"Dabblers"-Your opinion?

[squinchy]

I was curious about how a forum of accomplished pianists feel about people who "dabble" in piano music.

By "dabble," I mean something along these lines:

1. They don't own a piano and have no intention of getting one.
2. They come to your house, your mom tells you to play something for their parents (who were dropping them off), you play, and they suddenly want to play exactly what you just played (which is a relatively easy Mozart sonata [K283 in G]).
3. They plop down on the bench and ask you to teach them.
4. Knowing your friend's inexperience in music, you decide to teach them an easier piece, something much shorter, less complex, etc.
5. After a few minutes of repeating each little phrase from each hand over and over, they want to play the piece HT..
[--this is where the "dabbler" part comes in. I have no problem with steps 1-5. I like teaching people music even though I probably shouldn't be.--]
6. They try a maximum of 2 tries HT before they give up, usually because they can't get their hands to play on the same beat, resulting in eighths<-->triplets. [How I envy their ability..]
7. Having given up, they decide to play what they 'already know,' like the first 3 measures of Fur Elise, the first 2 measures of the Moonlight Sonata, Heart and Soul, Chopsticks, The-Poundy-Black-Key-Knuckle-Piece, etc. And they play all of it completely and utterly wrong.

Number seven is what really bothers me. Maybe I should be happy that they're interested in the piano at all, but it irks me when people see a piano (steps 2-6 are usually skipped) and then decide to butcher some of its greatest (or at least most popular) works.

Should I be bothered? Or am I being unreasonable, stupid, and snobbish?

Please opinionate.

[allchopin]

Heart and Soul

O God, make it stop...

[donjuan]

I was curious about how a forum of accomplished pianists feel about people who "dabble" in piano music.

By "dabble," I mean something along these lines:

1. They don't own a piano and have no intention of getting one.
2. They come to your house, your mom tells you to play something for their parents (who were dropping them off), you play, and they suddenly want to play exactly what you just played (which is a relatively easy Mozart sonata [K283 in G]).
3. They plop down on the bench and ask you to teach them.
4. Knowing your friend's inexperience in music, you decide to teach them an easier piece, something much shorter, less complex, etc.
5. After a few minutes of repeating each little phrase from each hand over and over, they want to play the piece HT..
[--this is where the "dabbler" part comes in. I have no problem with steps 1-5. I like teaching people music even though I probably shouldn't be.--]
6. They try a maximum of 2 tries HT before they give up, usually because they can't get their hands to play on the same beat, resulting in eighths<-->triplets. [How I envy their ability..]
7. Having given up, they decide to play what they 'already know,' like the first 3 measures of Fur Elise, the first 2 measures of the Moonlight Sonata, Heart and Soul, Chopsticks, The-Poundy-Black-Key-Knuckle-Piece, etc. And they play all of it completely and utterly wrong.

Number seven is what really bothers me. Maybe I should be happy that they're interested in the piano at all, but it irks me when people see a piano (steps 2-6 are usually skipped) and then decide to butcher some of its greatest (or at least most popular) works.

Should I be bothered? Or am I being unreasonable, stupid, and snobbish?

Please opinionate.

oh, man I hate those people!!  They come and show you how short their motivation and attention span is..

Squinchy, I wonder- have you ever seen American Idol?  It's like during the first auditions when the horrible singers come up believing they can sing (they probably sit at home humming while listening to music, and then suddenly thinking, 'hey, I could do that!' ).  

I go to high school.  At this high school there is this really bad piano with like, tape holding the keys together..lol.
People somehow find out I play piano, so they come and bug me, making me play for them.  so after a few notes, they interrupt, push me off the bench, and start beligerently pounding the crap out of that already saddened state of a piano.

I feel your pain, and believe you should be bothered by these people.  I most certainly am!  Ive even had to deal with morons who thought the piano "worked" by "pressing buttons".    
donjuan

[donjuan]

O God, make it stop...

lol!!!
donjuan

[faulty_damper]

Just be glad he didn't mention that theme song at Disneyland.  It's a Small World (after all).

I've never had that experience of the dabblers.  At least I don't think I've had it.  But I think I used to be a dabbler when I was younger.  I doubt it just because.  But I now play the piano.

