Musical Instruments Thread

[ocarina of rhyme]

I recall there being a thread like this a long time ago but it died.

I, personally, have been a French Horn player for 6 years now. I recently had the opptunity to buy my own Elkhart Conn 8D (for any other horn players) and am planning to major in music performance after high school. It's been a dream of mine since about the 4th grade so I suppose that's how it started.

So Smogon, what instruments do you play? For how long? What's your future with it? How did it all start?

 

[Tolan]

WOOT WOOT! I a french horner too :D

 

[Fishy]

I play the violin! It started waaaay back when the summer before 5th grade, so about 9 years ago? It was when musical instruments first became available for students--you couldn't get into band until a year later, and I didn't want to wait, although I was just as intrigued by the saxophone as I was the violin. So I started playing, and loved it--kept with it through my senior year of high school with its orchestra. I really miss playing with a group. I remember the moment I finally mastered vibrato, and it was a satisfying feeling. I was giddy!

I really don't play my violin as much, mostly because I am not really inspired to play. I need to pick it up more, even if I'm just going to goof around. I've tried to write music before, but I am someone who can learn by ear about as easily as I can read and memorize music, so I'll always create little riffs and melodies in my head, but never remember them later on. Bad habit. I don't really see my violin playing being more than a hobby, but I believe that if I were to practice more and make my playing more than just a hobby, I could start playing with people and participate in faux-serious bands. Dunno! It's something I know I'll always dabble in, I definitely don't want to waste all the years I've played it now and one day just decide that I'll never pick it up again, and find it gathering dust in the attic. Making music is so fun, and it's a method of expression no one should let go to waste if they've got the ability to exercise it!

 

[popemobile]

Played Alto Sax for about 8 years but gave it up after high school. I've been playing drums on and off for basically my whole life but especially since I stopped playing Sax about two and a half years ago.

edit: and because I'm a complete whore, here's a video of me playing drums

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhjSXqyIGIQ

 

[ocarina of rhyme]

@Fishy: If you wanted to play just for fun you could try finding a chamber group to play around with. Its a pretty common thing to do where i'm from.

Also, another Horn player woooo! We seem to be rare these days.

 

[TheValkyries]

Guitar and Percussion.

I shred on the Strings and the Keys.

Mostly just hobbies though, but if I ever hear something cool I want to play, I'll learn it.

 

[spartan201]

I'm a frequent tromboner.
I also play the double bass, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, and keyboard when I'm feeling lucky.

Working on perfecting the bass part from the Veilstone City background music.. Hot damn, it's good.

 

[Toothache]

Played piano for 8 years, and cornet for 3. Haven't played anything for a long while though

 

[Blln]

I don't play so much anymore but I used to be a prettty legit piano player. I seriously messed up my right thumb february of last year, it was in a cast for like 5 months and then as soon as it came off i went to college where there aren't really as many opportunities to play so I am ultra ultra rusty atm. i've been playing for about 10 years, mostly did classical although in high school I got into jazz and played in my school's jazz combo. if i can brag a little, i am really really really good at figuring out music by ear, and can figure out pretty much any simple contemporary song basically immediately.

i'm also pretty good at guitar although i havent picked one up in who knows how long. i played/sang in a ska band for about 6 months in my freshman year of highschool, although we were reasonably bad. i can also play bass and drums well enough to get by, but they are definitely not my instruments.

fun fact: i had a little youtube noteriety once because i uploaded a video where i played the entire maple leaf rag in like under 60 seconds (NOT how you are supposed to play it). it had like 40,000 views or something but i took it down like 2 years ago because people were flaming the SHIT out of me, telling me i had ruined the piece forever for them etc. c'est la youtube i guess.

 

[bubbly]

I'm a pretty good piano player too, I've been playing for about 7 years, recently played a couple of concerts and joined an orchestra. A lot of the time I use it just for playing random stuff I like on the internet.
Btw I've learnt, after a long period of hard effort, that its impossible to play a good rap song on a piano.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Right after Christmas, I bought a Casio CTK-3000 keyboard, and I've pirated some piano lessons to teach myself. Right now I'm memorizing all the major/minor scales and doing fingering exercises (I will never stop laughing at "fingering" jokes); I figure I'll get the basics down as well as I can before I move on to other things. I was in band from 6th to 8th grade (played percussion), and I've always been very tuned into music, but for some reason I've never been into making my own until right before the start of fall semester. My goal is to get good enough at keyboard (and using the music software I've obtained) to make my own songs. Not going to be a career or anything, just a fun hobby. The small bits I've come up with so far (doing it with no keyboard is too tedious to do more) have sounded pretty cool, so I'm optimistic. It's been a lot of fun so far, and I've already been able to see some progress.

