[yooper]

Who takes their love of music to the next step and plays an instrument?  (skin flutes and air musicians need not apply  )

Are you involved with a band, used to be in a band, plan on being in a band, play for fun, goof off a little, currently take or had taken lessons?

Which instrument do you play?

What type of music do you play?

Future plans?

Any links to your music?

Mark

[ooheadsoo]

I'm a bad but semi active amateur on the following instruments

Violin
Viola
Trombone
Electric bass guitar

Played violin since I was about 3 yrs old, but never got any good at it.  I hate practicing.   Switched to viola in jr. high because the orchestra needed more of them.  Also picked up trombone around the same time for the same reason, played it in jr. high and high school band/marching/jazz band for a couple of years.  I was able to play viola in a few youth orchestras, and later in college, sometimes as assistant principle or even principle, based on sheer luck and lack of decent viola players available.  My technique is bad, so I often auditioned w/ slow pieces - well, i guess i sometimes managed to fool the judges w/ my tone...Nah, it was more the lack of better viola players.  I also had fun playing trombone in concert band in college.  In terms of being paid to play, yes, it happens, but not because I'm any good, but more because everyone else is getting paid, too, and it would be rude to leave me out.

In the last year and a half, I've picked up electric bass.  No, I still don't practice, as a rule.  However, I do play a 30 minute set weekly, at church, so I get a few hours play time in every week.  I took 2 lessons on bass, but I couldn't justify the price, so I stopped.  I am considering taking a few more lessons, but it would have to be with a teacher with a very structured teaching style.  I don't get callouses, so I get blisters every week on my right hand fingers.  Fun!  I still play violin/viola/trombone as necessary for the church orchestra.  Sometimes I play trombone and viola in the same piece.  That's always a hoot, but we've been trying to stay away from my having to switch in the middle of pieces.

Basically, I play classical and the most basic of basic pop/rock bass. 

[mcgsxr]

I would put myself in the category of people who have played instruments - at present I don't, but I do toy often with the idea of buying a used classical guitar.

Instruments I have played:

Violin - 9 years - orchestra, quartet, solo
Bass - 4 years - both electric and stand up
Trombone - 4 years - band in high school
Guitar - 4 years - mostly classical, some electric

I stopped violin when I was 16, trombone and bass when I was 18, and guitar in my late 20's.

[bpape]

Trumpet since about age 4.  Dad was in the Navy band. Found his horn and bugged him until he got tired of it.  Showed me a C scale and said 'when you can play that, come back and I'll show you more.'  I was hooked.

Joined the musicians union at 12 and made my money as a kid playing in a 'big band' on Fri/Sat nights doing Moose lodges, Eagles lodges, etc.  Started interning in a recording studio at 14 for Jerry Milam. 

Dan Fogelberg's father, Larry Fogelberg was my band director in high school.  Probably the greatest musician I ever met/heard.  He could play ANYTHING and play it well.

Had a band in high school that covered Blood Sweat and Tears, old Stones, Ides of March, Chicago, etc.  Broke up when we all went off to college.  3 of the band are now professional musicians and 1 is a radio DJ.

Music major in college first time around.  2nd time was industrial computer applications.

Unfortunately, not much time to play any more.  Just too busy.  I play probably twice a year in church with my son and daughter but that's about it.

Bryan

[rklein]

I was classically trained with my instrument being the clarinet.  I attended the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.  After I graduated, my first job was playing principal clarinet in the orchestra in Bogota, Columbia(when it was still safe enough to live in that country).  After that I played in NYC, then for 8 years in the Oklahoma Symphony in OKC.  I played for one year in the Columbus Symphony in Ohio.  Then for personal reasons, I had to go in a new direction.  for four years I didn't play at all as I was starting a new business in insurance.  For the last 15 years I have played in the Canton Symphony in Ohio as well as the Cleveland Pops orchestra.  I am very happy the way things turned out as my business is doing pretty well and I still get to play in some pretty decent groups.  

rklein

[BikeWNC]

At the age of 50 I decided that I should learn to play this grand piano we have here in the house.  So I've been taking lessons and am about to complete my first year.  My young daughter is much more able to learn techniques than I and I practice at least 4 times more than she.  What does that say about my old brain?  I really enjoy sitting down at the bench to play and maybe someday will become somewhat proficient at the piano. 

