What instruments do you play and how well?

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ghostrunner
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What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by ghostrunner »

Don't know if we've ever had a thread on this. We know the answer to both questions for Leroy, though maybe he plays some others.

I don't think I've mentioned it here, but I started taking piano about 2 years ago after my kids started taking lessons. They stopped and i kept going. I then stopped lessons once the pandemic hit, but I've been practicing and trying to learn on my own, trying out different songs. Usually practice anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour every day or so.

Took me a good year or so to finally get notes down to where I can generally read them without having to think much, though anything that goes above or below the lines I still have trouble with at times.

I started learning this song from Blade Runner in my lessons because it's one of my favorites. When I stopped I could only do the first half.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg0cmhjdiLs

I play it at least a few times a week, usually a 2-3 times in one sitting. I still don't have it down perfectly and will strangely draw a blank on small sections, and the parts I forget change from time to time. Not sure if that's related to inexperience and general lack of command or me in particular.

Also randomly working on Shadowboxer by Fiona Apple, which has some more complex (for me) two handed stuff and I'm not great at keeping all of that straight in my head, but I'm getting better. I have about 10-12 other songs I rotate in and out depending on what I'm doing.

Most recently, the theme song from Warrior is so good I wanted to play that and found a guitarist on YouTube who had transcribed the notes. Been playing that about a few days and it's already sounding decent, although much much slower than the real version. I still can't play fast and constantly hit keys I shouldn't when i try to speed up too much.

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by Jocephus »

drumming was a big part of my life for a long time. started in 5th grade, just doing the normal music class/concert band thing. once i was in middle school and high school is when i got a drumset and by junior/senior year of HS i was pretty damn good if i say so myself. was the jazz band drummer, pep band drummer, lead snare in marching band. had 2 friends, who were actually my brothers friends, who need a drummer and i got to play with them for several years during jr/sr of hs and first few years of college. we made 2 "albums" with janky 8 track equipment and made cds when burning/ripping of music was possible on computers, etc. it was a lot of fun. unfortunately, the lead singer/guitarist passed away at like, age 23. he had long history of health issues. he was like the first child heart transplant recipient at KU med center or in Kansas or something. actually, here's a statement from the KU chancellor at the time - http://archive.news.ku.edu/2004/04N/Dec ... ement.html (miss you grant)

i met a great guitarist at wichita state but he transferred back home after 2 years and we never really had that many opportunities to play, living in dorms nad stuff. my kit was set up at the folks home so it would only happen if my folks weren't around.

then living in apartments and a duplex after college, i would have the kit set up but never felt like i could play, 'cause that would be rude (though twice, 2 separate neighbors who lived under me in my time in living in the top duplex apartment, would play their guitars and act like the sound wouldn't completely vibrate my floors). jerks.

now that i'm in a house, i have a room with the kit set up and i'll play it sparingly. there was a time when my hands, feet, arms and legs all worked in tandem but now it feels like a marionette. i also find it boring to play alone. i need to find some people that are ok with me getting my legs back under me. i love love love being able to get into a groove with a good bassist.

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ghostrunner
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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by ghostrunner »

Jocephus wrote:
February 17 21, 11:00 am
drumming was a big part of my life for a long time. started in 5th grade, just doing the normal music class/concert band thing. once i was in middle school and high school is when i got a drumset and by junior/senior year of HS i was pretty damn good if i say so myself. was the jazz band drummer, pep band drummer, lead snare in marching band. had 2 friends, who were actually my brothers friends, who need a drummer and i got to play with them for several years during jr/sr of hs and first few years of college. we made 2 "albums" with janky 8 track equipment and made cds when burning/ripping of music was possible on computers, etc. it was a lot of fun. unfortunately, the lead singer/guitarist passed away at like, age 23. he had long history of health issues. he was like the first child heart transplant recipient at KU med center or in Kansas or something. actually, here's a statement from the KU chancellor at the time - http://archive.news.ku.edu/2004/04N/Dec ... ement.html (miss you grant)

i met a great guitarist at wichita state but he transferred back home after 2 years and we never really had that many opportunities to play, living in dorms nad stuff. my kit was set up at the folks home so it would only happen if my folks weren't around.

then living in apartments and a duplex after college, i would have the kit set up but never felt like i could play, 'cause that would be rude (though twice, 2 separate neighbors who lived under me in my time in living in the top duplex apartment, would play their guitars and act like the sound wouldn't completely vibrate my floors). jerks.

now that i'm in a house, i have a room with the kit set up and i'll play it sparingly. there was a time when my hands, feet, arms and legs all worked in tandem but now it feels like a marionette. i also find it boring to play alone. i need to find some people that are ok with me getting my legs back under me. i love love love being able to get into a groove with a good bassist.
Seems like that's thing you could at least do outdoors when the weather permits. I guess noise is still a challenge there.

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by IMADreamer »

I've been playing trumpet since I was 12. I'm decent at it but a little stale in my playing.

Been playing bass guitar since I was 18. I'm solid.

Been playing guitar for about 5 years. I'm awful at it.

My wife has been playing piano for a few years now. She's pretty good.

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by thrill »

I used to be legitimately great at the drums. Apartment living and not being in bands for a decade has dulled my skills, I'm sure.

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by Radbird »

I played clarinet as a kid and took some guitar lessons. Wasn’t great but could jam a little. My dad was a jazz guitarist and I have his instruments. 2 vintage Gibsons (pictured) plus a banjo, tenor harp (looks like banjo but it’s solid wood) & tenor guitar.

Image

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried to play for years. It was on my retirement to-do list but now I’m limited because of Duputren’s contracture affecting my hands. They need to get worse before insurance will pay to fix them so I’m kinda stuck for the time being... :(

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by Leroy »

Oh my God, those are beautiful!

I can play mandolin and rhythm guitar to play on stage. Am slowly working on banjo. Wish I could play piano.

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ghostrunner
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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by ghostrunner »

Radbird wrote:
February 17 21, 5:11 pm
I played clarinet as a kid and took some guitar lessons. Wasn’t great but could jam a little. My dad was a jazz guitarist and I have his instruments. 2 vintage Gibsons (pictured) plus a banjo, tenor harp (looks like banjo but it’s solid wood) & tenor guitar.

Image

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried to play for years. It was on my retirement to-do list but now I’m limited because of Duputren’s contracture affecting my hands. They need to get worse before insurance will pay to fix them so I’m kinda stuck for the time being... :(
Those guitars are amazing, and that sucks about insurance Rad. What a system we’ve got here.

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by BottenFieldofDreams »

This would sound better and my rhythm shortcomings would be gone if I had those beautiful Gibsons. I'm still not signed.
https://soundcloud.com/user-730886299/b ... rinetening

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Re: What instruments do you play and how well?

Post by Leroy »

I forgot, I did play trumpet in high school. Well enough to get into the 147th Army Band. Well not really, I guess. I got in but found out later that the commander doctored my audition to get me in so that we could use my fiddle in shows. There is no MOS for fiddle player, so I had to go in as something.

Didn't really matter, I was joining the National Guard anyway because there was no other way I could afford college.

Don't judge.

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