| | So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)Page 3 of 7 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) | | i sing evvvvery day in the shower, as loud as a I possibly can till my throat hurts like a mo-fo. I advise everyone to do it because I was told it makes you a good singer. I believe my stills are much better now. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/14/2009 6:21:35 AM | I'm a long time LOVER of music; my dad was an accomplished pianist, so was my youngest brother. I was playing the piano as soon as I could sit on the bench and reach the keys!.....by air. I then took lessons as a youngster and later as an adult.
In my forties I decided I wanted to play the violin....took lessons and then played in an orchestra for 25+ years.....which I treasured and enjoyed every moment of it.
We performed big concerts three times a year and practiced weekly; our group was made up of "all ages"....including high school kids!
Music is a valuable tool you can use satisfy your every need....relax you shattered nerves, comfort you grieving heart or if the occasion warrants it....CELEBRATE!
It's been said that: You're never too old to get your teeth straightened or PLAY AN INSTRUMENT!!! GO FOR IT! | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/14/2009 8:43:50 PM | | I think many people think that the world of learning to play an instrument is somehow closed off to them. That used to be my way of thinking. But that world is wide open to anyone who wants it. I've always said that anyone can learn to play an instrument. I think the only 'talent' that is really necessary to begin is the desire to learn. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/14/2009 11:46:12 PM | | Well, I think the reason more people don't play instruments is because the culture really doesn't promote it. Most people are into partying, socializing, and making friends...w/o instruments, mind you. Also, young people have lots of pressure to get jobs at an early age or to do some other extracurricular activity, and that usually doesn't involve music. Music just isn't very popular anymore to the mainstream...just watch MTV, from what I recall, it used to be a music channel, or at least sort of. Same with VH1...used to be a music channel, but now they just get 3rd rate celebs to talk about pop culture all day. And the tiny amount of 'music' that does leak out to the public just isn't inspiring. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/16/2009 3:18:38 PM |
Being a musician is not for everyone, as the same as being an artist is not for everyone.
I agree to an extent. I think a lot of it can be learned. There are even some popular musicians that are technically unreal, but their "music" can be painful to listen to. I think that given the proper instruction one could learn to draw or paint better than 99% of the population, but that still doesn't make them good. But, there is a good amount of it that you're just born with. I consider myself to be a good musician due to a little of both... I don't remember a time when I wasn't playing an instrument, mainly piano, violin, and bass. However, I definitely feel that I keep better time than virtually any drummer I've played with and have always been the guy in the band that says "hang on, someone's out of tune". I'm sure a lot of that can just be attributed to a lot of practice as well, but I think the ability to "feel" tempo and to really hear pitch might be something you just have or don't. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/16/2009 5:50:55 PM | | i ve always wanted to play the piano but they are a little too bulky and noisey for my flat . i do play guitar ( accoustic mostly ) bass guitar , mandolin and the hamonium though . would nt mind a sitar as well but they look very complex and i think it would be a devil to get strings for . | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/16/2009 6:36:19 PM | I can play a variety of brass instruments from trumpet to tuba. Sometimes I perform and instruct.
More importantly, learning to play a musical instrument is open to everyone. You just need to overcome that fear and be prepared to learn and practice. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/17/2009 8:23:05 AM | Why or why not? First...the why. My older brother had a cool electric guitar when I was 5 and he was 9. He got bored with it and I didn't. I played it more than him. I learned chords by watching his friends who could play come over. I learned Smoke on the Water when I was 6. Fast forward to 1988 and I placed second in the Much Music Labbats Blue Guitar Wars. Devon Townsend from Strapping Young Lad and Steve Vai fame beat me. Darn...I was the second best guitarist in Canada.
I was in a few Canadian bands...Slugs, Nick Gilder and others. Played in the studio for a few folks. Toured with a few folks. I played guitar for 25 yrs...for a living. Played for a few bands in the States too. I just started playing again after a 12 yr hiatus. Writing songs for my 6 yr old diva daughter to sing and dance to...if Billy Ray can do it...so can I. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/17/2009 10:43:39 AM |
As an example, I restringed my acoustic, and just tuned it straight up by ear, just going off of my feel, and wasn't but a half step off according to my tuner. I thought that was pretty darn good. Also, I think it's a better testament to your ability if you can play better than most taught musicians, but you taught yourself.
Well, I think you definitely learn certain tones, especially tuning through practice. I can still hear an A in my head and tune a violin by ear even though it's been about 14 years since I really spent any significant amount of time playing one. It took me about 7 years before I was able to take a piece of sheet music and completely sight read and play it the first time I sat with it. (I'm talking about a piece most would call "complex".) But then, there are those anomalies that can do it after a few months. There was a kid in my orchestra that had perfect pitch. He could turn his back to the piano and when you played a note he'd tell you what it was, and on top of that tell you if the note the piano was producing was a hair sharp or flat. He played the viola and was really pretty average at it because he didn't really like it and just played whenever he had to.
Anyhow, I'm getting a little long winded... lol.. I think that anyone can play an instrument, and enjoy playing. If you have the persistence and patience to get past those little hurdles it can be a great amount of fun. For the most part I see people 1) skipping the basics and moving to complex music too quickly, and 2) getting frustrated because they are playing music outside their ability. Slow and steady ultimately makes things a lot more fun... | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/17/2009 1:05:56 PM | I played the recorder at school, so could sort of read Music, and learnt to play the sax at 33. Not very good, in fact the woman opposite thought it was a trumpet for years and the cat left home! Haven't played for a while, but had lessons and found a guy to practise with, which eventually led to 7 people.We also saw bands together, some of us were in a quartet run by a music teacher, and did charity concerts with a different teacher.
The real high points were wind band weekends and Guys and Dolls, playing in an amateur orchestra.
