I’ve never really learned to play. One excuse that I had seems invalid in these times. Is anyone else taking this time to learn to play or play better?
@sammydog01 once you figure out the banjo let me know how. I inherited one recently and have been meaning to try it out more. I learned some chords once and made up my own picking pattern and played it in a low key concert but haven’t really learned anything official
@sammydog01@Stumpy91 also I would die for a theremin, but an otamatone would be good enough for now. I almost bought one in Japan last year but my wife talked me out of it.
@luvche21@sammydog01@Stumpy91
A real Theremin is definitely on my wish list.
I’d like to build my own.
There are simple kits available but I’ve read that they’re designed differently and don’t sound as nice as the original.
Not sure I have the skills to build the original design, though.
@luvche21
They range anywhere from ~$15 to hundreds of dollars, from simple to complex.
E.g.: Amazon link
Something like that is more of a novelty toy than a musical instrument, though.
Resembles a Theremin only in that it makes weird noises when you wave your hand at it.
I’ve built other MadLab electronics kits - IMO, they’re kind of like those Metal Earth model kits…
Fun to build if tiny, precision assembly is your idea of fun.
Unlike the Metal Earth kits, they are fun to play with for a bit after you put them together, but like the M.E. kits, they quickly end up on the shelf gathering dust.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Afraid I don’t have any comprehensive info on Theremin kits, only that I haven’t found one I’m interested in buying; You’ll have to do a little digging yourself.
@luvche21@sammydog01 I inherited an accordion from my Dad, but I gave it to my older sister. It was the only thing of his she wanted and she had the musical ability to actually learn to play it.
@luvche21@macromeh@sammydog01
Accordion has also been high on my wish list for a long time.
Not the big piano kind though, I want a concertina/“squeeze-box”.
@DennisG2014@macromeh@sammydog01 button accordions are wild and so difficult (in my mind at least). I have the piano style where the left hand has buttons for accompanying chords. It’s very difficult for me to wrap my head around a non piano keyboard layout (or woodwind layout since I’m a woodwind player too). Those little squeeze boxes would be fun since they’re so small though!
I recently picked up a 6 string again after many years of playing only 4 (bass and ukulele).
I’ve come to the conclusion that 4 strings are plenty (for me anyway).
Guitar is freakin’ hard!
However, like just about anything, you do get out of it what you put into it.
Takes a lot of time, effort and dedication but anyone who’s willing to commit will see results!
Which is exactly why I’ve never been more than mediocre on any instrument. lol
Well, that and a desire to play every instrument I can get my hands on, and I have quite a collection.
I can play a little on many different instruments, which means I can play a lot on hardly any.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My brother decided to take up guitar a few months ago after seeing one of those videos of someone who filmed their progress while playing for an hour a day for a year.
I told him that if he could commit to playing an hour a day, every day, he’d be better than I ever was in a couple of months.
I don’t think he’s managed to be quite that dedicated, but he says he’s learned a few songs already.
I haven’t heard him play yet.
I’ve been really enjoying ukulele for the past year or so, have put more time into playing it than any other instrument I’ve picked up and have improved by leaps and bounds lately.
Going to record some songs, one of these days, eventually…
And finally learn to play the trumpet I bought ~20 years ago, too. lol
If only I could get myself to spend as much time playing music as I waste staring at this freakin’ screen, I’d be a virtuoso.
But I have rather small hands So, in order to play, I had to seriously contort the wrist/arm position so that my fingers could reach to make chords. After an hour I was always in some pain. After two hours, a lot of shoulder, neck, and arm nerve pain. Which would not wear off until some hours after I quit practicing.
I finally decided this skill was just not meant to be and let the effort go. My step-brother has my nice Gibson now. He has long arms and large hands, he and the guitar are getting along wonderfully.
If I ever try again, I’m going to get a guitar with an extra-narrow neck.
I can do a teeny bit of piano, violin/viola/cello.
But have not played in decades. I’m sure I would only make sounds now that would set all the local humans to fleeing and all the local dogs to barking.
It’s a wonderful thing to be able to get the musical level of having effortless improvisation sound great.
@f00l You should definitely try ukulele! (keeping in mind I say that to everyone these days… )
But seriously - it’s much better for people with smaller hands, and not having more strings than fingers makes it much easier to make chords.
Knowing some violin/viola/cello gives you a head start, too.
You can also get a perfectly playable uke very cheap - unlike guitar.
Even the $50 plastic ones work.
Kala is the best brand for good quality, inexpensive ukes, IMO.
You can pretty much buy a Kala in whatever price range you’re comfortable with and be assured you’ll get a nice instrument.
One caveat for anyone considering buying one, though…
Normally I tell people never to buy a wooden, acoustic instrument via mail order - too many opportunities for damage in shipment.
Times being as they are, though, there’s no other choice, so I’d say to just make sure you buy from somewhere with a good return/exchange policy.
I should pull out my banjo. I don’t even know how to tune it.
I also have an otamatone I should play with.
@sammydog01 I wonder if anyone has a theremin?
@sammydog01 once you figure out the banjo let me know how. I inherited one recently and have been meaning to try it out more. I learned some chords once and made up my own picking pattern and played it in a low key concert but haven’t really learned anything official
@sammydog01 @Stumpy91 also I would die for a theremin, but an otamatone would be good enough for now. I almost bought one in Japan last year but my wife talked me out of it.
@luvche21 @sammydog01 @Stumpy91
A real Theremin is definitely on my wish list.
I’d like to build my own.
There are simple kits available but I’ve read that they’re designed differently and don’t sound as nice as the original.
Not sure I have the skills to build the original design, though.
