[CAUT] Prepared pianos

[Ron Nossaman]

On 1/31/2011 4:25 PM, Fred Sturm wrote:
> On Jan 31, 2011, at 2:44 PM, Jim Busby wrote:
>
>> You might be interested to know what precipitated this “problem” we
>> have at BYU. I have been finding sticky notes, and have noticed
>> “coloring” on the strings. I came to find out that this was crayon
>> someone was using to mark nodal points. (Anyone know how to clean that
>> off?) So…. I put notes in every piano with the sticky notes that said
>> “Please don’t touch the strings or dampers of this or any BYU piano.
>> If you want to do some “inside the piano” compositions please let us
>> help you.” The teacher took umbrage with that note and wrote a nasty
>> letter to the Director about “how dare we…” etc. so, now the debate
>> and fight begins.
>
> Hmmm, I guess I'd have to say your note was a bit of an over-reaction.
> Not that the results of what the students were doing isn't annoying and
> at least cosmetically damaging, but better to address it as that: "What
> you have done has made this pristine looking piano look like crap" is
> the message to convey, and so I'd offer alternatives and suggest they
> come to you for additional suggestions and help. "Crayon is not a good
> way to mark nodes, it is hard to get off the strings. Please do X
> instead." "Please remove your sticky notes when done." That sort of
> thing. Prohibition is not an effective policy, it just causes resentment
> and tends to be ignored anyway. And "touching the strings or dampers"
> was not really the issue, was it?
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> fssturm at unm.edu <mailto:fssturm at unm.edu>
> http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FredSturm


Seems to me the message ought to be "This is not your piano to deface or 
damage on your whim", however obtusely and inoffensively worded. People 
may indeed be unaware of the potential for damage (however uncommon 
sense may be), but they all should have at least been taught some 
respect for the considerably expensive property of others.

That's all I wanted. Back to the cheap seats.
Ron N