Short point of the above:  I don't expect instantaneous results when I interact with other people, especially those who are younger than I (for they have yet to grow).  I provide something, an experience for them to explore and I'd like to think that the experience is the planting of a seed that may be watered one day - just not today.  This methodology of mine never nets instantaneous results - it's a passive approach, one reason.  But I am convinced that it does get watered and eventually sprout.

This planting of a seed seems to hold true for many things in life.  Think back and think of the things you've experienced that you did not follow through on or give any consideration on but is now the opposite.  I'm sure you're convinced of the planted seed, no?

[Shagdac]

I don't think I've had this happen to often. I guess if it were a small child I may find it cute, but when I've had an older person plop down and try to play the first several lines of a well known classic (Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata, etc) and butcher it, I just bite my tongue! However, I usually find the opposite. If I play first, usually someone with no experience who only knows Chop Sticks, etc...won't want to play. I guess it would be the similar situation if turned around...If someone played Rach 3 or something, and then turned to me and said, "okay, lets hear you play something"....
I don't think I would want to play! Hahahaha. However if it is a young person, it wouldn't bother me, and I would try to show them whatever they wanted.

I can remember when I first started piano and I went over to a friends home who also played piano...we would sit and play those little silly duet pieces, Heart and Soul, Chop Sticks....everyone I knew did, I mean we were  like 4-6 years old. Now, yeah it would bother me, but with a little kid, nah....they think it's fun. And if it sparks their interest, who knows....

s

[faulty_damper]

Yeah, it's amazing how so many of us knew how to play Heart and Soul and Chopsticks as kids.  I remember picking up the Heart and Soul tune almost immediately and played it with my sisters.  The only thing about us was that we didn't know how to play Chopsticks.  I didn't even know how until just recently.  (My sister still doesn't know how.)

But some of my younger sister's friends know how to play both of them.  I joked recently about how every real piano student doesn't know how to play chopsticks but all non-piano students do.  Hehe, funny, eh?

[Shagdac]

Yep, that's true! I can even remember that some of us played the bottom part to H & S using C - A - F - G, and some used C- A - D - G. That always used to provoke an argument over which was right and which was wrong....
actually I still don't know...have heard it both many times hahahaha!

[ayahav]

Actually, H&S can be a lot of fun if you play it 4 hands with someone who knows how to play and invent variations.... Major, minor, modal modulate and do it somewhere else on the keyboard, switch roles.... that's always a fun game....

Chopsticks, on the other hand, I cannot stand... though it does have a nice atmosphere to it when played in f# minor....

Don't get me wrong... I hate 'dabblers' too.... They show absolutely no appreciation for the years and years that one spends learning the craft of playing an instrument...

We had friends over once, and I was practising playing the Chopin First Ballade, and she came and asked me how long it took me to learn to play it... Remembering she had just tried to 'dabble' 10 minutes before that, I told her the truth... I'd been learning the piano for 10 years, and that how long it took me to be able to play that piece.....

cheers. amit

[Antnee]

Ive even had to deal with morons who thought the piano "worked" by "pressing buttons".      

That's nothing, one time in the hall of my school a kid was just strumming on a guitar in between classes and a kid in the class I was going to (I sat right next to him actually) told the kid to "stop playing that piano". I heard him say it, and I thought maybe he was joking so I asked him. Turns out he doesn't know the difference between the piano and the guitar!! WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO!! I was so stunned to learn that he really didn't know the difference I just sort of chuckled. Of course his interest in music as confined entirely to rap which pretty much rots what little brains our society seems to have...
oh well...

-Tony-

[donjuan]

That's nothing, one time in the hall of my school a kid was just strumming on a guitar in between classes and a kid in the class I was going to (I sat right next to him actually) told the kid to "stop playing that piano". I heard him say it, and I thought maybe he was joking so I asked him. Turns out he doesn't know the difference between the piano and the guitar!! WHY WHY WHY!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO!! I was so stunned to learn that he really didn't know the difference I just sort of chuckled. Of course his interest in music as confined entirely to rap which pretty much rots what little brains our society seems to have...
oh well...

-Tony-

hahaha!! i find that very funny indeed!  What I find is, when someone shows how ignorant they are in public, and everyone else laughs at them, it's funny!!!  However, if you are in a generally ignorant environment, one of them says something ignorant, PEOPLE START AGREEING WITH THAT PERSON, I just have to get out of the room.  

