Attracting people to our hobby

[alang]

Also keep in mind that you are planting seeds, which seldom produce an instant crop. I got started with music boxes. I first heard and was intrigued by a large music box a couple of decades before I ever took the time to learn about them and become a collector, but that eventually happened because that wonderful sound stayed in the back of my mind all those years. That kind of thing happens more often than you might imagine, even though you may not be around to see that seed you planted bear fruit.

Clay

I absolutely agree. If I look at myself, I was interested in 78s for many years on and off and had a couple hundred that I found on flea markets etc. I would have been interested in gramophones, but couldn't find any that were real that I could afford. Then came family, work, move to the US, and the records were in a box in my basement. Many years later my wife found an Edison DD BC-34 at a furniture auction, which triggered the phono collecting bug. What was different to 20 years earlier? I now had the time, opportunity, and available funds to get into the hobby. So while 100% of the people you show your phonographs to may not get into the hobby right away, about 50% find it interesting, 20% want to hear more than just a couple of records, and 5% may get this dormant interest that develops into an active hobby at some point later in their lives.

I played the wedding march at my daughters wedding on a phonograph and many guests found that way "cooler" and more unusual than even live music. My youngest son did a presentation in high school about the early history of recorded sound and brought my VV-50 along as a prop. He played "I don't want to set the world on fire" by the Ink Spots and the whole class recognized it from the computer game "Fallout 3". Who knows, maybe one of them will dig through some 78s at the next flea market, just for fun. So every showing of any of our machines might trigger something in someone, who knows. And even if not, I just love to show my machines, play my records, and talk about Talking Machines.

Andreas

[Valecnik]

How does one see something on facebook like the person fran604G above posts?
Jerry F Bacon-Dallas,Tx

Jerry, you need a Facebook account if you don't have one. Then you can browse around searching different phono related words and pages will pop up. Below is a link to mine.

https://www.facebook.com/Cylinderphonograph

If you go there and click "Like" page or, post a comment on the page so I can recognize you, I can then message you with links to other related pages too.

[phono-smitten]

I like the idea of leaving unwanted journals in a waiting room. It certainly can't hurt and as stated in the original post could spark someone's interest.

I accidentally stumbled upon the world of talking machines while searching local ads for a cabinet. A floor model phonograph popped up in my searches because 'cabinet' was in the title. I thought, "Wow, that's pretty neat!" I started doing a little research and was hooked.

I had never seen an acoustic phonograph in my family or knew of anyone who had one. If it hadn't been for that ad I don't think I would now be learning about and enjoying these early machines and music. You never know where inspiration may strike!

[welshfield]

A few years ago a friend who was professor of music at Kent State asked me to being some phonographs and records to demonstrate to his students in a class on "Popular Music." To make a great impression I brought my Victor V and Edison Home with cygnet horn and a couple of discs and cylinders. After three trips, both of us carrying phonos, horns, records up about three flights of stairs I set up and began my demonstration.

I played a Red Seal Caruso to demonstrate a best-seller of that era, then a cylinder titled "Home Sweet Home the World Around," on which the announcer announces a country, such as Germany, and the band plays Home Sweet Home in a German idiom, in that case as a march. The announcer then announces another country and the band plays the tune in that appropriate idiom. Finally the announcer announces "America," and the band plays Home Sweet Home in ragtime, indicating to me at least that ragtime had become the American idiom of the era. Unfortunately, those students who were at least paying attention did not understand and I spend a good ten minutes trying to explain.

I ended with the Original Dixieland Jass Band's seminal recording of 1917. The entire class was distinctively disinterested at best, uninterested at worst, staring out the window, at the floor, or at their cell phones during the entire demonstration.

I must conclude that this was a great deal of effort, potential wear or damage to my machines, with absolutely no return. No student lingered after the class to review or discuss the machines, the recordings, or the music. They seemed to fight for the door at the end of the class.

I do understand that we need to bring our machines and records out to the public to encourage future interest but this decidedly was not one of those opportunities. I have decided that we need to pick and choose our events.

John

[Valecnik]

I sympathize with you Welshfield.

I've given similar demonstrations at home, (obviously with much less effort involved) and often one can see, 30 seconds into the record that audience is already waiting for it all to be over...

Conversly, if someone tried to make me sit through a professional foodball game or listen to a Lady Ga Goo album, I might behave in the same way.

[FloridaClay]

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience John. It sounds like an excellent demonstration program you had arranged. My few excursions along those lines have been quite positive, but perhaps I have just been lucky.

Clay

[VintageTechnologies]

Welshfield, I should count myself lucky, then. I was similarly invited to give a lecture at a community college about 30 years ago. Most of the students were mature adults, not teens or 20-somethings. I took an Edison B-19 Chalet and a Home phonograph. Most of the folks seemed quite impressed.

[obmcclintock]

On valentines day I took an Edison horn machine to our local senior center. They know locally that I collect such things and the manager asked me to come and demonstrate for them but when I played it all that they did was talk through the entire event???????? This is a group of old farmers and I believe I was the youngest person there and I an 66. I felt kinda bad but it further demonstrated to me that I need to find a way to reach young people instead. Has anybody had any luck contacting and getting into schools playing for younger kids? I think that possibly that would be a good way of sparking an interest.

[zenith82]

I have decided that we need to pick and choose our events.

John

That's true up to a point, but you need to remember - you never know where or with whom your demonstration will spark an interest. 99 out of 100 people probably won't care and see it as a waste of time infringing upon their Wal-Mart consumerist lifestyles, but if only one person shows an interest, you've accomplished something. And you never know who that person is going to be.

[outune]

I'm a retired special education teacher. In the later years of my career I mostly taught teachers-- but while I was still in the classrooms I would do an annual "Phonograph Day"-- usually around Edison's birthday. I mostly did presentations for 3rd through 6th graders -- both special education and general education students. I'd do 3 or 4 presentations throughout the day for different grade levels. It was a great way to encourage inclusion of the special needs kiddos, too. I'd take 5 or 6 machines, a few Nipper items (including a couple large stuffed ones from the 80's---always a hit!), and a selection of records that the kids may recognize (Farmer in the Dell, America the Beautiful, Jack and Jill, etc-- The kids always loved the Spike Jones' parodies-- especially "Bubble Gum" and "You Always Hurt the One You Love"-- Most had no idea what a "record" was-- so I always had a few "expendables" on hand to pass through the crowd (only a couple breaks over at least a dozen years of doing it). I'd pass around cylinders, 78's, Diamond Discs, 45's, 33's, cassettes and CD's as I talked about the changes in sound recordings over the years. Letting them hold history was a way to activate their brains and let them know that history doesn't have to be hands-off.
Yes-- there were a few mishaps over the years-- A Suitcase Home that fell off the 4 wheel cart when my 6th grade 'helper' took a corner too fast- but all in all it was a great experience. The younger kids tend to enjoy anything different from the normal daily routine-- I'd encourage folks that are interested to contact their local elementary school and see about doing a display or a presentation-- It's definitely fun!

Brad