What are your musical preferences?

[me_dexter]

I play traditional ottoman musical instruments.

All I remember ottoman empire in age of empire
Does that instrument got name ?

 

[NTL2009]

Depends what you mean by "play". ... I can hum in three-part harmony with myself, by whistling and humming at the same time, choosing an interval such that the difference harmonic sounds as if I'm whistling another note, making a nice chord (well, for some definition of "nice").

And if pushed, I can demonstrate whistling "Rule Britannia" and humming "God Save the Queen" simultaneously. That usually clears the area quite effectively.

Please, please post a youtube video! Hah, I'm a very amateurish keyboard player, can play a few chords and blues runs on guitar, and can play a diatonic scale on a variety of instruments. But I'm intrigued, I'm going to practice humming one note while whistling a harmony note, so far I reflexively jump to the same note. I used to play around with humming in unison with a recorder, doing my best Ian Anderson impression! :)

Joe Morello would disagree w/ you.

Joe Morello was amazing! I wish I played percussion, just so I could better appreciate his genius. Not sure I can find a link, but I recall a particular recording (Newport Jazz Festival I think, 1960's?), in "Take Five", the drum solo is awesome, but it never loses the "musicality" of the theme. It's not just a bunch of banging, it stays "musical" throughout. Not sure those words convey it, but that's how it strikes me. I did see Dave Brubeck in the 80's in a nice setting, and got a chance to chat a bit with him in the bar - he was very gracious. He was touring with his sons at the time.

Here's one video of Morello, amazing technique, but it doesn't matter, because it conveys emotion - too many players are all about technique, and miss the music. JM hits both.

I play traditional ottoman musical instruments.

I just love traditional music, I'm sort o f an amateur ethno-musicologist. I forget offhand, but there is a stringed instrument that, rather than pressing to the finger-board (like a violin), the player inserts their finger between the string and finger-board, and the finger-nail is the point that sets the string length.

 

[phinds]

Joe Morello was amazing! I wish I played percussion, just so I could better appreciate his genius. Not sure I can find a link, but I recall a particular recording (Newport Jazz Festival I think, 1960's?), in "Take Five", the drum solo is awesome, but it never loses the "musicality" of the theme. It's not just a bunch of banging, it stays "musical" throughout. Not sure those words convey it, but that's how it strikes me.

Yep.

 

[Thinkaholic]

Drums and the trumpet. Tried piano but got bored and never got back to it. I want to though.

 

[Fig Neutron]

I have played piano/ keyboard, guitar, trumpet, and I was quite good at the recorder in middle school. Unfortunately that is the only instrument I was ever really good at. Trumpet was my favorite.

 

[Chris Riccard]

I have a guitar, Jackson pro soloist: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Jackson/Pro-Soloist-SL2Q-MAH-Electric-Guitar.gc the blue one.
yes I think I'm a rock star but in reality I suck lol... maybe if I actually practiced!
what I want want is a yamaha disklaver: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/disklavier/index.html
so I can hear moonlight sonata anytime without touching a single key!

 

[Jonathan Scott]

This afternoon my wife Stella has been playing her cello in the middle of the BE PHIL amateur orchestra, in an impressive performance of Brahms Symphony No. 1 conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, as part of a series of short concerts for the Philharmonie Berlin Open Day. I was able to watch it live from home in the UK via Digital Concert Hall, who made this one available for free. The orchestra is made up of about 100 players selected from about 1900 who submitted video recordings for auditions (rather her than me - I find doing video recordings about as enticing as visiting the dentist)! The concert recording (including several other items, ending with Slavonic Dances played by the Berlin Philharmonic) should be available some time soon on https://digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/51200.

 

[Oudeis Eimi]

I'm a hobbyist synthesist. That is, my main instrument is the synthesiser, meant not as a poor substitute of 'keyboard' sounds nor as a preset machine, but as an instrument capable of moulding or shaping sound. I use both hardware instruments and sound synthesis software.

Since in practice the most common method of performing real-time on synthesisers is by using a traditional keyboard (often attached to the instrument itself), I also play the piano. Learning guitar, though, partly as I'm interested in using guitar MIDI controllers.

 

[StatGuy2000]

I voted "woodwinds" as I used to be clarinet player, and also have some experience playing the recorder (it's been years since I've played either instrument, btw).

 

[Jarvis323]

I play drums, guitar, keyboard, and Trumpet, but the guitar and keyboard I mostly only know how to play by feel, and I'm too human like to play Trumpet very well (although I think its the best instrument).

I record a lot of stuff. I guess some of you might find some of it mentally stimulating. Two Years, is my favorite of the two albums, with June 9th, Falling Leaves, Always There, and Sentamental being my favorites. If you can stick with HMIC to the end, there is some unique and complex drumming there.
https://nyalles.bandcamp.com/

 

[pinball1970]

Yep.

There was only ever one drummer for me and no one has ever touched him

drumming starts at 29 seconds

 

[pinball1970]

I think the voice is an instrument, probably should be on there.

