And now for something completely different...music instruments

[Float On]

What do you play and how did you come to your instrument?

I was in 3rd grade when I mentioned that piano was cool.
Before I knew it I was in lessons and a delivery truck arrived on the farm with 5 pianos for me to choose from. I went through two teachers who said they'd taken me as far as they could go and then the final teacher was one who instructed students planning to major in piano in college. She was under the impression that I was planning to major in piano (I wasn't) and she was tough and completely killed my enjoyment of playing. I play rarely now but can still sit down and sight read or jump right into a piece without 'warming up'. I guess that makes 36 years that I've had my piano. And I don't play well with others, my husband plays guitars and wood flutes and pretty much anything else he can get his hands on but we never play together.



I'm mainly asking because I want to learn how a certain member came to play the tuba :)

[SimplyL]

Very cool, float!

I play no instruments. It is truly pathetic. I think I could learn the piano.

Husband plays the didgeridoo. Our daughter - now she can play piano, guitar, and is now learning the violin. She's also a vocalist (in fact, took her to school early this morning to audition for a solo for a Veteran's Day event through school). I earned my letter in Chorus.. but I sure was not solo - not even trio worthy! :)

[Alan]

Over the past 40 or so years I've learned to make embarrassingly odd sounds on my classical guitar. In the early 70's I was convinced it was my ticket to rock stardom but these days I find it more useful as my alter ego's prop.
http://home.iag.net/~greth/elkabong.jpg

[catherine]

I was taught to play piano by the nuns in my elementary school. My grandmother gave us a second hand piano. I enjoyed it, but I was far from a natural talent. In fact, I was so freaked out by having to perform in the recital that Sister Roserma allowed me to be the ONLY student who used the sheet music. I had memorized the piece (I think it was Saint-Saens, The Swan)but was terrified of forgetting it or making a mistake.

We didn't have a piano while the kids were growing up, but when my son mentioned an interest to his girlfriend's dad, who owned a moving business, the dad gave us a piano someone had left behind in a move. So, now it sits in my living room. I still am a very bad player, but I do love to play very simple tunes to relax. I remember when our now-deceased dog used to LOVE to hear me play. He'd get as close as he could to me, lie down on the couch and just watch me play. What a great audience he was.

[Tussiemussies]

Also took piano lessons and eventually the teacher wanted me to pursue it further and start practicing for many hours a day. I was too social then to have my wings clipped so I didn't move on as she wanted me to. We don't have a piano now but someday I would like to play again. I used to always practice after the dinner dishes were done and it was relaxing and a nice and quiet time in our home.

Took guitar lesson also when young and played in the church group. Have a guitar but the only songs I like to play are old-fashioned Christmas Carols. :)

My sister was taking piano lessons and I wanted to also so my parents let me and I had a talent for it. My parents seemed hesitant about letting me take lessons but I was the one who stuck with it.:)

When I was young my parents had me taking accordion lessons, but I wasn't interested in that. A few years later they had me take guitar lessons, which at the time I didn't know that my bio-father was really good at playing the guitar and had a band. That is probably why they picked it out for me...:)

[Tussiemussies]

Catherine, that is so sweet how your dog loved to hear you play and would lay as close to you as he could...:)

[Rosemary]

I played the flute in high school but eventually got discouraged. I picked it up again a few years ago, found some good online lessons, and learned that the teacher I had neglected to give me a lot of information that would have been useful for improving my technique.
I recently have taken some piano lessons. I am at a roadblock in getting my left and right hands to do completely different things, though. I've stopped lessons and will work at my own pace this winter.

DH plays the cello very well.
DD has taken several years of violin and is now in her elem. school orchestra. She is also taking piano lessons, and her school music classes are teaching the recorder.

[goldensmom]

I'm mainly asking because I want to learn how a certain member came to play the tuba :)

Why don't you just ask the certain member?

Since your OP included an invitation for everyone to share their musical instrument experience I will. I started on piano (mom was a piano teacher) but never became anything near an accomplished pianist. Then I learned and played alto, soprano and baritone saxophones; flute, oboe and bassoon. I tried to learn a string, violin, with no luck. Tried playing the mandolin but couldn't get the hang of it. Finally, tenor ukulele which I still enjoy because it can be serious or whimsical.

[iris lily]

I've come back to playing piano after 30 years of not touching one. I love this inexpensive electronic keyboard ($400) because it gives the feel of a piano. It actually has two settings for grand piano sound, each one different. It also has a setting for harpsichord but that's a little hokey. But this thing is so great because I can move it around myself, it never has to be tuned, and I can play it at night when DH is asleep. I may get a real acoustic piano in the future but this thing is GREAT for now.

I sat down on October 1st and started playing, using early piano instruction books. I'm now up to low Intermediate level, but my fast progression has stopped. I won't be able to advance at a rapid rate now without daily practice. When I stopped playing 30 years ago I was at an low Advanced level.

Float On I can't believe that your parents gave you a choice of piano at that age!!! What did you know about choosing one?That must have been tough.

