What else do you play?

[LANSTARR.COM]

Besides keys, what else?

 

I [try to] play Trumpet and Valve Trombone [but I suck]. Come to think of it, I suck at piano also. But the trumpet is my main instrument.

[F7sound -]

Guitar, bass, laptop, effects pedals, circuit bent stuff, kitchen utensils....

[Trill]

I was a lead guitar player in previous bands, I have also played the mandolin in a bluegrass band Those used to be my main instruments.I bought an accordion so I could practice learning keyboards at work when I wasn't busy . I played a sax for about 6 months and could actually play stuff,but It wore me out. I'm more of a hands guy then wind. And I played the trumpet growing up.And I beat around on the drums a little

 

I think my next adventure may be the bass or harmonica. But I have pretty much decided the keys will be the main thing from now on.

[MidLifeCrisis]

I started as a drummer at 6. My parents made me a deal that I could only do this if I studied piano as well. Took up guitar for a while and thought that would be my main instrument. Wound up in a band with a total monster who is now a teacher at Berkely so one of us had to go. I switched to keys to keep the band intact. Haven't looked back since.

I think you get a better overall feel for music if you play multiple instruments.

[Trill]

Originally posted by MidLifeCrisis:

I think you get a better overall feel for music if you play multiple instruments.

+1..and a two and a...

 

I 'm working on my drumming and bass , Just so I can understand the groove better and what goes into making a good groove.

[RABid]

Drums - Was always more comfortable on stage behind a drum set than a keyboard. Drumming does not pay as well.

 

Guitar - First garage band instrument. Had to cover lead for two weeks once in a working band because the guitarist quite and we were under contract. Hated it because I know how bad I am. We got through, and got paid, and the bar asked us back.

 

Bass - Doesn't everyone?

 

Trumpet and Sax - Was actually pretty good in high school. Better tone on trumpet, better chops on sax. I have not practiced since I moved into an apartment, 10 years ago.

 

High school band was great because I got to try a lot of instruments. Only two really beat me; clarinet and trombone. Trombone because I never practiced enough to slide to the right spots for notes. Clarinet because for some reason it was hard for me to blow. Much harder than Sax.

 

Robert

[NoahZark]

In addition to piano, I studied trumpet and oboe as a kid, but I'm quite sure I couldn't get a sound out of either now. I taught myself a little guitar, which I still play, but I'm limited to basic chord strumming and the occasional hammer on. Since I've played in bands over the years, I've sat behind my fair share of drum sets and picked up bass guitars during breaks, but my skills on those are pretty limited. I can play the harmonica intro to Piano Man, but that's the extent of my repertoire on that instrument. And I've messed around with a Melodica in the past, which is really just a mini piano in disguise.

 

In short, I suck at just about everything except piano/keyboards, which is why I stick to that instrument.

 

Noah

 

Oh yeah, I do sing, and I guess voice counts as an instrument.

[MusicaL]

I play tennis!! Does that count?

 

aL

[kad]

Bass, Guitar, Drums.

[kanker.]

Bass

[Jazzwee]

Lead guitar (Rock). Now I play jazz on keyboards/piano. What a difference. I think we all evolve with age...

 

Actually let me rethink this. I just did a recording where I played bass, drums, flute, guitar. Except they are all on the keyboard. Does that count?

[Dave Pierce]

These days I focus on keys pretty exclusively.

 

But in the past, I've played guitar and trumpet. I've also played the other obvious brass instruments that trumpet players try (flugel, baritone, french, etc).

 

--Dave

[eevilteddie]

I was a tuba and baritone player once in school. Tried to play trumpet (i even bought one), but i guess the mouthpiece just wouldn't fit my lips.. haha..

 

Tin whistle, recorders (descand all the way to bass).. ^_^

 

Took acoustic guitar lessons, and drums; made a good impression in first class, but never again.. hahaha.. took 2 yrs to finish ONE book.. *sigh*

 

 

-eevil-

[sudeep]

guitar, bass, tabla...can much keep a groove going no the drums.

 

now if only i could play keys!!

[hawkan2580]

I've taken lessons and played to various degree of sucess and skills : Guitar, bass, drums, flute and cello... apart from keys which has been my main instrument since I was very young.. (granddad was a concerto pianist and started teaching me when I was 4 so I never really had any choice lol)

[captainmri]

I play guitar, bass, clarinet, tenor sax, drums and percussion in addition to keys.

[Manhunter]

I [try to] play Trumpet and Valve Trombone [but I suck].

 

Hmmm...... I think you can get a sound by sucking but you may find it easier to blow these instruments - I think you can suck and blow a harmonica, possibly even a melodica (sorry for mentioning the "m" word ).

