Hey Grandpa - you're not all wet you're allwight (scuse the pun)...
Trouble is words/phrases like 'sexed up' and 'gay' mean different things in different contexts these days....come to think of it they also mean different things in different countries.
Take the word 'spin' which is extensively used by the media in the UK to mean manipulating the truth - I always thought it meant to twirl around. (one's little finger perhaps)
Shorthand language is always going to create misunderstandings and I am sure Keith did not mean sexy as in bedroom activities.
Nevertheless, standards are continually falling and some group or other needs to exercise their minds about this for the benefit of the whole human race...
Marketing is something else entirely.
Best wishes for Xmas and a happy new year.
Roger M

Merry Christmas, everyone! When you wonder what the younger generation thinks of music, try to remember how it was when you were that age, then look around. Go sit in on a church's worship team practice, or if they have one for younger members, even better. You have kids that can't read a note of music that are willing and eager to get into music, but lack the finances for instruments, especially expensive keyboards. Bring in a bunch of instruments and watch the fun begin. The kids will sort out what they want to learn to play, even if it's a lowly tamborine, then it's a long, slow learning process. Most kids just don't have the money, and their family finances usually won't support their yearnings either, so like most of us when we were growing up, we just had to wait until we could afford something. Usually, that means later on in life after the kids are grown up and not such a drain of the pocketbook. But, they certainly are out there and no matter what their musical inclination might be, it's the love of music that binds us all together in one very loud, and hopefully, musical group. So keep on playing and I guarantee you, someone will always stop to listen!

Hi Bud,

You said, "You have kids that can't read a note of music that are willing and eager to get into music . . ." How true! I mentioned in my post above that I have a disabled son. About two years ago a music program was introduced at my son's Day Center. A young lady brought a KN5000 keyboard and all sorts of percussion instruments (tamborines, bongos, triangles, maracas etc.) and worked with the folks at the Center. That young lady has dedicated herself to teaching the folks how to use the instruments and to play them on the beat. A remarkable achievement! Some of the folks do their best to sing a song. It is so heartwarming to attend one of their periodic music presentations and see what they have achieved. They love playing the instruments and love the music. It is often said that music is an international language and it is. It is also a language the disabled can understand and appreciate. Yes Bud, you are right. Even those who cannot read a note of music can play and enjoy.

Chuck

Chuck, my son is multi-handicapped and enjoys music, also. Some years ago I used to sit him on the bench at our Lowery organ and let him have at it. It was a slow learning process, but he kept trying until he figured out how to play songs with only small pauses while changing chords. He only has the use of his right arm, so everything had to be done on a slower scale. It was something he took great delight in doing, and we were amazed at how well he actually did. Those days are gone now, and tv is his main interest now, but he still likes to listen to music. We sometimes take him to the practice sessions for the church youth worship team and they let him tap a bongo while they're playing, so everyone has a good time. The kids there are eager to play and if we had a sax, drums, and a banjo, we would have even more learners, but unfortunately, no teachers. I can help with guitar, bass, and keyboards, but stick a drumstick in my hand and I'll try to eat it. I know this is a little off the thread, but what the hey, it's the holiday season!

Hi,
I must admit I've always been a tad dissapointed that my 2 sons showed absolutely no interest in playing music.
There'd always been a piano in the home since before they were born.
Had a piano teacher come to the home to give them lessons when they were about 7 & 10, eventually gave up when we used to have to coax the 7 year old ( in tears) out from under the baby grand. They both just hated playing, and I wasn't going to force lessons on them.

By the time they reached their teens I'd discovered a whole new world of music
" synthesizers & computer sequencers " the type of equipment the rock bands were using.
The sons musical friends wanted me to adopt them ( haahaa) they were fascinated by it all. The younger son decided he'd like to learn guitar so he could play in a band with the rest of his friends (unlike me, he could actually play by ear) Again, it didn't last long. The boys had a falling out, the guitar ended up in the cupboard.