At highschool, I take quitar class.  In this class there is this dumb-ass kid who only listens to rap-(f this, mother f-er, type stuff)- and he was surprised to hear of "classical music" on the guitar.  Since then, he tries to avoid the guitar at all costs.  

I dont know if anyone has heard of this, but in my city down at the main library, there was a time when drunken homeless people came to loiter.  I mean, LOITER!! there were maybe 30 homeless guys (mostly aboriginals).  TO get them to disperse, the library piped out classical music from the outdoor speakers.  Within 10 minutes, the place was free of homeless types and back to normal.
Interesting, no?
donjuan

[squinchy]

Also, does it bother anyone that people think the person who can play the first few notes of Fur Elise or MLS is a better pianist than the person who plays the correct version of any non-popular piece?

This is normally what happens every other morning.

-I go to string orchestra class. The teacher is late as usual (I have it first period), everyone else is late as usual, so I decide to practice some piano on the falling apart piano.

-Some kid cuts through the orchestra room to get to music class (where the teacher teaches classical music appreciation while the students sleep, play MASH/Soulmates, and do homework).

-They hear me practicing and say something like, "Whoa..that song was like, so, cool."

-A kid in my strings class arrives (who can't play the violin for her LIFE), moves toward the piano, kicks me off the bench, and starts butchering something.

-Everyone (there's usually a group watching, now) shows more enthusiasm for them.

-I feel unwanted and unhappy about the entire situation, and if I show my unhappiness AT ALL, people think I'm crazy or an idiot b*#@!, amongst other things.

And this is all from 14 year olds in a homogenous town on an 'urban fringe' who wear Abercrombie because American Eagle is too expensive*, think I'm weird because I absolutely refuse to wear Abercrombie and listen to Evanescense, try to be 'ghettofabilicious', et cetera.

*American Eagle sells ugly clothes at super-high prices.
*Abercrombie and Fitch sells even uglier clothes at even higher prices, shirts that make fun of minorities, and discriminate against minorities.

Actually, H&S can be a lot of fun if you play it 4 hands with someone who knows how to play and invent variations.... Major, minor, modal modulate and do it somewhere else on the keyboard, switch roles.... that's always a fun game....

*reminds self to learn music theory*

[DarkWind]

I absolutely hate these kind of people. They are the kind that make the really good pianists seem like nothing. I could be playing the first parts of Wilde Jagd, or just about any other transcendental etude, someone can go over and play Fur Elise, and boom!, they are "better" than me. It just makes me angry! Never gets you the attention you deserve. People never find interest in the really good stuff. What I sometimes try to do is playing something really really fast just to catch their attention, then proceed to my favorite stuff.

[Shagdac]

I find what DonJuan wrote interesting....that within 30 minutes of piping classical music out of the library, that all the homeless people disapated. I was surprised...as I was reading that, I thought (I know how this is going to end)...that there was a mob of people at the library by the time if finished. I'm really surprised that the classical music made them leave. I know it's not appreciated by everyone, however I thought it would be more "welcoming, comforting", than it would drive them away.

Who knows.....maybe they left in shame, at their inapttitude towards life to fully appreciate such exquisite art at it's finest! Hahahaha
(just kiddn)

s

[faulty_damper]

I heard about playing recordings of classical music to dissapate unwanted crowds.  They did it somewhere in the States, too.  Weird phenomenon?  I think so.  If they played something interesting, like Beethoven, I'd actually stick around and listen.  But why would these "other people" leave?  Maybe it's "crampin' ma style".

[Antnee]

Well, I doubt that classical music sounds good played on big speakers outdoors. It probably would sound just like noise with all of the other noises around you. But, I'd stick around too...

-Tony-

[donjuan]

Well, I doubt that classical music sounds good played on big speakers outdoors. It probably would sound just like noise with all of the other noises around you. But, I'd stick around too...

-Tony-

Of course you would stick around.  But, then again, I dont think you are a homeless drunken native guy.  Many intelligent people who enjoy music wouldn't mind spending a few minutes downtown listening to classical music over the speakers.
donjuan  

[liszmaninopin]

A lot of people have some form of objection to piano music, or so it seems to me.  I know that when I practice at school, if there are any other students around, they will either poke fun at me for playing piano instead of basketball; or they will walk up and hammer the keys while I'm in the middle of something.  Actually, not all of them do that, but enough to be annoying.

