[78-L] Huh?

[Malcolm Rockwell]

Geoffrey,
You are describing a Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association convention, only 
the people and players are mostly in their 70s and 80s. There are 
precious few young players. The last one I went to when I was still in 
my 50s and I was probably one of the youngest there. So attracting new 
musicians is always what the associations strives for.
Another thing the associations share is technology, and possibly why 
both interests are flagging. When a steel guitar was acoustic, cheap, 
easy to cart around and just beginning to be played, many people played 
it. Ditto for the ukulele.
As the steel guitar became progressively more complex it became harder 
to set up, got expensive, was hard to transport (along with it's now 
necessary amplifier & speakers) and the playing technique became harder 
to master. People lost interest. Too complicated.
Today the playing style is on it's last legs. This doesn't mean there 
aren't new practitioners - there are some. But they are fewer and fewer 
as time goes by.
The sound of the Hawaiian steel guitar goes along with the fantasy that 
is Hawaii in the minds of most of the world. It's virtually unheard in 
Hawaii.
Note that most of what I've described also applies to 78s and their 
lovers. As it will in future to pursuers of other formats including the 
CDs, which are almost obsolete now, and digital files of today's music 
market.
Ah, the good old days!
Malcolm

*******


Geoffrey Wheeler wrote:
> Thatcher Graham says: “I find that music collectors just a bit younger 
> than me don't even know
> 78s existed. Or if they do, don't understand the different between them 
> and LPs.
> having never played records of any kind, they recognize them by diameter
> not material or playing speed. My interns abstain from physical media
> entirely - downloading and sharing digital media exclusively.  They see
> our hobby as a novelty. The genre of music is not the obstruction. They 
> just have no connection
> to physical media.”
>
> Thank you, Thatcher, for raising this issue. One of the big concerns of 
> the IAJRC (International Association of Jazz Record Collectors) is how 
> to attract young people to the hobby. We do have several members in 
> their 30s who attend our annual Convention, but most attending members 
> are in their 50s, 60s, and beyond. As the membership ages, we are not 
> adding new blood. Your comments and that of other contributors on this 
> matter have given me an idea that I have just e-mailed to the Manager 
> of our 2010 Convention in September: Contact one or more local schools 
> and invite a class or two to visit our Convention Record Room where 
> they can see and hear 78s and LPs, what makes them different from CDs, 
> how a phonograph works, and have a demonstrator give an entertaining 
> explanation of these and other features. Seeing, hearing, and touching 
> may be a way to help young people become aware of records, how much fun 
> they can be, and why people turn collecting them into a lifetime hobby!
>