Thread: Musicians... any out there?

Wow, some of you have been playing way longer than I have! Which is not very long, but still. I have a grandma who has been playing piano for 94 years! Needless to say she is pretty good at it.

I play bass, I have been playing for about two years now, but I practice more than most people I know, normally like four hours on a normal day. However on a weekend, or on fairly open days, it is pretty normal for me to play eight or nine hours straight. iwill try to get something on you tube by monday! It would be awesome for someone to watch my videos and possibly offer some sort of constructive criticism or something of the like

Mindwanderer, that Frusciante Inspired Jam is pretty awesome! I would definitely listen to more of that! Its all very good, especially the original material.

Originally Posted by Supernova

^Pretty good. I just can't do two parts at once. I've been taking guitar lessons for a little over 3 years now, and I've gotten fairly good. Tomorrow is my last day of exams, so I should have some videos on youtube soon.

You mean two hands at once? Yeah, I find that if I learn a new song I have to do each hand separately than after a while suddenly the timing will all click and I can do it. Usually I have to learn how to play one hand without looking to be able to play both easily, then over time I can look at neither hand.

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Been playing piano for 6 years now. But it would be so much better if I didn't do exams with it for school. I prefer taking my time, going through phases with it (from very little/none to playing so much the skin at the side of my thumbs peel and kinda... flatten). But my piano teacher's a bitch. She gives me classical, which I don't like, and expects a bit too much of me. I can learn it fast when I try, which she wants all the time, but as I say I go through phases. Would also help if she gave me music I like. It'll be easier when I finish school and self-teach myself from then on.

I also sing, but don't take it too seriously. My family are always going on and on at me to sing for them, but I get quite shy. I sing at school for my music exam and for my friends, that I don't mind, but I can't seem to sing for family.

For my music courses I also need to compose. I started a dorian piece of music yesterday. It sounds weird because it's not in a specific key and I can't use sharps or flats. 16 bars i've got at the moment, 3/4 timing, just a basic melody with a couple of chords thrown in. That's all I've got at the moment, but give it a week and i'll hopefully have a higher worthy piece that my teacher will approve of!

PUT IT UP!!!! I want to hear it!

I do the same thing. I sometimes play heaps and then barely play at all for a while. I'm getting a bit more regular now.
I also hate playing songs I don't like. That's why I stopped for a few years completely.
It's good to just learn on your own.

Anyway, to answer the OP....
Been playing piano for a while, I'm learning Claire De Lune atm. Almost "done", just gotta fix it up a bit.

I try to write my own songs, but I think I have to learn chords better first. Never did get around to it.
I have ideas all the time but can't get it out due to lack of theoretical knowledge.

Originally Posted by tommo

PUT IT UP!!!! I want to hear it!

I do the same thing. I sometimes play heaps and then barely play at all for a while. I'm getting a bit more regular now.
I also hate playing songs I don't like. That's why I stopped for a few years completely.
It's good to just learn on your own.

Anyway, to answer the OP....
Been playing piano for a while, I'm learning Claire De Lune atm. Almost "done", just gotta fix it up a bit.

I try to write my own songs, but I think I have to learn chords better first. Never did get around to it.
I have ideas all the time but can't get it out due to lack of theoretical knowledge.

I haven't worked on it since I posted. Been doing theory instead, meh. Maybe if I like it when it's done, i'll steal my dad's pendrive and get it off the school computer, then put it up.

I love love love Claire De Lune! Unfortunately, i'm far far away from being able to play it. Well, maybe not too far away. If I work my ass off maybe i'd be progressing faster and be able to do it but not at the moment. I can play the beginning, then I lose it when it gets all scale-y. But I'll play it one day!

I also need to work on chords. My teacher never actually went over them properly, but it would be a lot easier if I knew them properly. God... grade 5 and I can't do proper chords and scales.

Currently learning Swan Lake. It's not too difficult, I could have had it done ages ago if I actually sat down and learned it. Once my teacher gives me new stuff i'll sit down and get into it again.

I was thinking of buying a cheapy guitar and teaching it to myself. I've always wanted to play guitar. Maybe in the summer when I have loads of free time.

I write songs and play guitar a bit. I am lucky enough to have my own band. We recorded our first album last year. Some tracks can be found here:

Music - Catherine Joy

Don't know if it's the kind of stuff people here are into. Lyric-driven steampunk/gypsy/folk/rock. Kinda?

Music Major myself. Saxophone is my main instrument but I also dabble in guitar, bass, piano, and some other little instruments.

Thanks! It means alot

Here are another two originals.

Till we died


You don't care (satire)

these are fantastic. is there any chance you could send me some audio files to play on Dream Radio?

I'd love to play an album, or even just singles of yours for others to listen to.

Originally Posted by Supernova

^Pretty good. I just can't do two parts at once. I've been taking guitar lessons for a little over 3 years now, and I've gotten fairly good. Tomorrow is my last day of exams, so I should have some videos on youtube soon.

thnx, i would like to see your videos when you upload them

I love music. I've played trumpet for about 5 years, guitar for 3, maybe more (I lost track of when I started what), and piano for 1-2. I never really took the piano too seriously, but would love to learn it properly at some point.