To tell you the truth, I hardly ever play any of the music so popular with those who don't really know what they're doing, i.e. first few bars of Fur Elise, first bit of Moonlight Sonata, first few bars of Claire de Lune, etc.

What bothers me more than that, though, is people who make requests at family get togethers.  If I'm playing something, I'll often be interrupted, and they'll ask me to play "Claire de Lune."  Then, I either drop what I'm doing and comply with their request, or look like a grump.  I should be more tolerant, as they don't have much exposure to piano-but I can't help but view it as rude to talk to somebody who is playing the piano.

[faulty_damper]

It's Beethoven syndrome we've got!  Beethoven syndrome!  In the past, during family get togethers, my sister used to play, my mom and perhaps others tell my sister to play "happy birthday" songs on the piano.  I remember this well because now that I play the piano, the last birthday get together she asked the same thing.

Perhaps I do not have what others would call respect for my mother or father but I just stared back at her with a stern look and refused to play anything for her or the situation.  I just continued what I was practicing.

With strangers, though, I'm much more tolerant and nice about it.

[donjuan]

What bothers me more than that, though, is people who make requests at family get togethers.  If I'm playing something, I'll often be interrupted, and they'll ask me to play "Claire de Lune."  Then, I either drop what I'm doing and comply with their request, or look like a grump.  I should be more tolerant, as they don't have much exposure to piano-but I can't help but view it as rude to talk to somebody who is playing the piano.

At least they ask you, rather than tell you.  I was playing Liszt's Grand Galop Chromatique for some dumbass kids in my guitar class, and they kept telling me to play Heart and Soul, chopsticks, or they would, (in the middle of my playing) barge in and do the rolling knuckle sharps piece.  Bastards!!
donjuan

[liszmaninopin]

I know the feeling.  Where do you think that "rolling knuckles" thing ever came from, anyway?  I just thought of what would be mildly funny.  Somebody should write a short, showy set of variations on the theme, and whenever somebody interrupts with the rolling knuckles, you can mock them and show how it's really done.

[faulty_damper]

What's the rolling knuckle sharps piece?  

[liszmaninopin]

Here is the procedure to play the rolling knuckle sharps piece:

1.  Find a junky piano with somebody practicing something that requires intense concentration.

2.  Demand that they play Fur Elise.

3.  When no response is forthcoming, take the knuckles of your fingers 2, 3, and 4, and roll them up any group of three black keys from F#-A# (preferably right in the field of vision of your chosen pianist victim)  Then, hit with your fourth knuckle, the C# above your three black key group twice.

4.  Repeat once

5.  Using knuckles 4, 3, and 2, use the same group of three black keys, and roll your knuckles down from A#-F#, then strike the D# below the group twice.

6.  Repeat once

7.  You have now completed one repetition of the rolling knuckles sharps piece-proceed to run from your chosen pianist victim before he hits you over the head with his music books.

5.  This time

[squinchy]

I know the feeling.  Where do you think that "rolling knuckles" thing ever came from, anyway?  I just thought of what would be mildly funny.  Somebody should write a short, showy set of variations on the theme, and whenever somebody interrupts with the rolling knuckles, you can mock them and show how it's really done.

Is it in the key of F# or C#?

At least they ask you, rather than tell you.  I was playing Liszt's Grand Galop Chromatique for some dumbass kids in my guitar class, and they kept telling me to play Heart and Soul, chopsticks, or they would, (in the middle of my playing) barge in and do the rolling knuckle sharps piece.  Bastards!!
donjuan

Hey-At least they ask you or make some form of a request. People just use their butts to subtley bump me off to the side of the bench and proceed with their horror.

To tell you the truth, I hardly ever play any of the music so popular with those who don't really know what they're doing, i.e. first few bars of Fur Elise, first bit of Moonlight Sonata, first few bars of Claire de Lune, etc.

I don't either..I haven't done Claire de Lune yet (why all those flats? Those flats are intimidating me. I hate flats.), nor movements 2/3 of MLS, and I can't seem to memorize either Fur Elise or Adaigo Sostenuto of MLS. I plan on memorizing more pieces over the summer to build some shadow of a repertoire, though.

