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Calling all musicians

Montresor

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So which instruments and how long?
 

Duxwing

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So which instruments and how long?

*boot heels clack as Die Grammar Nazi enters the room*

Are you asking how long our instruments are, or how long we've played them?

-Duxwing
 

Jennywocky

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Piano (since age 5), xylophone, clarinet, oboe, pipe organ
^^ those are the official ones, but I can usually pick up something and make a decent noise with it

*boot heels clack as Die Grammar Nazi enters the room*

Are you asking how long our instruments are, or how long we've played them?

-Duxwing

"For a piccolo, that looks pretty big... but for a bassoon it's rather embarrassing." :phear:
 

Duxwing

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Piano (since age 5), xylophone, clarinet, oboe, pipe organ
^^ those are the official ones, but I can usually pick up something and make a decent noise with it



"For a piccolo, that looks pretty big... but for a bassoon it's rather embarrassing." :phear:

That's the widest sousaphone bell that I've ever seen! I bet that I could climb in that thing and build a house. :D

-Duxwing
 

Jennywocky

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That's the widest sousaphone bell that I've ever seen! I bet that I could climb in that thing and build a house. :D

-Duxwing

I bet you've never seen sousaphone dentata before!
 

The Introvert

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Piano, 12+ years
Guitar, 2+ weeks
The list also includes, but is not limited to:
Tin flute
Ocarina (5-holed, hell yes)
Trombone
 

GodOfOrder

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I have played the violin for about four years now. I have never measured the length of my violin however:D
 

Invisible Jellyfish

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I have played clarinet and piano since age of 11, I think. Few months ago it was my first time trying flute, I don't play it often so all I can play is 4 notes.

Anyway, just how they teach musical instruments in USA, Great Britain...? I mean, in every country except Latvia. Is playing musical instruments a part of regular education or there's special schools?
I'm just curious about musical education systems in other countries, that's all.
 

redbaron

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Drums 10+ years.
 

Montresor

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So nice to see so many replies.

Who feels piano is the best way to start out? I think once a good theoretical basis is built up in a budding young musician they could learn literally anything else.
The semitones on a guitar are based on the exact same chromatic scale as a piano (12 semitones to an octave).

oh btw I have 10 yrs of guitar.

*boot heels clack as Die Grammar Nazi enters the room*
- Der Grammernazi probably more believable. Die is feminine at any rate (methinks). Der is neutral (no french equivalent), while Das be masculine. They tend to group nouns together into big long words.

Piano (since age 5), xylophone, clarinet, oboe, pipe organ
^^ those are the official ones, but I can usually pick up something and make a decent noise with it
- AH HA! Piano! Since age 5 you say? You would be a statistic in favour of my theory I think.

This one has real spunk.
- "spunk" is right ;) ... did you draw these pictures? I do not see a death motif yet.

I have played the violin for about four years now. I have never measured the length of my violin however:D
- Probably uses the golden ratio at some point. I know that on a guitar, the 12th fret is supposed to be some ratio of this to that and the other thing.
- Do the semitones on a violin correspond to 1/12th of an octave?

I have played clarinet and piano since age of 11, I think. Few months ago it was my first time trying flute, I don't play it often so all I can play is 4 notes.

Anyway, just how they teach musical instruments in USA, Great Britain...? I mean, in every country except Latvia. Is playing musical instruments a part of regular education or there's special schools?
I'm just curious about musical education systems in other countries, that's all.
Can't speak for Lithuania or Georgia, but in Canada there is basic music education in elementary school (K-6). Band is an option from that point onward. Students here learn things like musical scales (chromatic and major at least), basic notation, time signatures, intoductory singing, and usually a variety of beginner-level instruments with a specific key signature such as a recorder, xylophone, bells ...

Drums 10+ years.
- whoop whoop! I would trade five years of guitar knowledge for the ability to move all four limbs at once without looking retarded. I would trade the other five years for the ability to keep time properly. All guitar players wish they could play drums.
 
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Montresor

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I think we've got the beginnings of a rock band covered.
That is what I was hoping for by starting this thread.

Either that, or a discussion on piano as the perfect starter instrument.

Or possibly a discussion on music theory in general.


Also, I would like to meet the girl in the pictures? Where can I find her? <---must use Borat accent.
 
