Musical Instrument

[MadHatDan]

Hey people,

Do any of you play a musical instrument? Any of you in a band?

[sssshhhh]

I've started to teach myself guitar. Know the basic chords, and working on some scales and stuff. Find it really difficult playing bar chords though as my hands are so little. If anyone has suggestions on how to strengthen my little hands up please shout (appart from the obvious one - practice :-) )

[Uncle Peter]

Keyboards, guitar and bass. Not currently in a band but lend a hand to the odd recording project on a playing and production level.

I've started to teach myself guitar. Know the basic chords, and working on some scales and stuff. Find it really difficult playing bar chords though as my hands are so little. If anyone has suggestions on how to strengthen my little hands up please shout (appart from the obvious one - practice :-) )

There are a multitude of articles and guitar forum posts around this subject and even entire books written about it but the really important thing is that you work on all of your fingers, not just the index finger you use to fret the root note - running up and down your scales/modes is a good starting point to develop speed, suppleness and strength in your fingers and if you have a look around ultimate-guitar.com there are a few documented exercises you could try. Don't forget to work on your right hand/picking technique too.

[danielf]

I tried teaching myself to play guitar, but found it just too bloody difficult (and painful), so I gave up :)

[sssshhhh]

Keyboards, guitar and bass. Not currently in a band but lend a hand to the odd recording project on a playing and production level.



There are a multitude of articles and guitar forum posts around this subject and even entire books written about it but the really important thing is that you work on all of your fingers, not just the index finger you use to fret the root note - running up and down your scales/modes is a good starting point to develop speed, suppleness and strength in your fingers and if you have a look around ultimate-guitar.com there are a few documented exercises you could try. Don't forget to work on your right hand/picking technique too.

Thanks Uncle Peter :tu:

[Halcyon]

I try to experiment with a bit of everything with my Keyboard synths, and music production software.

[Mr_love_monkey]

To make use of an old joke - I can play the piano by ear (though my head does start to hurt after a while) - and I can fiddle with my whiskers.

Seriously, been playing the guitar off and on for several years

[Jules]

I use to play the spoons in my misspent youth does that count :D

[MadGamer]

I use to play the spoons in my misspent youth does that count :D Do you want me to honestly answer that? ;)

[Gareth]

Self-taught guitarist, but I recently started having lessons to unlearn the bad habits I taught myself and to get my head around music theory (which always bored me to tears).

Like Uncle Peter says, working all fingers is important. And spending some time doing warm-up exercises each time you pick up your guitar is important too, rather than just going into playing along to your favourite song.

For anyone else learning, have a look at the site www.justinguitar.com - there's some pretty good videos there :)

[danielf]

For anyone else learning, have a look at the site www.justinguitar.com - there's some pretty good videos there :)

Typical. Not a word about left-handers... :rolleyes:

[Mr_love_monkey]

Typical. Not a word about left-handers... :rolleyes:

Yeah, but who cares about them??? :D

[danielf]

Yeah, but who cares about them??? :D

:bigcry:

[LSainsbury]

I can play keyboards just about and I also "play" the Theremin.

[christopherw]

Drums!



Woo!





Old joke rehash: bloke walks into a brain shop looking for an upgrade. There's three brains on special offer: an architect's brain for £2,500, a doctor's brain for £4,000, and a drummer's brain for £14,950.

The bloke says to the guy behind the counter, "how come the drummer's brain is so much more expensive than the other two?" to which comes the quick response, 'never been used mate'

[Mr Angry]

If anyone has suggestions on how to strengthen my little hands up please shout (appart from the obvious one - practice :-) )

Tennis ball or a progrip.

[dilli-theclaw]

Flute.

[homealone]

I use to play the spoons in my misspent youth does that count :D

A wedding I went to a couple of years ago, had everyone at the reception issued with a pair of spoons & we had a great laugh playing along to a couple of songs - it was the bride's fathers 'party trick', usually, so we upstaged him ;)

- I usually just stick to being one of those annoying people who tap on things, all the time :erm:

I did used to take a set of bongos to the Sunday lunchtime pub drop-in/jam sessions, many, many years ago, though ;)

[wilkie2]

For anyone else learning, have a look at the site www.justinguitar.com - there's some pretty good videos there :)



i was gonna post the same link when i started reading the thread,saved me the trouble there gareth;) quite a good site for beginners to have a look at

[Gareth]

I did used to take a set of bongos to the Sunday lunchtime pub drop-in/jam sessions, many, many years ago, though ;)You should buy yourself a Nintendo Gamecube and the Donkey Konga game... you'd have a blast :D

---------- Post added at 22:12 ---------- Previous post was at 22:10 ----------

Old joke rehash: bloke walks into a brain shop looking for an upgrade. There's three brains on special offer: an architect's brain for £2,500, a doctor's brain for £4,000, and a drummer's brain for £14,950.

