Musicians

I have played classical guitar for about 35 years.  I also started singing in a choir a few years ago. I love the discipline of learning music.  I also wonder if there isn't an element of stimming to it, particularly with playing an instrument.  I enjoy the directness of hearing and feeling the vibration of the guitar as an immediate consequence of hand and finger movements. I love that there is always more to learn. I have also recently started playing in a trio again, which I really enjoy.  It is a nice way of being with other people that doesn't involve too much chit-chat, and we are all brought together by our shared enthusiasm for the music. 

I often chat with musicians in the folk world, many of whom can't sight read and find it really helps in this area.  I've come across more classically trained musicians struggling in the folk world having spent so much time in orchestras etc.  For me I can read music but struggle with playing by ear.

TemporarilyNotSoil said:

However, not being able to sight read forced me to learn how to play by ear, which I think is a useful skill.

It totally is! I feel like in higher education we strongly discourage that skill (I, as a music theory instructor, was definitely guilty of that), but it is so very valuable. Especially if you do jazz, then you are definitely a step above your peers if you have an excellent ear.

TemporarilyNotSoil said:

I wish I could read music better.

I’d say don’t give up! And if you want a unique way to learn how to read music notation, try writing music. I know that sounds backwards - how can you write music without understanding notation well - but I swear it’s a valid approach. Get a composition software like MuseScore (which is free) and dabble with just writing music for one or two instruments. The software will give you immediate feedback on how it sounds, so you’ll know if you wrote something that doesn’t sound right.

Weirdly enough, that’s exactly how I learned how to play bass guitar. I spent so much time writing bass licks for a disco band using a software that visualized the bass strings, that I actually memorized where the bulk of the notes lay on the fingerboard. Of course I’m terrible and can only play a few minutes before my fingers get raw, but it’s kind of freaky picking up a bass and just intuitively knowing where the right notes are lol.

Ooh, I really like how that looks!

I just got an Ibanez (electro-) acoustic guitar, which I've tuned up to EBEABE (like DADGAD but tuned up two semitones). I love this tuning and it just seems to make it really easy to create nice little arpeggios and patterns. It just makes complete sense to my brain!

I never knew you were allowed to tune your guitar whichever way you like, this seems like a revelation! It definitely suits my style of music better than trying to push on with the standard EADGBE tuning! Most of the rest of my guitars are tuned to all fourths (EADGCF), another non-standard tuning which just makes more sense to me.

Thank you! I would like to build more one of these days. Maybe when I retire, which, hopefully, will be sort of soon. The list of things under “ Maybe when I retire” keeps getting longer.

I also like the sound of a tenor uke. It’s a little fuller than a soprano or concert while still sounding like a uke.

I wish I could read music better. The notes look like a bunch of squashed bugs to me. I can decipher and memorize, but can’t sight read. However, not being able to sight read forced me to learn how to play by ear, which I think is a useful skill.

Yes, the lineup has changed slightly. Big Peter is still there. The big guy looks about 6ft 4 ., and he has the smallest ukulele out of all of them. 

Been playing guitar since the late 90s. Started out with a lot of 70s, 80s and 90s bands, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Who, U2, The Smiths, Oasis, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots etc. I made the transition into more instrumental music in my late teens and predominantly play fingerstyle and classical guitar nowadays. 

They are so talented and it's just so much fun, we saw them in 2013 down south. I wonder if the line up has changed at all, but I bet they were amazing as ever! I didn't know there were so many types of uke till I saw them perform.

Slightly related in the out-there-orchestras, we saw the No. 1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra earlier this year, that was also good fun!

That's awesome, I just saw the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain in Glasgow just two weeks ago. They are amazing. 

That tenor is BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for sharing!

I have a tenor uke and it is by far my favorite instrument. Such a lovely sound.

I’m kind of the opposite of you, lol. I’m awful at performing, but really excellent with reading/writing down music. Unfortunately for me, performing pays better (or at least, more consistently) than writing music or teaching theory.

I've been a musician for nigh on 50 years. My first instrument is electric bass, both fretted and fretless. I also play Bulgarian tamboura, electric and acoustic guitar, and ukulele. I like a bit of everything, although I can't stand the sound of AutoTune, which seems to be used on almost everything these days. I've played in a number of rock bands, as well as punk, folk, and a lot of Eastern European traditional music. Mostly, I play by ear, I can read music, but I'm not very good at it.

A tenor ukulele I made in 2016.

I played the Clarinet as a child, playing grade 6 to 8 pieces when I was 11 to 12 but didn't get past grade 5 as I hadn't backed up the playing with theory (I couldn't progress past grade 5 practical until I passed grade 5 theory).  I was playing in an orchestra and loved it.  When we moved house my interest in lessons waned.  There wasn't an orchestra I could get to at that age and I didn't see the point of playing alone.  Since my late awareness and diagnosis (a few weeks ago, I'm 47 now) I've been reflecting on which aspects of my life I was happy in etc etc and really want to get back into playing again.

When I was at school everyone had to learn to play the recorder. Mine had lace on in case lost mine. Unfortunately, I don't play anymore.

Would like to play the triangle. Easy to learn.

I like Vanessa-mae (seen twice); David garrett (German violin player); kraftwerk, engima and Robert Mills. All play electric instruments.

I've got loads of favourite artists. 

I can't r we sheet music too well so. I okay by ear for keybiard and use chord diagrams for guitar 

Ukes are really cool little instruments, I don't play, but occasionally pick up one of the kids and play a bit from a book or figure out a tune by ear. (Did keyboard back in school so can read music at least).

We went to see the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain quite a long time ago now, but that was mind blowing! They had such range! Lot of respect for musicians.

I took learnt piano but only got to grade 4. I no longer have a piano due to space, but do occasionally play my keyboard for enjoyment. I can play basic chords on the guitar, but not the complicated ones with all fingers and lots of changes. Again I play only for pleasure now. I did have lessons for a while and learnt to play tunes including classical and Spanish.

I play guitar and some drums and I'm teaching my self the keyboard I did teach my self basic bass but my bass broke 

I learnt to play the piano as a kid but I was never great at it. I can play basic things but I wouldn't call myself a musician.

I'd love to be able to play an instrument. I think the guitar would be great or the drums could be cool. But I just don't have the patience to learn and practice.