Why all the hate?

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:16 am

Gee, we had no instruments at all in elementary school. We did have singing class from 4th to 6th grade which was really fun for me, but I suppose some other children hated it.

bfloyd · Post by **bfloyd** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:22 am

I think people already said it best that bashing is just bashing done in fun. I mean, look at the string family . . . violin players are constantly, constantly bashing viola players!! There are probably more viola jokes out there than any other instrument. As you probably guessed it, I also play viola:( But again, it is all in fun.

As far as the whistle vs. the recorder . . . well as some of you probably already know, I play recorder and am just now getting into the whistle. I love the recorder and it can be played to sound beautifully. They are very different subjects to play the recorder vs. play the recorder well. I'm sure the same goes for the whistle as I will soon find out.

It was mentioned that the whistle shoud've been the choice for a pre-band instrument rather the recorder and I would probably have to agree. I am speaking purely from the fact that the whislte is not a chromatic instrument . . . though there are pentatonic recorders available too . . . I still find it a shame that the these are labeled as pre-band instruments. They are professional instruments and I would hope that they would teach the children this. These are not toy instruments as many people believe them to be. I'm currently teaching my third grade daughter to play recorder with the hopes that she may stick with it and take it further beyond the usual fourth and fifth grade pre-band. I hope to be able to teach her the whistle as well once I become proficient enough at it.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:30 am

"Why all the hate?"

well...its tradition, innit?

...add salt...

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:36 am

What's a recorder?

Post by **Dale** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:38 am

Recorder Players!

We come in peace.

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:52 am

Kelhorn Mike wrote:Just a couple of quick comments. Have to take issue with the
statement that there is little variation among recorders. Numerous
copies of original Renaissance and Baroque recorders available as well
as lots of contemporary designs. See the websites of just two major
German manufacturers and you'll see what I mean. www.mollenhauer.com
& www.moeck.com and there are many, many more. Large
workshops/factories to individual makers.

Not going to argue with you, since I'm ignorant about recorder variations and history. What I had in mind with my rash assertion was that I'm not sure recorders are offered in, oh, beautifully painted copper tubing like the Elfsongs, plastic plumbing pipe like the Water Weasel, brass, tin, cylindrical, conical, curved windway, straight windway, and on and on in the variety of both material and design that whistle makers explore--in addition to plastic and wood that seem to be a recorder's basic material.

M

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:05 am

mvhplank wrote:
Kelhorn Mike wrote:Just a couple of quick comments. Have to take issue with the
statement that there is little variation among recorders. Numerous
copies of original Renaissance and Baroque recorders available as well
as lots of contemporary designs. See the websites of just two major
German manufacturers and you'll see what I mean. www.mollenhauer.com
& www.moeck.com and there are many, many more. Large
workshops/factories to individual makers.
Not going to argue with you, since I'm ignorant about recorder variations and history. What I had in mind with my rash assertion was that I'm not sure recorders are offered in, oh, beautifully painted copper tubing like the Elfsongs, plastic plumbing pipe like the Water Weasel, brass, tin, cylindrical, conical, curved windway, straight windway, and on and on in the variety of both material and design that whistle makers explore--in addition to plastic and wood that seem to be a recorder's basic material.

M

... and that somehow makes them less valid instruments? I really don't get it. I've heard recorders, particularly in medieval music, that sound absolutely wonderful, when a player knows what they are doing with them (as with just about any instrument you could name) and have heard them sound terrible (again, as with any instrument). I guess I'm just not much into making fun of people and the things they love, so this seems petty to me. I *do* understand the more obvious playful jabs at folks, but it seems like some people *really* hate recorders and cannot fathom why anyone would choose to play one... but that seems more a lack of capacity on the side of the hater, rather than some lack of viability for the instrument.

I've never been able to understand it here, though, where people are gathered because of their love for an instrument that most people think of as a toy. Maybe I just need more coffee.

edited to add... MV... I'm not meaning to be cantankerous or argumentative with you, BTW.

edited again to add... I was trying to locate some of the more 'serious' sounding posts that I was referring to, but not able to easily... which just goes to prove the validity of the statement that most of the posts are in jest, I suppose.

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:21 am

you want abuse? Try playing banjo!!

Then there's people like me that are always trying to fight the "all mountain dulcimer playing sounds alike" comments.
Or - what is THAT???

I think most of the time, the comments are in jest. When I asked for recommendations for a good r&^%*er to buy my son for Christmas, I got a lot of helpful posts.

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:30 am

Any of you guys ever play a Tonette or Flutophone in school? ...or a song flute? Hah hah hah!! I think I still have my Conn song flute from grammar school.

Here is what it looks like:

S.B.O'Gill · Post by **S.B.O'Gill** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:31 am

Oh yeah, that's not mine, it's just a picture of one I found on eBay. Mine has a lot more "chew" marks!!

mvhplank · Post by **mvhplank** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 11:42 am

anniemcu wrote:... and that somehow makes them less valid instruments?
<snip>
edited to add... MV... I'm not meaning to be cantankerous or argumentative with you, BTW.

Not valid instruments? I never said that. Go back and see what I've said about Michaela Petri, who is an astonishing recorder player.

Recorders are different, yes, but not something I'd dismiss out of hand. And the difference is what we're poking fun at.

It's important to me that you accurately represent what I said.

M

bfloyd · Post by **bfloyd** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:00 pm

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:30 pm

We tried recorder as our re-entry instrument into music after years and years away from grammer and high school music. We went to a Red Priest concert and were entralled. He (?) made the playing sound so fun and exciting that even our 12 year old was glad he went.

So, we got one of the better entry level instrument that was recommended (plastic with wood lined head) and were quite put off by the lack of volume and quality of sound. We then discovered that in order to get to the next level in wood it would cost us $500 plus and that a OK one would be $1000 plus.

That was our main put off to recorder.

In the mean time we found Chiff and Fipple.......

For the cost of two very nice recorders (even on the used market) I have an EXTREMELY nice collection of whistles from some of the best and most respected makers in whistledom and a couple of very nice flutes. Heck, for the price of a couple of top notch recorders I got my wife a VERY nice baby grand piano.

One other thing to note. The "disagreement" and "anymosity" is not just against recorders or other instruments in general (have you seen the "distain" for bodhran players yet?). Heck, whistle players sometimes "attack" each other!!! I think it has something to do with the bar room mentallity and too much alchohol before posting.

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:43 pm

jbarter wrote:We only take the mick out of recorders when it's the banjo player's day off.

As a newbie banjo player, may I just say OI, LEAVE IT. :roll:

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:45 pm

missy wrote:you want abuse? Try playing banjo!! ...

Nah, for REAL abuse surely it has to be bodhran.