Do you play a musical instrument?

[mc ukrneal]

Thought it might be interesting to see what instruments we play and if we might have our own GMG orchestra. I kept the categories broad. I think I got most of it, but will add more items if needed. You can vote as many times as needed to cover the instruments you play.

[TheGSMoeller]

Still play keyboard, own an accordion and mandolin that I'm mediocre at but love them both to death.

Used to play in high school the trumpet and tenor sax and in high school and college the French horn.

[mc ukrneal]

I've play the saxophone. Mostly played alto, but played some baritone in groups as well (especially pit orchestra, when there is only one sax player for many musicals). Bye Bye Birdy was a fun one to play.

[Lisztianwagner]

I've played the piano, but I can also play the glockenspiel.

[Sergeant Rock]

I played tenor sax for six years (sixth grade through high school). Younger sisters played flute and clarinet. I used their instruments to teach myself the rudiments but never became terribly proficient. Here's me in the band room, late May 1967, a few days before graduation:



After high school I never played those instruments again but I did whack the bass drum in my army basic training company. We had a very old Field First Sergeant, a few months from retirement, who didn't like to run. He convinced the company commander that morale and esprit de corps would be improved if the men could march to the sounds of "stirring" tunes. He gathered up old instruments from somewhere and found a half dozen trainees who knew how to play them. Someone else grabbed the sole saxophone before I got there but I told the Sergeant I could keep a beat and was hired    So, unlike every other training company, we marched to music everywhere instead of running.

Sarge

[madaboutmahler]

My main instrument is the piano, which is my second study (composition is my first) at the Academy. Have been playing since I was 7 or so. I started the cello a few years later and continue to play that now, very much enjoy playing that in chamber groups at school, and orchestras and so on. I am also teaching myself percussion, and have been doing so for around a year now. Percussion is a passion of mine, I always listen out for it in whatever I'm listening to and just love to play all the different instruments. I am currently the percussionist for the Watford Youth Orchestra, which I love ever so much, and also one for the Misbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Neil, could you add percussion to the list? Then I'll place my vote.

[mc ukrneal]

My main instrument is the piano, which is my second study (composition is my first) at the Academy. Have been playing since I was 7 or so. I started the cello a few years later and continue to play that now, very much enjoy playing that in chamber groups at school, and orchestras and so on. I am also teaching myself percussion, and have been doing so for around a year now. Percussion is a passion of mine, I always listen out for it in whatever I'm listening to and just love to play all the different instruments. I am currently the percussionist for the Watford Youth Orchestra, which I love ever so much, and also one for the Misbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Neil, could you add percussion to the list? Then I'll place my vote.

Gosh, how could I have forgotten that! I added it at the end so as not to change the results of those who already voted.

[Sergeant Rock]

Gosh, how could I have forgotten that!

Hence my Zounds! vote 

Sarge

[mc ukrneal]

Hence my Zounds! vote 

Sarge

Well it really was a zounds! I thought about it when I was making the list, but lost it somewhere along the way!

[madaboutmahler]

Gosh, how could I have forgotten that! I added it at the end so as not to change the results of those who already voted.

Thanks, Neil. Have voted now.

[nochmal]

Wait what? The question is "Do you play a musical instrument?"

And there is no box for Yes, nor for No. There are a lot of boxes mentioning musical instruments.

Extremely poor poll.

[nochmal]

;-p

[mc ukrneal]

Wait what? The question is "Do you play a musical instrument?"

And there is no box for Yes, nor for No. There are a lot of boxes mentioning musical instruments.

Extremely poor poll.

If you look more closely, you will notice that the question to the poll itself (not the thread title) is: What musical instrument(s) do you play?

[PaulR]

Even though it is purely up there for alphabetical reasons, I'd like to think in my imaginary world that the Double Bass was positioned due to the greatness of the instrument.   0:)

Unfortunately, that is not the case.   

(I play the Double Bass moderately well)

[TheGSMoeller]

Via electronic means, I have all the instruments and then some .. some of the things in my hobbyist arsenal incl.
electric guitar & effects processor, amplifier, synthesizer, drum machine, computer & software, recording/mixing console (analog)

Do you use any software for synthesizer/electronic sounds?
I have an Aria player for orchestral instruments but wanted one that could produce electronic sounds, and must be compatible with Finale PrintMusic.

[JerryS]

I started piano at age 10. My teacher's goal was to get me into a polka band (a lot of German heritage in the community). I was much more interested in the classical works, which he called "longhair music". I played for several churches over the years and had a long stint as a choir accompanist.
I took up violin in high school, private lessons since the school didn't have an orchestra. Now, decades later, I'm principal second violin with a community string orchestra. We give monthly concerts, often concluding with a polka, so I guess my piano teacher's efforts weren't entirely frustrated.

[The Six]

If you look more closely, you will notice that the question to the poll itself (not the thread title) is: What musical instrument(s) do you play?

Burned!

[Brian]

We had a very old Field First Sergeant, a few months from retirement, who didn't like to run. He convinced the company commander that morale and esprit de corps would be improved if the men could march to the sounds of "stirring" tunes. He gathered up old instruments from somewhere and found a half dozen trainees who knew how to play them.

Was his name Scheisskopf by any chance?

[petrarch]

Do you use any software for synthesizer/electronic sounds?
I have an Aria player for orchestral instruments but wanted one that could produce electronic sounds, and must be compatible with Finale PrintMusic.

What does it mean to be compatible with Finale PrintMusic? If Finale can output MIDI while playing, you'll find that it is compatible with most software synths available out there. Also, 'synthesizer/electronic sounds' is quite a broad term--you have e.g. the typical subtractive synthesis devices (oscillators with basic waveforms, filters, LFOs, envelope generators), but then there is also FM synthesis, additive synthesis, and so on... the Aria player is basically a sampler, although I assume without the recording capabilities, which is yet another class of 'sound synthesis' device.

Native Instruments have quite a varied range of capable and good sounding standalone software synthesizers.

[TheGSMoeller]

What does it mean to be compatible with Finale PrintMusic? If Finale can output MIDI while playing, you'll find that it is compatible with most software synths available out there. Also, 'synthesizer/electronic sounds' is quite a broad term--you have e.g. the typical subtractive synthesis devices (oscillators with basic waveforms, filters, LFOs, envelope generators), but then there is also FM synthesis, additive synthesis, and so on... the Aria player is basically a sampler, although I assume without the recording capabilities, which is yet another class of 'sound synthesis' device.

Native Instruments have quite a varied range of capable and good sounding standalone software synthesizers.

Hey, Petrarch, thanks for the reply.
Finale PrintMusic is a music notation software. And it it can output MIDI.
I'm aware my statement might be broad, but I was hoping that by mentioning I don't need anything that emulates orchestral instruments would narrow it down a little. In search for more types of sounds you would hear in electronic or even dance music.

No I don't .. down the line I'll be seeking out something much, much better; the things out there today are quite amazing and I'm intrigued by it all.

Cool, let us know if you come across anything you like.
Thanks, James.