[TheMarchingMule]

Hi guys, it's me again

My high school recently got a new music teacher after our last one abruptly resigned. Get this...he drove 3,000 miles to come here for the job of being our music teacher...crazy, ne? Pennsylvania to California (San Jose).

Anyway, I noticed that although he doesn't use Bose (like my last teacher did), he uses only those portable speakers you can buy at CC or BB in his office. He also doesn't really seem to notice that the music room houses THE worst speakers I ever heard. It clips/crackles too much, and all the sound is muddied into one distorted blob. Sometimes I wear my Ety-20 earplugs to save myself.

I am honestly thinking of just popping into his office and casually asking if he has money to blow off.

Dunno how to really approach him about this though. He is a super friendly guy that's easy to talk to, and I'm hoping that he'll take interest to this hobby. He's single too, with only a dog, so for sure he'll have lots of spare cash

Any ideas on what to say to him?

And yes, he loves his computer; never seems to do anything else in his office (besides chat on his Bluetooth headset), so he may be hooked in this website if I persuade him. I'd also be his guide through the first stages, so that'll be extra cool.

Thanks for your inputs.

 

[boomana]

I can guarantee that as a teacher he doesn't have much cash sitting around to spend freely. Nevertheless, since you share a common love of music, why don't you just walk in and say, "Check this out." Having your 701s as a show-and-tell wouldn't hurt. He might get into it or not, but I'm sure he'll appreciate you wanting to share your enthusiasm with him.

I teach in a K-12 school. Although I teach middle school, some of the older kids like to hang out in my classroom after school. I've let a couple listen to my little system here at work, but I don't share this hobby with them because A) don't want parents or school administrators after me for corrupting students with expensive toys (real concern), and B) must maintain professional boundaries (this is a huge concern for teachers, so if your music teacher doesn't respond as you might like, don't take it personally; he may go home and check things out for himself but not be able to share with you). Anyway, I say, "Just go for it."

 

[PeterR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtheisticFreedom He is a super friendly guy that's easy to talk to

So what's the problem, talk.

 

[JaGWiRE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomana I can guarantee that as a teacher he doesn't have much cash sitting around to spend freely.

I don't know about that, one of my teahcers just went out and bought a Nikon D200 out of nowhere to upgrade from his D50. Maybe he saved up for a while, I don't know. I thought it was weird because he only has 2 telephoto lenses that are rather crappy from what I remember him telling me (which isn't a whole lot now in the morning.)

Sorry to go OT.

And I agree with Peter. Teachers love speaking with students I'de think (if not, why would they go into teaching?) Just approach him nicely and doesn't sound too creepy or geeky.

 

[GASTAN]

check with him what music he likes, and then bring your rig to show him what u got.

That's what I plan, with my boss,once I am 99% happy with my rig.

 

[nabwong]

I'm in a conservatory and most of the speakers being used were made way before i was born. lol...You'd think a conservatory would be up-to-date with technology.

 

[Spareribs]

You could talk to your teacher and it would be nice. But my guess is that most music teachers are not really audiophile oriented but I could be easily wrong however. You could tell him about Head-fi and that you post there and tell him about your headphone hobby. I find that most high school teachers are great people. In my opinion, it's the old college professors who can be jerks so I assume your high school teacher would be great to talk to about anything in the music world.

 

[plainsong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong I'm in a conservatory and most of the speakers being used were made way before i was born. lol...You'd think a conservatory would be up-to-date with technology.

Old isn't exactly a bad thing in audio.

But as for the music teacher, is he a band or choir director, or is this more like theory or history? Not that it matters, but just curious.

Just open your mouth and speak, bring in some cans with a sound you think he'll like. Thinking back to HS, I don't think it would have gotten weird for me, and I had strict band directors so that's saying something. I can imagine one of them in particular really teasing me about it, but that would increase exponentially to the height of his jealousy.

I think the one I'd have the most success with is my old choir director. But that might also be because we ended up working together in my performing days, and we were cast in a way that a former teacher and student should never have to think about.

Nah, it was fun, and he was awesome to work with.

And no Jag, teachers don't make the big bucks. Why not ask him what he's doing with such expensive toys, how he could possibly afford that, and see how far it gets you.

 

[swt61]

Oddly enough, I've noticed a lot of professional musicians have really crappy mid-fi systems. Not sure what's up with that.

 

[Oistrakh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nabwong I'm in a conservatory and most of the speakers being used were made way before i was born. lol...You'd think a conservatory would be up-to-date with technology.

yeah, new england conservatory does not have the best resources... I play in the YS orchestra

 

[nabwong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh yeah, new england conservatory does not have the best resources... I play in the YS orchestra

yeah, most of the music schools in the boston area have crapty technology with the exception of berkelee.

Anyway, musicians/music teachers don't generally have hi-end stuff cos they don't earn a lot, especially if you're in classical.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Augh, I butchered explaining it to him. All day I was trying to plan out what to say, but then decided to wing it. And, of course, I ruined it. How could I describe what a great community this is?

I managed to write down the website on a slip of paper, so hopefully he'll check this place out.

And to answer the other question: He is the music director for everything...marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, concert band, symphonic band, AP music theory. The only thing he doesn't teach is the choir. He can juggle a lot; tis crazy.

Anyway, I can only hope he'll read up on this site. I told him that I'll bring my K701 to school on Friday, but I doubt he'll have time to actually sit down and listen through them...

 

[K2Grey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swt61 Oddly enough, I've noticed a lot of professional musicians have really crappy mid-fi systems. Not sure what's up with that.

One thing that I've heard claimed is that when they listen to music off that mid-fi system, they don't really concentrate on what is coming out of the system, so much as thinking through their "ideal version" of the piece. Like listening to music in your head, only with some stuff to help you remember.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomana I can guarantee that as a teacher he doesn't have much cash sitting around to spend freely. Nevertheless, since you share a common love of music, why don't you just walk in and say, "Check this out." Having your 701s as a show-and-tell wouldn't hurt.

My suggestion is to make it about the music first and headphones second.

 

[DanG]

I want to tell you
My head is filled with things to say
When you're here
All those cans, they seem to slip away

When I'm in your class
The speakers start to drag me down
It's all right
I'll make you maybe get hi-fi sound

But if I seem to act unkind
It's only nerds, it's not my mind
That is confusing things

I want to tell you
I feel hung up but I don't know why
I don't mind
I could wait forever, on Head-Fi

Sometimes I wish I knew you well
Then I could speak my mind and tell you
Maybe you'd buy an amp

I want to tell you
I feel hung up but I don't know why
I don't mind
I could wait forever
On Head-Fi