-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Who here plays an instrument?
- Thread starter Peter0124
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
telstarbox
Established Member
Used to play the violin, still play piano (actually a Yamaha keyboard). I play in the monthly jam at the pub which gives me something to practise towards!
styles
Member
Timely post!
I used to play guitar, albeit not exceptionally well.
I've been thinking of picking up an instrument again recently, but I'd quite like an instrument I can reasonably take hiking+camping. Part of me contemplate the piccolo, but everything I read only suggests it's incredibly difficult to go straight to piccolo rather than learning flute first. There's always the harmonica, but I wondered if I was missing any other interesting instruments?
I used to play guitar, albeit not exceptionally well.
I've been thinking of picking up an instrument again recently, but I'd quite like an instrument I can reasonably take hiking+camping. Part of me contemplate the piccolo, but everything I read only suggests it's incredibly difficult to go straight to piccolo rather than learning flute first. There's always the harmonica, but I wondered if I was missing any other interesting instruments?
Acey
Member
- Joined
- 16 Nov 2018
- Messages
- 352
Been playing guitar for about 45 years ( blues/rock/country/folk/classical and am still absolutely hopeless,still I do enjoy it ! Make my own music using organ,acoustic guitar,electric guitar, (using a Roland guitar synth) drum machine and put down on an 8 track digital recorder ,also bags of effects/loops etc but it all sounds rubbish !
oh and I blow my own trumpet !!
oh and I blow my own trumpet !!
Last edited:
pdq
Member
- Joined
- 7 Oct 2010
- Messages
- 853
My avatar icon might give this away! Play piano - started a month before I was 5. Can play organ (though definitely not an 'Organist'). Have been known to conduct as well.
Why does the thread title bring to my mind Rowan Atkinson saying "The player of the pink oboe?"
I "played" the french horn in my youth (and sang in non-church choirs.) Loved both, no time for either since work, marriage, kids, house, garden etc came along! Still love listening to jazz and classical on the radio though - you get to hear things you hadn't met before and break out of the cosy repeats of your own CDs or other choices.
I "played" the french horn in my youth (and sang in non-church choirs.) Loved both, no time for either since work, marriage, kids, house, garden etc came along! Still love listening to jazz and classical on the radio though - you get to hear things you hadn't met before and break out of the cosy repeats of your own CDs or other choices.
tfw756rider
Member
I can play drums but don't anymore. Just sequence/program tracks now.
3rd rail land
Member
I play classical violin and play in multiple orchestras. I did a count and found that by the end of the current season I'll have played 24 concerts. I'm surprised I have time for the day job, eating or sleeping!
I also sang sporadically when I was of school age. Decided when I was 18 I either just played the violin a lot or take some singing lessons and do a mixture of both. I went for the former but I have to say choral concerts can be a lot of fun. its a shame a lot of choirs are average at best.
I also sang sporadically when I was of school age. Decided when I was 18 I either just played the violin a lot or take some singing lessons and do a mixture of both. I went for the former but I have to say choral concerts can be a lot of fun. its a shame a lot of choirs are average at best.
Bevan Price
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 7,864
I used to play piano, then electronic keyboard, but now not very often since body joints started to get stiffer.
Prefered the musical equivalent of "doodling" rather than playing other peoples' music.
Prefered the musical equivalent of "doodling" rather than playing other peoples' music.
GusB
Established Member
I've dabbled with guitar and can manage a few chords but I never got as far as playing actual notes on the thing. I can find my way around a keyboard, although I'd never consider myself to be a piano player.
The one instrument I really enjoyed playing was the trombone. I started learning in 2nd year of secondary school and ended up playing in the school orchestra, the local brass and swing bands and went on to play in various bands and orchestras. Alas, work eventually got in the way and rehearsal times tended to clash with my shifts.
The one instrument I really enjoyed playing was the trombone. I started learning in 2nd year of secondary school and ended up playing in the school orchestra, the local brass and swing bands and went on to play in various bands and orchestras. Alas, work eventually got in the way and rehearsal times tended to clash with my shifts.
martin butler
Member
- Joined
- 9 Oct 2018
- Messages
- 43
Well, I play the guitar, and Ukulele, started later in life, First with the UKE, then I progressed onto guitar, I write, and perform my own material, something I never thought I would do, attend local open mic nights, and I'm a member of a song writers group, here in St Leonards, Luckily its a very friendly town, and everyone is very supportive of each other, vast span of stiles, and levels of expertise, for example, I know a lot of people in bands, and if they are playing locally, and I'm in the same pub just as part of the audience A couple of times, I have been asked to do a short set, in between their sets.
I'm another guitar player. Been trying to learn Porcupine Tree songs lately, but I'm not really toy to it. Also got a band where we write our own songs, but it's hard to get time when we're all able to practice so it's not exactly racing along.
Purple Train
Established Member
I learnt the cornet in primary school but stopped playing when COVID hit as there is no better way to spread diseases. I've also dabbled with the guitar and violin (but a long time ago now), and now play the organ at my church (not very well, but at least it makes a noise). I have, however, been gifted two broken cornets so am hoping to get one of those to re-learn when life gets less manic, and I've been inching towards learning the guitar as it's a useful skill.