I tend to think an interest in playing music has got to come from within one's self. The boys both love music. They enjoy music ranging from the 60's ( way before they were born) right through to modern day Dance music. The younger one even enjoys 40's swing music. But as to wanting to actually play it, the answer is NO.

best wishes
Rikki

Hi Rikki and Bud,

Rikki, you're so right when you say playing music has to come from within one's self. I think that is true for everyone with any hobby. I am a sportsman. I love sports of all types. My two younger sons have no interest in sports at all. I tried to get them interested in various sports when they were growing up, all to no avail. Bud, I wish my son had an interest in television, but he doesn't. In addition to having a severe learning disability, he is also autistic and an insulin-dependent diabetic. Yet, he loves music. When we are riding along in the car he won't let me fiddle with the CD player or the radio. His favorite song is "Downtown", recorded by Petula Clark, I believe. When I play that song for him his face just lights up. Like you, Bud, I know this is off topic more or less but it is good to share.

You two take care.

Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY FORUM FRIENDS!

Chuck

Hi,
talk about a dreamer. Hubby mentioned he might take up guitar. So I dashed out and bought him one last xmas along with a "How to Play Guitar Video". The guitar lasted as long as it took to get the jolly thing tuned.
I had grand visions of playing duets ( haahaa).
I'd been trying to get him interested in some sort of a hobby for years and when the words "guitar" cropped up, I couldn't help myself.
He used to love his sport,too, Aussie Rules Football, cricket, mad keen golfer but unfortunately a building accident nearly 30 years ago left him a parapalegic and confined to a wheel chair.
Fortunately he enjoys his work ( he went back to building, but only supervises nowadays) On weekends he enjoys pottering round the garden and loves mowing the lawns
( he has a ride on lawn mower) It's fortunate for me he enjoys the gardening , because I hate it.
Week nights he watches tv. I suppose when he retires he'll find himself a hobby, if not, we'll have to buy an acreage with lawns so he can mow , mow , mow.( haahaa)
Might get him a Harmonica next, might master that more quickly than a guitar???(forever hopeful)

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chuck Piper:
[B]Hi Rikki and Bud,

Thanks to everyone for their responses on this one. Sorry about the misunderstanding on the term "sexy". It was, as Roger pointed out, only intended to convey a meaning of general desirability of an activity or product, not the more anatomical variety. I have worked on projects with people from the USA for many years now and its always disconverting when you find a term, or expression that you thought would have the same meaning on the other side of the "pond" causing confusion, or worse offence. I made the mistake of saying that a smoking colleague was "popping out for a fag" in front of some state-side visitors a while back. Aparently it means something else entirely in America. ( A "fag" is a slang English term for a cigarette ). On the musical question, you are right, there is so much musical talent and enthusiasm amongst yougsters, but its difficult to harness it. State schools are always short of cash and musical instruments are expensive. The brass band I play for has a junior section and we teach the basics of music for a very small fee to any youngster who wants to learn. The problem is that Brass Band music is very "un-cool" these days ( apologies for the slang, but I hope you know what I mean ) and we have great difficulty attracting and retaining the youngsters. Playing in a band also teaches some other good things like behaving yourself, playing in harmony and working with a team. The kids we have are great, but with a few exceptions the parents couldn't care less and treat us like a cheap baby-sitting service.

Any-way thats my Xmas rant over and done with.

May I wish you all out there a great Christmas and, in these current turbulent times, a peaceful New Year

Keith

Keith, we used the term "fag" to describe cigarettes, too. But that was in Michigan back in the early fifties.

Hiya Keith
We better keep this subject going as it's collected a 'flame' as a popular subject...
And we better come clean and admit that we both help run the same Technics Keyboard Club in North Wiltshire in England, as you say mostly populated by elderly gentlemen every fortnight.
Now I wonder if Technics (who surely read this stuff) would be interested in a cost free marketing experiment to see whether we/they can really interest younger folk to learn to play the KN2600 model if as you say it is designed with a younger audience in mind.
Please Technics - if you are listening in - e-mail me and we'll take it from there...Keith and I live not far from your Berkshire HQ.
Roger M