Philistines!

[Nanohedron]

I sometimes get the reverse problem. . . people ask me if my flute is an antique because they see the faux Rudall & Rose seal on my endcap - it's fun to tell them is just plastic NOt just the clueless do this, but some fairly experienced/prominent flute players too.

Yeah, there was one lady who was frankly disappointed to learn that my flute was made in the past year in Seattle. "Well, there's no romance in THAT," she huffed, and went away.

[anniemcu]

I've had my bass fiddle refered to by a newspaper reported as a "big guitar" . Kids are always asking me about the thing... "what is it? how do you play it? is that a guitar?" etc. Some adults have the courage to admit their ignorance and ask those same questions.

I'm sure most of you who play blackwood sticks have heard, "Is that a clarinet?" or, "Is that an oboe?" (not uncommonly "a oboe" ). One of my favorites was, "Is that a real flute?" I once told a confused young girl who plays Boehm flute that I killed an oboe to make mine. Her eyes widened for a bit, and then she got the joke.

People are curious about it. I used to get exasperated, but now I see it as an educational moment, and enquirers get to learn not only that it's a flute in period form (sometimes I lay on the dreary details very thick, heh), but also that any sideblown tubular instrument, no matter what it's made from, is reliably a flute. They come away either informed and empowered, or sorry they asked.

I'm glad you got over the exasperation... most anyone who asks an honest question is trying to gain knowledge. That should be rewarded with enrichment, not scorn.

Anybody who knows a little can seem like an idiot to someone who knows a lot but has little patience or empathy (who can, in turn, seem like an idiot to someone who knows even more, and on, and on, ad nauseum). In similar vein, someone who knows a little, or plays a little, can seem like a genius or a wonderful player to someone who knows even less. Surely noone would argue that folks should somehow pop out of the womb knowing a fipple from a drumstick. There are people at every concievable stage of learning out there, and getting upset because they don't match a certain standard is not much help to them or the upset one.

Since sports are much more highly valued than the arts in the US, many people simply have not had occaision to learn anything about music or the instruments and people who make them, except what they hear out of a stereo, TV or radio ( ), so for them to even attempt to identify an instrument is actually a good thing. To take an opportunity to enlighten and turn it into a chance to scorn is a sad way to deal with it, IMHO.

[monkey587]

I was playing at a campground recently with a fiddler friend of mine, and a crowd gathered, including many kids. One asked what my instrument was, and I said it was a flute. They asked were I got it, and I said eBay. They asked how old it was, and I said about 125 years. One of them chimed in, "are YOU 125 years old?"

I said "of course" and started a tune.

(give or take 100 on my age!)

[fluti31415]

You know, in the US, this is all just an indication of the state of our arts education in schools. (sorry, I don't see one with little tears streaming down.)

[Nanohedron]

I've had my bass fiddle refered to by a newspaper reported as a "big guitar" . Kids are always asking me about the thing... "what is it? how do you play it? is that a guitar?" etc. Some adults have the courage to admit their ignorance and ask those same questions.

I'm sure most of you who play blackwood sticks have heard, "Is that a clarinet?" or, "Is that an oboe?" (not uncommonly "a oboe" ). One of my favorites was, "Is that a real flute?" I once told a confused young girl who plays Boehm flute that I killed an oboe to make mine. Her eyes widened for a bit, and then she got the joke.

People are curious about it. I used to get exasperated, but now I see it as an educational moment, and enquirers get to learn not only that it's a flute in period form (sometimes I lay on the dreary details very thick, heh), but also that any sideblown tubular instrument, no matter what it's made from, is reliably a flute. They come away either informed and empowered, or sorry they asked.

I'm glad you got over the exasperation... most anyone who asks an honest question is trying to gain knowledge. That should be rewarded with enrichment, not scorn.

Anybody who knows a little can seem like an idiot to someone who knows a lot but has little patience or empathy (who can, in turn, seem like an idiot to someone who knows even more, and on, and on, ad nauseum). In similar vein, someone who knows a little, or plays a little, can seem like a genius or a wonderful player to someone who knows even less. Surely noone would argue that folks should somehow pop out of the womb knowing a fipple from a drumstick. There are people at every concievable stage of learning out there, and getting upset because they don't match a certain standard is not much help to them or the upset one.

Since sports are much more highly valued than the arts in the US, many people simply have not had occaision to learn anything about music or the instruments and people who make them, except what they hear out of a stereo, TV or radio ( ), so for them to even attempt to identify an instrument is actually a good thing. To take an opportunity to enlighten and turn it into a chance to scorn is a sad way to deal with it, IMHO.

Just so's you know, I always kept my impatience to myself. My momma didn't raise no jerk! It was simply bewildering and frustrating to me that some people couldn't see a flute for being a flute, and would get derailed by what it was made of. But that was my problem, really. I've come to terms with the fact that everyone has different filters through which they process information, and what's obvious to me isn't necessarily obvious to them. Even if it oughta be.

[Hoovorff]

anniemcu,

I wasn't trying to scorn the high school student. I was mostly amazed that someone could look at a Wilkes (? I think that's what Veillon plays) flute and compare it to a stick. I am always very patient with my elementary students whenever they ask about any instrument. I wish I'd been able to speak with the high school girl, and even show her my Irish flute. Perhaps that opportunity will arise. It just seemed like a shocking comment for a piece of craftsmanship like a Wilkes flute. The "philistine" comment was a reference to Robert Schumann's use of the term, but done in a joking manner. The internet doesn't convey humor too well, however.