The bloke says to the guy behind the counter, "how come the drummer's brain is so much more expensive than the other two?" to which comes the quick response, 'never been used mate'What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians?

A drummer. ;)

---------- Post added at 22:14 ---------- Previous post was at 22:12 ----------

and another one....

What do you call a musician with no girlfriend?

Homeless.
:rofl:

[Rockabilly Spike]

Yep, I play both guitar and bass & my main band is a rockabilly punk band called The Slack Rats
www.myspace.com/theslackrats

I play bass in an band that forms every so often for a few gigs when we're all free, called The F**k Ups.

[Delta Whiskey]

Typical. Not a word about left-handers... :rolleyes:

I'm left-handed and learned to play guitar right-handed. There are a few benefits to this, your left hand is already strong and learning to hold the chord shapes is easier also you're able to pick up and play other guitars (it's only recently that I've seen a left-handed guitar in person).

[danielf]

I'm left-handed and learned to play guitar right-handed. There are a few benefits to this, your left hand is already strong and learning to hold the chord shapes is easier also you're able to pick up and play other guitars (it's only recently that I've seen a left-handed guitar in person).

Many people say this when I mention left-handers. Thing is, there are degrees of left or right handedness (some people are ambidextrous). Many 'left-handers' can learn to play right-handed. For extreme cases (like me), this is not an option. I have a left-handed guitar. It freaks some people out :)

[monkey2468]

I play drums and guitar.:)

[Escapee]

I used to play Organ/Keyboards either on my own or with a guitar player and drummer in my younger days.

I started playing when I was about 11 and had lessons for about 6 years, dont get to play much these days but I do have a few old Hammond Organs (Tonewheel) that I have picked up faulty/cheap and restored.

[budwieser]

I played Drums for 23 years in different bands and sold my kit and gave it up 7 years ago!:bigcry: God how i miss that kit!:confused::disturbd: 14137
OOPs top picture upside down but you get the drift!:D:disturbd:

[Delta Whiskey]

Many people say this when I mention left-handers. Thing is, there are degrees of left or right handedness (some people are ambidextrous). Many 'left-handers' can learn to play right-handed. For extreme cases (like me), this is not an option. I have a left-handed guitar. It freaks some people out :)

I found it hard to get going right-handed as everything about it felt the wrong way round. Perhaps if I'd had access to a left-handed guitar I'd have progressed much more, maybe I'd be just as rubbish. :)

[budwieser]

How do you know its a singer is knocking on your door?
They never know when to come in. :D:angel:

[Enuff]

I've just bought a couple of electric guitars and will be learning again... I ain't played for about 20 years!

[danielf]

I found it hard to get going right-handed as everything about it felt the wrong way round. Perhaps if I'd had access to a left-handed guitar I'd have progressed much more, maybe I'd be just as rubbish. :)

Have you tried playing that left-hander? You might find it suits you better after all.

http://www.southpawguitars.com/ have a few lefties on offer. Based in the US though.

[Mr Angry]

Q: How do you know if your stage is level?

A: Your drummer is dribbling out both sides of their mouth.

[Gareth]

Any of you guys tried the Yamaha silent guitars? I like the look of them, but haven't seen any in the music shops round here.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2007/06/2.jpg

[jkat]

watched bjork this weekend, amazing gig! her synthplayer used one of these

a "reactable" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEDia3CFdfg&mode=related&search=

played guitar for 40 years, started with trombone. ;)

[budwieser]

Q: How do you know if your stage is level?

A: Your drummer is dribbling out both sides of their mouth.
So true mate......:D
:disturbd: What do you play then Mr Angry?