 

[pinball1970]

I play drums, guitar, keyboard, and Trumpet, but the guitar and keyboard I mostly only know how to play by feel, and I'm too human like to play Trumpet very well (although I think its the best instrument).

I record a lot of stuff. I guess some of you might find some of it mentally stimulating. Two Years, is my favorite of the two albums, with June 9th, Falling Leaves, Always There, and Sentamental being my favorites. If you can stick with HMIC to the end, there is some unique and complex drumming there.
https://nyalles.bandcamp.com/

I love the trumpet (don't play it) Harry James was my favourite player, when he teamed up with Buddy Rich (I play drums) that was a match made in heaven.

 

[tholepin]

The category "Listen to" should be included IMHO. Only my wife, cat and grandchildren and myself "listen to" my music. I take guitar lessons from a jazz/rock-n-roller although my brain is now mozzarella. Every musician I meet has the mantra "It's all good." So be it.

 

[Klystron]

Thanks for reviving these threads, not unlike music revivals.

I first learned and played trumpet for several years. Brass instruments are fun and loud but require constant practice to "keep your lip (embrasure)" and, to quote Paul McCartney, "you cannot sing". Another drawback is trumpet music only uses treble scale and I wanted to use both.

I learned strings -- guitar and bass fiddle -- at my first college. Guitar is accessible with slight music training and can be tuned to play different chords. Never a virtuoso, I can still accompany singers, or growl out the verses to a few songs.

My true love was playing the giant pipe organ attached to the college chapel walls equipped with powerful but quiet electric air compressors. I felt like a cross between Johann Sebastian and Captain Nemo, pressing the stops and keys and reaching for the foot pedals. Like swimming, a large pipe organ exercises all your muscles.

Undaunted I learned pipe organ reasonably well but had little interest in playing the new electronic keyboards as they just stood there. Pipe organs rock the house, move air; you feel the vibrations through your entire body. I played organ at wealthy homes, music stores and various churches but that usually led to religious discussion. So, guitar.

[Edit: removed reference to non-celibate priest.]

 

[pinball1970]

Thanks for reviving these threads, not unlike music revivals.

I first learned and played trumpet for several years. Brass instruments are fun and loud but require constant practice to "keep your lip" and, to quote Paul McCartney, "you cannot sing". Another drawback is trumpet music only uses treble scale and I wanted to use both.

I learned strings -- guitar and bass fiddle -- at my first college. Guitar is accessible with slight music training and can be tuned to play different chords. Never a virtuoso, I can still accompany singers, or growl out the verses to a few songs.

My true love was playing the giant pipe organ attached to the college chapel walls equipped with powerful but quiet electric air compressors. I felt like a cross between Johann Sebastian and Captain Nemo, pressing the stops and keys and reaching for the foot pedals. Like swimming, a large pipe organ exercises all your muscles. Father Conductor never allowed me to play for congregations as I did not share his sexual orientation, was too young and small, and he needed trumpets for brass choir.

Undaunted I learned pipe organ reasonably well but had little interest in playing the new electronic keyboards as they just stood there. Pipe organs rock the house, move air; you feel the vibrations through your entire body. I played organ at wealthy homes, music stores and various churches but that usually led to religious discussion. So, guitar.

I have only played a church once from memory and the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. Toccata in Dm of course, I can play a few parts (not all the beautiful counterpoint unfortunately)
You can get great church sounds on keys, 'full ranks' on a cheap 1980s DX model sounded great.
Guitar and keys you cannot go wrong, pretty much covers everything.

 

[Klystron]

Concur. No intention to disparage electronic instruments. Keyboards make fantastic actuators. Perhaps on a different thread we can compare what is actuated and how sounds are produced.

Early synthesizers -- Moog, theremins, electric organs plus wire-wound guitar pickups -- add eerie subsonics, sidebands, and jitter difficult to reproduce in straightforward integrated circuits.

 

[pinball1970]

Concur. No intention to disparage electronic instruments. Keyboards make fantastic actuators. Perhaps on a different thread we can compare what is actuated and how sounds are produced.

Early synthesizers -- Moog, theremins, electric organs plus wire-wound guitar pickups -- add eerie subsonics, sidebands, and jitter difficult to reproduce in straightforward integrated circuits.

Moog is fantastic, never played it. Rick Wakeman one of my heroes

 

[Klystron]

Three words: Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

 

[RPinPA]

Just found this thread, I guess it's an old one that got revived. I checked "guitar" because I've learned a couple simple things on classical guitar. I also checked "violin" but that's really stretching the point. I took lessons when I was a kid. I know where the notes are and the basic technique. I can read music. I actually bought one in a second-hand store with the intent of practicing. But I'm really, really terrible. One of the things that makes me reluctant to practice is how bad I sound.

My main instrument is piano and I've actually performed on that. Even did a concerto once.

 

[symbolipoint]

Here is a question not exactly the same as the main topic:

What does the choice and expertness with a musical instrument mean in relation to studying/using/practicing any of Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,Physics,Computer Science? What does this mean about the persons mind or talent or natural or developed capabilities with any of these sciences or engieering?

