Do you play a musical instrument?

[silentC]

I've played drums in bands since high school and played rhythm guitar in one band for a short time.

Who else is of a musical bent?

[doug the slug]

Who else is of a musical bent?

not me, I cant even get a decent tune out of a doorbellhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Wongo]

Music and I, no no no. I just don’t have it in me.:o

Want me to sing a song?

"Loving yoooouuuu is easy cos your beautiful. Do do do do do do do dooooo. Arrr......":D

[Shedhand]

Learnt guitar from age of 9. Been playing since (professional from 1971 to about 1987. Play a bit of piano (self taught).:)
Have a beautiful old iron frame in my computer room and an Acoustic Electric Ovation nylon string with 18 carat gold machine heads ( gift from wife ) and a an Acoustic/ Electric Ovation Steel string. Arthritis in my hands has got me now and I rarely play.:(:(
I sent my grandson to lessons last year and he loved it. My 4 year old grandson will follow and is really keen. My daughter (35) plays classical guitar as does my 17 year old grand-daughter (she also plays violin nicely) and my son (30) is a self taught guitar and piano virtuoso but unfortunately, has no self belief or confidence in his ability.
Where did it all come from? My father played beautiful harmonica and my mother played honky tonk piano in days when there was no Television. I have 5 brothers and we all play an instrument.:):):cool::cool:

[Wongo]

"La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la do do do do do do do do Arrrrr....":D :D :D :D :D

Now you cant get it out of your head.:D

[Cliff Rogers]

Guitar.

Played for 35 years now. Was in a band at high school.

Own 5 guitars including a Bass.

Have 4 working amps, 3 of them valve.

Have 2 half built valve amps & one I fixed for a bloke & lost his phone number; he'll call me. :rolleyes:
Also have an old Marshal on the floor in my office that has been modified & the owner wants me to put it back to standard 'cos it is now a collector item.

[silentC]

At one time I owned 2 acoustics, 2 electrics and a banjo (which I couldn't play). I had an old Marshall valve amp but I sold it to a guy in Sydney when I was broke once. Gave my only remaining accoustic to a mate to fix up about a year ago, still has it. I don't seem to find time to play any more.

We also have an old upright piano belonging to my wife's family. I can bang out a few tunes on that but only by ear. Needs tuning and I might have a go at restoring it one day.

Current kit is a bottle-green Tama Art Star with a 4" maple snare.

[Ashore]

Jews Harp and The spoons ,
should have gone pro years ago :D

RGds

[craigb]

Define play.

If it involves more than say, a half a dozen chords, then no. :o

Let's just say that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. :rolleyes: :D

[silentC]

If you can play one song from start to finish then that's good enough for the purposes of this poll ;)

[bitingmidge]

If you can play one song from start to finish then that's good enough for the purposes of this poll ;)
Cool!
:cool: :cool: :cool:

I have a nice Mando, a nasty Banjo Mandolin, a playable (now) uke, a uke converted to a balalaika, a doodle bass, a half-built Tamboora, a busker organ that I've got the bits for the pipes cut out and resting for a bit, and a set of keys cut for a Soprano Marimba, which will one day become the end of a coffee table for one of my daughters.

Unfortunately I didn't get to learn till I was too old to be sitting in bedrooms strumming all day, and I'd just plain love to have some old learner dudes to muck around with..... :cool:

On the other hand, taking a piece of timber and making something that can play a note is bordering on the sort of experience that the silent majority are seeking!

Once this spate of boat building is over, I'll finish the Marimba coffee table, and get a go on the busker organ, and continue building the moulds for lots of other instruments on my list of things to make and do.

For me, it's a sort of organic process. Boats are similar, but you don't have to get cold and wet playing a balalaika.

Oh, and if you want to make really cheap stupid instruments in no time flat, that really play, you can't go past Dennis Havlena's website either: http://www.ehhs.cmich.edu/~dhavlena/

Cheers,

P (is that the same song you sang in your sleep at our place Wongo?)
:D :D :D

[silentC]

Unfortunately I didn't get to learn till I was too old to be sitting in bedrooms strumming all day, and I'd just plain love to have some old learner dudes to muck around with
Come on down sometime and you can sit in with us on the thingamujumaphone or whatever ;)

[DanP]

'Bout the only instrument I play is that one you blow in...