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redbaron

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Who feels piano is the best way to start out? I think once a good theoretical basis is built up in a budding young musician they could learn literally anything else.
The semitones on a guitar are based on the exact same chromatic scale as a piano (12 semitones to an octave).

Makes sense. I picked up the trumpet in the school band instead of percussion (already played the drums), though in hindsight I think I'd play the snare or the xylophone. Thinking back with the ability I have now, I would have actually LOVED playing snare in a big band.

Anyway during that point I self-taught myself piano. The theory was all the same as the trumpet. Nothing special, I could play with two hands but, piano didn't feel right, I just felt like I belonged on a kit.

Still, I gained a basic level of melodic understanding through that, which if not useful has at least been fun. I can improv jam on a keyboard/piano with another musician. I like playing melodies over rhythm from time to time.

- whoop whoop! I would trade five years of guitar knowledge for the ability to move all four limbs at once without looking retarded. I would trade the other five years for the ability to keep time properly. All guitar players wish they could play drums.

Said no guitarist ever :p

I think the instruments have two different feels. I can't say I'm interested in learning guitar at all, but bass maybe one day. Maybe because as a drummer I focus on groove and rhythm more than melody, I play to the bass-line more than the melody.

That all said, I can't read music for shit. Although I know what it all means, I've just never practised reading and playing to it. Practice for me is self-made, I find something that I can't play and then I learn how to play it. Break it all down in my head and then play the beat. I find that because my approach is so individual, so is my feel. I think that when seasoned musicians turn their head when they here a unique sticking that you created on your own kit and go, 'that was tight' you know you're on the right track.

Anyway I dropped out of school band, I couldn't stand music theory. I use music as a means to express, not impress. I always play for the song, the groove, preserve the feel of it. Watching another drummer get totally locked into a groove, hitting all the right ghost notes and accents, gives me goosebumps.

When I'm playing sometimes, it's probably the closest thing to an orgasm I could have without having one. I laugh uncontrollably when I play sometimes, the feel of the music just comes out of me.

/end gushing
 

Jennywocky

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- AH HA! Piano! Since age 5 you say? You would be a statistic in favour of my theory I think.

The first few years were hell because I was frustrated with my inability and was embarrassed to practice Once I got some competence by age 10-11, suddenly things began to take off and I did a lot on my own with it.

My INTP kid is the same way... took lessons from me, quit eventually, then picked it up a few years later on his own and is getting quite good.
 

Montresor

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Could you take the time to tell me the lessons you chose and order they were given?

C-major? other major scales?
chromatic scale?
A-minor?
Modes
 

Montresor

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I think the instruments have two different feels. I can't say I'm interested in learning guitar at all, but bass maybe one day. Maybe because as a drummer I focus on groove and rhythm more than melody, I play to the bass-line more than the melody.

I got a bass for x-mas this past year and I'm trying to learn it, but it's really nothing like guitar. You can't just play a guitar riff because it's boring and doesn't sound right. Definitely can't strum. The finger-picking skill has been acquired from guitar so at least I'm doing that.

I completely agree that D&B go together.


That all said, I can't read music for shit. Although I know what it all means, I've just never practised reading and playing to it. Practice for me is self-made, I find something that I can't play and then I learn how to play it. Break it all down in my head and then play the beat. I find that because my approach is so individual, so is my feel. I think that when seasoned musicians turn their head when they here a unique sticking that you created on your own kit and go, 'that was tight' you know you're on the right track.

I would suggest that rock stars are just another type of professional musician. Even if they think in terms of fret#s and not notes.


Anyway I dropped out of school band, I couldn't stand music theory. I use music as a means to express, not impress. I always play for the song, the groove, preserve the feel of it. Watching another drummer get totally locked into a groove, hitting all the right ghost notes and accents, gives me goosebumps.

Incite to copypaste this paragraph to thread "what moves you" by Dux.

When I'm playing sometimes, it's probably the closest thing to an orgasm I could have without having one. I laugh uncontrollably when I play sometimes, the feel of the music just comes out of me.

/end gushing


Re: laughing uncontrollably - drummers are crazy man!
 

