Play a Musical Instrument?

[danmalara]

If you have some kind of extreme talent with an instrument that you'd like to share, do it here. I play the drums and I recently picked up the bagpipes. Also, this is the place to fight over who is better at what instrument. I am the best at drums, so if someone wants to quibble with me about that, go right on ahead. Anyways, make sure that you post about your instrument, especially if you have an exotic instrument. (I.E. Glass Amonica, Bagpipes, etc.)

[Agriff]

Where the hell do you get a bagpipe?

[danmalara]

On the internet. Although I do not have a real set yet (because they cost around $1000), I do have a set of $200 practice pipes. I also have a chanter, which is the what makes the different sounds.

[Agriff]

So are you any good? Can you play that traditional funeral song? That's what I always think of when I think o' dee pipes.

[danmalara]

No, not yet. But I can play the famous "Amazing Grace," and now I'm working on "Scotland the Brave," which is by far the most known bagpipe song.

[makidas]

Hmmmm, let's see. 7-String, Slap Bass, Drums (not as good as dan), Keyboard and the recorder(if that counts, such a retarded instrument). Oh yea, and I sing.

[xanthk]

I play clarinet, and does computer synth count?

[danmalara]

Computer Synth counts only if you are good at it. And mak, I play the drums better...and singing doesn't count unless u are a woman.

[makidas]

What the hell are you talking about, the only female singer I can think of that is worth listening to is Maraiah Carey, and I'll smoke your tits on a kit anyday, lol well not really, or maybe, or who knows.

[Lord_Mizaru]

I'm a pianist. As for the whole thing about I'm better than you etc., I see no reason to pretend to think that I'm the best pianist on Earth. Though I will go as far to say that I'm good enough that I was accepted to study with (and still am) a world famous and Grammy nominated concert pianist. So if that means anything to you all then... w00t? 8)

[Lord_Mizaru]

Well dear God! You're more than welcome to come and perform an actual concert sometime, a full recital is, as I'm sure you know, at least 90 minutes, but more often than not a good 2 hours. I'm preparing to give one next month actually. 2 Bach Preludes and Fugues in D major and minor, Book I of the WTC. Then Beethoven Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1, followed by Beethoven Sonata No.14 in C# minor, Op.27 No.2 (Sonata quasi una Fantasia. a.k.a. Moonlight.). Then I think I'll let the poor people have a breather with an intermission right here. For the second half I'll play the Greig Piano Concerto in A minor with my teacher playing the orchestral part.

I'd love to fit in Debussy L'isle joyeuse but I don't think there's either time or the right spot. Any other opinions from people that know classical? And don't say encore, cause I have those planned out :P

[sandy82]

Lord_Mizaru, I am genuinely impressed. A man of many talents.

Well dear God! You're more than welcome to come and perform an actual concert sometime, a full recital is, as I'm sure you know, at least 90 minutes, but more often than not a good 2 hours. I'm preparing to give one next month actually. 2 Bach Preludes and Fugues in D major and minor, Book I of the WTC. Then Beethoven Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1, followed by Beethoven Sonata No.14 in C# minor, Op.27 No.2 (Sonata quasi una Fantasia. a.k.a. Moonlight.). Then I think I'll let the poor people have a breather with an intermission right here. For the second half I'll play the Greig Piano Concerto in A minor with my teacher playing the orchestral part.

I'd love to fit in Debussy L'isle joyeuse but I don't think there's either time or the right spot. Any other opinions from people that know classical? And don't say encore, cause I have those planned out :P

[Lord_Mizaru]

I do my best ;)

I just played the two piano version of The Rite of Spring with a good friend of mine a couple months ago. That was tons of fun 8)

[danmalara]

What the hell are you talking about, the only female singer I can think of that is worth listening to is Maraiah Carey, and I'll smoke your tits on a kit anyday, lol well not really, or maybe, or who knows.

I was just kidding about the singing thing, but it still doesn't count as an instrument.

[danmalara]

After seeing Dans post in "How was your day?" I decided to write again. I'm okay at drums because it's a type of percussion but I'm best on Bongos, Vibes, Timpani and Conga. And my kit is an orange Yamaha, not great, but I like it.

That's pretty neat. I play a little bongos, but I'm nothing special. I have a shity pacific starter kit with add ons. I have a $300 set of double bass pedals. They are way up there on the list of the best double pedals from Pearl. They have changable cams, which make them very unique.

[makidas]

I have an electronic kit with an iron eagle Double-bass.

[Lord_Mizaru]

I've got a 6 foot yamaha grand which cleaned out my bank account to buy :P

[makidas]

Why didn't you got something electronic, like a nice Roland, that way you could have hundreds of instruments in one, plus you could hook it up to any pa, no prob.

