Musical instrumentalists - did you learn because you were made to, or because you wanted to?

[DCBassman]

But a decent church organist can make good dollar in between services by doing session work for heavy metal bands.

 

[NorthernSky]

no one in my house played instruments but i loved my music and really wanted to learn something
the obvious and most accessible choice was guitar. after a failed attempt trying to learn when i was 16 i picked up an acoustic in my 20s and subscribed to a tutorial magazine (remember those)
so i did it out of my own love for music. never had a lesson and i'm sure some of my techniques are frowned upon but i love being able to play, glad i persevered with it

 

[gavgav]

Download a copy of the amazing PianoTeq virtual piano HERE. If your computer is powerful enough to run it properly and you are as impressed as me with the sound quality, then pay for the software to unlock the missing notes.

Then buy a decent small hammer action midi keyboard (e.g.THIS) and plug that into your computer. Listen on headphones or through a decent hifi.

I’ve never been a huge fan of the Electric Keyboards. I do have one, in Dad’s loft somewhere (they’ve probably moved on loads though, since that one, as it’s from the 90’s) but it’s something about the feel of a proper Piano, that I love the most. Will have a look at the virtual piano though, thanks

 

[MontyVeda]

I had guitar lessons at school aged about 12, but didn't stick to them because i couldn't get along with it... holding a chord felt wrong (and hard), strumming felt wrong (and was clearly arrhythmic). The teacher was forcing me to play right handed, but later in my teens, i restrung the crappy family guitar left hand and everything seemed easier... i'm still crap though, but can pick and strum chords well enough to entertain myself for five or ten minutes. I'm not up to 'band' standards and can't even play along to back-track thanks to my innate rubato approach to tempo.

I would like to be better, but as @HMS_Dave says, you have to want to learn*... and sometimes i really really do, for about five minutes, then i do something else instead.

*learning takes hours and hours, weeks, months and years of total dedication.

 

[swee'pea99]

*learning takes hours and hours, weeks, months and years of total dedication.

That's the only bit I have problems with.

 

[MontyVeda]

That's the only bit I have problems with.

same here... I'm too quixotic. If I only had one passion and it was playing music i'm sure i'd have learnt more in 30+ years of (occasional) practise. But lots of hobbies is good, thing is, I'm somewhere between rubbish and average at everything i enjoy.

 

[pawl]

Recorder at school. Harmonica self taught

One teacher did say he was fed up with me playing the fool.

 

[HMS_Dave]

same here... I'm too quixotic. If I only had one passion and it was playing music i'm sure i'd have learnt more in 30+ years of (occasional) practise. But lots of hobbies is good, thing is, I'm somewhere between rubbish and average at everything i enjoy.

If you enjoy it that's all that matters.

 

[furball]

I was brought up hearing Scottish tunes because my father payed in a pipe band but I was put off music at school by a music teacher who was a heavy smoker and got too close. I had a clarinet but I never got to grips with it and gave it up at the first opportunity. I did nothing in adult life untilI moved to an area where traditional music was widespread and played regularly in pubs. There were also evening classes in traditional music so I decided to give it a go. I invested in the cheapest instrument possible so it wouldn't be a great loss if I was rubbish. I've been playing tin whistles in various keys since. Having moved again I missed the music culture but have found friends with similar interests and we get together to play tunes. Between us we have ukeleles, whistles, recorder, a fiddle and sometimes a guitar and mandolin. I get enormous pleasure finding and playing new tunes. I'm so glad I didn't let my school experience put me off for good because it is now such a big part of my life.

 

[Moon bunny]

I learned the recorder and flute because I wanted to and it was the only thing that could hold my attention at school, later I learned to play the violin* as a second string to my bow, it was a lot easier as I could already read music and so could concentrate on my technique.

*Not Irish fiddle, I can play slowly and quietly sometimes.

 

[Archie_tect]

I like the idea of playing and have tried over the years but I can't move my fingers fast enough or accurately enough to hold a rhythm or notes in the right order for instruments and can't make my right and left hand do different things which rules out the piano and drums which quickly annoys me, so I don't try- I appreciate it when MrsA_T tells me it's all down to putting in the hours- she plays her piano and reads music which is a foreign language to me.

My hopelessness makes me really appreciate people who can though.

I've tried many times to learn enough to play piano duets, as MrsA_T loved to play them with her mum at Christmas, but like my attempts at ballroom or Scottish dancing it's impossible with two left hands and two left feet!

 

[Dave 123]

I. Messed about with guitar as a teen and in my 20’s.

In my 30’s I decided to give up smoking. To aid this and keep myself occupied I took up guitar again. I have quite stumpy fingers so I bought a 3/4 size instrument. This made it so much easier.

I have tried to read music, but it’s all just gobbledygook. It’s never going to happen!

 

[srw]

I like the idea of playing and have tried over the years but I can't move my fingers fast enough or accurately enough to hold a rhythm or notes in the right order for instruments and can't make my right and left hand do different things which rules out the piano and drums which quickly annoys me, so I don't try- I appreciate it when MrsA_T tells me it's all down to putting in the hours- she plays her piano and reads music which is a foreign language to me.

My hopelessness makes me really appreciate people who can though.

I've tried many times to learn enough to play piano duets, as MrsA_T loved to play them with her mum at Christmas, but like my attempts at ballroom or Scottish dancing it's impossible with two left hands and two left feet!

If you can type on a computer keyboard you can learn to play the piano. The fine motor skills required are pretty much identical.

 

[ColinJ]

If you can type on a computer keyboard you can learn to play the piano. The fine motor skills required are pretty much identical.

Touch typing - probably...

My 2-finger 'hunt and peck' typing style would be like playing 'chopsticks' on the piano. Very badly!

 

[Archie_tect]

If you can type on a computer keyboard you can learn to play the piano. The fine motor skills required are pretty much identical.

Oh srw, if only life were so simple.
Colin J, you and I have very similar piano playing and typing abilities!