What musical instrument would you love to play?

CelticRambler · 26-02-2021 2:54pm

I go through phases of thinking I'd like to learn the zampogna ...

... but haven't quite figured out when I'd find time to practise standing up after spending a whole day on my feet.

So for sitting-down amusement, I'd like to get this good at the hammered dulcimer (Bernese model):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi4kus3AJ9k

Taking it out of the box would be a start, I suppose, seeing as I bought one last year ...

PTH2009 · 26-02-2021 3:48pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqjd6EAHT8M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz07KnDxqhs

Sonderkommando · 26-02-2021 3:54pm

The lute, preferably the baroque lute.

Very expensive though, a few grand and they seem to be only available through private instrument makers.
Doesn't seem to be really played in Ireland either so lessons i would imagine are hard to come by.

TK Lemon · 26-02-2021 3:59pm

I’ve learned to play the guitar, violin, piano, recorder and tin whistle. I can read, write and understand musical theory.

I would love a drum set or a harp though. :P

Treppen · 26-02-2021 4:01pm

shakuhachi

Your Face · 26-02-2021 4:59pm

The Uilleann pipes. Lovely sounding instrument.

endacl · 26-02-2021 6:05pm

cee_jay wrote: »

Another instrument I would love to play is the low whistle. I should be able to just pick it up and play it, but my fingers cant reach the holes.

Yes they can. Pipers grip.

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRrwy1jzue9qeo5szmUncSHaxhT5rgug5ywtg&usqp=CAU

JustAThought · 26-02-2021 7:47pm

Treppen wrote: »

shakuhachi

Having watched the past two videos - is that a thing!?!!!

endacl · 26-02-2021 8:02pm

Sonderkommando wrote: »

The lute, preferably the baroque lute.

Very expensive though, a few grand and they seem to be only available through private instrument makers.
Doesn't seem to be really played in Ireland either so lessons i would imagine are hard to come by.

If your really interested I can put you in touch with a few players. Thomann started selling baroque strings a few years ago, and they’re actually not bad. Price wise, they’re in the hundreds rather than thousands.

26-02-2021 8:18pm

Batrachotox wrote: »

The violin.

I’d love to be able to just play the fúck out of a violin.

Learned the violin as a kid
Wish I'd learned something else.

DJIMI TRARORE · 26-02-2021 8:21pm

The banjo, only to be able to play like the boys in deliverance

CelticRambler · 26-02-2021 8:26pm

endacl wrote: »

If your really interested I can put you in touch with a few players.

FWIW, anyone interested in dipping a toe in water full of strange (and not so strange) stringed and reed instruments should treat themselves to a visit to Le Son Continu in central France (where I do my babysitting

) The centrepiece of the festival is an instrument-makers' fair, where you are encouraged to try just about everything on display on the 120-ish stands. Spend nine hours trying to squeeze a tune out of whatever stick or bag you like, then spend the rest of the night listening to how it should sound! 7€ a day in pre-Corona times, a day being 20 hours (10am - 6am) - and worth every cent: how often will you get to mess around on an instrument worth five figures?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bihxTG0Pyhk

meggiemegmeg · 26-02-2021 8:29pm

I’d love to be able to play a church organ. I love the drama of an organ. It’s not very portable for bringing to parties though....

Bobblehats · 26-02-2021 10:15pm

I wanna be the bad boy on bass

Esel · 26-02-2021 10:30pm

Bobblehats wrote: »

I wanna be the bad boy on bass

What do you call a beautiful woman on a bass player's arm?

A tattoo.

Badum tish

Bobblehats · 26-02-2021 10:35pm

Trish? I only bummed her last night

Gorteen · 26-02-2021 10:45pm

Uileann pipes

JustAThought · 26-02-2021 11:39pm

CelticRambler wrote: »

FWIW, anyone interested in dipping a toe in water full of strange (and not so strange) stringed and reed instruments should treat themselves to a visit to Le Son Continu in central France (where I do my babysitting ) The centrepiece of the festival is an instrument-makers' fair, where you are encouraged to try just about everything on display on the 120-ish stands. Spend nine hours trying to squeeze a tune out of whatever stick or bag you like, then spend the rest of the night listening to how it should sound! 7€ a day in pre-Corona times, a day being 20 hours (10am - 6am) - and worth every cent: how often will you get to mess around on an instrument worth five figures?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bihxTG0Pyhk

Looks fabulous - also quite virtuous and sober! All those wafer thin frenchwomen and not an oompa loompa in sight!