Oh, and I can play the first few bars of "Piano Man" on the mouth organ
Oh, and I can play the first few bars of "Piano Man" on the mouth organ
swt_passenger
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Apr 2010
- Messages
- 33,095
So who else thought of the ice cream commercial, as you hope to make ‘just one cornetto’ out of them…
Purple Train
Established Member
So who else thought of the ice cream commercial, as you hope to make ‘just one cornetto’ out of them…
I learnt the hard way not to tell people in East Yorkshire I could play the cornet, as they'd threaten to eat it...
devon_belle
Member
I play the piano, all genres but I do like classical most.
yoyothehobo
Member
- Joined
- 21 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 701
I play the Bass guitar, and in more recent years have taken up the Cello.
The Cello is a very hard instrument in comparison to the bass!
The Cello is a very hard instrument in comparison to the bass!
Miles Bown
Member
- Joined
- 11 Apr 2019
- Messages
- 26
Cello and piano, both since I was quite young, and I still play the cello in a decent orchestra; I don't get as much chance to play the piano, but I suppose it's not a very social instrument. I've always wanted to take up the oboe, but I'm not sure how I would manage all three! I'm also a church bellringer, although that doesn't really fit into the traditional classification of 'musical instrument'.
I'm a church bellringer too! I had thought I was the only one on the forum.
I graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire in the late 1990s. First study Trombone, second study voice, third study clarinet. Don't do much with it as an adult (I've worked in finance for 20+ years), but used to love the youth / university music scene and all the festivals / competitions that came with them. I even got on the tellybox a couple of times, once in the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition. The comperes were Bob Holness and Howard Goodall -- both thoroughly lovely blokes! Also played at the Schools' Prom at the Albert Hall a few times. Being on that stage was one of the best experiences of my life!
Now I'm in my 40s, I'm half tempted to try my hand at a different instrument. Interesting to see the Cello mentioned up thread a couple of times as that's currently top of my list.
Now I'm in my 40s, I'm half tempted to try my hand at a different instrument. Interesting to see the Cello mentioned up thread a couple of times as that's currently top of my list.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
I do a mean solo on the triangle.
I played acoustic guitar for about eight years; I never learned to read music, so learning was all by ear. I utilised phosphor-bronze strings, which gave it a wonderful timbre and faithful to playing tracks such as Jane Says by Jane's Addiction.
Being left handed, playing a right hand strung guitar, I always found coordination lacking and, although I enjoyed playing, I realised I'd never become good enough; so I gave up in 2000.
I played acoustic guitar for about eight years; I never learned to read music, so learning was all by ear. I utilised phosphor-bronze strings, which gave it a wonderful timbre and faithful to playing tracks such as Jane Says by Jane's Addiction.
Being left handed, playing a right hand strung guitar, I always found coordination lacking and, although I enjoyed playing, I realised I'd never become good enough; so I gave up in 2000.
Miles Bown
Member
- Joined
- 11 Apr 2019
- Messages
- 26
How serendipitous! How long have you been ringing? I started almost nine years ago, originally around Cambridge, but have moved about since then.
martin butler
Member
- Joined
- 9 Oct 2018
- Messages
- 43
Never give up, yes, as a left hander its awkward, but perseverance pays off, I only learned the guitar myself 2 years ago, and i'm no where near as good as some of my friends, but i always try to improove I tried to learn back in my teens, but left handed guitars were no where as common, or affordable as what they are, I play right handed, and yes, it can feel strange, but you adapt, think of all the left handed guitar players, at least 2 are icons, of music.I do a mean solo on the triangle.
I played acoustic guitar for about eight years; I never learned to read music, so learning was all by ear. I utilised phosphor-bronze strings, which gave it a wonderful timbre and faithful to playing tracks such as Jane Says by Jane's Addiction.
Being left handed, playing a right hand strung guitar, I always found coordination lacking and, although I enjoyed playing, I realised I'd never become good enough; so I gave up in 2000.
Sun Chariot
Established Member
Sadly, since those years, my left hand gained a permanently-bent ring finger (dislocated and it didn't reset) and arthritis in two other fingers. Guitar playing definitely off the agenda...
I'm a left handed drummer so need to mirror the kit everytime I play at one (apart from my own which stays like that obviously
)
Wilts Wanderer
Established Member
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2016
- Messages
- 3,014
As a youngster I learned piano to Grade 7 level and also violin until giving it up as I increasingly couldn‘t stand the sound - playing it weirdly made my teeth hurt.
I own a Yamaha keyboard with weighted keys which is a joy to play but unfortunately I’m very bad at regularly playing it. Currently it’s buried under a pile of soft toy bears. I really should clear some space and get back in the routine.
I own a Yamaha keyboard with weighted keys which is a joy to play but unfortunately I’m very bad at regularly playing it. Currently it’s buried under a pile of soft toy bears. I really should clear some space and get back in the routine.
3141
Established Member
Piano, and I passed Grade VIII more than 65 years ago, but we haven't had a piano for many years and I'm now seriously out of practice.
3rd rail land
Member
Shotgun the leader seat. Although I'm not conducting from the leader's seat so you need to find a conductor.RailUK Forums orchestra, anyone?
If we found a chap from the Southern Region we could call them Conductor Rail...
(I'll get my coat
)-Peter