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Post by tombobblender on Sept 21, 2011 21:37:54 GMT -6
I'm curious to find out how many of the MPC community members are actually performers (play/study an instrument). I am interested to hear your musical background!
I've been playing the piano going on 25 years now, among many other feats with music (composing/transcribing/arranging and two degrees (BA and MM in Music Education/Piano Performance).
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Post by GuitarMaster72 on Sept 21, 2011 21:52:48 GMT -6
I didn't pick this screenname cuz I was good at guitar hero
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Post by Youne on Sept 21, 2011 23:59:50 GMT -6
I am a cellist at heart. I started taking formal lessons when I was 7, so 12 years ago. I have learned various other instruments along the way, such as Uke, Piano, and Trumpet. However, the last two instruments are two that I am not so good at at all.
Lastly, but probably the most significant, to me at least, is that I am a Taiko (Japanese) drummer in a student led group at UCSD. It's probably the thing I am most thankful for in college.
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Post by RehdBlob on Sept 22, 2011 2:02:21 GMT -6
Been playing piano since 1997, which is over 3/4 my life so far. I did pass the piano panel exam in the Certificate of Merit program, so I guess you can call that performing. I still regularly practice. Favorite genres: Classical, Romantic, Ragtime, Video Game music
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Post by Admin on Sept 22, 2011 2:40:12 GMT -6
I regularly practice Piano, Bass and Guitar.
I enjoy playing Progressive and Alternative.
I've been playing Piano for about 7 years now, completely self taught. I've probably got a handful of bad habits because of it. I've been playing bass for almost a year, and guitar since March. I've actually picked them up quite quickly. Guitar moreso. I've never had any formal lessons in any instrument apart from the the Recorder in school. Such a simple instrument...
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bally
Yoshi
Sitting on a swing with my Katamari ♥
Posts: 1,305
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Post by bally on Sept 22, 2011 6:25:21 GMT -6
I'm a Texas all-stater on bassoon. I've been playing for 5 years since August.
I know many more instruments (I've performed 4-mallet marimba solos for Solo & Ensemble competition, I played the piano part to Danzon No.2 and Aurora Awakes for our concert band last spring, I'm now performing stand tunes on trombone during football games, not to mention a bass guitar part I played for our marching show last year). I wouldn't say I'm very good, but I can at least manage the parts they gave me just fine. I'm trying to become a teacher in music as well, which my directors have gotten very excited for.
I can't decide on what I want for Christmas this year. An alto sax or a trumpet.
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MrBretowsky
Mushroom
Drawing by MrGudtavosky
Posts: 169
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Post by MrBretowsky on Sept 22, 2011 8:50:50 GMT -6
I didn't pick this screenname cuz I was good at guitar hero I hope you're not saying that you picked your name because you were good at GH. ------------------------------------------------------------- I'm not a musician as in the professional significance of the word, but I studied music theory by myself for some time in my life and even wanted to graduate in Musical Composition. Unfortunately I took another path in my life. I play a little bit of classical piano, a little bit of classical guitar and some more of electric bass.
