Instruments - what do you play

[Evildraws]

First off, wow--it's been a hecky long time since I've been on the website. I haven't been on in a few months and the whole thing changed!! It looks really nice now, though ;w; Been sorry I haven't been getting on the website but I've been too busy with school and life--plus my desktop computer's CPU died so I can't draw/really do much and school laptops don't work all too well with websites like this...

But anyways, onto the thread topic!

Do any of you guys play instruments? If so, what do you play and for how long have you played it? Do you play for recreational purposes or for school/other? Is there an instrument that you've wanted to play? I'm curious!

Myself, I used to play the flute for school. It wasn't really my first choice because I've always wanted to play trombone, but it was fun...up until highschool band,at least. Marching and playing the flute at the same time is something I'm incapable of, and my grade plummeted because of that, ha. I didn't play after freshman year though, and I can't play any more because my brother lost the cork to it...hm. Kind of sad because I knew how to play Lugia's Song, Mario Theme, Legend of Zelda Theme, Oracion (I think that's how it's spelled? Anyways its the song from the Darkrai pokemon movie), and so many other cool ones. But if I could choose any other instrument to play, it'd definitely be the violin and the piano.

So how about you guys?

[[Desolate Divine]]

You have asked the right person!

I am primarily a guitarist. I play acoustic and electric, ranging from chill boyce avenue style to We Came As Romans style metal. I also teach twice a week. Used to be four times but in the last two months two of my students decided they didn't want lessons any more. I have nine guitars, though all but four of them were given to me by people who didn't want them anymore. Two of my guitars are currently out on loan to my students. I perform nearly weekly at church and youth group. I generally use one of my acoustics (as the other one doesn't sound nice), and switch between two electrics depending on what I am playing, though that leaves two guitars that I don't really use too much and gather dust. I better clean them up and give them a bit of love.

I also play piano, though nowhere near to the standard I play guitar. I have been teaching myself for two years. Though I originally started learning to impress the girl who played piano in the youth band, I found a lot of enjoyment and fulfillment from learning and am picking it up at a much quicker pace than I did guitar. Though I don't like to say this because I love playing guitar, I can see myself one day being a better pianist than guitarist. I have a keyboard that my brother got for his birthday years ago but never learned, which stays at my mums house. I first started teaching myself on that. However six months ago, when I had a week with a lot of work, I bought myself a really nice digital piano. Essentially a keyboard with better quality sounds, weighted keys and a sustain pedal. Pretty much a keyboard that feels like a piano. Since I got that I have improved much more, and am now waiting for the chance to play at youth or church (at youth I am the only guitarist so I tend to play that every week, whilst at church there are three awesome pianists, and I am more needed on guitar).

I have a basic knowledge of drums and can play basic beats though I much prefer to play a Cajón (The box at the start of this video)...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8RyLVT6AFA

I prefer the cajon as it is simpler, and has a cool organic sorta sound. That and it is highly portable and easy to mic. Hell, when I get my car windows tinted I will probably keep a Cajon in there. Can't keep any instruments in there at the moment as it gets too hot and damages them.

My toughest musical performance was my final assignment for my TAFE course. I had to do a mixed media performance. Essentially, I had to use a computer program and controller to play pre recorded sounds, whilst playing and recording stuff live. I used the studios at TAFE to record three basic beats on the cajon. I cut out the best bar of each beat, and assigned it to a button of the controller. Essentially when I would press a button it would start the beat and loop it until I started the next one. Over that I played and recorded piano and guitar. I got second best in the class (Best was somebody who chopped up five skrillex songs and hooked each sound (two to three seconds each) up to his controller. Mashed them together. It sounded awesome!), though would have gotten best if I didn't try to do so much at once. I didn't allow enough time to change so made a lot of slip ups.

