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Post by Uncle Coaster on Sept 19, 2014 8:21:24 GMT -5
I've long wanted to play the piano or banjo. I've bought myself a nicer keyboard and banjo but always failed at it. If the instruments only required you to play with your right hand I'd be fine, but to try to coordinate both it and my left hand is asking way too much of me.
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Post by JeriJet on Sept 19, 2014 8:57:19 GMT -5
I've long wanted to play the piano or banjo. I've bought myself a nicer keyboard and banjo but always failed at it. If the instruments only required you to play with your right hand I'd be fine, but to try to coordinate both it and my left hand is asking way too much of me. I know exactly what you mean -- and it doesn't only affect playing a musical instrument
Another problem I have is singing along with my playing.... good musicians can use their instrument to "follow" the voice.... I always have to sing to however I'm playing, which results in a miserable mess
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Post by JeriJet on Nov 5, 2014 11:02:15 GMT -5
I play violin, viola and piano. Before I left Australia I was a freelance violist in Sydney and played with many orchestras including the Sydney Symphony orchestra - (as a casual player not a contractee) I am talking myself into learning the celtic harp next I play the piano. I really wanted to play the harp but it was too expensive for my parents to buy. Learning to play the harp is on my bucket list! Rent one first and see how you like it.... can be VERY hard on your fingers !!
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Post by Kathy Lee on Nov 5, 2014 20:54:08 GMT -5
I play the piano. I really wanted to play the harp but it was too expensive for my parents to buy. Learning to play the harp is on my bucket list! Rent one first and see how you like it.... can be VERY hard on your fingers !! I heard that about the fingers. I am very, very delicate! LOL! Also, I don't like to sit much so I don't think I would have the patience to sit and practice.
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Post by JeriJet on Nov 6, 2014 7:40:29 GMT -5
Rent one first and see how you like it.... can be VERY hard on your fingers !! Hi Ms. Kathy Lee, Speaking of Pianos, 1 of my Sons years ago, 'Middle School Teacher' Gave Her ''Steinway Grand" to Her Church. We visited her 1 night & she played for us. I swear That "Steinway" had a living Soul; all its own. What a magnificent sound. My wife has a Kimble Upright & Its Minor league, compared to a 'Steinway'. Thank You Best Wishs, Jerry
Yeah -- ya can't beat a Steinway.... like a Stradavarius violin !! ... Yamaha seems to be popular these days ?
Funny story about a Steinway: A man, Larry Dochtermann, who sang in our church choir with my dad owned a piano store and let my dad pick up extra money by helping move pianos on weekends.... In the late 40's/early 50's (?), the officers club at the old Mitchell Field air base had a fire -- now, this wasn't your typical officers club.... even had a huge ballroom, complete with a Steinway concert grand !!
The piano wasn't in terrible shape, so Larry bought it cheap and he and dad and another helper went over to remove it from the charred ballroom.... To get the piano over to the door they needed to use, they had to carry it over the full length of the charred ballroom floor !!! ... feet and legs were slipping through the floorboards constantly but they managed not to drop the piano !! ... and it took over three hours to get it out, but they did it.... a fun family story
hmmm ... don't remember what Larry did with that piano -- not an important part of the story, I guess
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Post by JeriJet on Nov 6, 2014 9:01:20 GMT -5
Good Morning Ms. Jeri. I know you remember The Guy Lombardo Orchestra & His Royal Canadiens. Their Trademark were the Big Twin 'Steinways' in his Orchestra. They really stood out. I use some of his recordings, for my Clown Skits. We really miss him ever 'New Years'. He had 2 Brothers in his Orchestra; that were very Talented. His Low Brass; is What really stood out in front & made his orchestra different than the rest. Or at least that's my opinion. I forget now, but 1 of his Brothers did all his arrangements . Best Wishs, Jerry
New Years Eve has never, will never, be the same for me !! ... will forever miss Guy Lombardo
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Post by clyde on Nov 6, 2014 10:30:22 GMT -5
I am told by my piano friends that Kawai pianos are the current up and comers. I have a Wurlitzer baby grand (yes, they make pianos too!) which has given me quite a bit of trouble over the years. I have a beautiful Celtic harp and a hammered dulcimer , both made by a fine craftsman in NC. In my opinion though, the cello is one of the most physically demanding instruments to play, especially for a woman. In addition to playing it, you have to lug the thing to the concert site. I have a wheeled case, but that doesn't help much on rickety staircases!
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Post by JeriJet on Nov 6, 2014 11:50:50 GMT -5
I am told by my piano friends that Kawai pianos are the current up and comers. I have a Wurlitzer baby grand (yes, they make pianos too!) which has given me quite a bit of trouble over the years. I have a beautiful Celtic harp and a hammered dulcimer , both made by a fine craftsman in NC. In my opinion though, the cello is one of the most physically demanding instruments to play, especially for a woman. In addition to playing it, you have to lug the thing to the concert site. I have a wheeled case, but that doesn't help much on rickety staircases! The cello is definitely in my top three favorite instruments !! .... wish I had developed that love in my youth -- would have definitely taken lessons
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Post by RebeccaLee on Nov 6, 2014 23:42:00 GMT -5
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Post by JeriJet on Nov 7, 2014 6:04:51 GMT -5
Friends of mine have a wonderful old player piano they bought at auction 20-30 years ago.... most of the old rolls which came with it still worked, but now they are investigating how to have the rolls restored before they destroy them completely !!