[zenwood]

Flute, and C-tuned recorders. Played duets with a classical guitarist for many years.

[Wongo]

P (is that the same song you sang in your sleep at our place Wongo?)
:D :D :D

No that was the other one. Want to hear it?

"Ain't no sunshine when I am gone....... I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know":D :D

Wongo (the next Hong Kong idol):D

[craigb]

No that was the other one. Want to hear it?

"Ain't no sunshine when I am gone....... I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know":D :D

Wongo (the next Hong Kong idol):D

Wongo Withers?

Doesn't have much of a ring to it. :p :D

[underused]

Do the Spoons count:o??? :D

[silentC]

I've got a gig coming up in a couple of weeks and I have to learn some new songs for it. Try these for golden oldies:

Because I Love You (Master's Apprentices)
Gonna See My Baby Tonight (La De Das)
Golden Miles (Healing Force)
Don't Bogart Me (Fraternity of Man) - "Don't Bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me"

[silentC]

Do the Spoons count:o??? :D
If you can really play them like those old time guys then absolutely!!

[Shedhand]

I also have a kalimba. I saw a guy playing a hurdy gurdy at the Cygnet Folk Fstival a few weeks ago. Awesome sound. I'm gonna have a go oneday.

Midge what's you're address I'll be there for a jam in a minute...I wish:o

I also play the Jaw (Jews) Harp and the kazoo....San Francisco Bay Blues by Eric Clapton calls for a kazoo so I had to have some lessons:D:D:D:D

[silentC]

Hah, we do a song with a kazoo solo in it. Can't remember the name of it. One of those 60's pop songs from the Mellow Yellow era... Wet myself laughing every time...

[Wongo]

Silent, play this one for me

But don't tell my heart,
my achy breaky heart,
I just don't think he'll understand.
:D

and that song in Titanic from Celine Dion will be nice.:p

[javali]

I have been playing Berimbau for the past 10 years. I still do not know whether it is considered a musical instrument.

[silentC]

According to Wikipedia it is "a single-string percussion instrument". So there you go, at least one source says it is - good enough for me ;)

[ozwinner]

I also have a kalimba. I saw a guy playing a hurdy gurdy at the

Get some plans and make one.

Al :)

[ozwinner]

Wongo Withers?

Doesn't have much of a ring to it. :p :D

Wongo and the Wackers...

Al :)

[bitingmidge]

Get some plans and make one.

Al :)
Dennis Havlena's website has plans for a very simple Hurdy Gurdy that works a treat, and also a couple of others that are a bit more complex... fabulous things.

P (Dabbling with the thought of using one of the Puddleducks as a soundbox for a bass........)
:D :D :D

[Driver]

My Mum - who, at 94, still plays piano every day - was a professional musician when she was younger. She tried really hard to teach all three of her kids to play piano. Being her youngest, I was her last chance. She finally bowed to the inevitable when I was about 14 and let me give it up. I love music - always have, always will - but I don't have the gift - to my regret.

It skips generations: my son is a pretty good guitarist and a couple of his cousins are accomplished musicians.

[TassieKiwi]

...Willie Wongo? (you have too much time on your hands. Make a hoojeemaflungit)

Played acoustic on/off for 20yrs, had a Strat for a while but wifey hated it, and I thought it should be played rather than stored - bloke who bought it was a collector:rolleyes: . Have visions of going to the local Blues Festival with my harp and guitar and thrashing out a few Neil Young covers, but I never quite make the auditions.......maybe one day. Guitar recently escaped falling off the trailer at 120km/h on the Midladns highway - 2 small scratches and gravel rash on the case. A sign?

It'd be great to sit and jam with some like minded friends, but I have yet to find some. My current ones are very good at the tennis racket and air guitar.

[Tankstand]

I've always had a musical bent, but have never really persisted or dedicated my time to learning the following, I've tried...guitar, keyboard, harmonica, tin whistle ( the last three I own!) Dad could sing and was in a few choirs.

But I have accomplished playing the.......
















FOOL!:D

[CameronPotter]

I play bass and alto clarinets, but I have just had to give up band as my thesis is due soon and I need to get it done before going to the States...