Jennywocky

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I love my drummers. They're just so freakin' crazy, I get high just watching them... :)

But honestly, in a band, you need a damn good drummer who can keep a consistent tempo regardless of fills or whatever else. Bad drummer = bad band, good drummer = the band has a shot. The dummer has to lock in the beat. (And then a good bassist.)
 

redbaron

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Montresor said:
I got a bass for x-mas this past year and I'm trying to learn it, but it's really nothing like guitar. You can't just play a guitar riff because it's boring and doesn't sound right. Definitely can't strum. The finger-picking skill has been acquired from guitar so at least I'm doing that.

Yeah well, playing guitar riffs wouldn't exactly be my goal when playing the bass. Bass solos can be fucking amazing. Probably worth watching the entire video, but go to 7:56 if you want to see a killer bass solo. Also the way Steve Gadd plays off the rest of the musicians, and just makes every solo in the piece is just outstanding. Gadd's one of my favourite drummers of all time for what I interpret as a total lack of musical ego - he's amazing and can probably make an audience go, 'ooh' any time he wants with his technical abilities, but instead he does it through pure groove. Probably why he's such a sought after session drummer.


Some other great drummers are Tony Williams, Poogie Bell (gets SO deep in the pocket), Clyde Stubblefield, Bill Bruford, Peter Erskine, Bernard Purdie and I could go on forever. Maybe a little hard to find examples of their stuff of youtube, Drummerworld.com probably features a broader range of stuff for these guys.

Some non-drummers I'd suggest looking up are Fred Wesley (trombone), Marcus Miller (bass), Jaco Pastorius (bass).

I would suggest that rock stars are just another type of professional musician. Even if they think in terms of fret#s and not notes.

I wasn't really thinking of it in that way. To be honest I have no problem with people learning by reading music, there are different types of ability and people's approach to music is varied. I saw Adrian Belew in a jazz bar in Melbourne once (I wish I could remember which one) and he spoke about the differences between him and Robert Fripp and their approach to music. Fripp approaches it almost like a drummer doing stick control exercises - he puts on a metronome and plays the same thing to it for an hour. Then changes the tempo and plays it again. Apparently does it for 3-4 hours a day sometimes, but at least 1 hour each day. While Belew pretty much just picks up his guitar to see how many funny and/or unique sounds he can make come out of it. He changes amps, pedals and the like on a monthly basis he said, so no two performances of the same song are ever the same for him, and that's the way he likes it.

Fripp can read music, Belew can't. He told me he wouldn't even recognize a single note except for maybe a middle C. Neither approach is better, it's just different and they're both very unique. I used a guitar analogy because I thought you might relate to the artists' body of work better.

Re: laughing uncontrollably - drummers are crazy man!

:elephant:

I love my drummers. They're just so freakin' crazy, I get high just watching them... :)

Are you sure it's not something else making you high? ;)
 

Montresor

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Probably worth watching the entire video, but go to 7:56 if you want to see a killer bass solo.

Couldn't locate the link.

Fripp can read music, Belew can't. He told me he wouldn't even recognize a single note except for maybe a middle C. Neither approach is better, it's just different and they're both very unique.

Sorry to sum everything up in one sentence, but I would be inclined toward Fripp's approach as both a student and a teacher.

Relative pitch has more practical use than absolute pitch I would add.
 

Chad

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I played the Tuba/Sousaphone. I stared in 8th grade. I played all 4 years of high school and my first year of Collage. I can't say I was good but I was okay enough to pass. I enjoyed marching band but I think it was more because of all the interesting people then anything relating to a love for the music.

After my first year of collage I lost interest. I love to listing to good music but I can't say I have any talent in this field. I am tone death so I never truly had any confidence in my ability to play either.
 

Montresor

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Au contraire ... tone death is the ultimate form of confidence.
 

redbaron

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Montresor said:
Couldn't locate the link.

:facepalm: Open the spoiler.

Sorry to sum everything up in one sentence, but I would be inclined toward Fripp's approach as both a student and a teacher.

Relative pitch has more practical use than absolute pitch I would add

Oh as a teacher yes, you'd definitely try to teach theory. It's limiting not knowing theory sometimes, but it's really not the be all and end all.
 

Montresor

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I will say this: one of the better guitar players I know does follow Belew's approach to a t.

He just grabs the instrument, plugs it in, and then decides for himself what sounds good together.

Ask for a minor scale, forget it.
 

The Introvert

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I played all 4 years of high school and my first year of Collage.
Was it hard to play with all the people stuck around you?

Did it feel like you just didn't fit in?
I am tone death so I never truly had any confidence in my ability to play either.
What note is that?

