Julia Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Hi, I'm just curious if you play a musical instrument and of course which musical instruments you play. Me, I play the accordion since I'm eleven. An just two days ago I started playing the ukulele. OK, playing is a it exaggerated but I'm doing my best Curious greetings Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I can play the recorder, the primary school instrument of choice. I still love the sound of it, despite no longer playing. I can play a few short pieces on the piano, but that is more luck than skill, and I plan on learning to play the guitar before I hit 50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've played the piano since I was 8, and I started playing the flute when I was 11. I don't play either much anymore, but I love to whenever I get the chance! My family has always been into music. My older brother is the band director at a local high school and my younger brother is getting his doctorate in music at Boston University this fall (he just got his Master's at The New England Conservatory this spring). I guess you could say it's in our blood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Like Chrissy, I can play the recorder because virtually everyone had to a primary school, but I did progress from the descant to the treble which I absolutely adored. As comprehensive school, I started to learn to play the flute, and played for about 5 years, but never to any great proficiency, although I can still pick it up and play a tune when I feel like it. I taught myself a bit of piano a few years back, and can play a nice selection of Christmas carols. My biggest problem is that I can't sight read music. The link between my brain and the instrument is purely aural, so I can only really understand the music on the page once I've heard it, and I know that even learning at school, I only ever knew how to play the pieces by memory rather than following the music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I had both piano and clarinet lessons when I was young, but was not very good and just could not grasp the reading of music. I'm of the belief that it's also the reason I'm horrid at math, another right-brain function. I do know how to play most every brass and woodwind instrument enough to know that they work, however (playing the scale), and that just comes from all those years of me growing up in my parent's business . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I learnt to play the violin and the piano when I was younger but I rarely play either now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 ^ Hate to disagree, peacefield, but I loved and was great at maths, but couldn't read music well at all! Maybe I'm the exception to the rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've been playing guitar since I was about 14 and can't read notation either but I can read tablature, which I suppose is a start! The ukulele sounds like an interesting instrument to learn, I don't think I've ever met anybody that could play it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've played acoustic and electric guitar for over four years, although over the last couple have tragically started to stop playing as much. I used to be an okay player, but it takes dedication and that was something I lacked. I would love to start playing again and have said numerous times that I will, with varying degrees of success. I learned to read sheet music when I started, but I don't think it's necessary at all, as there are so many available tabs for playing nowadays. That said, it is beneficial and it made it easier to play in my eyes, when I learned to read sheet music. Hopefully one day in the not too distant future I'll start playing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 ^ Hate to disagree, peacefield, but I loved and was great at maths, but couldn't read music well at all! Maybe I'm the exception to the rule Seriously, Chesil?? You know I don't think I've ever met anyone that was good at one and not the other! Totally shoots my theory out of the water . Well I'm glad you you were good at one of them - I was dismal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcow Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I learnt to play the recorder at junior school and can still play greensleeves I had violin lessons for 3 years at secondary school and at one point was in the school orchestra. I remember having a few guitar lessons when I was younger too but what I would really love to do is learn to play the piano - might just have to set myself a goal there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 I totally forget to mention that my music career started with the recorder as well. I wasn't really good at it but at least while playing I learned read notation. By the way, I always was good in maths and not really talented for music... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleW Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I had to learn the flute three times in school and I forgott it that often afterwards. I'm not talented in music, couldn't remember the notations, though I can remember foreign writings, which should be just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Seriously, Chesil?? You know I don't think I've ever met anyone that was good at one and not the other! Totally shoots my theory out of the water . Well I'm glad you you were good at one of them - I was dismal! My older brother is terrible at math, but amazing at reading music. In fact, he's a composer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraPepparkaka Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I played the violin from I was seven on and off until I was 18. I never really had the talent for it, so despite playing for a long time I was never very good at it. It's also an unfortunate choice of instrument because you really need to practice constantly for it to sound nice. I'd have to start from the beginning if I wanted to pick up the violin now and play a tune. I had piano lessons, and guitar lessons, so with practice I could play a few Christmas carols I guess. I have been thinking about learning how to play electric guitar and bass guitar, I have been practising what the boys have played this year. But all those years of instrument lessons mean that I can read sheet music, and I have always had and will always have an appreciation of music in all forms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC_Em Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I played recorder and piano at school. Never took grades or anything like that though; I was never quite good enough at reading music as I tended to play by ear! Nowadays I'm more keen on singing. I absolutely love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I can play self-taught bits of guitar, harmonica and keyboard. By which I mean, I hear riffs or solos in songs (the harmonica comes from being an Alanis Morrissette fan) and I learn them, but I couldn't identify let alone play a chord or specific note on anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzie Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 I played clarinet for couple of years for school but I pretty much completely forgotten how to play now. I bought a bass guitar a couple of years ago and have been learning how to play it slowly. Sometimes life just get in the way of putting some time aside to practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baby.giraffe Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I recently bought a violin for a prop in my photography and because I'd always wanted to own one. Obviously we are talking about a cheap violin here! I am utterly in love with it and would dearly love to be able to play it. I have tried when everyone is out and its just bad noise! I can play one short thing on the Casio keyboard though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 I played the violin as a child, but was thrown out of the class when it was discovered that the entire year and a half, I'd been unable to read music and had been getting my friend (also in the class) to play to music to me to I could learn to play it by ear. It was only discovered when we were given an unseen piece of music as a tst and I couldn't play it. I'd never hidden the fact I couldn't play - nobody had ever asked! Rather than just saying "Well, we obviously have someone who is interested enough in music and can opick things up easily, let's teach her to read music as well," they said I was now too far behind (even though I could play each piece we'd done as well as or better than the rest of the class!) and that was that. So I went from being joint first vioinist of the school orchestra(with my friend who had helped me learn the pieces) to not being allowed to play at all. It broke my heart and I never picked up the violin again. I play a little piano, but fnid it very difficult because my hands are very small - and I don't read music - LOL! Recorder is the only other one. Oh, and a teeny tiny bit of drums. The instrument I REALLY wanted to play was the cello. I was too small so I learned violin instead (really, I was tiny for my age and couldn't wrap myself around the instrument enough to be able to play!). I fancied trying clarinet, but I wasn't allowed to start because, wait for it, I couldn't get the flute to work! Go figure - they work on completely different principles, but they wouldn't let me play the one I wanted because I couldn't get a completely different instrument, in which I had absolutely no interest, to work! I didn't bother trying any more instruments after that, although one day I may try another... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Kell, they didn't let you play because you couldn't read music? That's really unfair! If you could play the songs just by ear that shows that you are really musical. What a shame that they stole you the enjoyment of playing the violin! By the way, I really need to play my ukulele again, haven't played it for weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busy91 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I've been taking guitar classes for over a year. Right now I'm learning the Basics of The Blues. I used to play the viola (long time ago), it sure is a different feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptashka Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I'm teaching myself how to play guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Bill Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I can play the recorder, the primary school instrument of choice. I still love the sound of it, despite no longer playing. The recorder is a beautiful instrument when played well. Have you listened to any of Michaela Petri's recordings? Magic. I'm also trying to learn classical guitar. I am taking lessons although they tend not to be very regular because of other commitments (both mine and my teacher's) I also sing bass in the local choral society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Nail Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I'm teaching myself the ukelele...its very early days and tonight I'm auditioning for a rock choir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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