Do you play any musical instruments?

[ImNemo598]

I played flute in middle school 6th grade band. I quit though because I got sick and missed a week of not only school work but learning in band (fast paced shenanigans cause we were newbies). I honestly still regret quitting, I loved band. I plan to join concert band when I start school at my local college and take lots of lessons. I want to stick to my flute and possibly pick up the piccolo.

 

My senior year of high school, everyone in my english class (called Humanities) got harmonicas and we self-taught ourselves enough to be able to play a little song at the end of the unit. I don't remember much of what we did but I still have my harmonica and make little sounds every now and then.

 

I've always wanted to learn to play the cello, I'm not really sure why. Same with bass guitar which I plan on self teaching as soon as I can save the money up for one.

 

I also play the instrument known as my voice I was a first soprano in my high school choir and I love singing even though I'm not all that great lol

Edited September 12, 2015 by EmoDuck598

[Evolutary]

I've been playing piano for about 10 years now, although in the beginning years I didn't play that often and it was kind of an on/off thing (there were times where I almost quit, but I'm glad I didn't) before I started doing the exams and actually practise everyday. I've stopped a little due to school but I still try to find time to play at least once a week.

 

My sight-reading is very good since I just find random sheets on the Internet and just play them, but I cannot play by ear for my life. I wish I could do that though, because there's a lot of beautiful songs out there that I want to play, but there aren't music sheet for them yet.

 

My piano playing is good too, but because of the on/off thing and not playing everyday, you could probably reach my level in half the time (5 years).

 

I also feel like I've hit an ability wall - I can't seem to get any better no matter how much I practise or play. This greatly saddens me because there's a lot of beautiful pieces out there with music sheets, but I would never be able to play them anyway.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Evolutary

[BlossomSwirl]

I play the piano, not the best, got a B- on my exam this year, but at least I passed . I play flute, but my flute teacher has gone somewhere without telling me, so I stopped practising, I hated it anyways, but I'm still kinda sad

[Gusearth]

Cello anyone? I also play Piano in my spare time.

[Darien]

Cello anyone? I also play Piano in my spare time.

No thanks, how about the flute?,I play the flute...

[Laryal]

No not myself for i cant lol but my nephew who is 15 can play The violin, The guitar and the piano.He start when he was four with the violin.and his teachers could not teach him any more so he went to the piano now he is in the guitar.His teacher said he could go to any collage with his talent we are so proud of him.

[Millie_Azure]

As a music teacher, the very fact that this thread exists and has so many musicians posting such a wide variety of talents makes my heart and soul sing with joy. n.n Whether it is your profession or a hobby, I sincerely hope each and every one of you continue to play!

 

Being a music teacher, my musical experiences and talents are wide and varied:

• I started playing the piano when I was six, and I took piano lessons for eight years.
• I was introduced to the recorder by my elementary music teacher. It is an instrument I now teach my own students to play.
• I stopped playing the piano when I started high school, because I traded it for singing in choir. By my senior year, I spent half my time at school in the choir room. (This is not an exageration.)
• As a music education student, I took voice lessons for my main instrument, took piano proficiency classes, continued to participate in choirs, and had to take instrument methods courses in which I learned how to play the violin, trumpet, and a wide variety of percussion instruments including timpani and marimba.
• Today, I continue to play the piano, sing in a choir that performs with our local professional orchestra, and I am learning to play the autoharp.

[trishagj]

I use to, I started with the trumpet in elementary school, then guitar on my own in Junior High but my arthrits made me stop, and the last was flute. I've been thinking of trying a rich wood recorder or a penny flute, someday maybe. I love the Pan flute but I don't think I'm up for that.

[Natevaelle]

I play the piano, guitar, and flute.

 

I got into playing the piano because I really liked listening to Fuer Elise and I wanted to be able to play it. When I was six or seven, I started having piano lessons. Finally, I learned the Fuer Elise and played it during one of my piano recitals. If I remember right, I had piano lessons for about give or take five years.

 

I got into playing the guitar because my dad was into playing the guitar and composing songs in his youth and he had a number of guitars at home, inclusive of both acoustic and electric ones. Playing the guitar was a cool thing back when I was in grade school too.

 

I got into playing the flute because music class in grade school taught it.

 

I want to learn how to play the violin. But alas! My adult life is a very busy life.

[CandraCat]

I played guitar for several years, acoustic & electric but I wasn't great at it. I had difficulty playing solos up to speed. I'm better on bass, or maybe I'm not any better because I haven't learned any bass solos either but I was playing in a band called no world order with my husband and Murray Acton from the Day glo abortions for a while.

I used to sing competitively but I never won and I smoke now and probably couldn't sing very well anymore.

 

I noticed that someone put up that they play ocarina and I tried that out for a while too, I bought one online and taught myself how to play it.

 

When I was younger I played piano but I haven't played in many years, although my Mother in law is a really good pianist so I might have the opportunity at some point in the future.

 

I'm not sure that I'd be good at anything anymore since I've been away from musical instruments for a little over 3 years now and I had to work hard to learn songs that were easy for my husband. I guess we'll just have to see how life goes

[greenglassesgal]

I don't actively play any instrument right now, but I used to play the piano as a kid. Don't really remember how to play anything on it anymore aside from some basic songs and that one song from Carmen. In school, I've also learned some basic stuff on the recorder, violin, trumpet, and Chinese flute, though I only really remember how to play the first and the last one now. For what it's worth, I can still read sheet music I guess.

