A couple months ago, during a practice I discussed applying our art with improvised weapons and I shared this image with my sword brothers.
I told them stories about a renaissance student of Meyer who was known for being a brutal brawler with improvised weapons.
I told them that a lost manual of this musician had been found and that we were going to take place in an exciting pilot program to study musical instruments as improvised weapons.
I then passed out cheap dollar store recorders and invited everyone to pair up and try out different techniques using the recorders.
Several (not all) guys in the practice gave me suspicious looks.
I told them after 5 minutes of practicing with your partner we would go around in a circle and see what techniques each group came up with that they liked. Finally, just before I cut them loose, I started playing Symphony of Destruction by Megedeth.
I wish you could have seen what I saw in those 5 minutes. Oh, wait, you can. Here are some pictures my wife took while hiding with a camera near by.
When it was my turn to share my techniques that I came up with, I broke out my secret break apart nunchaku recorder technique.
Admittedly, this is when the group began to figure out that it was April 1st.
Even though the joke was out in the open at this point … there was one participant that was (frankly) too willing. One who not only got into the practice but even sang along with Dave Mustaine while attempting murder with a Dollar Store recorder.
God bless him, he was worthy of the prized golden recorder.
And so, thus, the April fools tradition continues among Meyer students in my circle, year after year.
Keep your recorder sharp! I’ll be at it again next year.