Classical guitar here. There are a number of reasons for the tuning (in fourths except for that one pesky third interval) but suffice to say that if it were tuned in fifths like a mandolin (or violin), chord fingerings would be so large & spread out as to render it unplayable.
The guitar is very easy to play poorly, very difficult to play well.
A friend of mine recently sent me a ukulele from Hawaii, and i am having a blast. bought a book and have already learned the 30's classic "Don't get Around Much Anymore"
In fact, I went through Ole Miss on a band scholarship, so it paid off. I pick one up now twice a year at the yearly high school band reunion and at Ole Miss' homecoming. I'm in the alumni band.
Also play a little piano. There again... used to play a lot better than I do now. I was never any Condolezza Rice, though.
Piano but very rusty these days - don't get the practice.
Wanted to learn the violin but couldn't get the fingering right. I love the clarinet but cannot make a sound with it or any instrument you have to blow into.
These days I prefer to be a critic of other people's virtuosity. Critics are no good themselves but they know when somebody else isn't any good either! ;)-->
Trefor: You might try the Irish tinwhistle. They're each tuned to a single key (diatonic) although you can usually play in two keys by changing the fingering on one note. The typical tinwhistle is in the key of D, but you can also play in G by changing the fingering on the C# to a C. It's also cheap--less than US$10.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
I actually can peck out a song or two on the piano. Being married to a musician, and having kids who all play instruments, has got to be the worst for a mom. So I actually in my adult life have taken up the piano. Sheesh. I'd rather learn a foreign language or take algebra.
EWB: Yep, there's just something unique about Irish folk music. I just bought The Chieftains latest CD, The Nashville Sessions. Interesting how elements of Irish music can be found in the folk roots of American country music.
I don't know why I'm drawn to the less popular instruments. I started with an autoharp, then a bowed psaltery, mountain dulcimer, mandolin, tinwhistle, and I'm thinking about trying the fiddle, since the tuning is so close to the mandolin.
We'll see.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
Ex10: If you want a fun, easy instrument, get yourself a StrumStick. It's tuned like a mountain dulcimer, only a fifth higher and upside down like a skinny guitar. You only have to fret the bottom string, the other two strings are complementary drones. (You can fret them too, for chords, once you get good at it.) Also, like a dulcimer, the frets for notes out of the key have been removed, so the only notes you can play are part of the major key's scale. (Think of a piano with only white keys...) The result is that you can bang away on it all day and not worry too much about hitting a "clinker".
They're widely available online and at music stores for about $120. They're great for kids learning music, too.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
Oh, Theramin! Didn't know the name. As in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
We were given the coolest demo of the Theramin, including a mini-concert, when I was in 4th grade.
Evan - if you enjoyed that, check out the video "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" which features the late Clara Rockmore, who was a virtuoso with the instrument, as well as a history of the inventor.
Ah yes. guitar, bass, and keyboards. been playing for 33+ years. Was in tons of bands with people some of whom you might know (secular) but I quit the road long ago after grad school and career became the dominant thing.
Riding around in a van with 4 other hungover, sleep deprived, greasy guys is not that fun.
But of course the adoring female fans make up for all that *contented smile*
I need to point out that
one of the first big rows I ever had with Way leaders was over playing in secular bands. The branch leader said that if you weren't playing music for God (i.e. a Way prods band) then you were a puppet of the devil. I didn't listen to
him thank god. I had a lot of fun and saw lots
of differnet slices of life via music.
Playing out is rare for me at this point (work
is too demanding) though I have a modestly
sized sound studio which I hope to use produce some local acts and write songs. Have gotten some interest from publishing companies so we will see. I've been in and out of the music business many,many times and its much harder work than any "straight" job or academic class
I'v ever had. The promises and letdowns are
many and come at you in a never ending barrage.
Its not for the faint of heart. I've seen lots
of really, super talneted people last only like 6 months because they weren't prepared for the
lifestyle (seedy managers, clubs, drugs, etc)
In my opinion its the survivors in the music
industry who make it - not necessarily the best
musicians or singers.
you know that movie "spinal tap" ? Its funny
to watch but its actually pretty close to reality in terms of what second/third tier bands
endure on the way up or ,as in their case, the way down. Still very funny. The same group of
guys showed in "Best In Show" and I can't wait to see "Mighty Wind".
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lindyhopper
I play the guitar, some times with a harmonica like Dillon, Young, with a little John Popper thrown in.
Played drums for a little while, would like to again some day.
I've fooled with a mandolin before but I was just wingin it.
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that shwing.
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TheEvan
Classical guitar here. There are a number of reasons for the tuning (in fourths except for that one pesky third interval) but suffice to say that if it were tuned in fifths like a mandolin (or violin), chord fingerings would be so large & spread out as to render it unplayable.
The guitar is very easy to play poorly, very difficult to play well.
A friend of mine recently sent me a ukulele from Hawaii, and i am having a blast. bought a book and have already learned the 30's classic "Don't get Around Much Anymore"
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TheInvisibleDan
Guitar, some violin, some keyboards, and now I have my eyes on the Theremin.
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Shellon
...
[This message was edited by Shellon on May 30, 2003 at 2:31.]
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TheEvan
Theremin, Dan?