Peace, Jeanie

[Lambchop]

I had one person confuse these with hammer dulcimers.

Several thought they were drum sticks . . . !!

Hammer dulcimer, eh? Drum stick? Well, at least those are music-related objects.

When your lovely boxwood Rudall arrived, I picked it up from the post office on the way to work. Upon arriving there, I extracted the flute, assembled it lovingly, and showed it off.

One person leapt back in horror, thinking I was about to whang him with . . . "some kind of martial arts weapon." No, I said, it's an Irish . . . but he interrupted. "Ah," he said wisely, "a shillelagh."

Most everyone thought it was a table leg. A rather thoughtfully designed table leg, someone said, as it had an integral levelling system . . . the slide.

They weren't even puzzled by the holes, having decided they were some kind of peg-supports for an adjustable shelf.

[I.D.10-t]

I've seen wooden flutes.
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=32199

Some people cannot tell a fife from a piccolo!

[Jack Bradshaw]

Hah ! Check this (scam) on my flute add not ten minutes ago !

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,

Please i am interested in buying your Violin and i want to know if is still for sell,and if so kindly please E-mail me the Price and the current condition.

And also let me know the Total of the goods plus shipping cost to california,and you can tell me the type of payment you accept so i can arrange the payment and get the goods in time.

Thanks.
______________________________________________________

I just can't get the idea across....well, it is a Healy.........

[anniemcu]

anniemcu,

I wasn't trying to scorn the high school student. I was mostly amazed that someone could look at a Wilkes (? I think that's what Veillon plays) flute and compare it to a stick. I am always very patient with my elementary students whenever they ask about any instrument. I wish I'd been able to speak with the high school girl, and even show her my Irish flute. Perhaps that opportunity will arise. It just seemed like a shocking comment for a piece of craftsmanship like a Wilkes flute. The "philistine" comment was a reference to Robert Schumann's use of the term, but done in a joking manner. The internet doesn't convey humor too well, however.

Peace, Jeanie

I wasn't actually aiming that at you, sorry if it came across that way. I have just seen quite a few posts on these boards, and heard comments from some people in the "real" world, that tend to look down their noses at those who aren't interested in something to the same extent, or aren't up to "snuff" on facts and details. I get exasperated with know-it-alls who don't (know it all, that is) and arrogance in general. I have the utmost respect for people who do know a great deal in their field, and am in awe of some of the folks, publicly acknowledged and not, that share their expertise here, but I don't like seeing someone ridiculed for not being one.

I am not immune to it, mind you, I have put my foot in it no few times in my years, it's just that I finally learned to look at it from the other person's perspective instead of my high horse. I learned to see my own ignorance, and more than just imagine how I felt (and I *did* feel) when my own innocent but ignorant questions made someone mad instead of informative. The topic kind of hit a nerve, I guess.

I am sorry that highschool students are not introduced to the arts more deeply. It is a sad fact of our public school system, which is way underfunded and way too entrenched in negative traditions that have nothing to do with the real sharing of knowledge. I applaud you for working to change that. Hopefully you will get a chance to enlighten that kid. Who knows... maybe she'll decide that a stick that costs several thousand dollars and can make beautiful music is someting she can appreciate the value of after all.

[Doug_Tipple]

The Pub is closed for now. I miss the insane comments. I sure hope that Dale doesn't sanitise the Pub and turn it into the "Parlor". Heaven forbid. To keep from getting deleted, I have to keep my post focused on flutes. Folks, flutes are wonderful. With the breath you can expressed emotions that you can't express otherwise.

This is not a political post, but my thought goes out to all of the thousands of people who have been affected by hurricane Katrina, my brother included. I pray that you will get the assistance that you need and deserve as American citizens. I apologize that the current assistance has been so feeble in terms of your great need. I wish that this country could do better.

Yes, I think flutes are great. I have been invited to play my flute at a another dinner party tomorrow. I am going to play: Whiskey Before Breakfast, Napoleon Crossing the Rhine, Harvest Home Honpipe, Piano Roll Blues, and Midnight on the Water, a Texas fiddle tune.

As I said several times before, flutes are great.

Blessing to you, one and all.

[Whistlin'Dixie]

She didn't say wether she was blond, or not.

Watch it there, Bub.

JK

Yeah, flutes are great.

There are a lot of relief areas set up around here, plenty of places to drop off supplies.... People trying to get thru this one day at a time.


Mary

[seisflutes]

Questions I've gotten about my wooen flutes:
"What's the difference between that and a real flute?"
"How do you make that sound? It doesn't sound like a flute."
"Where do you put your fingers?" (answer: over the holes!)

And about the pipes:
"Are those the alien pipes?"

-Kelly

[brianormond]

-I guess the "drumstick" might swing faster with the holes there than without, rather like the drilled-out paddleball racket employed by my old gym teacher to punish youthful idiocies in the era of corporal punishment. -Getting smacked by it made one a temporary hero among peers, so the pain was less memorable than the honor, taken with the brash cheer of youth.
It still smarted though.

[Cynth]

As I said several times before, flutes are great.

Yeah, flutes are great.

Yes, we couldn't have agreed only with the eight of you in the hours left to talk about the wait for those lovely flutes in the pub you saw them in.