music

[dakegra]

I'm in awe of people who can play a musical instrument. EB is learning to play the cornet, and he's getting pretty good. I can't get a note out of it.

I've long wanted to learn to play... something. At school I wanted to learn how to play the flute, but on the first day of school it was 'anyone who wants to play an instrument, over there, everyone else follow your form teacher', and me being me, I followed the form teacher with the firm intent to go find out about the music later.

That was in 1982. Hmm.

So. What instrument to choose? My friend P is learning to play the guitar, with great success. Didn't start until a couple of years ago, and his tutor says that he's the only student who actually practices between lessons. P says it's because he's actually paying for it himself.

Guitar? Nice, expensive. Ukelele then? K has put her foot firmly down on that one. Ukephobic, it would seem.

I need something small, inexpensive, and relatively easy to get a tune out of.

Tempted by the penny whistle from time to time - fits the criteria I reckon. Wonder how quietly you can play one? Practise time would have to be after kids in bed. Unless they decide to learn too. EB could teach me the notes...

Comments

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

Ocarina. It's pocket-sized, cheap and not as painful on the ears as the penny whistle (which I used to play). The whistle is a bit piercing and you'd wake the kids.

[songster.livejournal.com]

Ocarina is more of a toy than a musical instrument though. It's got a range of an octave if you're lucky, and you're fixed to a single key. The number of tunes you can actually play is very low and certainly you'd never find a teacher for one.

Recorder is one of the traditional ones to start on. It's a little bit more complex than a penny whistle, but sounds a lot nicer and isn't locked to a single key.

An alternative would be a keyboard of some kind. Potentially expensive, but you may be able to hire one until you decide whether to stick with it.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

hmm, recorder is a nice idea.

Keyboards take up too much room - ideally I'd like something portable I can take with me.

[myfirstkitchen.livejournal.com]

If I had £120-ish I'd buy a Kaossilator.

[martinoh.livejournal.com]

What's your price range, given that you've categorised guitars as expensive?

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Kate's guitar cost about £35, but is a child sized one.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

somewhere between not-very-much and very little as I don't want to shell out a lot for something, discover I have less musical talent than previously thought, and end up with something gathering dust in the corner.

[caerleon.livejournal.com]

Nothing wrong with the ukulele.. try a tenor or a baritone if it's the pitch of it that's not liked..

This is a tenor uke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSkP3uym5k

Harmonica?..

Mandolin?..

Melodica?..

Concertina?..

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

I like ukes. K, however, doesn't. With a passion.

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Love penny whistles, I have loads in diff keys, v easy to play too :)

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

that's what I figured...

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Is the cornet in B flat? Get a b flat penny whistle, then you can play duets with Eddie without having to transpose :) Must do that with Kate actually, hadn't thought of that.

[missprinty.livejournal.com]

Guitars are cheap, especially on the second hand market, and a well looked after second hand guitar is better actually, they've settled down. If you think guitars are expensive you'll faint when you see the price we paid for H's oboe (not to mention the constant need for new reeds, and the occasional servicing), which by the way, I do not recommend if K's objection is to volume, there's a reason there are twenty violins to one oboe in the orchestra. Her viola was not so expensive, but her next one will probably cost as much as a first car, so it's a good job she doesn't drive, as both would be quite out of the question. Violins are cheap and plentiful, but acutely painful to listen to in the first few years, so maybe not. Flutes are relatively cheap and plentiful (also abound on second hand market) if you want to become an old blower. But for sheer quiet then I recommend the classical guitar, she'll hardly know you're practicing, and certainly won't if she has the washing machine on.

The penny whistle is cheapest of the cheap, but boy can that noise cut through my head.

I always had a notion to take up the accordion. An idea enthusiastically squashed by the family. They also had stated objections to the french horn. Really quite unfair, we did live in a detached bungalow. Percussion was allowed as the instruments stayed at school (can you imagine trying to get timps on the bus?)

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

a friend of ours has an accordion and plays it beautifully. We were at Greenbelt a couple of years ago and he'd brought it along - someone else in the group got their guitar out, another guy had something else, and Gordon had the accorion. Got quite a little session going.

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

This is what I love when we've been to the afp camping events, evenings around the campfire with guitars, ukes & folk songs :)

[missprinty.livejournal.com]

A flute would have fitted very nicely into that ensemble, perhaps you should flute.

[pteppic.livejournal.com]

Guitar: £120 for a decent acoustic.
£100 for a reasonable electric, +£50 for a reasonable-ish amp.

The advantage of electric is you can plug headphones in :-)

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

I recommend the guitar... You can get a decent starter electric for £50...

[jugglebug.livejournal.com]

Kazoo?

i'll get my coat....