When I was about 5 years old my mother decided that I was going to be musical. hmmm. So, being the obedient child that I was, I practiced my lessons and reached a decent level of competence over 15 years. My parents always thought that I was much better than I actually was, their ability to discern musical talent was limited. But bless them, they bought lots of stuff such as an organ (ugh) and I bought a harpsichord with my first real work money. Now that I think about it my mother decided, after I had been playing piano for a long time, that I would specialize in organ. We moved that year and didn't take the piano. I was sad, never really took to the organ. Later they got another piano for me, and even later, upgraded to a grand piano. I loved that thing.

[Float On]

Float On I can't believe that your parents gave you a choice of piano at that age!!! What did you know about choosing one?That must have been tough.



It was horrible. First off, I'd just said once that I thought piano was cool. My mom was that way about things. She always wanted to play 'something, anything' but being one of 10 kids wasn't given that opportunity. Anytime my brother or I said we'd like something we'd find ourselves three lessons into it. Standing there in that truck with 5 pianos was horrid. I knew it was a huge investment for them. I did pick a lovely one with a beautiful sound that has always been enjoyable to play.

[IshbelRobertson]

Bagpipes.

Although some foreigners dispute that they fall in the category of 'musical instrument'!

[SimplyL]

Bagpipes, very cool, Ishbel!

[JaneV2.0]

I should have had music lessons as a child--my mother's family made them available to all--but the only lessons I got were swimming lessons. I'm sure even if I had wanted to learn an instrument, it would have been "too expensive." Fortunately, I didn't. Crack student that I was, I never looked forward to (mandatory) music appreciation class in grade school, either. I understand now that learning a musical discipline is good for one's brain, so I kind of wish I had stretched that part of mine. I think I'd like to noodle around with something like Iris Lily's keyboard--if only just to listen to all the synthesized "instruments." When do listen to music (like right now I'm playing Habib Koite), I enjoy it.

[CathyA]

I took piano for 9 years. Then I studied voice my first year in college. I wanted to be an opera singer.
I think I should have been alot more accomplished at the piano after 9 years. But I realize now that I have problems looking at so many notes and I can't read them quickly. I think I would have done much better with an instrument that only played one note at a time, instead of 4-8.
I keep toying with the idea of buying a pan flute. I love that sound.

[Float On]

I did minor in voice until I had vocal cord issues after an illness and had to not speak or sing for an entire semester. I'd go to voice lessons and she'd talk about the piece and sing for me. I didn't actually sing my jury pieces until I was standing before the jury. I dropped the minor in voice because I didn't want to have to go through surgery.

[SiouzQ.]

I started guitar lessons right after my 42nd birthday; my mom gave me $100 and I happened to be driving by the guitar shop (where I once worked recently) thinking about how to spend my birthday money when I suddenly remembered how much I wanted to learn guitar while in high school 30-odd years ago. So I went in and asked about lessons and wondered if I was just too old to start (I never played an instrument while growing up because my mom had me firmly entrenched into competitive figure skating and she said there wouldn't be time for both activities...I'm still just a little sore about that. I could be much further along by now)!

Anyway, to make a long story short, I fell in love with guitar and have been diligently at it since (been about 9 years of playing). Now that I have a little extra money coming in from having a roommate, I am going to start back with lessons once again because my new electric guitar should be in soon and I am experiencing a big upswing in my understanding and physical playing ability and a new found love for it. Pretty much my entire social life revolves around playing, watching my friends play, practicing, writing songs, get ready for gigs, and being part of the musician's scene around town...it's been one of the best things I have ever done for myself!

[IshbelRobertson]

Bagpipes, very cool, Ishbel!
Everyone in my family have always been involved in cultural/national sports, many doing more than one!

Shinty
piping
Drumming
Curling
Highland dance
Country dancing

And others, too!

[Florence]

I played at playing the piano.

[Float On]

SiouzQ, that was very interesting to find out you didn't start guitar until in your 40's. I had always assumed you'd been playing since your early teens.

My 2nd son tried trumpet and then violin. We're both talking about cello now.

[Tammy]

Flute and piano from grade 5 through grade 12. Half hour each of practice for 6 days a week all that time, other than July off from piano every summer, and less stringent flute practice after junior high. I got awards.

Later I learned violin (didnt get very good) and bass guitar (enjoyed it a lot and want half bad).

Them about 10 years ago I sold my instruments and moved away from it all.
As I learned more about who I am, I realized just how much of the music was motivated by others' expectations. Yes I enjoyed it, but no I didn't delight in it.

I'm focusing on what I truly love now, and I'm so much happier.

[Birchwood]

My daughter had about 10 years of piano lessons from a nun(Sister Lucia) in a nearby convent. She had a love and hate relationship with her due to her being so strict and tapped her hands if she got out of beat. The nun died years ago when
my daughter was away in college.. When my daughter goes home to us, which is very rare, she would go back to the old piano, bring out the old music pieces, and play Bach's inventions and part of Bethoven's symphonies, with gusto! smiling
and laughing thinking of sister Lucia!