[monkey2468]

I play drums and guitar.:)

Well, after reading this thread and reminding myself that I have drums, I have been trawling though my parents loft and garage and shed to get my drums out. Its all looking a bit rusty and dusty, but, they have been away for 9 years!!! Well, i havn't forgot how to play, and I don't like my neighbours so I'm going to wait 'til they are in from work to start playing again!;)

[Uncle Peter]

watched bjork this weekend, amazing gig! her synthplayer used one of these

a "reactable" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEDia3CFdfg&mode=related&search=

played guitar for 40 years, started with trombone. ;)

:Yikes: Jarre can stuff his VCS and his laser harp right where they'll fit! I want one of these things now! :tu:

[Mr Angry]

So true mate......:D
:disturbd: What do you play then Mr Angry?

I was a guitarist / vocalist in a band a few (nearly 15) years ago but gave it all up three days after adolescent Angry was born (It was at that point that realized that there was more to life than touring / recording / touring).

I sold my gear just to get the whole rock band thing out of my system - that and the fact that I'd let a few people down with my decision to quit - and 12 years later adolescent Angry announced he wanted to learn to play an instrument. I contacted the guy I'd sold my gear to and - get this - he gave it back to me citing good Karma. It was a custom spec stratocaster that Fender's Dave Farmiloe had worked on with me and a custom Boss 8 pack effect board. The guy wasn't using them any more and insisted that it was good karma that they got back to me as I had taught him to play many years before.

It was only last year that my then bassist phoned me out of the blue and we hooked up for a beer to go over the "old times". We had a blast recalling some of the antics we'd got up to back in the day and there was even talk of a reunion gig (God forbid).

I've maintained a good business relationship with a lot of the people I met in the industry and am still very proactively involved albeit in a different capacity than previously. Funnily enough I find drummers to be fascinating individuals and I currently represent and have negotiated endorsement deals for one of Mapex's bright young stars.

[budwieser]

I was a guitarist / vocalist in a band a few (nearly 15) years ago but gave it all up three days after adolescent Angry was born (It was at that point that realized that there was more to life than touring / recording / touring).

I sold my gear just to get the whole rock band thing out of my system - that and the fact that I'd let a few people down with my decision to quit - and 12 years later adolescent Angry announced he wanted to learn to play an instrument. I contacted the guy I'd sold my gear to and - get this - he gave it back to me citing good Karma. It was a custom spec stratocaster that Fender's Dave Farmiloe had worked on with me and a custom Boss 8 pack effect board. The guy wasn't using them any more and insisted that it was good karma that they got back to me as I had taught him to play many years before.

It was only last year that my then bassist phoned me out of the blue and we hooked up for a beer to go over the "old times". We had a blast recalling some of the antics we'd got up to back in the day and there was even talk of a reunion gig (God forbid).

I've maintained a good business relationship with a lot of the people I met in the industry and am still very proactively involved albeit in a different capacity than previously. Funnily enough I find drummers to be fascinating individuals and I currently represent and have negotiated endorsement deals for one of Mapex's bright young stars.
Great story Mr Angry, I`m pleased that you got your axe back.
I sold my kit to a guy referred to me by our Bass player, who later died tragically in a car crash,the guy wanted to buy a Drum kit because it was good therapy for his hands and feet because of the injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident.
Tragically, he also died in a car crash about 18 months later. R.I.P Deeks:confused:
I wanted to contact the family and buy my kit back but didn`t because i thought it might be disrespectful, even though i had considered this before he passed over.
ps: I also had a Mapex kit in their early days and found it a nice warm sounding kit.

[Delta Whiskey]

Have you tried playing that left-hander? You might find it suits you better after all.

http://www.southpawguitars.com/ have a few lefties on offer. Based in the US though.

The local Crane's Music have a nice selection of left-handed guitars, the most I've ever seen in one place. If I could find a real cheap left-hander I might have a go, but I've just splashed the cash on a resonator for a bit of bottleneck goodness. :D http://www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk/products/default.asp?cID=26463281&sID=26464920

[Uncle Peter]

[QUOTE=Gareth;34339463]Any of you guys tried the Yamaha silent guitars? I like the look of them, but haven't seen any in the music shops round here.
QUOTE]

Someone should do us all a favour give one to Noel Gallagher... minus the strings. Pity Sure don't make silent Mics ;)

[Alien]

Someone should do us all a favour give one to Noel Gallagher... minus the strings. Pity Sure don't make silent Mics ;)
Just use duct tape - wind a whole roll round his head, & if you forget to make air holes it's no great loss. :D