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bumpyrama
no
****************
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Zixar
Ooh, theremin! Cool!
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
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TheInvisibleDan
Theremins are cool! check it out -
http://www.thereminworld.com/learn.asp
Danny
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ovr50nfree
Violin - very badly
-->
"Let Your FREAK FLAG Fly"
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wyteduv58
I used to play the piano, but now I just play the radio. I'm much better at the radio LOL
Dovey
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Sudo
French horn...
In fact, I went through Ole Miss on a band scholarship, so it paid off. I pick one up now twice a year at the yearly high school band reunion and at Ole Miss' homecoming. I'm in the alumni band.
Also play a little piano. There again... used to play a lot better than I do now. I was never any Condolezza Rice, though.
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Pirate1974
I played in a kazoo band once at a baseball game
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Trefor Heywood
Piano but very rusty these days - don't get the practice.
Wanted to learn the violin but couldn't get the fingering right. I love the clarinet but cannot make a sound with it or any instrument you have to blow into.
These days I prefer to be a critic of other people's virtuosity. Critics are no good themselves but they know when somebody else isn't any good either!
;)-->
Trefor Heywood
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Dot Matrix
Used to play guitar and sing.
Now I sing in the shower pretending to play guitar and sing.
Praying for our troops to return safely,
Dot Matrix
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TheEvan
Oh, Theramin! Didn't know the name. As in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
We were given the coolest demo of the Theramin, including a mini-concert, when I was in 4th grade.
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Zixar
Trefor: You might try the Irish tinwhistle. They're each tuned to a single key (diatonic) although you can usually play in two keys by changing the fingering on one note. The typical tinwhistle is in the key of D, but you can also play in G by changing the fingering on the C# to a C. It's also cheap--less than US$10.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
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E. W. Bullinger
Believe it or not two years ago I decided to take up the accordion. I am having a great time with it.
I also play the bass accordion in an ensamble. When I get good enough I want to specilize in Irish folk tunes.
EWB
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ex10
I actually can peck out a song or two on the piano. Being married to a musician, and having kids who all play instruments, has got to be the worst for a mom. So I actually in my adult life have taken up the piano. Sheesh. I'd rather learn a foreign language or take algebra.
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Zixar
EWB: Yep, there's just something unique about Irish folk music. I just bought The Chieftains latest CD, The Nashville Sessions. Interesting how elements of Irish music can be found in the folk roots of American country music.
I don't know why I'm drawn to the less popular instruments. I started with an autoharp, then a bowed psaltery, mountain dulcimer, mandolin, tinwhistle, and I'm thinking about trying the fiddle, since the tuning is so close to the mandolin.
We'll see.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
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Zixar
Ex10: If you want a fun, easy instrument, get yourself a StrumStick. It's tuned like a mountain dulcimer, only a fifth higher and upside down like a skinny guitar. You only have to fret the bottom string, the other two strings are complementary drones. (You can fret them too, for chords, once you get good at it.) Also, like a dulcimer, the frets for notes out of the key have been removed, so the only notes you can play are part of the major key's scale. (Think of a piano with only white keys...) The result is that you can bang away on it all day and not worry too much about hitting a "clinker".
They're widely available online and at music stores for about $120. They're great for kids learning music, too.
The fool hath said in his heart, "PFAL is the Word of God..."
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TheInvisibleDan
Evan - if you enjoyed that, check out the video "Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey" which features the late Clara Rockmore, who was a virtuoso with the instrument, as well as a history of the inventor.
The hilarious interview with Brian Wilson
may be worth the price of the video alone.
Danny
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wyteduv58
My mother was born in Scotland and you guest it she played the bagpipes.
Dovey
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diazbro
Ah yes. guitar, bass, and keyboards. been playing for 33+ years. Was in tons of bands with people some of whom you might know (secular) but I quit the road long ago after grad school and career became the dominant thing.
Riding around in a van with 4 other hungover, sleep deprived, greasy guys is not that fun.
But of course the adoring female fans make up for all that *contented smile*
I need to point out that
one of the first big rows I ever had with Way leaders was over playing in secular bands. The branch leader said that if you weren't playing music for God (i.e. a Way prods band) then you were a puppet of the devil. I didn't listen to
him thank god. I had a lot of fun and saw lots
of differnet slices of life via music.
Playing out is rare for me at this point (work
is too demanding) though I have a modestly
sized sound studio which I hope to use produce some local acts and write songs. Have gotten some interest from publishing companies so we will see. I've been in and out of the music business many,many times and its much harder work than any "straight" job or academic class
I'v ever had. The promises and letdowns are
many and come at you in a never ending barrage.
Its not for the faint of heart. I've seen lots
of really, super talneted people last only like 6 months because they weren't prepared for the
lifestyle (seedy managers, clubs, drugs, etc)
In my opinion its the survivors in the music
industry who make it - not necessarily the best
musicians or singers.
you know that movie "spinal tap" ? Its funny
to watch but its actually pretty close to reality in terms of what second/third tier bands
endure on the way up or ,as in their case, the way down. Still very funny. The same group of
guys showed in "Best In Show" and I can't wait to see "Mighty Wind".
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oenophile
i resumed my piano lessons a year and a half ago after a forty year hiatus. my plinking is still rough but seems to be getting better.
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