chopsticks.) Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Hmm, sounds like chopsticks could be the newest diet fad. Oh, wait. I actually *know* how to use chopsticks. Darn I get funny about keeping my hands clean for practice, too. Just seemed like a good habit to be in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Okay Rhomylly, For you, chopsticks while wearing mittens. Yepper, I clean my hands too before I play any of my instruments. And before I use my computer. Glad to see that I am in tune, so to speak, with the rest of you and not compulsive. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 1, 2003 Author Share Posted October 1, 2003 Glad to see that I am in tune, so to speak, with the rest of you and not compulsive. Are you implying that the second is a logical consequence of the first? I'm not so sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Whelp, Jim, Of course I am implying that, that's the way good delusions work. And hey, buddy, have you tried chopsticks lately? It's the new concertina fad. Excuse me while I go wash my hands. Cleanly, Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 And hey, buddy, have you tried chopsticks lately? It's the new concertina fad. Hmm. Before today I hadn't really thought of playing Chopsticks on anything but the piano. Just tried it, and it works OK on the English, duets, and 26-button (or more) anglo, but not on the 20-button, because of some note pairs not being available in the same direction. That's the "right hand" part. Adding the chords pretty much rules out a solo English, but you could get someone playing a second instrument. In my family's tradition, that was generally played by a second person on the same piano, anyway. As for using chopsticks to play a concertina, I find their length to be a hindrance, and I suspect that finger picks would be easier. I'll have to do some experimenting before deciding whether chopsticks work better with the English or the anglo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Jim, Will you be teaching a workshop on this? And by the way, did you wash your hands before touching those chopsticks? Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 Will you be teaching a workshop on this? Don't know yet. Don't know if I'll be able to make the SESI. Seems unlikely, actually. And by the way, did you wash your hands before touching those chopsticks? I wash my hands of the whole idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Okay Rhomylly, For you, chopsticks while wearing mittens. Yepper, I clean my hands too before I play any of my instruments. And before I use my computer. Glad to see that I am in tune, so to speak, with the rest of you and not compulsive. Helen I eat while typing at work..its a skill....probably explains the crumbs all over my keyboard. I eat...sticker the better....before I practice I use chopsticks to put my hair up sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 I eat while typing at work..its a skill....probably explains the crumbs all over my keyboard. So; do you type one-handed, or eat with no hands? I suppose there's no webcam in the office ...... Be careful when spitting out your drink! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 So; do you type one-handed, or eat with no hands? I suppose there's no webcam in the office ...... Type one handed and pause only when another hand is needed to use the mouse. actually there is....the webcam is built in the mac...but I ain't turning it on. Be careful when spitting out your drink! I always am As for children taking up the concertina...I'm always being left to look after younger siblings of my sister's friends...and they've all been fascinated by the thing...once I went out the room came back in and they'd all ready got twinkle little star out of the concertina.... Why can't I be that talented? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Why can't I be that talented? oops..I used the 't' word..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan Viehoff Posted December 16, 2008 Share Posted December 16, 2008 As for using chopsticks to play a concertina, I find their length to be a hindrance, You might need something like that to reach the high notes on that 81-key Maccann people were looking at recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanne Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 When people (all ages) want to try my 3600 euro mandolin I tell them they have to have clean hands and treat it like an egg. If they are not already musicians they have no reason to try it if they don't seem extremely interested in music, and if they are drunk or unpolite, no way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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