I've never tried the guitar, I doubt I'd be any good though. I can do a few chords on my ukulele though!!

I used to play the E flat horn at school (a loooooong time ago) I managed to get grade 3 and used to play in the school band and orchestra, which was fun, even though I tended to do only the oompa oompa bits! 

I know how you feel Davina. On bassoon it's all either oompa semibreves or twiddly-widdly-three-octaves-too-high semi quavers.
I also play piano and I used to play the trumpet/jazz trumpet. I'm grade 5 in all of them (level 3 in jazz; the levels are different. but I've probably already forgotten how to play my trumpet!!

Oh, I wish I could play an instrument, but I'm extremly untalented in it. I'm not even able to read music.
But if I had the time (and the money) to learn an instrument, it would be the violin obviously.

Last edited by Mary Me (June 2, 2013 11:43 am)

What's a Mountain Dulcimer?

Molly Hooper wrote:

What's a Mountain Dulcimer?

It's a string Celtic Instrument, there's two kinds, a Hammered Dulcimer and a Mountain Dulcimer. A Mountain Dulcimer looks like this;

Molly Hooper wrote:

Wow, that's so cool, is it played like a guitar?

Nope, both the Mountain and Hammered Dulcimers are played differently. I've more taught myself with the Mountain Dulcimer, but the way to play it is by resting it flat on your lap and then strumming with one of your hands and using the other (either with a finger or a special short stick) to press down on the strings. It's not a difficult instrument.

 

Mary Me wrote:

Oh, I wish I could play an instrument, but I'm extremly untalented in it. I'm not even able to read music.
But if I had the time (and the money) to learn an instrument, it would be the violin obviously.

I picked up the violin again after a bit of a hiatus. I can't really read sheet music either but I am in the middle of trying to learn a little so if anyone has any recommended reading for music theory it would be greatly appreciated.

Violin can be a pain because, unlike guitar, there are no frets or markings to show you where to put your fingers. I've had to learn to play by ear. After 4 months I can just happily prat about on it (quite nicely, no ones ears are getting assaulted here.)

It is a beautiful instrument with a sound that can be very human in the right hands.

Mary Me: I can't speak for anyone else here but for me the best way to learn an instrument was to just pick it up and start playing and do your research on it. If you want to do grades or play in public then I would say you might need a tutor at some point. The only thing you really need to play any instrument, which cannot be taught, is a love of the instrument. It will be your love of the instrument that will carry you through the hours of practice you need to put in to become good (when all else fails a well-placed 'f**k you' does the trick. Remember: it is always the instruments fault, never yours. )

 

Dramagod wrote:

My advice to people who are thinking of starting on an instrument but won't get to it for some reason: you don't have to be a master on it. You don't have to be any better than you wish to be. To me, it's enough that I play an instrument well enough that I can learn stuff by ear and use it to create my own music. It's art, not the olympics.

Absolute truth right there.

I did not start as young as you. I was in the orchestra as well as acting classes from about 9 years of age (anything to keep me occupied I guess.) I only played violin for about a year but I've stuck with the acting all my life. My parents were not musical. And my sister is so much more musically talented than me but playing an instrument does offer great joy and comfort.

Good luck with your solo endeavours, let us know how you get on.