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Jamie
Car
El-Fourth in Command
Wrow
Posts: 508
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Post by Jamie on Sept 22, 2011 10:55:34 GMT -6
A little bit of the background of the instruments I play:
Piano - 11 years. Took lessons for about 6/7 years, then quit because playing renaissance/baroque/classical music wasn't really my scene. Had there been more Romanticism in the books (i.e. Rachmaninoff) I may have taken a little more of a liking to it, who knows. Around 2-3 years ago it was actually Levi who convinced me to play piano for fun. At the time the concept was foreign to me, playing stuff I actually liked on the piano, because of how controlling my mom was over the thing (when I played a Beatles song she called it "dark and depressing" and told me to stop). However I pressed on and now enjoy playing songs by bands that I like. Sax - 6 years. I started playing Tenor in Grade 7, then switched to Bari in grade 10 on account of there being 4 Tenors in jazz band and no Bari (ironically, including my switch to Bari, and two of the Tenors dropping out, there was only one Tenor player by the end of the second month). I love playing Bari although I unfortunately don't own one. During high school I was consistently part of Concert band, Jazz band and Pit band (more on that later). I brought my Tenor to university and will hopefully continue to play. Guitar - will be 3 years as of this Christmas. Throughout my piano lessons I constantly begged my parents to buy me a guitar as it interested me much more than piano did. They finally caved in Grade 10 and I got an electric guitar. I am entirely self taught, though I got an acoustic the next year and took 2 guitar courses at my school. I have performed a few times while playing guitar and singing (though I wouldn't call myself a vocalist). Bass Clarinet - 2 years. When I joined the pit band in grade 11, there was no Bass Clarinet player, and my band instructor asked me if I wanted to play both Bari and Bass Clarinet (more on this soon). I accepted and learned Bass Clarinet in about a month for the musical. I played it a bit for the next while, until next year when again I was able to play both instruments for the musical. Unfortunately I had an accident with the clarinet and dropped it on the ground, causing it to break in two. My band instructor said it was really old and told me not to worry. He rented a new one in time for the musical. I haven't touched a Bass Clarinet since. Bass Guitar - 1. Took it up at the start of grade 12 out of interest, since my band instructor had one in the music room. I played bass for one performance with a band. I'm not a very good player but I do love playing it. My next instrument purchase will probably be a bass. Ukulele - Almost a year. Bought one last winter and taught myself to play. They were popular at my school so I decided to get one. I love playing it, and although it's kind of a cheap instrument, it's still something I practice with regularly.
So, with the exception of Piano and Sax, and a bit of guitar, I have managed to teach myself to play these instruments. Probably I can credit my musical influences to two things. Mario Paint is one of them, as it really helped me figure out a lot about musical structure in songs, techniques and styles, etc. The other influence was my incredible music teacher at high school. He was the head of all bands in my school, and was not only the best teacher I ever had, but just generally great as a person and friend. So much of what I know about music I credit to him.
As for pit bands, in grade 11 our high school did Hello Dolly, and in grade 12 it was Little Shop of Horrors. As I said I managed to play both Bari Sax and Bass Clarinet at the same time. This was doable because both years, the scores were divided into reeds, containing one part for multiple instruments, implying that a professional pit player would play all the different instruments in a reed, switching as indicated. The reeds were divided such that both of my instruments were on the same reed, meaning they would never be played at the same time. I had stands for both instruments so switching was easy.
I've performed a few times, as I said. Here's a list as far as I can remember.
December 2010 - played guitar and sang in a band, performed The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen February 2011 - played electric/acoustic guitar and sang, performed "I am so sad, so very very sad" from Scott Pilgrim, and Map of your Head by Muse May 2011 - played Bass guitar/electric guitar and sang, performed Propane Nightmares by Pendulum, an original song written by my friend called "Yours to Keep," and Girl with One Eye by Florence + the Machine (sang on the first one, played bass on the first and second one, and guitar on the third) September 2011 - played Electric Guitar and sang, performed Creep by Radiohead
I have no sort of theory training but I do know intervals and chord quite well, and I know basic harmonization. I am currently taking a rudiments course in University and plan to minor in Music.
As for styles...I'm into Alt/Indie rock for what I listen to, and that's what I intend to stick with for my guitar and bass playing. I love playing Jazz and improvising on my sax. Piano is varied, I wish I could play jazz piano but I can't. As a guitarist, I do not intend to become a lead guitarist. I just don't have it in me to play leads and solos. I much prefer fooling around with rhythms and chords, which happens to be a staple of indie rock in a lot of cases. I would definitely choose to be a rhythm guitarist in a band.
So yes. I do consider myself a BIIIIIIIT of a musician.
Holy wall of text? I'm bored.
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Post by PhantomTaco on Sept 22, 2011 19:30:20 GMT -6
I played trumpet for 10 years or so, but I recently just quit for college. I also dabble in keyboards minimally from when I was in that epic metal band of mine. But other than that, I wouldn't consider myself a musician.
