Slightly O/T ... Hope for the Future of the hobby

[Valecnik]

Awhile back I was driving in the car with my 6 year old daughter and and 5 year old son in the back seat.

Listening over my shoulder I heard her singing something that "rang a bell", pun intended. I listened a bit longer to the "do doooo do dooo do do-do do-do..." and recognized it as Sousa's "Liberty Bell March". She continued mostly correctly and finished the song. When I asked her where she learned that she said, "It's from your gramophone daddy." and it sure is. I really like it and do play it from time to time.

Now how many six year olds can "do do" their way through the Liberty Bell???

[Tinkerbell]

Now how many six year olds can "do do" their way through the Liberty Bell???

Oh, that can take on more than one meaning!! (Especially with a six year old!)

[Valecnik]

Hmmm.... never thought of that when I was writing but you are right, very right...

[SonnyPhono]

I loved your story, Valecnik. My daughter isn't old enough to sing the songs that I play quite yet. But the last few weeks she refuses to go to bed without visiting each of my phonographs and saying "night night". Her favorite is an A-100 Diamond Disk phonograph that she loves to dance to. It's amazing how long she will dance considering she is only 1 year old. There is hope...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGCD9RtJ1Xk[/youtube]

[Lucius1958]

I loved your story, Valecnik. My daughter isn't old enough to sing the songs that I play quite yet. But the last few weeks she refuses to go to bed without visiting each of my phonographs and saying "night night". Her favorite is an A-100 Diamond Disk phonograph that she loves to dance to. It's amazing how long she will dance considering she is only 1 year old. There is hope...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGCD9RtJ1Xk[/youtube]

Definitely cute! And a tune like 'Funiculi Funicula' would make anybody dance......

[Valecnik]

Very cute Sonnyphono,

Our kids will likely be among the few that realize there was recorded music before the invention of the I-Pod!

[syncopeter]

My young adult son, who is definitely of the MP3 generation is now seriously looking for a record player. One of the prerequisites: it must be able to play 78 rpm. From there it is just one step to buying an acoustic gramophone, albeit a portable one because of room constrictions. So there is hope yet that the hobby won't end with our generation. Records, including 78s, are hugely popular again here in Europe, in some cases outselling CD's.

[hillndalefan]

One of the joys I had when my two boys were young [7 & 8 or so], was teaching them how to play the machines, so I could sit in my reclining chair, hand them the records and enjoy the music without having to do the work. The only thing I didn't let them work with was the wax cylinders, but they knew how to treat the celluloid ones with respect, and change the needles on the Victrola 300!

[Calle]

I like you story Valecnik and it's (gladly) recognizable as my son of 3 and my daughter of 5 always discuss whether I should play "daddy's music" (as he says) or "my music" (as she says, and that's mostly more modern music ...
Some weeks ago they were at my parents-in-law when they heard a song on the radio: immediately they shouted: "that song has my daddy also"
To be honest: my son do like my old stuff (gramophones, phonographs, records and so on) more as my daughter... I think it's more a "man's" hobby... (sorry Tinkelbell, you are an exception...; but I like it that you're so enthusiastic !)

[Zeppy]

My 2 year old daughter has developed a curiosity of the phonograph, but she has very definite tastes in music. Opera. Most mornings she'll take me by the hand, lead me to the Victrola, and demand, "more opera." I put a record on, she puts her arms up (demanding to be lifted to see the record playing), and will watch and listen. I tried playing a couple of dance records for her, and she does not approve. She has gotten to the point that she recognizes opera irrespective of the souce (radio, cd, etc), but definitely prefers the phonograph (either that, or she just prefers Caruso).