The Music Department is an alternative universe where pupils are often unrecognisable from who they are outside of it. The shy become confident. The agitated become calm. The lonely become included. The quiet become heard, and the lost become found. Music reveals the real child.
Thank you for sharing this story. I was a student of Mr W all through my school years until I graduated from Harmony High in 1978. He is so fondly remembered by all his students.
Just letting you know that this video is making the rounds on FB with my community (my sister was taught by Mr. W, he retired by the time I was in high school). We appreciate the sentiment you expressed in your video.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ My junior high had a Piano Bass, too- specifically for the jazz band, because the director wanted its sound in the smaller group & because at our small district we had wayyyyy more piano players than bassists. & YAYYY, MR. W!!! ALSO YAYYY FOR MR. HENRY WHO TAUGHT ALL US WEIRDOS!!!
Jorb, I’ve realized your love of gear brings forth your skills as a musical instrument archeologists and historian. And from my perspective, your reverence for these instruments reside in the realm of spirituality
Thank you for putting together the words that were floating in my head (and some far more perceptive additional ones as well). This is just so incredibly well put, and I could not agree more.
THAT... was the most rewarding video I have watched on YT in perhaps months, maybe all year! What's more is it didn't end when the video ended. I found myself thinking of all of the music teachers and instructors who formed and nurtured my love for music. Thanks, Jorb, If there were an Academy award for YT videos, this would be a nominee, maybe a winner. This is a work of art!
My Dad passed not long ago, and was a teacher for close to 60 years. The familly knew without fail if you were waiting for him to pop into a shop or somewhere similar you'd have your patience tested because 'ugh, Dads met someone". It may come as a revelation to people unassociated to teachers, but the formative impact teachers have on leagues of students is massive, and the same that way you remember them they remember you.
I have a similar obsession with vintage bicycles & love reflecting on their owners & adventures from way back. But I’ve never experienced anything this specific/personal. Cheers & great vid, Jorb. Highly relatable
Love this story and how the history behind this instrument is physically a part of it now. It looks like Mr W took extra care to keep it in good condition so that students could use it to learn and make music. It can't be overstated how much of an impact that passionate educators can have on our life trajectory.
Thanks Jarrett, glad you resonated with that. Thinking back, its hard to feel like I was appreciative enough, but that's the crux of working with young people isn't it
I lived outside Harmony for a few years, and am sending this to some folks who can get more details. They love their music program in that tiny town, I can tell you that much.
Very cool story! I graduated from Harmony High School in 1974. I was not in the band but knew Mr. "W" well like EVERY student that attended HHS. He was a legend for sure!
What a generous and touching tribute. Thank you for sharing it and providing a reminder that good high school teachers are saintly people, given everything they need to overcome and channel in order to positively shape young people.
Jorb: "Here's a piece of gear that I probably shouldn't have bought, and don't really need." Me: "Dang, I need that, I should buy one." Great video, love to learn the history of it.
I love that you found a photo of the actual unit. (And I made that comment before I finished the video. Now I see the ending. Beautiful. Thanks Mr. W!)
The synchronicities between your videos and music gear related moments in my life have been astounding lately. A few weeks ago, you posted a video regarding the Sequential Take 5, and how it is an extremely powerful synthesizer for a very reasonable price, while just the day before I had purchased a Take 5 online for an absolutely ridiculous deal. Now, you've published this video about driving long distance to pick up a Rhodes from 1976, while just yesterday I drove 6.5 hours each way, back and forth across the Rocky Mountains, to pick up a Mk1 Rhodes... that was built in 1976. If these things keep on lining up, I'll know the universe has good plans for me, and I'll definitely walk away with some excellent gear. Thanks for sharing this story, and incredible work as always.
Here's another comment, that might possibly get lost in this ocean of sentiments. But bravo! What a nice story, and very well done video. I am a vintage record collector, and find so many similar life stories from the previous owners of the vinyl i purchase. From jazz collections to prog-rock, they have all been loved and brought joy through the years. And now they live on my shelves, my kids play them, and when i leave this earth my grandkids will be playing them as well. Music is the vibration of life.
Gotta love those longterm arts teachers. I was lucky enough to get 3 years with a choir teacher like that in middle school, and the final year of a legendary drama teacher in high school before she retired to do administrative things for the region's drama teacher association. It's because of them that I got to participate in some of the most complex musical arrangements I've ever heard. A huge part of what drew me to synths was that they provided an avenue to recreating those harmonies and tones.
That was nourishing for the soul, thanks Jorb! In January I bought a Mk2 from 1980, sourced from a church somewhere in Pennsylvania. You've inspired me to find out more about the piano's story and what it's life was like before someone shipped it off to rainy old England and it found home in the south west.
I do not always have time for your videos, since they tend to be a longer format, and not something my family is at all interested in, but I really do like your content. You have a lot of very interesting and insightful videos. Thank you.
Appreciating and contemplating the hours of human use with an instrument is just as important, if not more important than the value or specs of whatever instrument. Instruments especially have a really unique and special aspect of aging because you know that somebody designed, assembled, played and cared for it simply by the nature of an instrument. You’re not being overly sentimental, I think you’re just valuing the most important and interesting aspect of gear. Thanks for your videos, it’s always a pleasure!
My math teacher initiated me to the piano at 8yo. I've since been involved in music and lately synths. He later gave me his JX-8P with all the history and the cig buds burns on it. Every instrument tells a story and I'm grateful to the people who sold used and beloved stuff like these!!!