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Post by Mr. Sub on Sept 23, 2011 11:39:00 GMT -6
I started out in music with violin lessons, which I started in year 3 and continue to do now (Just passed my grade 5 ). However, violin isn't an instrument I ever play for fun, I think the academic-ness of it takes away any fun for me. I started playing classical guitar in about year five, but it took a few years for me to take off with it and become very passionate about it, I moved onto electric, then acoustic, and currently play a bit of both but favour electric. I mostly play Blues and Rock 'n' Roll. At the moment I play multiple times a day, and enjoy it a lot. I also enjoy bass guitar, which I started when I was dragged in to play bass for my year's Jazz Band (then year 9), and picked up how to improvise (I am given chord structures to do my own thing with) and play jazzy bass lines. I've gradually got better at it through rehearsals, and having just had a Year 11 Jazz rehearsal can say I've improved a lot since year 9 and could even claim I know what I'm doing! xD We also got a keyboard when I was about 4, and in the last couple of years I've played that a fair bit and quite enjoy it. I do GCSE music and intend to do A level, and possibly more music past that too. I consider music by far my biggest talent, so yeah I guess I see myself as a bit of a musician.
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Post by Troisnyx on Sept 27, 2011 9:16:53 GMT -6
I've played the piano ever since I was 3, and took Grade 8 when I was 13. I know it's been seven years since then, but I still tinker on the keyboard whenever I have the opportunity. Took music theory up to Grade 8 as well and did well, so I'm quite chuffed ^_^
I'm a drummer too (largely self-taught), and I've played ever since mid-2007.
At this point I haven't an instrument to my name, so whenever I feel like really experimenting, I resort to FL. But that's it really.
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Post by PopTart on Oct 5, 2011 1:48:51 GMT -6
Hmm I'm not as multi-talented as most of you X-D But I've played the trumpet ever since I was in 4th grade, so about 14 years now. I've been in multiple concert bands/wind ensembles and jazz bands over the years, as well as marching band. I was lucky to be surrounded by an incredible music program during middle and high school that helped me to expand my musical knowledge and skill. In undergraduate college I was in concert bands and the pep band, and now in graduate school as well I just recently successfully auditioned for the pep (I'm not sure if I have time for concert band).
Perhaps if I started out on a woodwind instrument I would have eventually learned how to play several different things :-P
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Post by gudtavosky on Oct 5, 2011 10:28:13 GMT -6
no
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Post by Pokésonic on Oct 5, 2011 10:55:15 GMT -6
If drums count, then yes. Haven't practiced in about two years, though.
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Post by tommy73 on Oct 5, 2011 11:15:52 GMT -6
All I played is piano and I take piano lessons. Started very, very recently though, only had about 6 lessons so far. Apart from that, I'm not really a musician but I want to do something music related when I'm older.
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Post by drtoadproductions on Oct 24, 2011 18:46:16 GMT -6
saxophone for 5 years (my main instrument). piano for 6, but i don't take lessons anymore. i played clarinet once for about a week just cuz my band director made me for a jazz band concert i have about 3 days of sousaphone...i want to master aaallll the concert band instruments if possible
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Post by lih on Nov 12, 2011 5:04:47 GMT -6
i play piano rather badly and glockenspiel whenever I have the opportunity
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jaggedsky17
Cat
Lighting... Streaks jagged across the sky...
Posts: 42
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Post by jaggedsky17 on Nov 26, 2011 17:16:37 GMT -6
well i have been singing all my life. other than that ive been playing cello for 4 years
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TheBatdorTrogman
Swan
He's smiling because the post immediately to the right is awesome.
Posts: 48
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Post by TheBatdorTrogman on Nov 30, 2011 22:13:36 GMT -6
I played violin starting around age 4 until I graduated high school. I also tried taking piano lessons, but eh, not so good at that one.
Oh, and I sing a lot, but mostly when nobody's paying attention. :b
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Post by Herty on Dec 5, 2011 13:05:23 GMT -6
Self taught pianist, I compose my own music and play keyboard along with it, I've been playing guitar for 1 year and I'm part of 4 different vocal groups including a barbershop quarter, acapella team and choir.
As I'm self taught, I know no music theory, but I can still play around with stuff regardless of whether I know what it is or not :3
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