If a piano falls in the forest and nobody hears it...

[Omicron]

I'm stumped.

I was at a party and I found a piano, so I sat down to play.

The next day I got **** from the hostess for playing a piano that was not mine.

She told me the piano belongs to her friend, and that the piano was just being parked there while the friend moves, and that I had no right to play it without her friend's permission.

She says that playing a piano without the owners permission is like someone using your computer when you're not there.

My brain is short-circuiting. If anything I'd expect the piano to be happy to be played.

Am I out of my mind to think that's ridiculous? It was a piano. Just sitting there. Begging to be played.

How does anybody respond to that? I said, "Okay, I won't do it again", but seriously...

 

[karrie]

If it was not covered by a sheet or something else, I think she's inventing an issue. Ignore it.

 

[Omicron]

Actually it was. It had a blanket over it which I pulled up.

Does that make a difference? It was just a piano.

 

[s_lone]

I'm stumped.

I was at a party and I found a piano, so I sat down to play it.

The next day I got **** from the hostess for playing a piano that was not mine.

She told me the piano belongs to her friend, and that the piano was just being parked there while the friend moves, and that I had no right to play it without her friend's permission.

She says that playing a piano without the owners permission is like someone using your computer when you're not there.

My brain is short-circuiting. If anything I'd expect the piano to be happy to be played.

Am I out of my mind to think that's ridiculous? It was a piano. Just sitting there. Begging to be played.

What did I do wrong?

I play the piano. I teach piano. It's a huge part of my life. While instruments do have some sort of soul from a musician's point of view, it's ridiculous to compare a piano to a computer. It's not like you infected the piano with your viruses or something!

Considering the fact that a piano is huge and solid, I don't see any problem in someone playing a piano, so long as he is not banging excessively on it. While a piano is solid, the mechanism inside is delicate and subtle and needs to be treated as such.

If it was another instrument, I could understand better. A guitar or a violin can be very easily damaged with careless manipulation. But to damage a piano... well you really need to be freakin' fool to do that.

The other issue that must be considered is whether or not your piano playing was being a source of annoyance for the people around. I don't go playing piano at 3 o'clock in the morning for obvious reasons. But if the only reason your friend is annoyed is because you didn't ask, well perhaps she needs to take a chill pill.

But all that being said... It's always a good idea to ask. It's the polite thing to do.

 

[Omicron]

[...]
Considering the fact that a piano is huge and solid, I don't see any problem in someone playing a piano, so long as he is not banging excessively on it.

I wasn't. It was Philip Glass kind'a stuff. It was a party and I was stone-drunk. The hostess only found out about it the next day because somebody told her.

If it was another instrument, I could understand better. A guitar or a violin can be very easily damaged with careless manipulation.

I would *never* touch anybody else's guitar or violin.

The other issue that must be considered is whether or not your piano playing was being a source of annoyance for the people around.

No. It was told to the hostess the next morning by a guest. I know how to hammer on a piano and I wasn't.

I don't go playing piano at 3 o'clock in the morning for obvious reasons. But if the only reason your friend is annoyed is because you didn't ask, well perhaps she needs to take a chill pill.

Personally, I think it's because there's some issue about her being first generation Taiwanese with friends I don't know. Either that or I don't know how to do fifth cord progressions correctly, but I mean, come on... we let you in, and you want to make me feel wrongful? I'm wrong? Every time I go to hang out with Jesuits they just laugh and kick my ass out unless I've brought snacks and a whole bunch of wine!

But all that being said... It's always a good idea to ask. It's the polite thing to do.

I understand, and I bow to your wisdom, but nobody else was there.

 

[Bar Sinister]

I you don't want a piano played at a party lock the keyboard otherwise it is an open invitation to play. It's like having a stereo system at the party that no one has turned on next to a huge pile of CDs. Someone is going to start playing them.

 

[s_lone]

If ever you want to discuss chord progressions I'd be thrilled!

 

[karrie]

Actually it was. It had a blanket over it which I pulled up.

