« Previous | Main | Next »

July 28, 2022

BECAUSE IT LEADS TO PEOPLE PRETENDING TO PLAY THE ACCORDION

Police say people pretending to play violin for money a 'nationwide issue'

(Thanks to Static Joeage and Chuck Cody)

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

There is too much violins on TV.

The fake violinists are stringing people along.

The problem with that is "Lady of Spain" just doesn't sound that good on the violin.

People pretending to be legislators for money is a bigger problem.

But the Blog has been pretending to play the guitar for years. You should hear the riotous applause when he stops playing! Or so I'm led to believe.

'But your sign is written in English?"

"I don't know, the guy who did the sign stole my white cane."

Just sneak behind him and turn off the amp. If there's still music, he can play. But if it stops....

This seems to be the instrumental version of lip-synching.

Reminds me of an old Ziggy cartoon where he's in a department store and there's a coin slot on the wall with a sign: "Stop the Muzak -- 50 cents for 10 minutes."

I actually saw a woman performing this scam at a strip mall in Fort Myers. I couldn't believe how many people were stopping to drop cash in her container. Somebody called a local t.v. news reporter who went there and confronted the fake violin virtuoso on camera. The performer stopped playing while the recorded music kept going. She hurriedly packed up her instrument and speaker, jumped in a car and drove off.

Truth be told, most of the performances on American Bandstand, other rock & roll t.v. shows of the 60s & 70s (even Lawrence Welk), lip synced their songs for the studio audiences. The big difference though... most of the musicians and singers did actually sing and play and record their own music. There were many session artists in the studios to record hit records.

In fact, that's how Glen Campbell got started, playing background with The Wrecking Crew.

The fake violinists in SW Florida...


If this scam evolves to bagpipes, there will be blood.

"I like violins because they smell so nice" - Buwinkle Moose

Los Angeles is not like where you live when it comes to even thinking about playing a fake violin on the street

There was once a violin ensemble that suddenly found themselves one player short, due to an illness, just before they were scheduled to perform at a fine restaurant. The pianist soaped the violin strings so they wouldn’t sound, and joined the ensemble. He played with such apparent enthusiasm and dexterity that afterwards a lady in the crowd asked him to play a solo. The day was saved when the quick-thinking manager said, “If you think he plays the violin well, you should hear him play the PIANO!”

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

-
 
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright | About The Miami Herald | Advertise