Do you get to babysit that chateaux :0
Where is the festival based ? What airport!!!

igCorcaigh · 26-02-2021 11:42pm

Joined a brass band when I was twelve.

Got to play the cornet, on "seconds".

That was the highlight of my musical career.

igCorcaigh · 26-02-2021 11:45pm

MikeOxsgreen wrote: »

Learned the violin as a kid
Wish I'd learned something else.

You never learned anything else?

bnt · 26-02-2021 11:46pm

I play bass plus some iffy guitar & keyboards, but I really wish I could learn the drums too. This is what comes from listening to too much Rush, you start wanting to play all the instruments. I ain't got much rhythm, though.

PS: what, no-one wants to learn the Highland Bagpipes? Smart move: I learned in my late teens and was in a pipe band for a year, but it's a horrible instrument. It puts you through the wringer for results that really aren't worth the effort, and you have to go to some extraordinary finger contortions to give the music some life. Avoid.

Bobblehats · 26-02-2021 11:49pm

fryup wrote: »

or the harmonica handy size carry in your pocket, tried to learn it but it's damn hard

It ain’t hard. Gotta get deep down and feel it. Chicken wing stamp your foot... come on now!

Rothko · 26-02-2021 11:59pm

Saxophone. Being able to play like someone like Coltrane would be unbelievable.

Gaspode · 27-02-2021 12:06am

As the guitarist in 2 bands Id love to be able to play guitar. Some day.....

The Mighty Quinn · 27-02-2021 12:22am

Can play guitar adequately. Okay at rhythm and poor enough with lead.

Have considered playing cheating banjo.. guitjo or banjitar. A six string banjo tunes like a guitar.

New sounds, no new chord shapes to learn

Lia_lia · 27-02-2021 12:31am

Anything really. My Father and sister are professional musicians and whenever I watch them play I’m in awe. My Dad plays mandolin, guitar and a bit of violin and piano. I did play cello for a few years when I was younger but was never great at it.

trashcan · 27-02-2021 1:33am

The Mighty Quinn wrote: »

Can play guitar adequately. Okay at rhythm and poor enough with lead.

Have considered playing cheating banjo.. guitjo or banjitar. A six string banjo tunes like a guitar.
New sounds, no new chord shapes to learn

That sounds about similar to me. I can play an ok rhythm guitar, not great with barre chords so I play mainly open, or half barre. I was toying with getting a ukulele, then I discovered the gitelele. Uke size, but with six strings so same chord shapes, but a uke type sound.. It’s the equivalent of playing a guitar with a capo on the fifth fret.

I know a couple of piano chords, but I’d like to be able to play properly. Can’t really get the two hands playing different things though.

Capt'n Midnight · 27-02-2021 1:35am

frosty123 wrote: »

Which would be the easiest instrument to learn...The Triangle ?

The canons in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture ?

Rodney Bathgate · 27-02-2021 1:38am

The spoons.

JustAThought · 27-02-2021 1:40am

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

The spoons.

Tricky!!

Xylaphone - any 3 yo can play that!

GoneHome · 27-02-2021 1:42am

I know the basics of the guitar but would love to get bigger into it, having said that I could sing away in a sing-song and have been told I can hold a tune

simongurnick · 27-02-2021 4:42am

Uileann pipes

metaoblivia · 27-02-2021 7:05am

Ukulele. I'm a trained classical singer and play piano at an intermediate level. But I should add a string instrument to my rep. Why the ukulele? My grandfather was born in Hilo, HI and was of Portuguese descent, via grandparents from the Azores and Madeira. The Madeirans introduced the ukulele to Hawaii, so if I'm going to learn a string instrument, it should be the ukulele.

Ash.J.Williams · 27-02-2021 8:24am

Your Face wrote: »

The Uilleann pipes. Lovely sounding instrument.

In the right hands

scotchy · 27-02-2021 8:39am

I play a bit of Tenor Banjo, but always wanted to have a go at the Double Base.

Its not the easiest looking instrument to lug around to sessions, but always sounds great, and looks really cool.

:cool:

.

trashcan · 27-02-2021 8:31pm

metaoblivia wrote: »

Ukulele. I'm a trained classical singer and play piano at an intermediate level. But I should add a string instrument to my rep. Why the ukulele? My grandfather was born in Hilo, HI and was of Portuguese descent, via grandparents from the Azores and Madeira. The Madeirans introduced the ukulele to Hawaii, so if I'm going to learn a string instrument, it should be the ukulele.