[liszmaninopin]

Is it in the key of F# or C#?

There really isn't a key that I can tell, it's just kind of hitting notes.  I could be wrong, though.

I don't either..I haven't done Claire de Lune yet (why all those flats? Those flats are intimidating me. I hate flats.), nor movements 2/3 of MLS, and I can't seem to memorize either Fur Elise or Adaigo Sostenuto of MLS. I plan on memorizing more pieces over the summer to build some shadow of a repertoire, though.

Those flats are necessary to give the piece it's distinctive sound.  Don't let them intimidate you.  Actually, five flats is a much easier key than one might think would be the case.  Just remember, the only notes that aren't flat are F and C.  That's much easier than remembering those that are flatted.  The Adagio Sostenuto is tough to memorize-I've never bothered, I just play from the score.

[liszmaninopin]

If you'd like to learn some pieces that aren't too difficult, but are still very beautiful, you could try maybe Debussy's Reverie, a Beethoven Bagatelle, or one of the simpler Chopin preludes.  They're all every bit as wonderful as the adagio of Moonlight or Claire de Lune, and not nearly as overplayed.  (although they're not exactly neglected, either)

[liszmaninopin]

and one other piece suggestion that I forgot to mention:  Debussy's Arabesque #1

[donjuan]

I don't either..I haven't done Claire de Lune yet (why all those flats? Those flats are intimidating me. I hate flats.), nor movements 2/3 of MLS, and I can't seem to memorize either Fur Elise or Adaigo Sostenuto of MLS. I plan on memorizing more pieces over the summer to build some shadow of a repertoire, though.

Squinchy, I used to look at claire de lune and wonder why there were so many flats.  Once you learn the D-flat major scale, you will not percieve each note as flat this, natural that, but you will learn to live within the key.  And if you are patient enough, you will find all the keys are the same in difficulty. (Except C Major, I hate curving my fingers so much..)
donjuan

[Clare]

My advice: learn the theme to Beverly Hills Cop.

Or, otherwise, if you're on the piano at school playing some amazing piece with flair and someone kicks you off to pound out Fur Elise, toss your head back and cackle, then say, "Plebians! How little you truly know about the art of the pianoforte! I pity you all!"

See how that goes.

[Antnee]

A lot of people have some form of objection to piano music, or so it seems to me

Me too! If the subject of music ever comes up in a conversation, and classical music is mentioned, It is usually followed by comments like "classical music sucks" or it's "gay". what?? The only reason classical music is considered that by the "common people" is because it started to dissappear from the mainstream some fifty or so years ago. And now-a-days if it isn't mainstream it isn't cool, hip, in or anything. No one ever pokes fun at me, but I hear comments like this often and it really pisses me off. I don't make fun of you for getting high and wanting to commit crimes because you listen to rap do I? Even though maybe I should, because you're just proving my point by being ignorant enough to say classical music sucks and it's stupid and so on. I know I may sometimes be hypocritical by saying that in my opinion rap sucks, but then again classical music doesn't make you want to rape, kill or steal either.
My teacher has often talked to me about talking to the music teacher in my school about maybe doing a performance, but when I think about it all I think about is those stupid ass kids falling asleep in their chairs with their headphones on. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little but this is the way it is. I just don't get it. Oh well, I'm just ranting...

-Tony-

[Derek]

It isn't dabblers who bother me, unless of course they insist on playing the piano rather than listening to me play and possibly learning something.

What bothers me is what some of you posted about---when I ask (usually girls) if they like piano music they say: "Oh yes, I love piano music, I like to sleep to it, and the beginning of that one pop song with a piano is sooooo beautiful"   and the thing she is talking about happens to be a pedal point melody on A minor or something like that.

With responses like that I always want to play the piano for them and start out by saying "see those notes to the left side of the keyboard? THEY were meant to be used too, not just the upper half =D"

I don't suppose these things OUGHT to irritate us, as we should be grateful for the ability to both play and appreciate piano music,  we needn't expect others to have the same abilities or passions.