I emailed my old high school in the early 2000s, asking if I could buy their Rhodes, for which I thought they had no more need; they told me it was still in use. Might be safe to assume they’re using a Korg M1 today, then. 😉 My dad taught band in elementary and middle school/jr. high range, from the ‘70s through the 2000s. He didn’t have a Rhodes at the school (I don’t think; I recall an Ensoniq digital piano with unconvincing sounds but probably nice weighted hammer action), but in the ‘70s my dad had his own suitcase Rhodes, for playing in a disco & funk cover band. ☺️
I’m from the Iron Range small town Kinney. Bought a 73 key Rhodes used from Ericsson’s in Hibbing in 1976. First rock band and played it for years. Before the 70’s were out I acquired more. The Mini Moog, an Elka string machine, a B3, a CP-70, and a CS-80. Those were the days.
You are soooo delightfully real bro! We all buy gear we fall in love with that we totally don’t need. What’s kool is you don’t beat yourself up for it and you understand the potential future market value of the gear. Synth is life🎹🤟
I have a Gold sparkle top with the tan tolex. This, along with the silver sparkle top and the orange sparkle top, were the first models with the "Rhodes" logo. I heard that they were painted those colours because the company shared a shop with a car painting company and those were the colours available. Thanks for the vid!
I've always wanted one of these. Prefuse 73 used fender piano bass as a lot of his bass sounds throughout the 2000s often with a filter envolope or overdrive. Check out his Savath & Savalas stuff and you'll hear it all over. The song Spring's Arrival (The Express Rising Remix) by his alias Piano Overlord has a killer bassline with it.
Man, this was a great video on history of the small town that the cool teacher was from, and I’m totally with you in buying cool gear. Thanks so much for sharing. As soon as I finish writing this comment I will be subscribing, and checking out some of your other videos. Cheers!!
Cheers Andy, really flattering to see you here. Yeah, the 88 key Rhodes goes a bit lower, but this is just like the bottom bit of a 73 key. I found that chart comparing all the key ranges in the 1966/67 fender catalog, it lays it out really clearly. Especially helpful for understanding what was standard on the really rare celeste.
I LOL'd at the Christian Henson comment as I was thinking the same thing. I also just re-fell in love and went through a couple before I got a mint 73. You MUST get the Retro Flyer preamp for it. Its life changing!
Beautiful! I’m a music teacher in London, and you’ve made me think of all of the gear I bought for schools over the years, wondering how it is being used now 😀
Pretty happy for you bro. Its a beautiful thing. Its interesting that high schools actually played an important part in the evolution of synthesisers. I believe alan pearlman and bob moog both pushed their gear to schools at the start.
Hot damn, this is the perfect RU-vid video. I got emotional, the combo of the history and the music really did a number on me! Fantastic video, subbed!
For me, took about a decade between deciding to own one and actually being lucky enough to own one. I've had it for years now, and it still holds pride of place next to the Wurlitzer 270 butterfly piano. I was actually tracking with the piano bass earlier today. 1/4" instrument cable over to one of the mic inputs on the Revox PR99 mark 1, then to the converter into the daw. The way the piano bass adds harmonics as you dig in is something I find really useful for adding feeling to a performance.
Beautiful. The most influential people in my life were my music teachers. At a distance it is easy to loose sight of that but on reflection it is so true.
Beautiful technology, enjoy! Old stuff is cool, made me think of Jexus. He was asked how he did get this VHS 📼 crt tv kinda look in his videos. Guess how he did...
Sometimes you just have to have something even when you can't totally justify it.. you just know or hope that having it in yor posesion will bring you some happiness and that is justification enough. The great thing about musical gear is that it usually holds its value and more often than not increases in value and you can make good use of it while you have it. The downside is the pain of having to sell it when you'd rather hang on to it.
@@JorbLovesGear You should be! Great storytelling and a very cool overview of a rare piece of kit. I grew up in a small town and my music teacher was with the district for 40 years. She made a huge impact on who I am today, so this one hit me right in the feels. :)
A 54 key mk ii would be a great trade up - godspeed in your gear gathering goals, Jorb! Feel free to imagine all those "g" sounds as hard g's to go with Jorb. This was a really moving tale and a great way to frame this "dubious purchase". What a lovely way to commemorate Mr. W
Love this video Jorb. I am also from small town Minnesota, Marshall anf Pipestone area. The story about the band director really hit home. In areas like this, it really becomes an even more personal connection and profession for our teachers that stick it out despite shitty pay, school board pressure, what have you.. Thank you for including that.
Okay maybe a niche problem, but I could really find use for that. For me the highs and lows of an 88 are constantly fighting. If I turn up the treble knob to bring out that cool spring reverb of the bass attacks, then the top of the range is barely playable due to them ringing too much. Having the option to separate bass from the rest seems super useful to me. But I guess that's also a genre thing. Thank you for the video! /Ivan
This is is a great video. I have a mk2 73-key and absolutely love it. I had to replace 73 pickups to get it working though, so don’t feel too bad about buying this, they have a way of making you spend money 🤣
I wanna hear what this thing sounds like hooked up to a heavy metal fuzz pedal. Like some real heavy doomy stuff. I can just imagine a booming distorted bass that would just rattle the walls.
I have no USE for a bass Rhodes, with soft and sample based synths being as good as they are, but... is it the most awesome thing to bring out for the right occasion? Goddamn yes. "Hey you wanna do riders on the storm or something?"
Also, record yourself playing LOVE HER MADLY, just to have and to until the day comes when RU-vid says,, “Ah…screw it! There’s more copyright violators than we can possibly spank, so: HEY everybody….HAVE AT IT, Y’ALL!! WE QUIT! Took off our Star Badges !!and hung up our 6-shooters. I Strongly suspected that you were a good human-giving and genuine. My suspicions were confirmed today! RU-vid is lucky to have you-authentic, quality Talent!!
Awww man. I should never comment while watching and just wait till the end so I can get all the feels in...because these comments on comments are silly, but *man* are you a sweet guy Jorb. Love what you do! Keep doing it.