[Big Red Machine]

 

[mfsoa]

For those of you who follow the NYAR stuff, you may have seen me drumming with the boys at the last Rave.

So that'd be my instrument. Me and notes never got along too well, you know, "Three musicians and a drummer" 

Played since I was little, went through the HS band stuff - concert, pit band, jazz band while jamming on the side.

Major influences would be the fusion-era guys esp. Billy Cobham. And Tony Williams.

In college we had "the" band for a few years, playing Santana/Jimi/Dead/Stones/Steely Dan etc. stuff at frats and the student center etc. Not conducive to good grades.

I haven't really played in the 20 years since then, although the drums stay set up in the basement so I can go play with myself when I want 

[Wayner]

I've had a guitar since I was 5. I now have several including 2 Fender Telecasters (Japanese), a Martin D-1 and a Steinberger. I also have a Wasburn mandolin, but the frets are damn small for my finders. Of course the mandolin is also tuned different than a guitar (last 4 strings, then turned around). I also have 2 violins, but I have given up on them (I need frets). Also have played keyboards abit.

For 10 years I had my own recording studio where I cranked out at least 1 CD a year. They are all instrumental. I had several synths that were MIDI based using Calkwalk ProAudio 9. I could be a one man band with that software as it would allow unlimited number of tracks and would sync MIDI with analog (hard-dics drive) recording. I'd usually start with some rhythm structure, then get the microphones out and start plunking some guitar funk into it. This would go on into the wee hours of the night.

My fingers don't work well anymore, so the studio has been dismantled for several years now. I would say I was one of the first to be recording on a computer. I went by the name of SilentStories.

Wayner

[giantsteps]

   


  Frank

[lonewolfny42]

   


  Frank

The piano man....

[giantsteps]

   

   
   The tambourine....er...... guitar man!


  Frank

[richidoo]

I play jazz

[Imperial]

I can play (sort of.. ) guitar and piano - like in real instruments..., but I've done most of my music making with computers, and then you need to sort of play a lot of instruments... and that doesn't count I guess... But I've made music with computers for 20+ years, so... 

Imperial

[Dmason]

Chris, nice Ampeg. Dan Armstrong, right?

I play keyboards/piano. Many many gigs over the years, and some very good prog bands along the way.  Most recently, albeit five years ago, was a "moveable feast" where some very gifted musicians got together, and we honed 90 minutes of Yes material, and threw a very successful gig with about 400 friends and appreciative fans of the band's music. That was a total blast, and we nailed it.

Four titles to the National Film Board of Canada, as soundtracks to their vignette production, which is a real moneymaker for the NFB.

[Canyoneagle]

After playing trupet through junior high school and high school (primarily classical and jazz), I did not play an istrument again until about 8 years ago, when I learned to play the didgeridoo, and began dabbling in West African and middle eastern hand drums, and miscellaneous tribal percussion instruments.

I have played with a number of casually-structured groups ranging from weekly drum circles, live performances with other musicians on conventional instruments (think "dead can dance" as a starting point), numerous 'pick-up' performances at open mic nights, and I most recently put down some didge on three tracks for a (well composed) zombie-metal EP that is due for release next year with a DVD zombie flick.

I've been wavering the last few years - not playing as much as I'd like - but want to get more active in whatever local music scene I can find.

For me, there is no greater joy (in the realm of music) than being 'in the zone' with other musicians on unrehearsed, spontaneous creation of music.  No hi fi experience I've had can match it.   

[lonewolfny42]

Dan...

Chris, nice Ampeg. Dan Armstrong, right?

Yes....one of the first ones....bought it new....its still in great shape...great neck... so playable...

I see they have really gone up in value...mine was $400.00 back then.

A good read here.....

Have a nice holiday Dan....