There's a problem, of course, with grandchildren who simply won't stay away from the piano
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Post by Honeybee on Nov 10, 2014 2:35:58 GMT -5
I always wanted to learn to play the piano. My mother played very well and us kids used to sing along. Same here. I always want to learn to play the piano. One of the staff member at my work. Suggest it, I learn to play the piano. I'll love to learn to play the piano.
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Post by Johnny on Jun 9, 2020 2:02:35 GMT -5
I just noticed this thread. I mentioned in another thread a few instruments I play. I first began trombone when I was 10.. I remember carrying it in a rectangular case 3 city blocks on my shoulder, to primary school where I was given lessons. My arms were not long enough yet, to reach 7th position so I recall using my foot to hold the slide to play those notes. My brother was majoring in music in college & was learning several instruments. One time he brought home a euphonium which uses the same embouchure (lip muscles) as trombone. Instead of a slide, it has 4 valves. I picked euphonium fairly quickly. I tried harmonica but didn't get too far. I bought a nice one in Chicago. At the time, I was not interested in playing songs like Jason, I wanted to play blues harp style. After college I took up acoustic guitar. I went down to the music store where I bought it and found a posted notice from a guitar teacher in my town. He taught me folk style. He also taught classical but I wasn't interested in that. I took lessons with him for about a year. While living in Indiana for grad school, I took more formal lessons for 2 summers with a local folk guitarist. Also in Indiana, I was introduced to bluegrass music. I enjoyed the local festivals and at my first one, I remember hearing a boy about 12, sitting on a tree stump, pickin' a 5-string banjo. It was my first time seeing/hearing one up close and I was mesmerized. At the same venue I saw someone playing hammer dulcimer. I brought my guitar to those events and while sitting on a blanket, I'd play & sing along with those performing on stage. At one festival I remember bringing an ice cream maker & hand cranked ice cream while listening to bands on stage. Younguns' noticed what I was doing and I would let them all take a turn cranking. It wasn't long before we all had some delicious cold ice cream on a muggy July evening. Also somewhere along the way, I was given a recorder and worked out some tunes by ear on it. I also sing. Accompanying my vocals was my motivation for learning folk guitar. After grad school I picked up a 5-string banjo and learned to play from books & tapes. A few years later I bought a mandolin and found it convenient to play in confined places like the front seat of a car or in a camping tent. A lot easier to maneuver than guitar or banjo. A fellow I met from Arkansas, last name Ward, was a self taught luthier and built a line of mountain dulcimers as a starter instrument for people wanting to learn how to play. I was given one of them. It is not that difficult and I take it out and pick a tune every now and again. As a child, we had a piano in our home. My mother could play though not very often. I used to play melodies that were floating around in my head by ear. One I recall was the Linus & Lucy, Peanuts theme by Vince Guaraldi I heard on Charlie Brown TV specials. It's an awesome syncopated tune, probably not one a beginner should attempt but I was naive about such things & learned to play it anyway. Recently I had an opportunity to formally learn piano. I went to the library and found some tutorial books. I tried several & found one series that looked promising. It reminded me of the trombone lessons I had when I was 10. I went on the web and ordered the first three levels of Alfred's Basic Piano. I have made it through 1 & 1/2 levels so far. I did not begin as a complete novice. I already knew how to read music notation from trombone, though I am most proficient in bass clef. I am still struggling with treble clef.. It has not come easy. The chord forms & sounds, I'm familiar with from guitar. If you are a musician too, you will know it takes a lot of practice and commitment to learn to play any single instrument well.
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Post by avaleewalton on Jun 9, 2020 16:01:36 GMT -5
I have taken singing lessons and a year ago I developed a vibrato. I also play piano 😊🎶
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Post by Johnny on Jun 9, 2020 21:24:27 GMT -5
I have taken singing lessons and a year ago I developed a vibrato. I also play piano 😊🎶 That's wonderful you've taken singing lessons and I bet you're piano playing skill dwarfs mine. I've never had vocal lessons but would like to. My brother took private ones and has a very nice vibrato. I asked if he learned it from his vocal coach and he said, no, that it came to him naturally. The vibrato I'd like to have is kind you hear singers use at the end of a phrase that's a nice smooth wavering or oscillating decay.. (not a warble like some country singers have).
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Post by whisper on Jun 10, 2020 3:03:57 GMT -5
I had violin lessons when at junior school. I brought it home to practice, but mum made me stop as nobody could bear the noise, and the dog used to howl
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