Right now I am at work and I am missing the first rehearsal of not being a member anymore.:(

[craigb]

I've got a gig coming up in a couple of weeks and I have to learn some new songs for it. Try these for golden oldies:

Because I Love You (Master's Apprentices)
Gonna See My Baby Tonight (La De Das)
Golden Miles (Healing Force)
Don't Bogart Me (Fraternity of Man) - "Don't Bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me"

50th birthday party? ;)

[Shedhand]

Wongo and the Wackers...

Al :)Wongo Bongo and the Straw Hats:D:D

[Shedhand]

Hah, we do a song with a kazoo solo in it. Can't remember the name of it. One of those 60's pop songs from the Mellow Yellow era... Wet myself laughing every time... It was Paul McCartney on Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen" ;)

[Shedhand]

Played acoustic on/off for 20yrs, had a Strat for a while but wifey hated it..

My first one did too so I kicked her out.:D:D:D This one loves it when I actually decide to pick it up.:o

[Waldo]

G'day,

Used to play the clarinet. It's sitting in the lounge room in it's box net to my wife's piano. I haven't play it in 18 years (strueth! time flies)

The reed was stuffed even when I was playing it, all cracked and chipped and I never got around to replacing it, just learnt to play with a buggered reed :eek: . The cork is pobably all stuffed by now too.

One day, when Sarah asks her Daddy what's in the black case I might drag it out. Maybe, or she might ask if she can help Daddy make some toys in the shed. ;)

[craigb]

G'day,

Used to play the clarinet. It's sitting in the lounge room in it's box net to my wife's piano. I haven't play it in 18 years (strueth! time flies)

The reed was stuffed even when I was playing it, all cracked and chipped and I never got around to replacing it, just learnt to play with a buggered reed :eek: . The cork is pobably all stuffed by now too.

One day, when Sarah asks her Daddy what's in the black case I might drag it out. Maybe, or she might ask if she can help Daddy make some toys in the shed. ;)

Geez mate, it's not as though reeds are expensive :cool:

[Waldo]

G'day,

Yeah I know, about $2 for 2 I think, but it was always the sort of thing I kept forgetting to do.:rolleyes:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Used to play the clarinet. It's sitting in the lounge room in it's box net to my wife's piano. I haven't play it in 18 years (strueth! time flies)

Et tu, Brutus? I wanted to learn the sax... but the school said No, I had to study the tootle-flute first, to "learn the basics." Some four years playing an instrument I couldn't really give a damn about, then the school decided to allow 1st-year students to start on the sax from day one. I promptly signed up and was informed I'd have to restart the course from the very beginning... paying appropriate fees, of course! :mad:

So much for the clarinet being "learning the basics," eh? F#$@ing b$#@$%ds!!

I told 'em to shove it and haven't touched the tootle-flute since. :rolleyes:

[silentC]

50th birthday party? ;)
How did you guess? ;)

[Da-da da-da da da]
Oo-oo-ooh,
Do what you wanna do
Be what you wanna be, ye-e-eah

[bennylaird]

:D While I can't play the piano by ear I can fiddle with my .......................:D :eek:

[Waldo]

I told 'em to shove it and haven't touched the tootle-flute since. :rolleyes:

G'day Skew ChiDAMN!!,

Except for me, I wanted to learn the black stick (would've preferred the sax) so I was told by parents if I wanted a clarinet I had to learn music all the way to grade 12. Well that was pretty useless as I was tone deaf and couldn't pick a note when the teacher played it on the piano and said, "What's this for an exam?"

Don't know how I got a pass in music, couldn't do jack really. I think I got a pass out of sympathy and trying more than anything else. Only went to school to do art and that was it.

And I didn't have to learn an instruement to do it. :D

[CameronPotter]

The funny thing is that the sax is far easier than the clarinet.

Its register keying simply raises the notes by an octave (much more sense) and the keys are generally less complicated and less finger busting.

So, it shouldn't be hard to pick up the sax anyway...

