Instruments - Do You Play One?

This was done a long time ago over at HFC forums, but I thought it needed a resurrection for all the new faces here

The question really is how many of you play an instrument? For those that do, what instrument is it that you enjoy playing? Also something to fill it out a little, do you feel that the instrument you play enhances your enjoyment of similar music, so for example if you play a Gibson SG and try to sound like Angus Young (AC/DC), does playing it yourself make you appreciate Angus' playing even more (for talent etc)? :guitar:

I'm also interested to hear from those of you that feel no need to play an instrument, would you say there's no need to try and sound like the people you listen to through your systems? If so why, an example of which might be something like “I tried the piano once and found I had no natural ability at all�

Cheers,
Rick

 

I construct electronic tunes using a loop creation tool, sequencer and generic keyboard. I sample, download and buy loop CD's and I use sample kits. I am getting rather good actually and I expect to release something.

I construct by ear, I cannot read music.

FL Studio
Sonar Pro
and I use virtual sythn VST's like
Pro52
Junox2
Halion
etc

 

The one thing I really regret is giving up the trumpet when I was a kid. I'm now trying to make amends by learning to play keyboards, guitar and harmonica - I know its going to be slow progress but I can't stand the idea of never being able to play anything. I doubt I'm naturally musical (more of a problem for the neigbours than me ) but I think I'll enjoy it.

 

I consider myself to be quite a talented whistler. Although my wife would disagree.

I don't play any other instruments unfortunately.

I imagine it helps in appreciating music more though.

I would like to be able to play the harmonica, as its nice and portable, enabling me to just whip it out anywhere and burst into song. But lethargy obstructs any such desire, so i tend to whistle instead.

 

Drums, quite well , frantically on occasions too :drum:

 

im sure i know a joke about drummers

 

Primarily Bass guitar, in a band no less, but also drums and guitar, mainly due to the fact we have a drum kit and umpteen guitars at home. Achieved grade 5 on trombobone in school but have since discovered smoking and quit. The trombone that is, I still smoke.

 

i did start to learn the 2 string uphonium,but couldnt get on with it so moved on to the Venezuelaion nose flute, again without much sucsess.

 

the cool thing about electronic music creation is you can start collaborations with people all round the world.

Electronic music creation with cubase, sonar, logic etc involves a greater learning curve than a simple traditional instrument like a guitar IMO.

 

Piano (mainly classical). Finished Grade 8 whilst at school and contined playing and practising whilst at uni but have gradually played less and less which I'm very unhappy about allthough it's my fault.

Don't have a piano at the moment which makes it even tricker. Have been planning to get a digital piano for the last couple of years but just never got around to it. Will definitely get one this year though.

However, at that point comes the question of do I just piss about trying to play the Rachmaninov and Chopin I used to be able to play or do I get a teacher again and start practicing properly....

Friends I know who have had a long "hiatus" in their piano playing say that it all comes back very quickly so I'm hoping that will be the case.

On the other question, yes, I think it definitely improves my enjoyment of piano music of all genres and I tend to like it more than other types. For example, my favourite of the Buena Vista solo albums where the 2 by the pianist Ruben Gonzales (RIP ). I guess in listening to an instrument you play yourself you can appreciate the skill much more. Rather like the way that watching a sport you play is more usually interesting.

Michael.

 

I reckon you're right - though something like violin/cello/double bass where there are no frets is potentially harder than Cubase.

I used to play bass - not played in ages but thinking of getting another one. I was in a band and we've headlined at Reading's Purple Turtle AND the old Alleycat Live (that's now the Fez Club). We sucked!

One VERY cool thing though - we were auditioning singers. One of them really wasn't impressed. As she was leaving she said "You lot SUCK! But you've got a mean bassist"! She must have been stoned, but it made my night!

Oh - I'm one of the only bassists in the world who can dance about AND play at the same time, rather than standing there looking peed off. I can't sing (anyway!) and play at the same time though.

I never learnt how to read music, but when I finally figured out (ssssh!) that the notes on a fretboard are the SAME as the ones on a keyboard (all the sharps/flats etc) I reckon I could be well away. I can tune an acoustic guitar by ear (easily) and know a bass is EADG

 

Well worth it. My mothers partner has just got one. He's a well seasoned blues and jazz pianist and swears by it. It sounds, to my ear, like the real thing but whithout the hassle of getting it retuned every 6 months or whenever you move it.

 

I tried to learn classical guitar at school, but it was completely beyond me, I was absolutely hopeless. I think that this is a natural talent, you can either get your head around it, or you can't. I also can't draw or paint - well I can, but it's always terrible. So that left science or words.

 

I have to admit to listening to Rainbow OnStage on the car stereo back in 1987 and just deciding that I was going to learn guitar. Promptly went out and bought a Yamaha electric the next day.

3 years later that was replaced by a rather tasty Ibanez RG760 (just one model down from the Jem 7). Guess I played regularly for about 5 years before being disrupted by university and living in London.
So I used to be a reasonable player. I'm presently going through the motions of selling the guitar because I just don't get the time nowadays.

 

Guitar and the occasional ud! My bro, who jammed with Alexis K back in the day, is way better than me, though.

 

I physically can't play classical or electric guitar - my fingers are waaaay too big, and the 2 nearest my thumb on both hands are twisted too! I also can't play flute etc because my teeth are in the wrong place

Everyone can draw or paint to some degree - even my mum! Don't put yourself down, Devil!

 

I had guitar lessons for about 4 years, and have an electric, acoustic and classical guitar.

I can play complex stuff because of all my lessons - eric johnson, steve vai, mark knopfler, hendrix, stone roses whatever really.., but Ive never had an ear for music -- so I'm terrible at picking out tunes, and crap at jamming.. and I'd be useless in a band for those reasons.

I havent played for a few years and Im very out of practice.

I dont know if I'd be able to sell my guitars ever - like my mountain bike that I dont use.. I sometimes think about getting back into my old hobbies.

I think learning a guitar part for a song (any example) - helps you understand the song better.. the chord progressions, the lead guitar work etc.. but also makes you over familiar and therefore sick to death of it, and I enjoy songs I know less as a result.

Cheers
Chris

 

I can play bass, guitar and analogue bleeps (I'm total crap on a piano, but fine on a Minimoog!).

I'm not trained in anything at all (I barely know which note is which), and I'm certainly no virtuoso, but I can usually jam in with pretty much anything to the degree that people don't actually point and stare in horror.

Tony.

 

went to music college as a violinist, and came out a viola player. Spent a few years scratching a living as a freelance.
Also play piano, and bass guitar, and the drums very badly.

 

Some great replies there chaps,

Gives me and hopefully you an insight into what we like to play. The main reason for asking is that I was considering - like Bottleneck wondering whether or not to take it up again -whether or not to go for another guitar.

My history with them has been a bit poor, started on electric, got a bit bored and played it little, sold that when I realised I liked the sound of acoustics better and was mainly only good at chords (rhythm) not lead anyway.

When I found I was messing with my PC, HiFi and listening to music more again that to went by the way side and also got sold on.

Now I'm older and more wizened with more staying power I thought about giving an electric another go (easier to play), so mainly just wanted to know the lay of the land in HiFi world from the muso's among you :MILD:

Cheers for the replies,
Rick