In the News: Band instruments sold for Scrap!

[windmill]

This caught my eye. I'm sure I'm not the only one "crushed" from reading this story. You can watch it all on video.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-sout ... s-12190335

Ouch!

[tofu]

Those sentences for the convicted criminals are insane. Not even really a slap on the hand.

[fairweathertuba]

A good reason to install an alarm system and lock up the instruments in cages or lockers where they aren't readily available. We shouldn't have to take such percautions, but it's certainly necessary.

[bigbob]

WOW!! only paying 500 back for 15000 worth of horns???Bummer I guess they wern't music lovers<s>.........BB

[Wyvern]

The perpetrators should have been made to pay back the full £15k. I hope the band had insurance, but why should musicians insurance premiums have to cover this?

[b.williams]

I would LOVE to play in a town band like that!!!!!!

[Wyvern]

I would LOVE to play in a town band like that!!!!!!

You live in the wrong country. There must be few places in England where a town band like that would be more than 30 minutes drive away!

And if you were willing to play BBb Bass you would be welcomed with open arms - most bass players here want to play Eb

Jonathan "who knows a local brass band who has not had a regular BBb Bass for 10 year although they have 3 Eb's"

[imperialbari]

One older Danish brass band teacher, who had been an orchestral horn player, taught his players the ability to read Bb instruments from Eb parts and vice versa.

As I also have transposed a lot over the years, I could read BBb parts when playing my 981 Eb in situations where the BBb player was absent or came out too weak. Not all, but much of most BBb parts can easily be played in the true octave by a large Eb tuba.

Klaus

[bort]

Reminds me of good ol' Baltimore (and certainly lots of other places). All of the heroin addicts steal any metal they can find and sell it cheap for scrap. As long as they can make $20 for the day, they are set to get their fix for the day. Copper pipes, rain spouts, metal grave markers...

[Wyvern]

much of most BBb parts can easily be played in the true octave by a large Eb tuba.

But the tone is not the same. A brass band really needs BBb's to provide foundation.

[imperialbari]

I don’t disagree, but pragmatism dictates me getting the best out of what is available.

Kind of like our discussions about one of the two Eb tubists on the Malta marching video reading the low divisi line despite it being intended for the BBb in military bands’ bass clef notation.

And of course I brought one of my BBb flat basses when that BBb player was temporarily stationed in another country.

Klaus

[Conn 2J CC]

I just read the articles and watched the videos about this tragedy. That's really sad. And the sentences given to those involved with the theft and destruction of the instruments were lame at best.

[imperialbari]

I just read the articles and watched the videos about this tragedy. That's really sad. And the sentences given to those involved with the theft and destruction of the instruments were lame at best.

Certainly! None the least concerning the fence who feigned ignorance about the relation between the stolen instruments and the ones he bought and then scrapped them after the warning.

We have copper wires cut from the street lights while they are under current. Also here the fences know exactly what they buy.

Klaus

[Wyvern]

I don’t disagree, but pragmatism dictates me getting the best out of what is available.

Kind of like our discussions about one of the two Eb tubists on the Malta marching video reading the low divisi line despite it being intended for the BBb in military bands’ bass clef notation.

I agree with getting the best out of the resources available.

On a recent march with the band I played the lower divisi part on my PT-15 (as I usually play the lower part in concert on my Neptune). Might sound rather weird the F playing the lower part with an Eb on top but it worked.

[bearphonium]

One thing I have noticed about the judicial system (encompassing the legislative, enforcement and judicial aspects) is that the laws (in this case, theft) don't necessarily match with the acutal loss of the items, nor does the application of consequences (in this case, a fairly light sentence) match with the actual loss to the victim(s). From my viewpoint, it usually takes a while for the law to catch up (Identity Theft is one such crime; initially it was a misdomeanor in Oregon, it was then elevated to a little felony, and is now a medium felony) based upon the absolute havok it can create for the victim. Oregon only recently enacted some harsher penalties for metal theft but their biggest change was in requiring some responsibility upon the receiver of the goods, and the need to obtain legal identification from the scavenger. I can't say that it has erased metal theft, but it has not only made investigating it easier, it has more importantly kept the salvage yards more honest, and taking responsibility for recognizing that a meth head who shows up with a truck load of brass instruments just might not have "cleaned out an attic" and "found it all, and has no idea what else to do with it."

[bigbob]

Why didn't the scrap man get any time Just taking and crushing beautiful instruments Should be a crime!!.....BB

[imperialbari]

Why didn't the scrap man get any time Just taking and crushing beautiful instruments Should be a crime!!.....BB

Bob, there were links for other articles, from where I take a minor quote:

Sentencing was adjourned but Egan was told he faced a jail sentence.

Appears like the trial is not over yet.

Klaus