Cam

[Harry72]

I've played the guitar since I was about 10-11yrs, only play once in a blue moon now...
Q?, what was the 1st piece of music you learned...
smoke on the water, then progressed to le'grange

[silentC]

The first piece of music I learned was probably "The Blue Danube" on the piano :eek:

I learned chords on the keyboard and then transposed them to the guitar (all open chords) and started to learn to play various things I can't remember when I was a kid. But Smoke on the Water was definitely the first riff I learned.

A girlfriend taught me to play bar chords and the like properly when I was 18. She was mostly into Fleetwood Mac and Bob Seger!

[bennylaird]

The show last night shows the way the riff was actually played, (Smoke on the water) Not one string as I learnt lol or full chords but two strings. Was a good show on Foxtel may be reapeated.

[Wongo]

Met a Japanese musician once and he said "I play sex's fun":D

Wongo (who gets sillier on Friday):D

[silentC]

Totally unrelated, but I used to share a house with an Israeli guy called Sharon. When he first came to Sydney, he was working on building sites and people would say "good on yah mate" when he'd do something for them. For ages, he thought they were saying "good onion mate" and he could never work out why.

Did I mention his name was Sharon?

Taught me a few words in hebrew, unfortunately I cannot mention any of them here.

[Zed]

ibanez 6 string aucoustic.

[Dean]

Vintage 2005 Fender Strat Electric here :p
Plus some crappy 10w Amp it came with.
Pod XT processor and upgrading to a 120W Amp soon :)

Learning to be "The Edge" (from U2) ;)

Anyone else here going to the upcoming Brissie concert?

[bitingmidge]

Now I know there are some sad folk out there who have never heard music from a Uke, and even sadder ones who don't even think they are instruments, so at the risk of completely hijacking this thread. :p :p :p

This site http://beatlesite.info/ is absolutely the best learn-to-make an acceptable noise in time with the music site on earth.

Spend $25.00 on an instrument, $45 on a tuner, then log on and learn every Beatle song worth learning!

Cheers,

P (It's been a hard day's night)
:D :D :D

[Tex B]

Tried to learn, really I did. Tried saxophone, piano, banjo, guitar. Was always hard work, never fun.

Also, in year 2 I failed the audition for the primary school choir. Still scarred these many years later.

Now I play power tools. You should hear my router riffs.

Tex

[Rusty]

I thought I was a rhythm guitarist for 20-odd years, until I jumped on the kit and found I was a drummer. Still have a 1976 Gibson Explorer and an early seventies (rough as guts) Pearl kit.

Rock dreams die hard.

Rusty.

[HiString]

Started guitar in '62 but by the late 70's I had had enough of dickwads in bands, done the cofee shop folk thing with my Maton 12 string (still got it) and "retired" to enjoy music without the hassles.

These days, with a son who leaves me for dead on lead (he has the gift), we have our own studio (analogue and digital) and the number of guitars is almost embarrasing, plus piano, keyboard, drums (electric and acoustic) which I'm trying to learn to play. I've teamed up with a long time friend who as a singer in the UK, had success most kids only dream of...........we are now writing and getting ready to record and have a loose "group" made up from friends of ours and of my sons......ages ranging from early 20's to mid 50's makes for some interesting music.

A couple of years ago I was asked to do some woodwork on drums which lead me to this site..........this has now evolved into me just about to produce my first snare shells and hopefully other drums in the future.

One thing I have learnt is that you're never too old to learn.

:cool:

[Iain]

Studied classical guitar and got to AMEB 8, play an old Yamaha, Maton C75, Rimarez and a Fleta, had a 10 course lute but some bastard stole it, massive instrument, very light and low projection, easier to play than a guitar but a fair bastard to tune 19 strings with pegs.
Taught classical guitar at TAFE for about 2 years but lost my cadence after a car accident in the mid 80's (big smack in the head), now I can only play about 8 notes a second, way down on my better times.
SWMBO and eldest daughter play flute and youngest wants to learn classical guitar.

[silentC]

I'm a bit surprised that so few voted Advanced/Professional. Or maybe people are just being modest - very unusual for musos :D

All I meant by professional was "have you ever been paid to play?" A lot of the guys that DO get paid to play aren't all that fantastic anyway. I do a paid gig about once a month on average. I used to play every weekend and some week nights but got sick of it. The 1am lug outs were a killer.