You're never too old to learn, and the way that one purchase snowballed was fantastic. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/17/2009 11:34:56 PM | | instruments are sooo overrated. it's better just to listen. I have an alternative music, where I have pots and pans upside-down in front of me, i just pound away like the drums. i've been practicing so much i recorded it and have some offers from atlantic records, def jam, and virgin records. it's all about individuality. oh, and maroon 5 and metallica approached me to tour with them for their nationwide tour. thanks lars and adam, but no thanks, i'm not a sell-out. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/19/2009 8:57:47 PM | | i play drums and my brother plays guitar. id play my drums if i was still able to play them.. due to new living arrangements i am not aloud to play them because my landlord is on the other side of my wall.. it sucks on major levels. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/21/2009 5:40:17 AM | Do I play an instrument?
No, I'm afraid not. I think I had a lesson (of sorts) once and it was just something I knew I could never be very good at, even if I chose to put in a decent amount of practice I would always remain one step above awful. But that's ok. I simply felt that I had no musical talent and I didn't believe that I would derive much enjoyment from that outlet.
Yet there are those people who gain more than a little measure of satisfaction in playing an instrument. Now matter how well or how poorly they actually play. So I tend to believe that's great...for them. It may be little more than strumming a few chords on a guitar every now and then or something more challenging.
My larger point is that you pick and chose those activities that you feel you derive some sort of satisfaction from. The OP feels that playing an instrument is a very important outlet. For him that's an outstanding choice. It's when you try and fit a round peg in the square hole that makes things rough. It's not worth the time and effort because it doesn't garner that same intrinsic sense of satisfaction. It's the picking and choosing what appeals to you and gives you that sense of satisfaction that matters. In the OP's case, that happened to be a musical instrument.
Nice topic.
Regards
M | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/21/2009 9:58:21 AM | When I was a kid, my mother thought it would be a good idea for me and my sister to join band. My sister got to play the lovely and elegant flute, I got the french horn and I hated it, have you ever seen the size of a french horn? I was 9, I am only 5,2 as an adult, imagine a 9 year old with a french horn. Three years. Then I joined the Girl Scouts instead.
Now as an adult, I do toy with the idea of taking piano lessons, I do love the piano or ballroom dancing lessons, or maybe both. | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/21/2009 2:26:52 PM | OP......people have their own individual talents and gifts.... And just like I still can't draw a stick person to save my life, or will never be able to throw a three point shot.......... there are just some who don't have the knack to play an instrument, even if they were given lessons early on in life. There wasn't a night that went by in my life as a professional musician where somebody didn't come up to me and say, "I took piano for eight years when I was growing up.....how do you do what I just saw?"
To each according to their gifts............ | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/22/2009 7:16:04 AM | For the life of me I can't figure out why the guy that services my vehicles enjoys it. But I sure do love the fact that he does because I hate doing it.
He does an excellent job, is reliable and honest, and it makes him happy when his customers pull away and appreciate him, ...........................................on the other hand he can't understand why I enjoy sitting in a room with a piano and can entertain myself or other poeople, or why I will play music and get home at 3 in the morning.
I've always been a musician and he's always fiddled with cars,
we all get our rewards from different sources...................this would be a good thing | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/31/2009 1:52:06 AM | | In high school I played the bass drum, triangle, cymbal, blocks, tamborine, blocks, and i've had a keyboard and piano just can't seem to get it.(GGGRRR)I have 6 years of chorus and was in church choir but don't ask me to sing the dogs start howling!!! | |
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| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 3/31/2009 1:23:45 PM |
I just adore playing music--it relaxes me, gives me something to share with others, and challenges me--and am always surprised that more people don't engage in it... so that brings us to you. Do you play an instrument? Why or why not?
I tried learning the bass back in High School-couldn't get my left hand to act independently enough to press the right strings at the right time...in retrospect, maybe I should've flipped the thing over, like Paul McCartney did.
I keep telling myself that I'm going to learn the harmonica when I retire-and not some "Mary Had a Little Lamb" squeaking; I want to play the blues, a la Elwood Blues, Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Plant, and Rod Piazza.
Seriously though (not that any of the above wasn't serious): my passion is football, especially coaching. To teach a young person the basics of this great game gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment; which, in it's own way, relaxes me, gives me something to share with others, and challenges me...and while I'm not surprised that more people don't engage in it, I wish they would-it takes a lot of volunteers to run a youth team/league.
Just my humble contribution to this thread. | |
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Exxes
| | Joined: 3/28/2009
Msg: 74 | |
| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 4/1/2009 12:14:11 AM | Who knows, im a drummer/songwriter, just started playing guitar a few months and i can honestly say knowing what goes into a song, actually hearing an identifying what musically goes into bands like tool or dream theater makes me love music that much more.....so its there loss if they cant play anything....
Exxes 
P.s. Tool > All of you | |
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Sorg85
| | Joined: 2/22/2009
Msg: 75 | |
| So why don't you play an instrument? (or do you?)
Posted: 4/1/2009 6:06:56 PM | I play guitar. I started playing when I was 12 years old. Its kind of off and on.. It is great when you have a teacher but better when you learn yourself.
Besides guitar, I used to sing in a choir for some years I was bass (I don't remember if thats what you call a guy's voice tone).
I played the recorder, mouth harp, played a little of the violin from an ex girlfriend she was getting jealous that I was getting better than her so I was not allowed to play. I do play a little bit of bass guitar, to me if you play guitar you kind of have the just of how to play bass. But I think bass guitarist purists would correct me on that. I played a little of piano and did some synth work. Also played the clarinet that my Father owned.
I would like to learn the bassoon (spelling?), drums, and the accordian. Ofcourse try a hurdy gurdy. ;-) | |
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