I'll remember to keep my ears plugged when in your presence :eek:




*Hopes someone chuckles when reading this*
 

Duxwing

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Was it hard to play with all the people stuck around you?

Did it feel like you just didn't fit in?
What note is that?

I'll remember to keep my ears plugged when in your presence :eek:




*Hopes someone chuckles when reading this*

*chuckles while reading this* :)

-Duxwing
 

Chad

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Was it hard to play with all the people stuck around you?

Did it feel like you just didn't fit in?
What note is that?

I'll remember to keep my ears plugged when in your presence :eek:




*Hopes someone chuckles when reading this*

I guess I never felt the need to fit in. Therefore your question is irrelevant. I am not sure if I fit in or not. However, if I didn't it really never seemed to bother me.

people talked to me and I responded with nice pleasantries. Beyond that I am not really sure nor do I (nor have I) ever really cared about this.
 

Montresor

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I guess I never felt the need to fit in. Therefore your question is irrelevant. I am not sure if I fit in or not. However, if I didn't it really never seemed to bother me.

people talked to me and I responded with nice pleasantries. Beyond that I am not really sure nor do I (nor have I) ever really cared about this.

I won't deny it was irrelevant, but the reason why is not that you never felt the need. Therefore all dogs are canines.
 

Late2theParty

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Guitar 14 years

Piano, Bass, Vocals - dabbling on and off for about 5.

- whoop whoop! I would trade five years of guitar knowledge for the ability to move all four limbs at once without looking retarded. I would trade the other five years for the ability to keep time properly. All guitar players wish they could play drums.

As a guitarist I do wish I had more ability to play piano and drums. After many years I realized that what I really liked was really strong tuneful melody and interesting contrapuntal harmony and rhythms... (having 2 things going on at the same time and playing off each other, and in between each other. Or having every instrument play something different but it all works together) With guitar this is very difficult to achieve. Strong tuneful melodies end up having very awkward shapes. And it's even more difficult to have 2 things going on at once. Guitar is also limited with harmony. It easy to play chords in the same shape...so that you can move the same shape all around.... but if you want to move beyond that and have a variety of inversions it starts getting really complicated.

Guitarists don't have to pay attention as much to what the rest of the band is doing as much as bassists and drummers do. When I started learning bass... I was amazed because you have to play "in between" the drums and guitar. It was a whole new world / frame of reference.

So in summary, I think piano is a better instrument for what I want to achieve... but I love the way distorted guitar sounds. I also think piano is well balanced across the musical elements of "melody, rhythm, and harmony" You can do a lot in any category.... whereas guitar I feel is a rhythm instrument first, then harmonic, then melodic.
 
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I think I was twelve when I started playing guitar (I'm 25 now). Since school was not challenging whatsoever and I was too young (and nerdy) to have very much social life outside of school, I was able to really focus on practicing and learning how to play for a few years in a way that I wouldn't have the motivation to now. My parents really helped out by paying for guitar lessons, where I learned a lot of music theory.

I've dicked around with the piano, harmonica, drums and violin, but acoustic, electric and bass guitar are the only things I can really play well. I'm good enough that I could probably play professionally, but I never really found other musicians that I synced with, and I don't play much these days.
 

Chad

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I won't deny it was irrelevant, but the reason why is not that you never felt the need. Therefore all dogs are canines.

Sorry this response was personal. Basically because I never felt the need to fit in. to me it was irrelevant to try and determine if I fit in. There for a more prudent statement may have been "I don't see the relevance of this question to my life"

To others this may be very relevant I can't deny this fact because I don't now what everyone else thinks.

However, form observation I believe many of my fellow high-schooler's did feel the need to fit into the social network.

It wasn't ever that my never felt the need to belong to a group. More less the group size that I was comfortable belonging to was much smaller than a 100 piece band.

I had my small circle of friends in high school just like everyone else. Most were larger circles than my own.

I can see why some one my get confused by my comments as they may seem contradictory however, just because I found Marching band interesting due to the complex social nature of marching band doesn't imply that I also felt like I needed to belong to this complex social network.

Sorry for being off topic. I was trying to explain my logic because it was being question.

As far as music goes I am a huge fan and I wish I had talent to play better but some people have musical talent and some people are talented in others areas. I am jealous of your ability to be completely honest.
 
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