23 thoughts on “Weekend Music Post”

1. I played classical guitar for 20 years. Ten years ago all the skin on my left forearm was pulled off in a car accident that also re-arranged the geometry of my left hand. Now I haven’t the strength to make a bar and several years of frustration have just about made me quit. Love to listen to music, though! All kinds without violent lyrics, and most classical. Never gained an appreciation for opera, though I like to sing.

   Brett

2. Used to play the drums. I like listening to music but not really into playing instruments. I like sports. I played football and lacrosse in high school, had a scholarship for lacrosse in college. Now I just play tennis, and recently got into programming. Next to tennis, programming is the best hobby I’ve ever had. Doing both is great, mind and body.

3. The only instrument that I still no how to play is a Stereo. :)

   Used to play ukulele back in elementary school (when they forced us too), and trumpet for a couple of years, but haven’t touched a real instrument for a long time.

4. Ken, I suggest that you re-try the ukulele. It’s really a fun instrument when it’s not forced on you.

5. Clarinet and Bass Clarinet until lungs the gave out Now the only thing I play is a radio

6. Clarinet and Bass Clarinet until lungs gave out Now the only thing I play is a radio

7. I stopped taking piano lessons about a year ago. And I haven’t played much until recently. I dusted off all the Christmas songbooks to see what I can remember. Now that my schedule is freeing up, I’m thinking about taking lessons again. Thanks for picking up the slack for me John.

8. I stopped taking Triangle lessons about a year ago. I think I’ll dust off the old Christmas songbooks to see what I can remember about the Triangle. Now that my schedule is freeing up, I’m thinking about taking lessons again.

9. Mike –

   It’s like falling off a bicycle, it’ll come back real quick.

10. I have been playing guitar for 45 years, mostly bluegrass, but some country pre-1960’s era. About 30 years ago I played in a quartet for weddings, church services, etc. and now I play liturgical music for worship at times.

    My original guitar was a 1934 guitar from Montgomery Wards model that my father had purchased brand new for $4.95. Strings were about 1/2 inch from the fret board – many bloody nights of practice (yes, I would play even when my fingers bled). That next year my parents gave me a guitar made by our neighbor (I still have it). In 1965 I bought a double cut-away Gibson thin body electric for $400 (same price as my first car!). In 1992 I sold it and bought an acoustic guitar from the brother of the one who made my first guitar; those two men taught me to play. Since 1960 in his spare time this brother has made ~200 guitars, ~300 Mandolins; if you can get one, they cost between $1500 and $2000. Many years ago Segovia played one of them and said it was one of the best he had ever played!

    Sadly with a 10 hour/job and commuting, plus preparing and teaching three Biblical studies courses each week, and developing and writing Bible studies my guitar playing time is greatly reduced.

    But, for many years the guitar playing brought me peace and a way to escape some less than happy times.

11. I started taking guitar somewhere around 5th grade, I think, and it wasn’t even forced on me. However, the instructor was some kind of guitar lesson nazi so I really wasn’t motivated and convinced my mom to let me quit.

    Now that I’m a grown-up (I try not to be an adult unless forced to by my kids), I’ve regretted that decision…and now with 2 kids and being a CPA in public practice, extra time to try again seems non-existent.

    I do like to listed to music. I have a Sirius radio in my car. Admittedly, I originally bought it so I could listen to Howard Stern, which I do, but I also listen to the music…80s., classic rock, hair bands, etc. They even have channels dedicated strictly to The Who and Rolling Stones…a great variety of all commercial free music.

    …and no, I don’t get any type of kickback for promoting Sirius.

12. Have been singing in choir for about 5 years. Reading music is OK if both text and notes are well laid out, but does anybody realize this is rarely the case, for choir music anyway? Using Excel to represent my lines, I have often been able to make life a lot easier, even if ultimately the singing is to be performed by heart.

13. I manage a band:
    http://www.lastructure.co.uk (some strong language at this site)
    We had a gig last night, it going well.

    I used to play the bugle in a marching band, suck at every other instrument though ;-(

14. I just sing.

    Never had the brain-finger coordination to be able to play an instrument

15. I used to sing with a band (for “sing”, read “growl to music” – I’m a rock/metal guy), but unfortunately after doing a number of pub gigs that resembled Tenacious D’s “gig simulator”, we had creative differences (I was fed up of having beer glasses thrown at me, the rest of the guys weren’t yet) we split some years ago. Nowadays, thanks to work and the family, the nearest I get to performing any sort of music is the local “rockaoke” (karaoke in rock bars) where I once won a minute behind the bar for my rendition of Paint It Black, sung in the style of “Metallica with a sore throat”… Though that may have been just to get me to stop :-)

16. I completely lack any ability to play an instrument. It took me a whole week of hard work to play the first 15 seconds of ‘Three times a lady’ on the piano and still it sounds horrible. I do listen to all kinds of music and I also do all sorts of dances (Salsa, Zouk, Bachata, Samba.. you name it). Ironically, I’m pretty good at that to (even if I say so myself). Doesn’t make any sense does it?

17. “Metallica with a sore throat”

    He he, I’ll sing the harmony.

18. I mess around with guitar (mostly an American Standard Telecaster). Sometimes I play with friends in a band and occasionally sound ok. One extraordinarily helpful resource to me is John Walkenbach’s XLGuitar spreadsheet, which shows scales in every possible key and mode. I can’t recall his exact words, but John once said it was an early and simple effort on his part–I think it’s a work of genius (if not the work of a genius).

19. I sing a little, and can play a little treble cleff on the piano but that’s it.

20. I like most music with the exception of rap, hip-hop, heavy metal, etc. In reality music ceased being produced post 1973…

    In my house there is a Piano, Sax, Bb Coronet, Guitar, Mandolin, two Fiddles, Mandolin, Five String Banjo.

21. I was heavily into my music when I was younger – my Dad was a professional Trumpet player so suppose it was in my blood! I tried the trumpet when I was about 5 but gave that up after 3 years or so and picked up the Clarinet and later the Sax…

    When I was at Snr School I played in the Woodwind Ensamble, Jazz band, Orchestra, and sang in the Choir – no wonder I’m no good at football!

    When I left school it dropped off a little, although I did take up the bass guitar and was in a couple of bands but this also dropped away in favour of singing (like MikeC, this was mostly “rockaoke”).

    A couple of years back I did an arrangement for my wedding and that’s about it really. I keep on telling myself that I should do something again maybe 2007 will be the year!

22. Doco – “In reality music ceased being produced post 1973…”

    You sound like my father.

23. I like all kinds of music, perhaps except really heavy metal. But I love Björk, Jethro Tull,
    Abba, Kansas, Mike Oldfields early work, and I love watching “Last night of the Proms” on BBC,
    and basicly any live performances on tv. Beatles not to forget.

    And just rediscovered Joan Baez (try: The band played Waltzing Matilda, brings tears to my eyes).

    I tried to teach myself guitar for 25+ years, still im stuck at the basic cords.

    Cheers

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