Finally I think that modern popular music has many variants which are just as accomplished as classical music. This includes progressive rock,  melodic death metal, lots of jazz...creative pop music....     Many musicians in these genres, although self taught, I think are just as (if not more) accomplished than classical musicians, because they in addition to playing well also create their own music.   So if people don't like piano music these days, its simply because its arcane and outdated, and we should simply rejoice in having arcane skills and talents

[faulty_damper]

About the knuckles on the black keys:  What goes after that?  F#,G#,A#, C#,C#.  Then reverse it.  I think I can improv something from it to sound like something a child's song would sound like.

[donjuan]

Me too! If the subject of music ever comes up in a conversation, and classical music is mentioned, It is usually followed by comments like "classical music sucks" or it's "gay". what?? The only reason classical music is considered that by the "common people" is because it started to dissappear from the mainstream some fifty or so years ago. And now-a-days if it isn't mainstream it isn't cool, hip, in or anything. No one ever pokes fun at me, but I hear comments like this often and it really pisses me off. I don't make fun of you for getting high and wanting to commit crimes because you listen to rap do I? Even though maybe I should, because you're just proving my point by being ignorant enough to say classical music sucks and it's stupid and so on. I know I may sometimes be hypocritical by saying that in my opinion rap sucks, but then again classical music doesn't make you want to rape, kill or steal either.
My teacher has often talked to me about talking to the music teacher in my school about maybe doing a performance, but when I think about it all I think about is those stupid ass kids falling asleep in their chairs with their headphones on. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little but this is the way it is. I just don't get it. Oh well, I'm just ranting...

-Tony-

I can relate so much to you.  I go to a retard highschool where everyone skips class, smokes, and walk around in the halls with RAP (crap..) going on their headphones wrapped around their neck, the volume cranked WAYWAY up, so everyone is forced to listen to the ignorant beligerent crap.  Anyway, I just wanted to say, I have to deal with the same trailer trash everyday.  cant wait to graduate.. :-/
donjuan  

[ted]

With age comes tolerance I guess. I have been in so many of these situations that they don't bother me now. I do occasionally though - very occasionally - come upon somebody with a genuine passion for music which has never had the opportunity to thrive.

Most people in general have absolutely no idea about what is difficult, or even impossible, and what is not. A really funny instance occurred some weeks ago when I put on a CD of David Thomas Roberts playing one of his more complicated pieces. I then played the same piece myself to show my visitor how I preferred certain phrases to sound. "My goodness", she exclaimed, "Isn't it marvellous how a musician can instantly play whatever they hear ! That's what I want you to teach my children to do."

Eh ?!

[liszmaninopin]

faulty:

You had the order right, I will elaborate exactly how it goes:

F#,G#,A#(legato) C#,C# (staccato)
F#,G#,A#(legato) C#,C# (staccato)

A#,G#,F#(legato) D#, D# (staccato, the D# below the F)
A#,G#,F#(legato) D#, D# (staccato)

that's it, or at least the version I've heard

DonJuan:

I know the feeling, you don't need to feel like your high school is especially retarded though; they're all that way.  I would suggest, however, that you refrain from calling them trailer trash.  Not only is that rather derogatory, but I know doctor's kids who fit your stereotype perfectly, and also I know kids with unemployed parents who treat others with dignity and respect.  I don't mean to be critical of what you, but just be careful.

[faulty_damper]

Yeah, the phrasing is rather obvious.  But it is just the beginning of a longer 'song'.  It's rather quite easy to improv it to a concluding cadence so I was wondering if there was a "correct" way to conclude it.

[liszmaninopin]

I've never heard a conclusion to the thing, you could certainly improvise one.  Maybe you could make a toccata out of the theme, or a dance.  Possibly, it's just like that piece that's supposed to be repeated over and over again (is it Satie's Vexations?), indefinitely...

[faulty_damper]

It's probably like "Chopsticks", it's actually a piece except no one knows how to conclude it.  I've heard it played last year at a recital and was surprised it had a conclusion, *Shock*!

[liszmaninopin]

how is chopsticks supposed to be concluded?  I've usually just done a "C" octave three or four times at the end.