As for what else I would like to learn, I would love to learn cello and violin. I have wanted to for years, especially after hearing it used so much in Skillet's music. Recently, I met up with a girl who plays violin and cello, to jam, as she needed a guitarist for her work. When I was there, before I left, she let me have a go of her cello. Whilst I was a spastic, I had a little bit of skill due to my musical ear and technique from guitar and piano passing over, and think if I really tried, I could pick it up. I ended up deciding not to work with this girl. Half the reason I agreed to jam with her was because I thought she was hot (I guess the hormones kicked in a little too much), but the plans she had were much more serious than I thought. Like, she was wanting this to be primary focus, when I should be finding work.

[EmeraldSky]

I'm mainly a singer (your voice is an instrument too) but I can pick a little bit on the piano

[Noblejanobii]

I've varied throughout the years because I can make music off of anything.

Originally it started with the piano that I'm still pretty good at you just have to let me warm up. Then I joined in with the singing and I've kept up with that a lot but my school doesn't have a choir so that's not going anywhere. I also dabble with a recorder but let's be real I think everyone has learned to play that where I live. As of now I'm not playing any active instrument but I can bust out a beat on any surface.

[Dragon Master Mike]

Currently I sing and play guitar. I've enjoyed singing for as long as I can remember, even if I'm not that great at it, but I've only been playing guitar since last march. Wow, that's about a year now. I play mainly classic rock, since classic rock and metal are the two main types of music I listen to, and most of the metal I listen to is too complicated for me to play at my level. I especially love Led Zeppelin, I think I can play like, 5+ songs by them. I guess there really aren't many songs I actually know now that I think about it.

I want to play bass too. I've been putting some serious thought into getting one, and I'm probably going to do it soon too. It's similar to guitar so it shouldn't be hard to adjust. I'd also like to learn violin. My dad has one that I could play, but right now I'd rather just focus on guitar, and if I get a bass, that too. Some day though I want to try to learn violin.

EDIT: I just bought this bass (without the amp, got a better one from elsewhere) (http://www.rondomusic.com/URSA2RNEBpack.html) =D

[Caite-chan]

I started out as a kid with piano but like most kids never really practiced. xD In 5th grade I took band and played the Trumpet and French Horn and then went to Choir after that from 6th-9th grade. I've tried to learn how to play the guitar but I play opposite of what most people play.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

I have never played instruments besides trying keyboard, guitar and cello at school. It was only for a few months though, and I never really learned anything properly. I decided I wanted to learn piano a couple years ago so I dug out our old keyboard and have been teaching myself on that. I haven't really done much on it for the last year though because I got to to a place in my book where it seemed too hard so I kind of got lazy. xD But I have started to pick it up again now. I find learning to read music the hardest thing, probably.

[[Desolate Divine]]

Pokemon Trainer Sarah

If you want something new to learn on piano (Not sure if you have done this already) try learning your major scales. They were the first thing I really tried to teach myself. It helps improve your musical hearing and give you a really good understanding of keys and other musical theory. It is the exact same pattern of notes. Pretty much:

Root, +2, +2, +1, +2, +2, +2, +1
C Major: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
D Major: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E Major: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
F Major: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
G Major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
A Major: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
B Major: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B

[Evildraws]

I prefer the cajon as it is simpler, and has a cool organic sorta sound.

Ah, I'd forgotten about the Cajon! (Except I've always known it as a box drum >w< ) Someone at my school's talent show last year played a box drum in a band and it was one of the coolest things I'd heard *w* I wouldn't mind learning to play that...

As for everyone else, there's so many guitarists and pianists and singers! All things I would love to do... I guess I forgot I used to play guitar, but I was self taught (and only for like, half a year...then my brother accidentally snapped the guitar in half X'3). The only thing I could play decently was the six flags theme song from the commercials XD As for singing, I like to say that I'm good...but then I listen to myself on recordings and I want to rip my ears off, ahaha :'D And I can only play the intro to Crazy Train (by Ozzy Osbourne) on piano...oh, and fur eliz (sp?) I guess XD

[Silverclaw]

I want to keyboards because they sound fun.
But the only instrument i can play professionally is the lemon like jonny XD