[PaperCakes]

Used to play piano, like almost every other Chinese kid, the recorder, the xylophone, the accordion... Now none of them though I can still read sheet music.

[spookyjia]

I am learned the guitar and I can play the ukulele! I sing too but I don't know if that counts.

Edited August 15, 2016 by spookyjia

[Wildmoon]

I mainly play guitar and bass guitar now, along with a bit of piano.

Used to play Violin and Clarinet too.

I also sing, if that counts. Weirdly enough, I can't read music, only read tabs. o.O

 

I want to relearn my violin - I have an electric violin thats sitting around not being used. Luckily I still know the basics.

[andromedae]

I was learning to play the piano and was rather good at it.

I couldn't continue taking lessons since they were too expensive.

[gigglymonkey12]

I took piano lessons for about 12 years and then viola for about 1...but I quit because the instructor kept telling me to cut my nails shorter (they were already pretty short) and I didn't feel passionate enough about the instrument.

[SlyFox]

I learned to play the flute in the 6th grade and I played in the school band all throughout 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades. When I started high school, I stopped playing because my flute ended up dented horribly, and I'm not even sure how that happened. It didn't sound right after that and I couldn't afford to get it fixed, so I left it for many years and just never got back to it. Lately, however, I've been wanting to learn the violin because I think that's the most beautiful instrument - well, all strings being the most beautiful, but the violin being the best of those IMO.

[Toyo]

I totally impulse bought a cheap used guitar, and I have a question for anyone who plays:

 

Should I continue struggling on with a full size, or should I (and my small hands) go check out a 3/4 size somewhere? I used to play other instruments and understand the concepts of stretch and practice and just be gosh darn patient because these things don't happen overnight, but I find I am physically unable to do certain tricks, for example, muting the sixth string with my thumb. (My thumb will not even reach the sixth string by almost a centimeter, let alone mute it.)

 

Advice? Opinions?

[dreamtosleep]

I totally impulse bought a cheap used guitar, and I have a question for anyone who plays:

 

Should I continue struggling on with a full size, or should I (and my small hands) go check out a 3/4 size somewhere? I used to play other instruments and understand the concepts of stretch and practice and just be gosh darn patient because these things don't happen overnight, but I find I am physically unable to do certain tricks, for example, muting the sixth string with my thumb. (My thumb will not even reach the sixth string by almost a centimeter, let alone mute it.)

 

Advice? Opinions?

I think you should probably get a 3/4, if it's impeding on your ability to do certain things with the guitar. I feel like if it's actually humanly impossible, you should get something that's easier. If it's uncomfortable to reach, then it will get better when you practice, but if you actually can't reach it, then you'll just continue to give yourself grief.

[Toyo]

I think you should probably get a 3/4, if it's impeding on your ability to do certain things with the guitar. I feel like if it's actually humanly impossible, you should get something that's easier. If it's uncomfortable to reach, then it will get better when you practice, but if you actually can't reach it, then you'll just continue to give yourself grief.

Thanks for the advice! I think I'll head down to my local music store (it's so close to my house, there's no excuse) and go "touch at" some 3/4 sizes. Maybe they'll be able to help me out and see what is and isn't possible Also, my strings are really old and lame, so I should probably just get all new ones anyway, regardless.

 

In the meantime, I'll struggle on with my full size ... maybe a 3/4 will be a good holiday present? By that time (in theory, assuming I've stuck with it) I bet everything will seem so much easier!

[georgexu94]

I play the guitar.

 

@toyofubl: You should really try to play the guitar first.

1. Check the size- the body size, the width of the fret board. Make sure that it isn't too wide that you cannot reach strings and not too narrow that your fingers cram up.

2. Know if you like nylon or steel strings. (Classical vs. acoustic)

3. Well, not really important but I'll put it in anyway: guitar wood.

4. Add-ons (e.g. colour)

Edited September 2, 2016 by georgexu94

[Sinine]

I play guitar and harp.

 

I do not own a harp now though. I wish i did.

I am thinking I should get one again.

 

[Kyriane]

I started taking piano and voice lessons after I turned 14. Then I quit because I guess I felt like my teacher was trying to change me too much. She would get mad whenever I would bring in music books with pop music that I wanted to learn how to play and sing.

Everytime someone says "Oh, you're Italian? You should sing Opera!" I'm just like "Um...NO!"

I don't have that kind of voice, I don't like that kind of music, and I don't want to be stereotyped because of my heritage.

Now, I wish I would have stuck with it, just with a different teacher, because I still love to sing and it would be nice to be able to play something at the same time. Maybe I'll try guitar next...

 

[Confused Cat]

I don't really play any instrument (apart from some piano lessons when I was 12 or so).

 

However I recently decided I would like to learn to play the violin. Problem: very low frustration tolerance, and my right hand normally spends 12 hours a day lying on a computer mouse. So now that I'm trying to learn how to hold that violin bow, I'm already thinking of giving up. (My hand hurts! And my fingers always bend the wrong way! Clearly this is completely impossible to do!)

 

Unfortunately my first lesson mostly consisted of the teacher trying to tune my very cheap violin (I'll get a better one asap), so we didn't get any further than "and this is how you're supposed to hold it"...

 

Well. We'll see if I can write "yes, I play the violin" (at least a little) here some day.

[Artius]

Well. I can play the piano, but not very well; Also can play the electric guitar a bit.