@DennisG2014 @sammydog01 @Stumpy91 how pricey are these kits? I would be interested, but I have no idea what it would entail
@luvche21 My banjo was inherited too. I’ll check the internet and look for lessons. One of these days.
And otamatones are pretty inexpensive. I have the KISS edition- Gene Simmons.
@sammydog01 I’m pretty sure all banjos are inherited. But apparently these accordions are selling quickly with the virus!
@DennisG2014 @luvche21 @sammydog01 Google shows a lot of options. Etsy had some. Here’s a good resource. http://www.thereminworld.com/theremin-store
@luvche21
They range anywhere from ~$15 to hundreds of dollars, from simple to complex.
E.g.: Amazon link
Something like that is more of a novelty toy than a musical instrument, though.
Resembles a Theremin only in that it makes weird noises when you wave your hand at it.
I’ve built other MadLab electronics kits - IMO, they’re kind of like those Metal Earth model kits…
Fun to build if tiny, precision assembly is your idea of fun.
Unlike the Metal Earth kits, they are fun to play with for a bit after you put them together, but like the M.E. kits, they quickly end up on the shelf gathering dust.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Afraid I don’t have any comprehensive info on Theremin kits, only that I haven’t found one I’m interested in buying; You’ll have to do a little digging yourself.
@DennisG2014 @luvche21 there’s an app to tide you over. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sokin.android.leon
@luvche21 @sammydog01 I inherited an accordion from my Dad, but I gave it to my older sister. It was the only thing of his she wanted and she had the musical ability to actually learn to play it.
@luvche21 @macromeh @sammydog01
Accordion has also been high on my wish list for a long time.
Not the big piano kind though, I want a concertina/“squeeze-box”.
e.g.:
Luckily, I have good impulse control, otherwise I’m sure I’d have a huge collection of very valuable instruments but no home to keep them in.
@DennisG2014 @macromeh @sammydog01 button accordions are wild and so difficult (in my mind at least). I have the piano style where the left hand has buttons for accompanying chords. It’s very difficult for me to wrap my head around a non piano keyboard layout (or woodwind layout since I’m a woodwind player too). Those little squeeze boxes would be fun since they’re so small though!
@DennisG2014 @macromeh @sammydog01 my favorite accordion rabbit hole is this performer (and this is by far my favorite performance of his)
@DennisG2014 @macromeh @sammydog01 This just appeared on my feed:
Weird Al playing Classical Gas on the accordion. Not the cleanest sound but still fun!
@luvche21
That’s great.
Man, self-quarantine would be a lot easier if I had that kind of skill and that kind of view!
Not too shabby.
I recently picked up a 6 string again after many years of playing only 4 (bass and ukulele).
I’ve come to the conclusion that 4 strings are plenty (for me anyway).
Guitar is freakin’ hard!
However, like just about anything, you do get out of it what you put into it.
Takes a lot of time, effort and dedication but anyone who’s willing to commit will see results!
Which is exactly why I’ve never been more than mediocre on any instrument. lol
Well, that and a desire to play every instrument I can get my hands on, and I have quite a collection.
I can play a little on many different instruments, which means I can play a lot on hardly any.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My brother decided to take up guitar a few months ago after seeing one of those videos of someone who filmed their progress while playing for an hour a day for a year.
I told him that if he could commit to playing an hour a day, every day, he’d be better than I ever was in a couple of months.
I don’t think he’s managed to be quite that dedicated, but he says he’s learned a few songs already.
I haven’t heard him play yet.
I’ve been really enjoying ukulele for the past year or so, have put more time into playing it than any other instrument I’ve picked up and have improved by leaps and bounds lately.
Going to record some songs, one of these days, eventually…
And finally learn to play the trumpet I bought ~20 years ago, too. lol
If only I could get myself to spend as much time playing music as I waste staring at this freakin’ screen, I’d be a virtuoso.
@DennisG2014
I tried and tried to get decent at guitar.
But I have rather small hands So, in order to play, I had to seriously contort the wrist/arm position so that my fingers could reach to make chords. After an hour I was always in some pain. After two hours, a lot of shoulder, neck, and arm nerve pain. Which would not wear off until some hours after I quit practicing.
I finally decided this skill was just not meant to be and let the effort go. My step-brother has my nice Gibson now. He has long arms and large hands, he and the guitar are getting along wonderfully.
If I ever try again, I’m going to get a guitar with an extra-narrow neck.
I can do a teeny bit of piano, violin/viola/cello.
But have not played in decades. I’m sure I would only make sounds now that would set all the local humans to fleeing and all the local dogs to barking.
It’s a wonderful thing to be able to get the musical level of having effortless improvisation sound great.
@f00l You should definitely try ukulele! (keeping in mind I say that to everyone these days…
)
But seriously - it’s much better for people with smaller hands, and not having more strings than fingers makes it much easier to make chords.
Knowing some violin/viola/cello gives you a head start, too.
You can also get a perfectly playable uke very cheap - unlike guitar.
Even the $50 plastic ones work.
Kala is the best brand for good quality, inexpensive ukes, IMO.
You can pretty much buy a Kala in whatever price range you’re comfortable with and be assured you’ll get a nice instrument.
One caveat for anyone considering buying one, though…
Normally I tell people never to buy a wooden, acoustic instrument via mail order - too many opportunities for damage in shipment.
Times being as they are, though, there’s no other choice, so I’d say to just make sure you buy from somewhere with a good return/exchange policy.
@DennisG2014
That’s a thought. But it was kinda the “guitar sound” I wanted.
Maybe I’ll get a portable keyboard some day and mess with that
No guitar playing here but I guess I should start making more noises with my Korg Volcas.
@Stumpy91 you can get lessons for free for the next three months at https://www.fender.com/play
Yes.