Does that make a difference? It was just a piano.

hmmm.... yeah, sorry, that does make a difference if you didn't ask. Not enough to bitch you out over though. imo, a simple polite statement of 'oh that's not mine, can we cover it back up', would have made more sense to me.

reading through further Omicron... I can't believe she'd call to complain about something that's done. lol.

 

[Dexter Sinister]

Am I out of my mind to think that's ridiculous?

No. Instruments aren't furniture, they need to be played and it's good for them to be played, I'd have done exactly the same thing you did. Except I don't play the piano, but if there'd been a guitar standing in a corner, I'd have picked it up, and in fact have done so. Nobody complained. The usual reaction is "Oh, do you play? Please play something." The hostess is blowing this way out of proportion. She might have a minor point, that because it was covered you should have asked, but she wasn't there to ask, and nobody objected. And what kind of hostess isn't there?

 

[Omicron]

hmmm.... yeah, sorry, that does make a difference if you didn't ask. Not enough to bitch you out over though. imo, a simple polite statement of 'oh that's not mine, can we cover it back up', would have made more sense to me.

reading through further Omicron... I can't believe she'd call to complain about something that's done. lol.

She did, and now I'm buggered up thinking it's something about Taiwanese.

I hate this. I really didn't hurt the piano. It was a beautiful majestic piece of Yamaha. Do you know what it's like looking at a Yamaha and seeing it sitting there, lonely and alone, just begging to be played?

 

[Nuggler]

First of all, you have to know HOW to play the piano. :happy3:

Anyone would get pissed hearing a discordant miasma coming from the piano room, or wherever. I don't blame the lady. What would have happened if you had scratched the wood, or sneezed on it. She was guarding it for a friend.

If there had been a violin or guitar, encased, would you open the case and play the instrument.? Certain precursor for a trip to the ICU.

Some kind words of advice. Unless you ask, keep your hands of other people's stuff. Common courtesy. Your mummy should have taught you. Obviously, you're of generation X.

I see your type in court every day. Whining and crying, and claiming remorse. Fie on thee.

You gotta turn your life around.

:evil4:

 

[Praxius]

In my view, what others have said about asking first would have been the wisest thing to do to cover your ass..... if you asked if you could play and nobody was around to tell you no, then it's no longer your problem.

However it was covered up, as you described, and while it's not the easiest thing to do in regards to breaking a piano by playing it...... it could have been covered up because it needed repair and playing it could have further damaged it (I don't play Piano so I'm just assuming here)

Secondly, if it was her friends and it was at her place, in her care, it was her responsibility to ensure nothing happened to it..... you playing with it, although with good intention and no harm was really done, it could have made her feel as though she failed in keeping her promise with her friend to keep it safe and may have just assumed you took the cover off and decided to play with it to be a total dick and to show off.

Now of course, based on your above explanation, that doesn't seem to be the case, but try and look at it from her perspective.

A couple of times in the past I had to look after my parent's house and pool while they were away during the summer..... it was my responsibility to ensure the pool was cleaned, operating properly, and to ensure nobody decided to slip in during the night or just stroll in for a swim without permission.

One time the neighbor's kids decided to come skinny dipping late at night, thinking nobody was home, which of course once I came out of the house and strolled their way, they tried to cover up and hide in the corner of the pool as if nobody saw them..... it was clearly explained to them that they had 2 minutes to get the fk out of the pool, get their clothes on and get the fk off the property before A) the police were notified and B) their parents were notified.... in that order.

Sure no harm was done and they were just having a bit of fun, but that's beside the point...... it's not their damn pool to do with as they please, they're not the ones who are liable if something happens and in case of a pool..... if injury or death occurred..... guess who's gonna have their head on the chopping block?

Me.

So while I think she may have approached you in a negative manner that didn't resolve anything in a productive manner, I also understand where she's coming from....... and while I understand your original intentions and not wanted to do any harm to the piano, you should have at least asked first before just assuming it was yours to play with as you saw fit.

 

[Ariadne]

I'm stumped.

I was at a party and I found a piano, so I sat down to play.

The next day I got **** from the hostess for playing a piano that was not mine.

