What musical instrument would you choose to enjoy and to express yourself with?

Harp music is so beautiful, peaceful, and wonderful with a charming ambience..

If i were to pick any instrument it would be the harp maybe some day i will take harp lessons..peace,sugarcookie1

I really like to read about other peoples choices when it comes to musical instruments and have fun reading the replies so far.....

One thought leads to another and got once more the confirmation that people can have such unique and personal preferences....

Some like a quiet instrument, an other person a loud as possible one, a simple or a difficult instument to play...and so on.

Some are satisfied with one particular instrument and some need to master them all...and play them all at once...... Some have found a solution or maybe better put,... have found a compromise for that problem.




The one-man-band guy above was not the first to have that "craving".



Just love those guys....

Now in my eyes, that takes real skill and co-ordination.

It's funny that one man bands get such bad press off some people, someone like Bob Dylan can add a harmonica to his guitar act and becomes a legend......yet when a guy adds a dozen instruments to his act he gets called eccentric or crazy.

Funny old world.

I have a hard enough time trying to learn to play chords and strum at the same time.....let alone adding everything else.

CX.

reply to post by zatara

Yep, on a violin it's not even called a fretboard. It's a fingerboard.

Getting the basics right is incredibly important with a violin. Knowing how to hold the bow (keep that thumb bent!), how to support the instrument under your chin (I use a rest) and what finger must go where on the fingerboard are all basic and need to be learned correctly, both to produce the right notes clearly and to prevent strain and possible long-term problems with your wrist and so forth.

One of the best resources I've found online is Todd Ehle's channel on Youtube. He's a great teacher who takes you through all the basics first in quite short but very easy-to-follow video. And he's also great for showing you how to create vibrato. It's a great feeling when you finally get it down!

Todd Ehle's channel is here and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants good, sound (pun! ) advice from a guy who really knows what he's talking about. Even if you've never played violin at all his videos will soon get you heading in the right direction.

I'd definitely recommend you watch his "Holding the violin" and "Bow techniques" for starters. It's actually not so difficult if you start off the right way.

He has almost 26,000 subscribers, which gives you some idea of how he's viewed by violin students.

By the way, if you have trouble tuning your violin, just get a small, clip-on digital tuner. There are plenty around and many people use them on their guitars, but most have a "V" (for violin) setting as well. You set it to "V" then clip it on the bridge, then you can check the tuning of each string either by lightly plucking them or light bowing. I prefer this to using tuning pipes, in fact.

It's also worth taking your violin to a luthier (violin maker/repairer) to get it checked over. If the bridge is set a fraction off line (or if it's warped) or the sound post is not set perfectly, the whole sound of the violin is different. A luthier can also make sure the fingerboard is okay. Over time, they can slightly warp and it may need to be reset. A warped bridge is inviting disaster. One day it will simply snap and that can damage the violin. So if it's even slightly warped then get a luthier to fit a new one.

I've had all my violins in at the luthier's for bridge replacement, sound post resetting and other adjustements and it's made a huge difference to them. Well worth the time and money if you want to get the best out of the instrument.

The bow: if the hair's getting old, then it can be re-haired by a luthier. A newly-haired bow makes playing a much nicer experience. And after use, always loosen off the bow. This will help it to last longer without warping and also the hair will survive longer too. If the bow is warped then a luthier may be able to straighten it for you. Warped bows just encourage poor bowing technique so get it fixed.

Oh, one last thing: cleaning. Always wipe down the strings and bow (the wooden part) with a soft, lint-free cloth after playing. This prevents rosin buildup and also removes perspiration. It's best to use a separate cloth for the violin's body (so you don't rub perspiration all over it). And never, ever use furniture polish, "baby wipes" or pure alcohol to clean a violin! These products can destroy the varnish and that will affect the sound and its value. Use only special cleaning fluid designed for stringed instruments. I use "Viol" and a small bottle lasts for years. Just use a few drops on a clean cloth and rub gently.

If unsure, ask a luthier to clean it for you while he/she shows you how it should be done. It's amazing what a difference it makes when it's clean! (And yes, it can affect the sound as well.)

Okay, enuf from me! Best regards and have fun!

Mike

Originally posted by CX
I have a hard enough time trying to learn to play chords and strum at the same time.....let alone adding everything else.

CX.

that comes when you begin to "feel" the music through your guitar. the rhythm is more natural then anything else.

you can't over think it or else you just feel the pressure you're putting on yourself and not the music.

start off learning it technically, the notes, listen to how it's played, then attempt to interpret that sound through the guitar. everything sounds easier when I say it like that, but that's how I self-taught myself listening to hendrix.

For me lead guitar.. I have played , Lead, bass guitar (own bass and lead both acoustic and elec.)
played Piano and drums and a few other things. I have to say drums are great at releasing stress, but for me
lead guitar.

My favorite thing to do is play in the middle of the night with the lights off, throw some pink floyd on the stereo and play along... so relaxing...

They close their eyes because you can feel the music better that way.. its kind of hard to describe, but when you hit those sweet notes, you feel them more if you are not looking at what you are doing.

reply to post by severdsoul


severdsoul ..You sound like you have a heart of gold..peace,sugarcookie1

keyboard, guitar, flute anything really. I can play most instruments except them ones which you have to blow real hard into. Gotta be blowhard to do that.