We can't promote "mechanical" music.  Any attempt to do so is a waste
of time.  Mechanical music is the last thing people want.  The phrase
"mechanical music" is an oxymoron.

You can promote "live" music.  You can promote "interactive" music.
You can extol the wonders of the sound of a musical box, the thrill
of a fairground organ, the sound of a lifelike Violina, the interactive
music making experience of a player piano but you cannot enthuse people
over the mechanical aspect of it.

No normal person wants "mechanical music" and we might do well to
consider whether use of the phrase does more harm than good.  Normal
people don't buy gadgets because they want to open them up and observe
the mechanism functioning.  Only amongst "mechanical music enthusiasts"
will you ever see a crowd standing round an instrument drooling over
the mechanics in operation rather than listening to the music.

You can convince normal people to love the music -- you won't convince
normal people to love the innards however "fascinating" they may be.
Whilst it's fine for enthusiasts trying to enthuse like-minded people
about player pianos, etc., on YouTube and elsewhere, doing so with the
covers off these instruments doesn't send the right message to the
right people.

Instruments generally sell with their covers on.  Pianos were made with
superior furniture grade polished finishes to justify their presence in
the home to the intolerant.  The last thing any proud housewife wants
to imagine in their home is a piano with its covers off.  Selling the
concept of "mechanical music" in the home to normal people by showing
the busy innards is self-defeating.  It's like a pet shop trying to
sell a cat by showing the potential new owner the cat's colonoscopy
video instead of the animal itself.

As to enthusing the young generation about vintage instruments I disagree
with previous comments that a strict hands-off policy to children should
be enforced during demonstrations.  Are we trying to encourage people
to fetishize these instruments or be enthusiastic about owning one?

I advocate a strict hands-on policy.  Whilst some may treasure many of
the smaller items -- organettes and the like -- originally they were
just cheap junk.  Half of them were intended for children anyhow.  They
were made robustly so that children under supervision cannot accidentally
damage them any more readily than any adult.

If instruments are monetarily valuable in modern terms, just demonstrate
a less precious piece of old junk, but "hands-on" is vital.  Unless
children get the opportunity to try all these things out for themselves
they will never understand and enjoy.  Any thoughts?

Regards,
Adam Ramet
www.themodist.com