Do you play a musical instrument?

I play the female organ, since I was about 15 years old.

My parents made me take ukulele lessons- i swear they did it so they could laugh at me. I can play a mean "tip toe through the tulips" though. I guess it was worth it.

I took guitar lessons from 10-12 years old then took trumpet at school during jr high and high school because it was an easy A then self taught on piano from about 16 years old on. I can play any instrument half-ass which is better than most people so they think it, "sounds good".

I'd actually get my kids a drum set early on. Drumming is the hardest instrument for me to play correctly but, is the most fun to attempt. I think that would be a great base for musical learning for kids. Most people who can't play music can't keep a rhythm nor dance.

I am probably the best piano player on Letsrun.

I taught myself to play piano in college. I don't sight read at all, but I can read music, memorize, play dynamically, and otherwise play enjoyable music. I WISH that I had taken it up earlier, as my mom is a great piano player, and we always had a nice piano in the house. OTOH, I love the fact that I only started playing because I wanted to and I found it interesting. Boring little kids playing boring classical music like robots is boring. (Think the latest Asian prodigy that you last saw on the news... They don't play with passion or choose songs that mean something to them. Compare that to some of the people that have youtube channels that basically play by ear.)

DeBeSo wrote:

I taught myself to play piano in college.

Nice story - thanks - I think a lot of people think that if they don't learn when they are little kids, that they can never learn.

So what happened in college that got you playing? Seeing others play there?

How long did it take you until you were actually able to play fairly well?

I taught myself how to play 5 years while I was in college. I started with 1 song, 2 years later I was good enough to be considered good. Patience man, that's all I can say. Don't frustrated you will learn.

Is mayonnaise an instrument?

Percussion. Started in 3rd grade. Took lessons from about 5th grade on. I actually had to quit running after junior high to be in band (only regret). Got two degrees and played professionally in small orchestras for about 5 years until I quit because it was clear I wasn't good enough to get a job in a major orchestra and I was tired of making less than the mailman. I am glad I did it. It was an adventure and a privilege to get to play with great music with great musicians. I will definitely have my kid play an instrument. No kid should grow up and not learn how to play an instrument. I will not encourage my kids to have a career in music unless they are crazy talented and emotionally secure enough to deal with all the pressure.

sf wrote:

DeBeSo wrote:

I taught myself to play piano in college.

Nice story - thanks - I think a lot of people think that if they don't learn when they are little kids, that they can never learn.

So what happened in college that got you playing? Seeing others play there?

How long did it take you until you were actually able to play fairly well?

Honestly, what made me want to start playing was listening to youtube videos of people playing my favorite song (not a piano song, but people have transcribed it for piano - Your hand in mine by Explosions in the Sky -

. I could already read music from middle school band experience, and I enrolled in a 30min/week beginner piano course at school. That didn't help me much though, because the teachers made me play typical, uninteresting beginner classical stuff. I guess it helped some, but I spent most of my practice time working on YHIM and stuff by Ludovico Einaudi - stuff that was way out of my league. I just worked on it til I memorized and could play the whole thing.

It took me about two years to get "good," but it was a blast. Practicing wasn't a chore at all. It was always fun to get better. It's not unlike running at all. You put in the time and you see tangible improvements each week. I probably played about an 30 minutes to an hour each day for that two years. It was almost like meditation for me when I was busy with school. Sadly, since I've been out, I've kinda let myself lose touch with it. I probably only play 15 minutes/week now.

Yeah, if you wanna learn an instrument, you can do it. It's just a matter of putting in the time. If you enjoy it, you WON'T put in the time. You can't force yourself. OTOH, if you love it and have a goal in mind, "putting in the time" won't even cross your mind. It'll just happen.

Whoops. "If you DON'T enjoy it, you WON'T put in the time."

sf wrote:

When did you learn? On your own, or did a parent make you take lessons? Are you glad you learned?

If you have kids, will you try and get them to play an instrument?

Anyone able to both run in high school or college and also participate in a band or group?

I play guitar and keyboard and have played off and on in blues and rock bands for over 25 years. I've worked as a session musician too. I'm not really that good at guitar, so any guitar playing I do in public for money is just as a rhythm guitarist. My main instrument is keyboards.

I started with traditional classical piano lessons at age 5. Parents set this up for me after I was playing songs by ear on our piano. I took those classical lessons until I was about 14, playing recitals, playing in church, etc. I hated that kind of music though, and so I put it aside until after college. After college I started to play blues in a blues band, and the guitarist in that band gave me the best blues lessons ever even though he didn't play keyboards. Later I moved to Michigan and took some serious blues keyboard lessons from a Detroit blues master, and the rest is history.

I've played in bars, restaurants, festivals and honky tonks from California to Washington DC.

Yes I am glad I learned.

Both of my kids are musicians. My daughter plays clarinet in the band, and she also plays piano and ukelele. My son plays trumpet in the band. Neither of them are in marching band though because they both run cross country in the fall and they MUCH prefer running to band.

Took up the drums as a first instrument ever at 41 years old. Been playing for almost 6 years now. Been in 2-3 bands at any one time for about 4 years. Love it!

Took lessons for 3 years. Took band class lessons too. Kids play instruments way better than me. We started them on Bass and guitar when they were 6 & 4. they were in kid bands and have moved on through school band to High School Jazz combos.

Older son likely to do double major of science and Jazz and hopefully run.

Its funny I don't play an instrument. But many women when I go to the beach ask if they could play my skin flute.

Hahahaha funny combo near All-State Bass Clarinetist and Second Team All State Cross Country. So yeah its definitely possible, don't believe people when they say it can't be done.

I also play the Soprano Clarinet, and Tenor Saxophone. So yeah I feel all of the discipline has helped me in running. Plus I'm only a Sophomore so yeah!!!!

Live your dreams to the fullest.

I play most stringed instruments guitar,bass,piano....

Best way to learn is just p-l-a-y it.

Playing guitar, buddies.

Btw about musical instruments - does anybody ever heard about handpans? Is the Hang/Handpan An instrument of White Supremacy? Lol, it seems like that.

What makes you think that, my friend? The handpan (in case you're interested in getting some for yourself, I can give the store where I have found one for myself - https://handpanguru.com ) is the younger cousin of an instrument invented as a result of oil being dumped into the ocean during the war. these 55-gallon steel drums started heaping up in piles on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago, where little to no recycling resources were available to process the metal. What they did was a form an art and a musical practice out of the garbage left in the wake of the war, and in an act of beautiful alchemy, the tradition of steel pan was born.