 

[RPinPA]

My entire family tree is loaded with amateur musicians / professional scientists or engineers. They do seem to be connected in some way. Only a few have chosen to pursue music professionally, who didn't seem to have the parallel interest in something scientific or technical.

 

[Klystron]

Good questions. Learning to read music teaches and reveals a tremendous amount even without playing an instrument.

codes, symbols, signs: musical notation carries vast amounts of information in its simplicity including tone, pitch, frequency, amplitude, duration and LBNL interval.​

​

simplicity: musical notation conveys massive audio signal data coded in a brief easy-to-read language-independent minimal form.​

​

synchronization and timing: musical scores coordinate a multitude of instruments, voices and devices simply on a sheet of paper readable by "all who recognize the score".​

​

frame and rate: by design musical scores are divided into frames with rate and timing information placed at the beginning of the phrase. Frame rates can vary expressed by simple rational numbers. Synchronization, timing and frames translate to video, film, electronics, radar, signal processing, data collection and many other applications.​

​

silence and texture: a musical score easily conveys moments of silence, an absence of signal if you please. Textures include vibrato, tremolo, piccato, piano, crescendo, etc.​

​

Musical notation can be read by speakers of all languages. While conventional music terms borrow from Italian, Conductor signs and signals are universal.

 

[symbolipoint]

Nice responses to what I asked from this:

Here is a question not exactly the same as the main topic:

What does the choice and expertness with a musical instrument mean in relation to studying/using/practicing any of Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,Physics,Computer Science? What does this mean about the persons mind or talent or natural or developed capabilities with any of these sciences or engieering?

(1) Maybe I should have started this question above as a separate topic.

(2) Let me modify my question somewhat:
What does the choice and expertness with a musical instrument mean, OUTSIDE OF ANY MUSICAL NOTATION, in relation to studying/using/practicing any of Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,Physics,Computer Science?

 

[Klystron]

Nice responses to what I asked from this:
(1) Maybe I should have started this question above as a separate topic.
(2) Let me modify my question somewhat:
What does the choice and expertness with a musical instrument mean, OUTSIDE OF ANY MUSICAL NOTATION, in relation to studying/using/practicing any of Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,Physics,Computer Science?

Point taken. I began a daughter thread "how music influences STEM" as suggested though without specifying a science or engineering field other than Audio. I included music notation but only specific to Maths. Would like to examine how we use audio technology & electronic engineering to create modern music and musical instruments with a brief technology review.

Would like to use data from the OP's poll, with permission. Tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[Svein]

I have played all kinds of instruments in my life:

• Piano (when I was very young)
• Accordion (even took some professional lessons)
• Guitar (couldn't avoid it, was a teenager when the 60's started. Had to quit when I injured my left little finger)
• Recorder (joined a quartet playing baroque music)
• Synthesizer (still have a DX7II)
• Saxophones (alto, soprano, baritone, tenor in various bands)

By the way, I am not a musician!

 

[RPinPA]

I have another related query: Is it just classical music that has this apparent link to science and math? My background is classical and I've always admired rock / folk musicians who seem to have an entirely different skillset. They think nothing of picking up an entire different instrument (switching effortlessly from guitar to flute to piano for instance), or changing the tuning of a guitar and still knowing where to find all the notes. They can listen to a recording and mimic it. They can improvise. They can make a piece sound like a particular style. They can transpose on the fly. I have none of those skills.

 

[Klystron]

I have another related query: Is it just classical music that has this apparent link to science and math? My background is classical and I've always admired rock / folk musicians who seem to have an entirely different skillset. They think nothing of picking up an entire different instrument (switching effortlessly from guitar to flute to piano for instance), or changing the tuning of a guitar and still knowing where to find all the notes. They can listen to a recording and mimic it. They can improvise. They can make a piece sound like a particular style. They can transpose on the fly. I have none of those skills.

You have also described Jazz. The idea that jazz musicians constantly improvise remains a popular misconception. The beauty of jazz riffs belies the precision and organization inherent on the genre. Playing Blues may allow more improvisation and "jam" quality but professional jazz is as precise as any classical orchestra. Listen to recordings of jazz greats. Their timing, attack and interval is superb.

In its time Baroque was criticized as being "loose and unpredictable".

You are also correct about rock virtuosos. I have seen such pick up a sitar for the first time, figure out the drones and tuning, and reproduce large sections of a raga we had just enjoyed. A linguist / EE I worked with could pick up any wind instrument and extract wonderful music. He could play pieces of PVC pipe with or without a mouthpiece that rivalled the finest didgeridoo; an instrument he could also play expertly.

 

[symbolipoint]

They can listen to a recording and mimic it. They can improvise. // . They can transpose on the fly. I have none of those skills.

You're kidding; right? Not much hope for classical music helping in other fields if the quoted part true.

You have MORE ability than you believe of yourself. You for some reason are missing the urge to try.

 

[pinball1970]

I can play the guitar but I believe guitar is one of the easiest instruments to learn playing with

I could teach you to play drums guitar bass and piano in ten minutes if you had a just a small amount of musical talent. Easy.
It's learning to play well that is difficult.