Instrument question

[blueraven]

Wasn't really sure where to put this so I figured this would probally be the best place. An odd question it seems to me to ask here but I'm really looking for some opinions.

I started playing the Flute back in 4th grade, made to to All City in 5th and then All County in 6th and continue playing up until 8th grade. The music program wasn't at all what I wanted when we moved to VA so I quit in 8th to take the opportunity to be a student aid. I'm not sorry I quit because that gave me the chance to work with the special education students at my school in the art department, and I loved it and I miss them so. I've been homeschooled since half way through the 8th grade and just now going back to school in the 11th. Also starting back up with the Flute. I love the play, and I can play so I don't want to waste that gift I have. I love performing and everything...but! Yes, there is a but, I'm not as passionate as I use to be. I still want to play but I'm thinking maybe the Flute isn't for me anymore. I did try out Bass Clarinet because my instuctor needed one and knew I was looking to play another instrument but it wasn't for me, couldn't even play the darn thing lol but to my point. I've been playing the Oboe part to most of our pieces at school because I'm not comfortable at all with all the high notes most of our songs are compossed of. I've actually always wanted to try the Oboe and I was going to switch to it in 7th grade hadn't I moved. So I was just wondering if anyone else plays any sort of instument, a bit discouraging sadly because when I hear people talk they say playing is just for "losers", which really ticks me off because they try and take that back when the find out some of their friends play. And also, if anyone had any opinions or suggestions for me. I know it won't be very easy seeing I'd be new to the reeds and double reeds for that but all the same ^.^' I think I've made this long enough.

And just because, I've always wanted to learn to play the guitar. When I found out my little brother plays a bit for school and that he is into it I got him one for Christmas and lucky me he is trying to show me a bit. Weees! lol Er- yeah... 0.o

[Reverie]

I love making and writting music — it is a great passion of mine, a passion that cannot be put into words, really. I've played violin for 8 years, but was foced to quit. I was taught bad technique and so was physically hurting myself. I would give almost anything to go back, I miss it terribly. I also play bandura, piano, oboe, recorder, African thumb piano, and very very little guitar. I know how to play the viola, though I don't actually own one.

[shooraijin]

Music's a big hobby of mine. I've played the piano since 7th grade (used to do it for church and worship groups, but I'm mostly "in retirement" except for occasionally pinch-hitting as a sub), and played the cornet and Eb horn in high school and most of college, although I haven't picked one up very recently. I also play the bongos, but on a strictly for-fun basis.

I have a harmonica bug and collect a lot of them. My dad got me a large Hohner chromatic with a slide, which is a devil to play but lots of fun. The little pocket ones are great, though.

These days I compose on the Commodore, and I have a MIDI hookup for the Mac. As soon as I get a free $80, I'm going to pick up GarageBand and try that out. Right now, I just have a Yamaha synth hooked up into my indefatigable MIDI serial box and the Power Mac G4. I also have a synth-sax ... anyone remember those? I just use recorder fingering on it since I never learned the saxophone.

I do want to learn guitar and drums sometime ... but why learn drums when you have a rhythm machine?

[andyroo]

I've played the French Horn; pretty good at it. I play a few folk instruments: M. Dulcimer and Tin Whistle. And some Acustic Guitar.

I know how it is to loose interest in an intrument and after long time playing it again. I've usually quit playing a good deal or all together usually from lack of new material to play with, so I don't know if that's the same for you or not. There are quite a few people who play instruments here. Just playing your instrument on your own time will do you some good not only with skills, but... maybe also a scence of satisfaction. Also, finding people with in your school band with similar interests as you other than music.

[shooraijin]

> I was taught bad technique and so was physically hurting myself.

Ouch! What happened?

[Reverie]

Apparently, it was the way I was holding the instrument because my wrist hurt like no other. I took a stress reliever ball to music camp once just in case. Thankfully, I never needed to use it. I tried to find help, but getting the lessons I needed were far too expensive, unfortunately. I try to practice as much as I can, but I'm definately not as good as I used to be.

[Shinja]

i play the drums bass, and guitar the most. i used to play the trumpet in my homeschool band but thats been a good long while now. i write music, and i write lyrics, but i can never put them togeather.

ringo used to be my hero

[Spencer]

I play guitar and piano. Focusing on guitar at this point, though.

[VashTheStampede]

Music is awesome! I play the cello, guitar, piano, and I love to sing also. And don't be taken aback because people say something about it. My friends actually complement me half-jokingly saying that every instrument I pick up turns to gold. Find an instrument or type of music that you have a passion in. There is no harm in trying different instruments, and don't think of it as failing when you don't do good in it or don't get into it. God made you with abilities, and He will guide you into discovering them and helping you use them to bring glory to Him.

[Spiritsword]

I was a percussionist for many years, though I gave it up for other pursuits after a couple years in college. Now my brother plays the drums for a good local band which has gone on a few tours locally and to the east coast.

[madphilb]

I started playing the Clarinet in the last year of Elementary school, then in Middle and High School band. I wanted to play french horn, but my dad had a clarinet, so that's what I got to play.

Sad thing is I didn't have good practice habbits, I think partially because I didn't have a love for the insurment I was playing.