She told me the piano belongs to her friend, and that the piano was just being parked there while the friend moves, and that I had no right to play it without her friend's permission.

She says that playing a piano without the owners permission is like someone using your computer when you're not there.

My brain is short-circuiting. If anything I'd expect the piano to be happy to be played.

Am I out of my mind to think that's ridiculous? It was a piano. Just sitting there. Begging to be played.

How does anybody respond to that? I said, "Okay, I won't do it again", but seriously...

Complete nonsense. I've been playing piano since the age of 6, and any time anyone wants to sit down and play the piano, it's just fine. No harm comes to a piano from it being played unless the musician is a 3 year old with a hammer. I suspect the complainant simply doesn't like the sound of piano playing, or is a complete control freak.

Actually it was. It had a blanket over it which I pulled up.

Does that make a difference? It was just a piano.

No, it doesn't make a difference if there was a sheet/blanket over the piano. All that means is that the owner is afraid of dust getting in the piano while it's parked.

 

[DaSleeper]

My opinion is that a piano covered with a blanket is the same as a guitar or other instrument in a case......opening the case and starting to play without the owner's permission is a no no at the festivals I go to in the summer.....

 

[CDNBear]

My opinion is that a piano covered with a blanket is the same as a guitar or other instrument in a case......opening the case and starting to play without the owner's permission is a no no at the festivals I go to in the summer.....

Like bows and wives, peoples musical instruments, can be a deeply personal possession.

 

[Praxius]

Like bows and wives, peoples musical instruments, can be a deeply personal possession.

Agreed.... while some may have no issue with anybody coming along and playing with their musical instruments, others are a bit more picky for many reasons which are their own......

Maybe it was their grandmothers' or one of their parents'...... maybe they're stuck on how much the thing cost and don't want to risk any chances of having to dish out more money to repair it when they don't have the money in the first place..... regardless, it's their musical instrument and no one else's, thus if they don't want others screwing around with it (regardless of one's talent) or if they entrusted someone with taking care of it and instructed them to let nobody touch it...... then they have every right.

This isn't a park bench we're talking about here.

I used to play Bass and screwed around with drums for a while a few years back..... while I didn't really care if someone picked up my bass and played with it, I can completely understand other people having hangups on letting people do that....... maybe they have it tuned a particular way, maybe it's already damaged, maybe they figure since it took a lot out of their pocket to get, they'd rather it be themselves who breaks it and no one else, because then they'd have nobody else to blame.

The reasons are almost limitless...... whatever those reasons, they're not anybody else's to dispute because it's not their property.

 

[taxslave]

Who the hell stores someone else's piano?
You are fortunate that you can play the dam thing. If one fell in the bush and I found it even the little snails would either run or hide in their shells.

 

[lone wolf]

It's an impulse: Must play....

On a sad note, I saw a lonely old piano, Steinway, uncovered and unattended at the recycling depot. The temptation overcame me. Fingers had to tickle ivory.

Muffled and muddy tones if the keys worked at all....

 

[TenPenny]

Typically, if you're at someone else's place, you ask before you play their instruments.

But when you're drunk, you don't think of that.

Stuff happens.

 

[Nuggler]

It's an impulse: Must play....

On a sad note, I saw a lonely old piano, Steinway, uncovered and unattended at the recycling depot. The temptation overcame me. Fingers had to tickle ivory.

Muffled and muddy tones if the keys worked at all....

How much, Loner??? I can get the truck, and probably some bohunks to move it.

But, the GAS AND MILEAGE, well now, THAT'S gonna cost ya.

Then, there's the piano tuner guy. Yikes!!!

Imagine, someone chucking it!!!8O

A Steinway, if not too far gone, would be worthy of restoration. I couldn't afford it either....................:-(

Sucks, eh!!

Just missed an old guitar the other day, in the trash, but good for parts (tuners, fretboard, maybe nut and saddle.........................Hit the binders, and ran (well, waddled) back only to see the big crusher thingy come down across the box. :sad2:

Don't people realize there's Kijiji, etc. where they can give things away??