[benderofgender]

Everyone here should learn to play the Skin Flute!! It's the Ultimate Instrument you could play on. :lol:

[gregi696]

::shudders:: Sadly enough that reminds me a of a joke involving the 1812 Overture and masturbation... 8O Seriously though, I play the guitar, right now I play on a Yamaha acoustic, but I looking for a Washburn Idol. :twisted:

[sandy82]

...that reminds me a of a joke involving the 1812 Overture and masturbation

You must mean The Phallic Finale, complete with cannon fire. Since the composer was a Russian, must have been aimed at the French.

Not altogether a bad thing.... :wink:

.

[davelowe1977]

Why didn't you got something electronic, like a nice Roland, that way you could have hundreds of instruments in one, plus you could hook it up to any pa, no prob.

Big mistake! As any competant pianist will tell you, nothing beats the real thing. I have been performing in public since I was 12 and I simply cannot stand plastic pianos! All those bloody presets sound so cheap and tacky on even expensive models. The guy with the 6 foot grand is right, if you are a pianist - play a piano!

End of rant. Also confession: I use a Yamaha synth for all my studio work, when I can't get real musicians. Never use the piano preset though.

[makidas]

Why didn't you got something electronic, like a nice Roland, that way you could have hundreds of instruments in one, plus you could hook it up to any pa, no prob.

Big mistake! As any competant pianist will tell you, nothing beats the real thing. I have been performing in public since I was 12 and I simply cannot stand plastic pianos! All those bloody presets sound so cheap and tacky on even expensive models. The guy with the 6 foot grand is right, if you are a pianist - play a piano!

End of rant. Also confession: I use a Yamaha synth for all my studio work, when I can't get real musicians. Never use the piano preset though.

You obviously have not played any of the recent high-end Roland models. They have ivory keys and everything. Also, there is no difference in sound with the exception of maybe acoustics. It was a simple question, why spend so much on a grand that takes up so much space when you could buy a high-end keyboard for the same price that sounds just as good (if not better) than the real thing and also has the option of multiple instruments and even the ability to add special effects such as pitch-bending. In any case, I got my answer, I appreciate your response! ;)

In other news, I just finished an aticle on "automatic playing," similar to automatic writing. If your interested, check out my blog ----> http://makidas.blogspot.com/

[Lord_Mizaru]

Well. Where should I start.... you have so many things to correct. I have played the high end Roland's, and they don't sound half as good (in my opinion granted) as the Yamaha's. And yes, I mean the piano, as well as a lot of other sounds. The MOTIF8 is the most amazing synth I've ever played. That being said, no keyboard, be it acoustic or digital has had ivory keys in god knows how long (digitals ever actually) because that is ridiculously expensive now that you can't just go and shoot an elephant. And what the key feels like really has very little to do with how it sounds or even plays, so that entire comment you made is redundant.

How can you even suggest that midi sounds better than the real thing? I'll grant you that one day it might be possible, but to date I have yet to hear a single midi sound which I would take over the acoustic equivalent. If you're playing pop, even some kinds of jazz, I'll grant you that a synth is infinitely better than an acoustic if that's the sound you're after, but to play classical on it is impossible; at least if you intend to perform it the way it is meant to be. Why you ask? Well I'll grant you that it may sound similar if you get an ultra high end synth, but let's take the case of a piano since it's one near and dear to my heart. Now sure you can have pressure sensitive keys that will give you all the dynamics, but I assure you there's more than one sound you can have at the same dynamic level. Depending on how you strike the key, how long you hold it, even how you feel the damn thing is going to affect the sound that is produced, often greatly. A synth does not (to date) mimic that at all. There is no difference between a sound that is produced by going into the key or out of the key (if you understand what I'm talking about, most people who play will).

Let's talk about the pedal while we're at it. Sure you can buy an attachment pedal. But it doesn't work like the real thing. I have yet to hear one that can have different levels to it, one that can make strings sound when pressed quickly. I have yet to play on a single synth that feels like a piano either. Sure they have weighted keys, hell the MOTIF8 even has the exact same action they use in their grands, but it doesn't feel like a piano at all. Why? No after touch, no escapement action, no hammer ever hits the strings; the list goes on and on. And yes, all of these things matter. They matter immensely.

But wait, I'm not done yet. I went to your blog. You're to be commended for your ventures into esoterics. But I'm afraid that you have a fair amount of your techniques wrong. Opening the third eye in the manor you've suggested can be quite dangerous. I'm also worried that you don't suggest any meditations to go with it. Your description of where to place the tongue is in fact wrong; to complete the microcosmic orbit circuit, you actually have to place the tongue in a different location. And also your technique for belly breathing is incorrect; it should ideally be 7 seconds in and out. Note that I didn't tell you where the correct placement of the tongue is; that's because it's a closely guarded secret known only to students of the Tao. You'll forgive me for not posting it publicly since I was asked not to share knowledge such as that before I myself was taught.

