I think it is safe to assume that the vast majority if not all Forum members love music - what’s the point in having Naim equipment if we don’t?
However a recent post by @VinoVeritas in which he said he plays - or used to play - clarinet makes me wonder what music instrument(s) do we play, if any? I suspect a number of members are amateur or even professional musicians, and I’d be curious to find out.
For my part I confess that until this past November I didn’t play any instrument. Now that I’m retired I bought a digital piano and I started piano lessons… better late than never.
So what instrument(s) do you play and what is your level of proficiency?
Guitar since I was 17 but sill absolutely rubbish. Just working on the intro to the Rolling Stones Can’t you hear me knocking. What a riff - could play that all day.
Playing guitar for more than 50 years now, and it’s not for lack of trying, more my monumental lack of talent which has meant that I forever remain a hopeless amateur.
Oh, and bagpipes, but then, you didn’t really want to know that, did you?
I switched the TV on last night and it was a documentary of Barry Gibb…seems an ordinary strummer…but wrote and sung great songs. Perhaps the guitar virtuoso and the complete artist are rare?
Play about with and make a noise, play, and play well are all very different!
I love musical instruments, having the following at present: violin, electric guitar, synthesiser/sample keyboard with pretty realistic piano sounds (full size 88 weighted keys), tenor sax, and I have access to a son’s cello. I regret not buying and having shipped home a guzheng when I was in Shanghai about 4 years ago, where I found a street with several shops selling them, and could get a pretty good one at a remarkably cheap price (a reason to go back!). Many years ago I had a home-made bass guitar, but eventually gave it away as it really wasn’t great to play - I am on the lookout for a secondhand one at a decent price locally - they sometimes come up at the local auction house.
I can’t play any of them proficiently, best on violin and cello. But I can almost unerringly pick out a tune on any. A planned hobby for retirement is to learn to play all. And I have music in my head I’d like to develop and play/ record…
Meanwhile I’ve remembered a post in another thread back in December, giving a bit more & different detail
[quote=“Gazza, post:5, topic:14828”] Perhaps the guitar virtuoso and the complete artist are rare? [/quote]
You’ve made me feel so much better, Gazza … I’ll henceforth worry less about my lack of guitar virtuosity, and concentrate instead on being a complete artiste.
I think whatever it ‘is’ - is a talent - a gift and some people just have it. There are many things you can learn and practice but there are those that have the gift and we can only admire them for it.
I asked my guitar teacher once how does Jeff Beck know where to go in that solo and he said he just knows.
I played a number of instruments from 6 to 21 years of age -
I started playing a recorder.
Moved on to classical guitar.
The secondary school I attended had a wind band and an orchestra and I played cornet in the wind band for a couple of years but didn’t really get on with it.
So started to learn clarinet in senior school (I would have loved to play oboe as I prefer the lower tones, but was advised that at the time I probably didn’t have the lung capacity).
I played to quite a high level (I withdrew from my grade 8 exam 2 weeks before taking it due to my teacher moving to America unexpectedly and A levels were looming] mainly classical music and eventually was 1st clarinet in a local orchestra whilst in college.
I did dabble in alto saxophone at the school orchestra / wind band for a while but didn’t really pursue as clarinet exams were looming.
It is my one regret musically that I didn’t take that grade 8 exam.
I could play either the right hand or the left hand of the piano but could never quite get them together - but was completely self taught.
Unfortunately, life got in the way and I got less and less chance to continue playing when I started work and despite wanting to start again several times over the last 30 odd years I know how good I was and how much time and effort it took to get there, the motivation just wasn’t there.
My clarinets have had a good life though helping 2 members of staff’s children progress with their own playing and having found my sheet music it did tempt me to start again as a lockdown project. Who knows.
Joined the church Folk group to play Guitar and Sing about 25 years ago. Very amateur, just strumming and basic finger picking.
Then about 10 years ago joined a local guitar group, got together with a group of lads, and we formed a Rock band called “The MISFITS”. We just practice covers for our own enjoyment once a week (pre Covid) and have been lucky enough to play at a few Charity fund raising gigs. We figure if it’s for charity, and no-one pays for us, they can’t expect too much. I was very nervous at the beginning, but now I love it. Playing guitar with your mates with people dancing around is a great feeling. We have got better too, but still not enough to charge.
If you enjoy music, then I would highly recommend picking something up and trying it. It makes you realise how good these professionals really are, although sometimes I do come away from going to see a concert and think should I really bother. In the end as long as you enjoy it, thats most important.
I have played clarinet, flute, guitar, recorder - none of them well.
Oh, and in junior school I was given castinets or triangle to play. Which I didn’t think much of.
