Anyone have an unused musical instrument at home?

[Saluki]

When I was at primary school the talented kids got proper instruments while me and Malc Blake ended up on tambourine and triangle.
Pah!

I got a recorder as my Mother wouldn't let me learn a 'proper' instrument. When I was about 15 my music teacher handed me a Sax and said "give that a go, it's like a recorder only bigger and sexier". Nobody mentioned that it was tricky to play and because I didn't realise it was supposed to be harder than a recorder, it wasn't. If I could find a Sax at a good price, I'd definitely give it another go. Might have to re-learn how to read music though.

 

[stephec]

I was wondering who'd be the first.
(I managed to resist)

Me too, I've never been tempted either.

 

[stephec]

I have a comb that I don't use.

Have you run out of tissue paper?

 

[stephec]

Here's a picture of my music room....

View attachment 55742

I can only play one at a time, so the others have to go unplayed. Until it's their turn to be picked up and played.

The picture does not include another guitar, which "lives" in the living room between open mic nights, and 4 ukuleles which my wife and I share between us....

My my, what a big ukulele you've got.

I've got a banjo ukulele, but I fancy a mandolin next.

 

[Julia9054]

In our house between 4 of us
3 cornets, soprano cornet, 3 trumpets, piccolo trumpet, 2 tenor horns, 2 trombones, post horn, clarinet, piano, drum kit, violin, banjo, ukulele, bass guitar, electric guitar, electro acoustic guitar, acoustic guitar and another one currently in bits, glockenspiel, various recorders, various random bits of percussion!
For some reason, we need them all!

 

[Julia9054]

I have spent a small fortune on music lessons for my boys.
Mine were free through the county music service.

 

[stephec]

In our house between 4 of us
3 cornets, soprano cornet, 3 trumpets, piccolo trumpet, 2 tenor horns, 2 trombones, post horn, clarinet, piano, drum kit, violin, banjo, ukulele, bass guitar, electric guitar, electro acoustic guitar, acoustic guitar and another one currently in bits, glockenspiel, various recorders, various random bits of percussion!
For some reason, we need them all!

Are you sure you've not missed any?

 

[Julia9054]

Are you sure you've not missed any?

Erm, not sure at all actually!
When I was a kid, my dad was always buying random musical instruments - usually in junk shops or pub car parks! He only actually played the piano - nothing else but I grew up surrounded by instruments.
I seem to have inherited the same affliction . . . and so have my kids!

 

[stephec]

Erm, not sure at all actually!
When I was a kid, my dad was always buying random musical instruments - usually in junk shops or pub car parks! He only actually played the piano - nothing else but I grew up surrounded by instruments.
I seem to have inherited the same affliction . . . and so have my kids!

Spoons?

 

[Speicher]

Slightly off topic, I would like to learn to play a hammered dulcimer.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I taught myself to play the opening bits of Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile on a stylophone when i was about 15 and that's about it, apart from being able to knock out a bit of rhythm on the bongo drums.

 

[jazzkat]

I agree that seismic change is needed. However I hope that James Rhodes' campaign will shed some light in the public domain about the importance of music education at all levels. I can't imagine anyone being anything other than appalled by that so-called "music" lesson given by the poor untrained teacher who said she hated it and was utter, utter rubbish at it.

I've had a long and heated debate with my sister on this - she is involved in music education and despairs... can I interest you in this proposal that she forwarded to me (to which my response was "Holy cr@p on a spiky stick!"):



There’s a fresh threat to music education
The Government have launched a consultation on the newGCSE, AS and A level in music.
The deadline for the responses is Friday 19 September 2014.

While the aims of the reforms are good, the actual proposals will do little to support and encourage musicality and risk undermining music in schools.
Why we are concerned?
We need an up to date, relevant qualification for the musicians of the future -and this isn't it.
The Government has only properly defined one area of study: ‘music composed in the western classical tradition between 1700 and 1900.’
Not only does this artificial timeframe make no musical sense, but musicians of the future will only be able to study classical music written before 1700 and after 1900 if they take this as a separate area of study.
On top of this, the Government are proposing to increase the percentage of music assessed in a sit-down exam and limit the role of performing and composing.
It is also proposed that the amount that is examined in a sit-down exam - with all pupils assessed at once in a formal setting – is increased to 40% of the overall qualification.
As it stands, there is no guarantee that the new GCSE will be rigorous, broad and relevant to budding musicians. Similar concerns apply to AS and A level.
Here’s what you can do to help
Respond to the DfE’s consultation by Friday 19 September.
As with our Protect Music Education campaign, you can respond to the consultation by copying and pasting our template response into an email togcseandalevel.consultation@education.gsi.gov.uk AND consultations@ofqual.gov.uk.
You can also tell us on Twitter what pieces of music you think should be part of the reformed qualifications that were written #before1700 and #beyond1900 that pupils should learn about as part of GCSE, AS or A level music.
Best wishes,
The Protect Music Education Team

Thanks for the link, but nothing surprises me any more. It's just the continued watering down of education by people who's only priority is climbing the greasy pole of promotion. It's quite obvious that whoever in the dfe came up with that, knows nothing about music and even less about inspiring young people. Nothing new there then.

I started typing a rant, but deleted it because it would serve no purpose other than to see my blood pressure go through the roof.

 

[Salad Dodger]

Slightly off topic, I would like to learn to play a hammered dulcimer.

Are you anywhere near Kent? I know of a folk club there which is having a hammered dulcimer "workshop" in a couple of weeks......

 

[Speicher]

Are you anywhere near Kent? I know of a folk club there which is having a hammered dulcimer "workshop" in a couple of weeks......

Unfortunately I am nowhere near Kent. I will keep a look out for a workshop near here.

 

[Profpointy]

I got a recorder as my Mother wouldn't let me learn a 'proper' instrument. When I was about 15 my music teacher handed me a Sax and said "give that a go, it's like a recorder only bigger and sexier". Nobody mentioned that it was tricky to play and because I didn't realise it was supposed to be harder than a recorder, it wasn't. If I could find a Sax at a good price, I'd definitely give it another go. Might have to re-learn how to read music though.

having had a few goes on a recorder as a kid, and on my old lodger's sax, I thought the sax a lot lot easier to get something approximating music out of.
(I don't remotely claim I can play either by the way)