[donjuan]

DonJuan:

I know the feeling, you don't need to feel like your high school is especially retarded though; they're all that way.  I would suggest, however, that you refrain from calling them trailer trash.  Not only is that rather derogatory, but I know doctor's kids who fit your stereotype perfectly, and also I know kids with unemployed parents who treat others with dignity and respect.  I don't mean to be critical of what you, but just be careful.

sorry , i meant it more as a reference to the "white trash" stereotype.  I was merely refering to anyone with no sense of pride, morals, or goals in life.  It was not directed at those who choose to live in "mechanical communities" as they would say, but truly, anyone who is "trashy" in their personality, or the way they treat people.  You are right- I shouldn't have said "trailer".  trash can come out of mansions, kingdoms, or government buildings...
donjuan

[liszmaninopin]

I'm just curious, but what area do you go to school in, anyway?

[donjuan]

It's in the good part of town... but the problem is the kind of kids that live around there.  All the junior highs around- all of the kids will eventually find their way to this highschool.  As a result it is a huge highschool filled with ignorance.
donjuan

[faulty_damper]

how is chopsticks supposed to be concluded?  I've usually just done a "C" octave three or four times at the end.

It's a much longer piece.  The first section is just the first section.  The second part is more elaborate.  I'm sure one of the more advanced children's compilation of pieces books will have it in there.  It's actually composed by some one.  Who?  I don't know.  He's probably dead so he'll be easy to find on Google.  I'll Google him up by the word "chopsticks".

[liszmaninopin]

I always find it amusing that, living in the rural, farming community in which I do; it is often the farmers' children who try to dress as if they're from a New York gang.

[donjuan]

I always find it amusing that, living in the rural, farming community in which I do; it is often the farmers' children who try to dress as if they're from a New York gang.

lol!  I have some deeply religious relatives that live far outside the city, somewhere in the boonies..they are detached almost completely from urban civilization.  They dress in overalls, shout YEEHAH!!, and spend hours of fun scratching mosquito bites they received at the ol' fishin' hole..lol!
donjuan

[liszmaninopin]

I don't have any relatives like that, but I do know people who match the description exactly.

[Tash]

in response to how people praise those who can play a bit of fur elise, H&S, etc.- i find that so damn annoying. before music classes at school we'd be waiting for the teacher to come and then someone'd go have a play on the piano, something really annoying (or pip would start improvising her 'jewish chants'- very funny so that's not too bad (no offense to anyone jewish here it was just her name for it)) and then they'd ask me to play something so i would and then i'd get kicked off after a while by dani who loves playing 'the heart asks pleasure first' from the film 'the piano' which is a nice piece but after hearing her play it for that past four years really quite unmusically it tends to drive you insane.

or better yet, i might be discussing my repertoire with non-music friends (they'd be like 'so what are you playing' and i'd be like 'oh blah blah' and that means absolutely nothing to them cos they have no idea what you're talking about) and then they'd say 'oh you should play the piano part to [insert some crappy pop song] and i'd be like 'now why would i want to paly that when i can play chopin or beethoven etc. aghh they have no appreciation for classical music

actually it was nice when i did play one piece to my music class and they liked it so much they made me play it continuously for the rest of the lesson whilst they lay on the floor and 'mediatated' because it was so relaxing!

oh another fun thing was when i taught everyone in my music class back in yr10 how to play 'frere jacques' so we had it in a round on all the octaves on the piano and then we'd play it in different rhythms and stuff with harmonies and drum beats and lyrics and everything!- now that was cool!

[glamfolk]

I've often heard the knuckle thing end with these notes:


c#,d,d#,e#,f#,f#,f#

That usually gets all the drunken natives to depart for their own section of town, leaving the the better society to enjoy this fine music without having to mingle.

[donjuan]

I've often heard the knuckle thing end with these notes:


c#,d,d#,e#,f#,f#,f#

That usually gets all the drunken natives to depart for their own section of town, leaving the the better society to enjoy this fine music without having to mingle.

heheehe!!
i hope no one on this thing is native...but, I never have met a native interested in classical music or enriching experiences...

Oh, I went to your website, Glamfolk..sounds like you are quite the success.

Nice to put a picture to a name.

donjuan

ps. IS anyone here native?  if you are, please tell me to shut up..

[squinchy]

I made my own interpretation of the knuckly-black-key thing. It sounds somewhat like Casey Jones.

That usually gets all the drunken natives to depart for their own section of town, leaving the the better society to enjoy this fine music without having to mingle.

What's a native?