Now after all this ranting, know that I have no ill feelings towards you. At least you spell out what you mean and genuinely seem to mean it. Your techniques of esoterics, while wrong by what little I've been taught, may very well work for you. But they are incorrect in terms of how they are intended to be done, and be done most effectively.

[makidas]

The piano thing, guy, I apologize if your particular to Grands, and I may have been incorrect about the Roland synths (just repeating what I was told and they felt like ivory). As far as my techniques go, they have worked for quite a number of my close friends, and as you already know, what works works. Meditation is not necessary when opening the third eye (though it does make it a little easier). I see nothing dangerous about opening the third eye and have felt no repercussions for doing so (been practicing for over 6 years). Placing the tongue on your upper front teeth works for me, and again, some of my closest friends. Again the breathing technique is tested and works. The four count is used in this particular technique because most music is done in a 4/4 timing. I have no ill feelings towards you either, but saying my techniques are wrong is well, wrong. If you read my article on music, you may have read my article on metaphysics and human limitations. Limiting the possibilities for anything is a bad idea. You may have heard the saying "More than one way to skin a cat." Again, I apologize, I'm a guitarist by nature who plays piano on the side, I love my keyboard and wouldn't give it up for anything. I was again just trying to get an understanding of why someone would want a huge piano, when they could have an awesome keyboard with so many cool features. I honestly didn't hear much difference from the awesome Roland synth I played from a baby Grand, but obviously to you, feel has alot to do with it. Well, hopefully you aren't too pissed off at this post. TTYL

[VeryGnawty]

Synthesizer cannot compete with a high-quality real piano, period. Yamaha has some damn fine piano samples, but I have yet to hear one truly emulate the dynamics of the real instrument.

Anyway, I have several instruments, most of which I don't know how to play because I never practice. I'm busy with...other things.

Right now I have a synthesizer, a melodica, a harmonica, and an ocarina.

[makidas]

One other quick note, I wasn't aware of tongue location having a purpose other than to help stop you from salivating and in turn having to swallow, heh, big time distraction. But I would be interested in what other purposes it may serve. I understand if you absolutely cannot share, but if you can and are willing drop me a pm.

[Lord_Mizaru]

Yeah I can give you a little bit of the basics, just not the location you're meant to have it. The real reason behind the tongue placement in the mouth is to complete the microcosmic orbit, as I said. What is that you ask? Well, as you may or may not know, there are two main energy channels in the body. The front and the rear so to speak. Normally these two channels are separated from each other because of where they start and end. The rear channel starts at the exact point the front channel ends, but where the rear channel ends there is a gap between where the front begins. By placing your tongue on the right part of your mouth you complete the circuit, increasing your energy.

Interesting you say it helps you to stop salivating by placing your tongue on your teeth though... I tried that and I produced more than normal :P

[isadora]

Sorry for being on topic buuut.

I've played the flute for 10 years now, though I did take a sabbatical, and I do miss it a lot.

I took up the violin, but I Just couldn't handle it. So after two years I quit (I blame my teacher, as she was very boring and would get mad at me if I tried to learn a different bowing technique than what she approved).

I want to learn the guitar, I'm a huge blues fanatic, and though I did sing briefly in a blues band, I'd like to be the cute girl who can play a mean axe. *grins*

I respect all people who have musical talent, I've always wanted to marry someone who understands music on the same level as I do, that can write and transpose. As I find a lot of my friends who never learned how don't really appreciate the effort that goes into the things I love.

They try, but I think only fellow musically-inclined people can understand.

RAR!

[rubaluva]

i play the fool
any good to anyone?

[skot]

I've played since I was four. My primary instrument is the piano. I can play cello and sax if I have to, but not very well.
There are things I love about musicians. Having studied with other musicians so long, I think there are generalizations you can make about players of particular instruments. As with all generalizations, they don't always hold true, but it seems like usually they do.
One of my generalizations explains why I enjoy sex with piano players. Their hands are sensitive, and not only do they know how to use their fingers independently, they are also aware of their touch - both the pressure and the result. And again very generally, good ones can follow a line of passion from beginning to end with a clear focus every step of the way. Many people can do this with their mind, but this joined with the hands of a pianist can cause me to climb walls.
Having said that, I'm not now with a pianist, but because of other things that he does very well, I don't resent that he can't play the piano. ;-)
Has anyone else noticed generalities like this with other players/professions?

[Downward]

Used to play acoustic guitar