 

Not sure what other instruments you can suck?

 

Dave

[RABid]

LOL Dave.

[marino]

I've played a few instruments in my somewhat long musical life: Guitar (acoustic and electric), drums, bass, clarinet, sax and a little violin. However, it's a long time I don't practice instruments other than piano and keys. Maybe I could still play a rock solo on guitar, but that's it. I've even sold all my 'other' instruments, except for one acoustic guitar and one electric.

[BluesKeys]

I played drums in a trio Jazz band, and a 17 pc jazz band for a while. But sold the drums 4 years ago and haven't sat down at a set since.

 

I can play Stairway to Heaven on guitar. That makes me a guitar player too, right?

 

Now, I've got my hands full playing keys in four bands, a duet and solo.

[Stroehmann Showman]

My voice is my first instrument. Keys are my second. I've dabbled with guitar, drums, and sax, but none of them grabbed me.

[Mark Zeger]

I'm now spending more time playing trumpet and flugelhorn than anything else.

 

I have 3 very nice guitars sitting in cases. Haven't touched them in years. Sad.

[Finale]

Poker?

[Michelle ggurl]

I agree with the poster above who said playing multiple instruments enriches a musician's understanding of music.

 

However, I find that to be any *good* as a real player (a chart is put in front of you at a session, or playing different styles of music well or even decent), I have to focus on one instrument. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

 

It seems we specialize, in one way or the other: if I play just one style of music -- and especially a simpler style, like acoustic singer/songwriter folk or rock, or country -- I can specialize in that sound, but be a generalist in how I put that sound together. For example, I've recorded enough "solo" singer/songwriter material for 2 CDs and I played everything on it -- keys, bass, guitar, hand drums, and vox (my cousin played kit drums, because although I know a few beats, he's better).

 

But now I play jazz in a group -- a more complex and demanding musical style, to me -- so I am specializing on an instrument instead of a sound, and I am trying to be a better generalist at ever-higher levels in various jazz skills on keyboards. There are a lot of them -- trying to solo better, comp better, groove better, get more advanced in terms of what voicings I can use, what changes I can solo over, what Latin rhythms I can pump out ... and I want to be proficient those elements within subgenres of classic jazz, jazz fusion, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, blues, funk stylings. That's a lot to chew off, and enough work on one instrument to last a lifetime. I could even devote myself to that on piano, and forget about sound design on synths or B3 technique (which, tho I never developed either of those to a high level, both have atrophied even more with my current focus).

 

That said, I consider bass a somewhat close second (been a while since I've taken a solo on bass and I'd have to work back up to that if I wanted it). I also teach piano and bass, and that keeps me honest on both instruments. Throughout my life I've played flute, recorder, Gamelan, west African hand percussion (esp djembe), and guitar too.

 

Geez, sorry this got so long. I guess there's no asking me a simple question these days.

[Synapse Collapse]

At one time or another I have taken lessons in clarinet, voice and guitar. The question of whether one "plays" an instument is so open to interpretation. My sister-in-law thinks I play drums because I can keep a basic rock beat with them.

[Michelle ggurl]

Originally posted by Synapse Collapse:

The question of whether one "plays" an instument is so open to interpretation.

Exactly. I think that was what I was trying to say ...

[Bartolomeo]

Organ is my main instrument. I double on piano. Synth is my third instrument. My fourth instrument is voice.

 

I really do think that piano and organ are just as different as, say, bass and guitar. So for a keyboardist to say they only play keys isn't telling the whole story.

 

Of course, I play guitar after a fashion; almost anyone can. Wouldn't do it on stage though.

 

I used to play accordion but went through a 12 step program for that and have been clean for a couple of years now.

[gfred611]

In no particular order:

 

drums and percussion, guitar, bass, clarinet, bassoon, harmonica, vocals, and computers.

 

After years of trying to make the guitar my main instrument, I just landed a gig playing keyboards and singing.

 

Guitar will always be my favorite instrument, but somehow playing piano broadens my musical scope, and imagination.

[RichieP_MechE]

Instruments I can play proficiently (besides piano/keyboard):

 

Trumpet

 

I have a little mallet percussion skill, and can rock some standard beats on drumset.

 

I can also play Mary had a Little Lamb on any brass instrument, but what brass player couldn't?

 

Rich

[Dave Bryce]

Besides keys, I play guitar (I prefer acoustic, but I also own a strat), bass, drums, percussion, and some trombone/baritone horn...and a bit of trumpet, if I have to.

 

I also like singing backing vox.

 

dB