[DanP]

after a car accident in the mid 80's (big smack in the head)

That explains a bit...:p

[Iain]

Lost hearing for two years and still left with a tremor which is worse some days than others, on a bad day I'm not game to pick up anything sharp.
Road gave way and vehicle slid down embankment into a tree, head smaked into door upon impact.
Government vehicle and dept wouldn't accept liability even though it was their road which was not finished properly.

[Zed]

a few of the guys here blow the "skin flute" occasionally :D

[Wongo]

Does a tongue drum count as a musical instrument?:p

[TassieKiwi]

Started guitar in '62 but by the late 70's I had had enough of dickwads in bands, done the cofee shop folk thing with my Maton 12 string (still got it) and "retired" to enjoy music without the hassles.

These days, with a son who leaves me for dead on lead (he has the gift), we have our own studio (analogue and digital) and the number of guitars is almost embarrasing, plus piano, keyboard, drums (electric and acoustic) which I'm trying to learn to play. I've teamed up with a long time friend who as a singer in the UK, had success most kids only dream of...........we are now writing and getting ready to record and have a loose "group" made up from friends of ours and of my sons......ages ranging from early 20's to mid 50's makes for some interesting music.

A couple of years ago I was asked to do some woodwork on drums which lead me to this site..........this has now evolved into me just about to produce my first snare shells and hopefully other drums in the future.

One thing I have learnt is that you're never too old to learn.

:cool:

That sounds like my dream in about 10 years. Son is 6 now, so maybe we'd better start?

[Cliff Rogers]

..."have you ever been paid to play?" .....

about 33 years ago; yes.... it wasn't enough to live on but then; what's changed? :rolleyes:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

All I meant by professional was "have you ever been paid to play?" A lot of the guys that DO get paid to play aren't all that fantastic anyway.

Once I was paid to not play. Does that count? :rolleyes:

[Iain]

about 33 years ago; yes.... it wasn't enough to live on but then; what's changed? :rolleyes:
There was a joke about the musician with a stomach problem, went to his Dr who gave him 6 tablets and told him to take one after each meal then come back.
2 weeks later the Dr met him in the street and asked why he hadn't come back, "I've still got three tablets left".

[silentC]

Boom boom ;)

I usually get about $100-120 in the hand for a gig, not too bad for 4 hours of enjoying yourself, but not that great either. I'd be in deep shyte if I had to live on it :o

[la Huerta]

i can play the spoons...!!!

[Iain]

How do you tune them???

[bitingmidge]

How do you tune them???

You leave different amounts of boiled egg yolk crust on the tips.

Cheers,

P (a skill learned through years of staying in seedy dives, and borrowing cutlery from backpackers.)
:D

[silentC]

SWMBO was at a kids playgroup one day and she was watching one of the local ferals playing with her baby. When feed time came, she reached up to the knot in her hair and extracted a spoon, which she proceeded to feed bub with. When finished, she licked the spoon clean and put it back in her hair! I think she might have played the banjo...

[Iain]

Using her one tooth as a plectrum:rolleyes:

[kiwigeo]

had a 10 course lute but some bastard stole it, massive instrument, very light and low projection, easier to play than a guitar but a fair bastard to tune 19 strings with pegs.


Iain....you must have extremely stupid burglars around your parts. What are the chances of fencing off a 10 course lute without drawuing alot of attention to yourself??

Who was the lute made by? Sounds like a lovely instrument.

Cheers Martin

[Iain]

Twas a no name of Asian origin but I put a bit of work into it, stolen about 15 years ago out of the boot of my car when I was playing lute and guitar at a venue.
I played lute first because of the low projection and guitar after, there was no room for me to leave the beast in the venue without the fear of damage so I stuck it in the car, I didn't notice until the following day and I put the guitar in the back seat when I went home.
It was around the Carlton area and someone obviously was watching and wanted it.
No insurance either.
Never found although it was reported.

[arose62]

Using the following links to challenge the definition of "musical instrument", I think that *everyone* here plays!


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005C3F/102-5895254-5423346?v=glance&n=5174

and

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000009NGG/102-5895254-5423346?v=glance&n=5174

Cheers,
Andrew

[AlexS]

a few of the guys here blow the "skin flute" occasionally :D

Others play the upright organ:D