 

[TaiCrunch]

I started playing bass guitar when I was 16. When I was in a band I used to play almost every day, but now I only play every once in a while when I hear a song I really like that I want to learn to play.

 

[Blue_Tornado]

Your classic pianist. I've played for close to 10 years but stopped recently, maybe because I don't really enjoy it. I mean, I love to play, but I can't stand dedicating so much time to it.

Still, I guess it's a waste.

 

[Cooky]

I remember the moment I finally mastered vibrato, and it was a satisfying feeling. I was giddy!

Mm I had that back in the days when I played cello (grade 6 or something and then just got tired of it) I used to just whack it on to every song I could find in a really ott way.

 

[viol and bass]

I play piano and double bass. I've played piano since I was four but bass is what I really love playing. Classical and jazz. Good stuff. I'd really love to be a music major and I think I'm theoretically good enough but succeeding as a classical/jazz bassist is pretty iffy. So I dunno.

Edit: So, at the moment, I am undeclared.

 

[internet]

i play the pipe organ
but not very often

 

[NeilKosugi]

I am a metal multi-instrumentalist. I've been playing guitar for eight years, drums for six, bass for five and I used to have a wonderful high-tenor (think Chris Cornell, not Michael Jackson) voice, but then I turned 14.

 

[Miscellaneous]

Hmm my primary made us all play recorder, and we all had to sit grade 1. I think I may have been the only person who was remotly interested and did well, so when that ended (7ish years ago) I took up clarinet. Got my grade 8 about 3 years ago. I now play in the Welsh national youth orchestra, which is a lot more fun and informal than most people think.

I recently took up piano to help composing, and have just sat grade 6. I also play a bit of saxophone because my school Jazz band is short on saxophones. I play a bit of guitar because it used to impress my ex, although

I'd really recommend any instrument to anyone. You don't have to do grades or play in front of anyone, but learning tunes and playing them is just incredible. It's also brilliant for meeting new people, impressing people, and it's what separates you from everyone else. I love instruments, although I think that's mainly because I cannot sing at all

 

[Morm]

~6 years of piano lessons and I can't even read music or find middle C.
~6 months of guitar and I can play a power chord and G.

Man I suck at music

 

[chocolate-kipp]

Learned recorder in third grade. Forgot.

I can't really play an instrument, but according to some people, singing counts, lol.

 

[Calculus]

I play the electric guitar. It's a hobby that I try to practice at least a little each day, as whatever playing skill that I have will diminish in a few days of no practice. Easily the most difficult thing about this instrument is finding the right amps and pedals to get the tone that you desire.

 

[MK Ultra]

Bass, guitar, piano, viola and voice. I play in a chamber orchestra and a thrash band. The band specifically has been one of the best things that has happened to me, having allowed me to get really close to my bandmates. We are on the cusp of going big, and while quite a few bands will say that, we actually are. If you have friends, or want friends that play music, start or join something. I'd recommend it to anyone.

 

[Luduan]

Played trumpet and French horn for around four or five years. Haven't touched either in the past four or five. By this point I've forgotten mostly everything, including (more or less) how to read music. I occasionally wish that I could play an instrument, but it seems too unreasonable a time investment for me to take one up at any point in the near future.

From my experience, mandatory recorder lessons in primary school are complete and utter bullshit. There are probably few quicker ways to turn kids away from wanting to learn an instrument at that age.

 

[Percussionist]

I played guitar for about three years awhile ago, but I got bored of it once I started playing percussion in sixth grade band. I enjoyed it much more, but found it still rather boring until I joined Marching Band and Winter Drumline. Now that is a good time. I play tenors in Drumline, but I can play any percussion instrument pretty well for a high school sophomore. Except for the piano, I never could play that thing to save my life.

 

[Nastyjungle]

I played alto sax a long long time ago. So long ago that I've forgotten how to even read music.