You should check out the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain if you haven’t already. Lots of their stuff on YouTube. They are quite brilliant, play everything from Life on Mars, to Teenage Kicks, to Pinball Wizard, to Wuthering Heights.

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

In the right hands

Reminds me of the Oscar Wilde quote.. “A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the bagpipes, but doesn’t.”

fryup · 27-02-2021 8:32pm

FanadMan wrote: »

I've played the guitar and harmonica for close to 40 years

tried the harmonica, man was that hard! suck & blow in such short intervals...my lips & tongue would go numb:o

endacl · 27-02-2021 8:40pm

fryup wrote: »

tried the harmonica, man was that hard! suck & blow in such short intervals...my lips & tongue would go numb:o

Oh, man....

That’s the greatest ever opportunity for an After Hours reply!

Must.... restrain ... childish .... impulses....

Bobblehats · 27-02-2021 11:41pm

fryup wrote: »

tried the harmonica, man was that hard! suck & blow in such short intervals...my lips & tongue would go numb:o

With the blues harp you need to get up up close and personal, really wrap yourself around that thing. You’ll be belting out midnight rambler in no time

Ultrflat · 27-02-2021 11:44pm

Base for sure I Love Jamiroqui but there original base player has gone a little WHACKADOODLE but still supremely talented individual.

frosty123 · 07-03-2021 12:53pm

How about the tambourine..surely that's a sinch?

Ash.J.Williams · 07-03-2021 1:13pm

frosty123 wrote: »

How about the tambourine..surely that's a sinch?

If you have rhythm

the purple tin · 07-03-2021 1:15pm

frosty123 wrote: »

How about the tambourine..surely that's a sinch?

Usually a job for the lead or backing singer. You won't see too many bands hiring a tambourinist

The people who want to learn bass guitar would get a gig very easily, bands always seem to be looking for a bassist

Ash.J.Williams · 07-03-2021 1:18pm

the purple tin wrote: »

Usually a job for the lead or backing singer. You won't see too many bands hiring a tambourinist

The people who want to learn bass guitar would get a gig very easily, bands always seem to be looking for a bassist

I play bass and guitar and playing bass in a band Is hard as it’s precise , guitar is more expressive

Ash.J.Williams · 07-03-2021 1:19pm

The Hendrix of the tambourine is Liam Gallagher

the purple tin · 07-03-2021 1:21pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I play bass and guitar and playing bass in a band Is hard as it’s precise , guitar is more expressive

And I suppose too if you are playing rock guitar your effects and overdrive can cover a multitude of sins whereas the bassist is naked so to speak

CelticRambler · 07-03-2021 1:30pm

frosty123 wrote: »

How about the tambourine..surely that's a sinch?

the purple tin wrote: »

Usually a job for the lead or backing singer. You won't see too many bands hiring a tambourinist

Depends on what bands you hang out with!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKY2b2DBI88

fryup · 07-03-2021 2:15pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

The Hendrix of the tambourine is Liam Gallagher

only thing he's good at..that and "actin" hard

Ash.J.Williams · 08-03-2021 10:54am

fryup wrote: »

only thing he's good at..that and "actin" hard

he caught jonathan ross a nice one "when are you guys getting back together? i've never seen oasis....bla bla"

"we were only together 20 f**ing years jonathan, it's your own fault"

Strumms · 08-03-2021 11:34am

I was a very good clarinet player and played in an orchestra but the thing about that instrument... you literally have to practice, practice, practice the fûck out of it to just ‘maintain’ your proficiency, never mind improving. A minimum of one hour to ninety minutes a day.... it’s a difficult instrument to be able to play well and it’s very easy for a good proficient player to fuûck up. You can’t hide mistakes like a guitar player....It’s a very unforgiving instrument if you are not playing well it sounds horrible .. despite become a really good player, playing solos at concerts I got bored of it eventually and when work got too busy ie. going full time I couldn’t commit to the orchestra and it’s sitting in its box ever since... I don’t miss it...

I decided to self teach myself guitar which I’m decent at now. Best advice for anyone learning that instrument is get yourself a decent guitar to start... I had a piece of shît Samick starting off but when I upgraded to Ibanez Artwood things really fell into place... incredible sound, build quality and the action is perfect..beautiful looking instrument too..but I just love the sound.

I tried to learn the piano but despite paying a great teacher for a year, no, just couldn’t get my head around it, I’ve a serious amount of respect for anybody who can master that instrument.

What musical instrument would you love to play?

Comments