Misc instruments What other instrument could you just not...

[turf3]

Returning to seriousness for just a bit, for me it was piano. I started piano age 9, typical for American kids, practiced somewhat grudgingly, progresssed at a pretty normal pace, but I just never was that keen on it. I took lessons, gave recitals, participated in various contests, but when I'd gotten into the easier Beethoven, Grieg nocturnes, Schumann Album-Leaves, nibbling at the bottom edge of Chopin, I just got less interested year by year.I finally gave it up around age 15 or 16 and quite honestly never looked back.

MAYBE if I could have figured out how to use it in popular music, I'd have stayed with it, but to be quite honest I just never really dug the sound. I don't listen to a lot of piano music even now.

By contrast, I took to the flute right away, and when at about age 16 I started saxophone, that was clearly where I was intended to be.

I think that for people with some amount of musical talent, there is an instrument (or more than one) that really fits them, and the trick is to figure out which one it is.

 

[ghostler]

First production of Pygmalion.

@PigSquealer take note, deserving of a trophy, there is even a blog about it:

Meerut Pig Sticking Trophy

A trophy provided by the Secretary of the Meerut Pig Sticking Club

www.porkopolis.org

 

[turf3]

@PigSquealer take note, deserving of a trophy, there is even a blog about it:

Meerut Pig Sticking Trophy

A trophy provided by the Secretary of the Meerut Pig Sticking Club

www.porkopolis.org

Don't joke about it too much, I live in rural Texas where feral hogs (wild boar) are everywhere. A buddy of mine whose place is a few miles away, said someone on his road actually BRINGS THEM IN for hunters! I asked him if the guy was also importing anopheles mosquitoes, water-moccasins, and scorpions!

 

[ghostler]

Returning to seriousness for just a bit, for me it was piano. I started piano age 9, typical for American kids, practiced somewhat grudgingly, progresssed at a pretty normal pace, but I just never was that keen on it. I took lessons, gave recitals, participated in various contests, but when I'd gotten into the easier Beethoven, Grieg nocturnes, Schumann Album-Leaves, nibbling at the bottom edge of Chopin, I just got less interested year by year.I finally gave it up around age 15 or 16 and quite honestly never looked back.

About that age, my parents had bought a Kimball Entertainer spinet organ. One thing about Kimball is that they used nice furniture grade construction for their electronic organs. It wasn't the most expensive in the series but a step up from their basic model, even had a Leslie speaker. It had an elementary rythm section, sort of a start into the later arranger keyboards.

Never bothered with console organs again, but now have a couple professional model Korg keyboards. They are like a Casio that one day decided to grow up, better than the decent Korg i3 of 25 years ago

 

[Alphorn]

I started on trombone out of curiosity about 1 1/2 years ago. I realize that a brass embouchure is quite different to a sax embouchure. I struggled with it for several months but finally seem to suceed. Joined a Posaunenchor last week, best translated as brass choir playing at churches and community events. If I ever will be a decent player I don‘t know. It‘s really an effort but it‘s fun.

Posaunenchor

 

[MikeMorrell]

I played guitar from the ages of 11 to 45. Not to any high standard but through various phases:
- lessons on an acoustic (steel-string) guitar, which I hated!
- electric guitar 'bedroom' playalongs to LP's aged 14-18 years
- Folk (finger-picking) guitar (aged 18- 23 years), with a switch to a nylon-stringed 'classical' guitar
- Folk guitar transitioning into 'Classical' (Baroque, Renaissance, Modern) guitar pieces

Aged 40, on a whim, I rented a tenor sax and I was hooked! I decided to focus on learning to play sax and gradually sold off my various guitars.

A couple of years ago, I bought bass guitar which I played for a couple of years but has lain unplayed since then. So I sold it (+amp) to the bass player in my 'Rock/Pop' band. To my great surprise, he prefers to play on my 'old' bass guitar and amp rather than his previous bass guitar/amp set-up!

My favourite instrument is the piano, which I owned for 15 years and even had a few lessons on. But when moving, it unfortunately had to go.

Looking forward, I'm interested in expanding my 'tenor sax' range to alto and/or sop.. At least for my 'Pop/Rock band'. Although in my 'Big Band', I'm firmly a 'tenor sax' player.

My primary motivation for playing music is now to be able to 'play in bands', rather than playing music (at home) for my own enjoyment/satisfaction. So I'm still open to playing any instruments that 'enhance' the sound and for which I have some (very limited) experience or aptitude. For example: other saxes or guitars, percussion, flute, mouth organ, etc.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Blow and Draw, were odd to get familiar with at first.
Worth the effort and then learning to compose and play tunes, with the available notes.
The chromatic harp and the pedal steel guitar, makes 3D chess seem simple. 😜

 

[Reedswinds]

Bassoon, all thumbs.

 

[ghostler]

My favourite instrument is the piano, which I owned for 15 years and even had a few lessons on. But when moving, it unfortunately had to go.

This is one of the reasons why I have keyboards. They don't take up much room. If necessary, I can stow the stand, have a decent gig bag to store it in a closet if room needed for one reason or another. Some have weighted keys, plus one can get a set of peddles for sustain, etc. like an accoustic piano. Some mounted on a semi-permanent stand fit tightly up against a wall so they don't take up much room space.

Looking forward, I'm interested in expanding my 'tenor sax' range to alto and/or sop.. At least for my 'Pop/Rock band'. Although in my 'Big Band', I'm firmly a 'tenor sax' player.

Although I play tenor in the community band, I am better at the sop, alto and bari. But I fill a need due to lack. For me, playing a variety of saxes is fun.

My primary motivation for playing music is now to be able to 'play in bands', rather than playing music (at home) for my own enjoyment/satisfaction.

Similar to you, I have enjoyed playing in the community band. I find joy in being able to provide that nuance in tone with the right expression that just adds a fullness even if a background part.

 

[Pete Effamy]

Bassoon, all thumbs.

And pursed lips and raised eyebrows