My High School band took me cuz they took just about anyone (we where 250 musicians strong in my Freshman year of HS... when we marched in the Rose Bowl parade)... anyway, in my Junior (or was it my Senior) year I also learned the Sax... liked it much better, but only played that for marching band, the concert band in the "off" season I stuck with the Clarinet.

I didn't touch it much after I moved to Florida (and the Sax was on loan from my grandfather, so I had to give that back when I was done).

Few years back the church I was attending was working on starting a live music program (before that we used CDs for Worship)... I was going to join them, but I was out of practice, Didn't play by ear (always worked from sheet music, which this team didn't use for the most part), and my clarinet was in bad need of an overhaul (the pads from years of non-use leaked like crazy. In the end I never did join them.

Bad was, well... frankly for the most part the "cool" people said it was for losers and what-not, but most of them didn't get to go to California and be on TV, or travel as a group to the great white north for Octoberfest, or travel from PA to Florida to lose (and later was overturned and we won) the Festivile of Lights competition.

Frankly playing an insurment is cool... not everyone can or will do it, and many don't do it well. What I almost find amazing is how many soundtracks for both games and movies are still done with a normal symphony rather than done electronically.

Personally I think I'd just stick my toung out at people who say bad things and go on....

As for switching insurments... dunno... always liked the sound of the flute, but not the very high notes most of the time I think you might have a better chance at playing a non-reed insurment, but I can't be sure.

Best to you on what you do decide.

[blueraven]

I really didn't think there'd be this many replies ^.^ hehe didn't want to wait til tomorrow to reply but I don't have the time to say all I want to right now Talked with my da for a bit about it, he tried playing clarinet when we was in school but gave up after a few months and next to my uncle who plays guitar I'm really the only one in my family who has ever showed any interest in playing so I know they want to encourage me as much as possible. I honestly would think of just quitting but my church, as small as it is is starting a sort of mixed orchastra. Very small church mind you, know everyone there personally and only 4, okay have to include my brother now, only 5 of us ranging in age from 12-21. My pastor wants me to get invloved with it as well as start doing some singing (I'll pass on that lol, I might be in choir but I can't sing one bit) Er- but anyways. I've been trying to find more information about it but haven't had much luck besides just finding information on the history of the oboe itself. School band is small, really small. Very differant from what I'm use to. Back in New York our 6th grade band was just as large as the 7th and 8th grade band and there was hardly enough room on stage. We did a lot of marching back there also but here I think we only march once =/. There arn't many people at school who share my interests. True I do go to a Christian school and so many things are differant (really, you don't know how thankful I am to everyone there) but finding someone with the same interests heh, its a miracle I meet Spirt_Wolf ^.~ and only because of her Sess necklace lol

Thank you all ^.^ I really didn't think many others played. I know a lot of people do but it seems so many people look down on it 0.o Weees! *huggles everyone* Thankies, well off to finish watching the game, nag my parents by singing my own personal Moose song, and then off to talk to my instuctor after choir tomorrow.

Ugh, typing all that off topic stuff I could of replied to all the posts! *bangs head on desk*

[Kokhiri Sojourn]

I frankly like musicians quite a lot, thank you very much! I've played piano since I was seven. I hated it for four or five years, but one day my aunt (who is an incredible pianist who won competitions in high school and such) inspired me, because she played songs that sounded so beautiful and could do it with such ease. I wanted to be like her, and she challenged me to learn some pieces that I liked in what I thought were inconceivable periods of time (such as a week, and then she'd want to hear it). I always did it, though I never knew how. From that point on, I still disliked practicing, but I loved playing - playing what I wanted to, and my sight reading ability didn't help me in my classical training. But anyway, I've been playing in churches since I was thirteen (pretty traditional stuff, like hymns, but I've played praise stuff too), and was going to go off and minor in piano, until...

I decided to do Organ. Yeah, Organ is WAY out of style, so if you think the flute's bad, think of playing an instrument that is pretty much no longer in use. I mean, I am the only student that isn't an adult that takes Organ at my school, and all the others I know that play are grandparent age, but at the same time, I love it and it has developed my piano skills as well because it is so technical.

In addition to Organ and Piano, I play a bit of guitar, and I'm going to take Cello lessons next fall. I sing in choir and so I guess I'm a full fledged music geek. Don't let others discourage you if you are doing something you really want to do. And, if you ever feel completely uninspired to play (which I do every single day I have to walk 15 minutes to go and practice), maybe go and find a piece you have always loved to play, or find a piece you think is beautiful, and learn it. Of course, sometimes you just have to practice, but something I have heard over and over from adults is that "I really wish I would have kept it up and practiced." I don't want that for myself, so I'm taking all the opportunities I can. If you have a gift and a passion, go for it with all you have, to the glory of God.

Wow. That's enough from me. Sorry for my soapbox, people.

[ShiroiHikari]

I have a little of my dad's musical talent(he can play darn near anything he touches), but I don't use it much anymore. Music's an expensive habit. -.-

But, I've always had a love for the piano. Every time I see one I wanna sit down and peck away at it XD Never had lessons, but I can play a little...

I used to play the flute in sixth grade, but...I pretty much gave it up when I switched schools, and I didn't really want to play flute anyway. What I really wanted to do was play the snare drum or maybe the clarinet, but no...that didn't happen.

Something else I really love to do is sing, but there's not really an outlet for that since I got out of high school.

...what was this thread about again? o.O *wanders away*