Multi-instrumentalists

amar · Post by **amar** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:20 am

i find it amazing how many of you know how to play so many different instruments.

I can barely manage whistles. Haven't been going at it too much lately, but one thing is sure, i will always love to play a tune on a low whistle.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:31 am

I have often joked that I have musical ADD, but it's probably more apt than I think.
I started switching instruments in High School, and haven't stopped yet, I went through
each of the woodwind groups before college, then started with guitar, and have recently
been experimenting with percussion.

Last night, I downloaded some open-source multitracking software called <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/">Audacity</a>
so I could try some one-man-bandmanship.

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:36 am

I play a few different instruments, or rather, know how to play a few different instruments. For traditional music I don't really play anything else than whistles (high and low) and woodflute, I concentrate most on the flute, becauce it's more difficult to play and needs more practice to play well but it's pretty evenly divided between whistles and flute for band practice. I used to play the silver flute but have lost interest in it. I also used to play the trumpet but have quit that, not my style

. Then I play some guitar, electric bass and I take piano lessons (although I'm still a complete newbie at that), I'm not very skilled in bass or guitar playing eighter, I play bass in some settings when there are no better players around, which do happen quite frequently, there are always better guitar players than me around so I confine my guitar playing to home playing for fun. Then I have a few other instruments that I have a bit of knowledge in but can't consider myself a player of them, like Mandolin, drums and percussion and such things. My main focus is always whistles and flute however.

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 10:34 am

Truth be told, I started this thread so that I can show it to my wife and say "See!?"

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:21 am

I play a few different instruments, but none of them as well (or as often) as the whistle. I played bass guitar in high school (who didn't?), and some keyboards. Actually ended up taking real piano lessons much later in life, an I can play the classical music's equivalent of Stairway to Heaven on it (Fur Elise). I've played around with dumbeks (and can play a reasonable belidi rhythm...the drum's equivalent to Stairway to Heaven), bones, and fiddles, to greater or lesser degree. I spent a couple years playing a recorder, and some time playing xaphoon as well.

You know, growing up, my life didn't seem nearly as musical as it does in retrospect. Funny thing..when I went to my last class reunion, most of the folks there thought they remembered me playing whistle...though I took up the instrument six years after graduating. Weird..

And yes, I can play My Heart Will Go On on the whistle....the whistle's equivalent to Stairway to Heaven

aderyn_du · Post by **aderyn_du** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 11:36 am

My main instrument was clarinet, as is/was the case for so many people here. I worked hard, won regional awards, but totally burned out on it. I sing, but am not award-winning at that... just love it a lot and am a little more than passable in my hypercritical viewpoint. In my younger years I also noodled around on electric bass guitar... also played bass clarinet, and could manage a few things on my friends' Boehm flute and saxophone.

Currently I am passable on whistle, am getting better at Irish flute, and am enjoying learning the mandolin. One day I would like to learn to play the bodhran (gasp!) that I've had for a couple years now, and once I get my Argentinian folk harp repaired, I'd like to learn how to play it. I am still planning on getting a guitar--hopefully soon-- and then I think I'd like to try fiddle one day.

Cailin Gaelach · Post by **Cailin Gaelach** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:01 pm

Yes I'm really amazed people can play so very many instruments! I started playing the clarinet in a brass & reed band when I was a teenager (anyone want to buy it now?!) and I got a Feadóg D as a Christmas present when I was about 15! But only started taking lessons on whistle a few years ago! I also play the anglo-concertina (very slowly......) and the whistle is definitely my favourite instrument! I don't think I'll be taking up any other instruments - lack of time for one thing!
Cailin Gaelach

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:37 pm

aderyn_du wrote:My main instrument was clarinet, as is/was the case for so many people here.

I wonder if there's something to that... maybe High School Flautists pick up the Irish Flute directly,
but we Clarinetists need a gateway intrument? I know I'm more comfortable with the whistle's
air flow and finger position, than the flute's (at least at the moment).

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:17 pm

Phew! I was wondering which forum this post would end up in

jsluder · Post by **jsluder** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:21 pm

ErikT wrote:Phew! I was wondering which forum this post would end up in

I think Rich only moved the OT posts that were honest enough to label themselves "OT".

Post by **rich** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:32 pm

jsluder wrote:
ErikT wrote:Phew! I was wondering which forum this post would end up in

I think Rich only moved the OT posts that were honest enough to label themselves "OT".

Hee, yes. That's exactly what I did! But I did scan through the subject lines of the 100 most recent posts that were and weren't going to be moved, and nothing stood out.

-Rich

BigDavy · Post by **BigDavy** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 8:45 pm

My main instrument is the bodhran (this will get me into all sorts of bother here) then djembe/darabuka/talking drum. I have started learning the uilleann pipes and playing low whistle (D and C). I like to work out a tune on the whistle before mangling it on the pipes.

Aderyn_du

Have a go at your bodhran, join the dark side of the force.

David

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:11 pm

I'm sort of Schizophrenic when it comes to practicing: I've been on Guitar mostly for a while now, much to the disadvantage of my Flute/whistle playing, although I'm trying to balance it all out a bit more at the moment. Only so many darned hours in the day. Or more correctly, in my case, only so many hours a day the neighbors will tolerate my lousy playing

Which reminds me: Can anyone recommend, from experience, a couple of good DADGAD tutorials? No telling how long I'll be able to suffer keeping my acoustic tuned that way......

Loren

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 4:22 pm

I own whistles,low whistles,recorders(Garklein to a Greatbass in need of a proper overhaul),Flutes(dixon Poly,One keyed Boxwood,keyed anon blackwood,crappy cheapo Boehm,Chinese bamboo),Uileann Pipe practice set,Piccolo,Alto Sax. and Bass Clarinet.
I play them these days in that descending order from whistle most days to Bass Clarinet-about fifteen years ago(!)-I keep meaning to put it on E-Bay-but never get round to it.
My latest 'thing' is Hammer Dulcimer,having listened to John Rea and Barry Carroll.Maybe I'll try one soon.
I never got into guitars being left handed-plus the multiplicity of notes and chords just didn't make sense to my right-brained way of thinking.
When I used to listen to Jazz,most of my Favourite musicians were the multi-instrumentalists-Eric Dolphy,Yusef Lateef,the A.A.C.M. crowd,Joe McPhee etc.
Oh almost forgot about the Jaws-Harp misplaced somewhere!

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 5:01 pm

I want to play pipes, God help me.

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