Deep down, I feel like any instrument that isn't a piano, a guitar or drums isn't worth playing.

Violin is kinda hovering on the line.

I love violin. I want to learn it. We have one somewhere, a really good one, but my mum never remembers to get it for me. It's hidden somewhere lol

I sort of agree with you in a way. I think it's because most other instruments are sort of boring on their own. You need them in an orchestra.
I would add flutes to the list too.

Of course there are all these obscure instruments which I consider instruments though. No idea of the names of them lol

I've played electric bass for about 3 years, and upright for a few months. I'm also pretty average at drums, guitar, and piano. I still have a few years before college, but a music major might be the most likely career choice for me at this point.

Do it! It was the best decision I've made in my life.

Originally Posted by Raspberry

Deep down, I feel like any instrument that isn't a piano, a guitar or drums isn't worth playing.

Violin is kinda hovering on the line.

Have you ever taken the time to learn any other instrument besides guitar, piano, violin or drums? I love anything that can produce music but I get tired of cliche instruments like guitar (dont get me wrong I enjoy playing guitar but I also enjoy other more obscure instruments as well) some of my fondest memories jamming have been with a banjo, a tambourine and a stoned friend singing nonsense.

Ive been playing alot of classical guitar and a 12 string lately to work on my finger picking which are both loads of fun but you should pick banjo or a mandolin up some time and see if it doesn't make you smile.

Originally Posted by stormcrow

Have you ever taken the time to learn any other instrument besides guitar, piano, violin or drums? I love anything that can produce music but I get tired of cliche instruments like guitar (dont get me wrong I enjoy playing guitar but I also enjoy other more obscure instruments as well) some of my fondest memories jamming have been with a banjo, a tambourine and a stoned friend singing nonsense.

Ive been playing alot of classical guitar and a 12 string lately to work on my finger picking which are both loads of fun but you should pick banjo or a mandolin up some time and see if it doesn't make you smile.

I don't actually play guitar or drums. I can do some basic chords and beats but that's it. I played tenor horn for a year but stopped because I didn't like it.

I go based off sound. I like brass, wind and all that, but it's just not up there with how much I love the instruments I mentioned. Those are the only ones, to me, that I would consider playing.

I'm currently learning The Swan, which is a gorgeous piece so that's good.

Worked on my dorian piece. It's still only 16 bars (I don't know if my teacher wants more?) but I put it onto the computer and made it a violin. Also added another violin part, cello part and drum line. I'm quite proud of it so far

I play bass, some guitar, and very little drums. I taught myself to play bass, I've been at it for about 2 1/2 years. I got my first guitar this last Christmas, and learning on it has been very easy and quick since I'm used to playing bass. As with drums, it's not that hard to do a few simple beats but I've never had a chance to learn, only to get a little coordination.

I actually have a little recording set-up in my basement. I've been able to record bass tracks that sound professional! So if anyone's doing covers and need a bassist, I'm interested!

Originally Posted by Snorlax

I've played electric bass for about 3 years, and upright for a few months. I'm also pretty average at drums, guitar, and piano. I still have a few years before college, but a music major might be the most likely career choice for me at this point.

Music Industry: Undergraduate: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design: Drexel University

Check this out. I'm thinking of doing this type of program, and seeing as I live minutes from Philly I'll probably at least apply here.

Ah, here we go. I almost forgot I did a cover and posted it to youtube a while ago. It's hard to hear the bass if you're listening through laptop speakers or earbuds. I should've made my bass track louder. I thought it was alright because I was listening through Sennheiser headphones. Oh well.
YouTube - ‪Rise Against - Give It All Bass Cover‬‏

I done my voice assessment today and think it went rather well Well, she told me I needed to add a bit more swing to it, but I don't really have a jazzy voice so meh.

Been told I need to learn my scales (really, really neglected them. I done grade 1 and skipped the other 3). Decided i'm gonna get sheet music for River Flows Into You (Yiruma) and Summer '78 (Yann Tiersen). I love them like no other (well, if only I could play Claire De Lune! and I like a lot of Bach aswell) so i'm very, very determined.

I still have to figure out why i have such weird song content (lyrically). Ex.: The lyrics of one song make it sound like I'm choosing to live badly, while really saying the opposite(?) I finally wrote a love song... to nobody. (??) My best piece, musically, is about necromancy. (???)
Whaaaaa....? Go figure.

And the man in the tree said:
"AT LEAST I'M UNIQUE!"


God bless my soul, it will need blessing after putting up with my mind.

Here's a song I just wrote.

Decided to try something I've never done before, so I threw together an 'electronic' type song.

Edit: Best with headphones.

I've borrowed my dad's old accoustic guitar and now get to practice with it. Although... are the strings supposed to hurt so much when you try to make chords? they're thin to strong, sharp strings, and they dig into the balls of my fingers pretty hard. My dad used to say that you play until you "callous" your fingers, but I don't know if I can keep it up that long, because it really hurts when you try to play a song even for a minute.