|
I've been following this thread for years and I think this might be the right summer for me to learn a weird instrument. I have some history playing recorder as a kid and trombone as an older kid, but I was never terribly good at either. I own a guitar and banjo that I'd like to learn, but I figured before I start trying to vet instructors I'd check here to see if there's something that fits my situation well: I have a commute; I know people deal with worse, but it sucks for me. I spend about an hour in the car every day commuting and I live less than ten miles from the office. Needless to say a fair portion of my day is spent listening to lovely music on the radio and waiting for cars to move so I can move forward a few inches more. What's something fun and cool I could practice in the car? Price isn't a huge concern for the right instrument, but it would need to be small enough to play in the car. I understand I could practice guitar or trombone behind the wheel, but I'm looking for something that wouldn't be unwieldy. I'm down with ocarinas and tin whistles, but I figured I'd ask in case there's some other recent thread darling. I'd try nose whistles like this Vietnamese guy, but I don't have the sinuses for it and it GUARANTEES I'd get in an accident where my airbag would deploy and give me a lobotomy.
|
#
¿
May 12, 2015 04:44
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 2, 2024 05:47 |
|
|
Hi guys. I'm so happy to see this thread is still around, even if it looks like it's been quiet lately. I'm interested in getting another instrument. I have a plastic recorder from elementary school, a lovely toy tin whistle, a trombone from middle school band, a banjo and guitar I sadly never take out, a couple Mountain ocarinas I take everywhere with me and am actually pretty okay with, and I think my wife still has her saxophone somewhere in the house. I'm totally open to any suggestions to fill any obvious holes in my disappointing collection, but bonus points would go to anything that fits any or all of these criteria: 1. A little lower pitch. 2. A decent range, or at least a wide one relative to the ocarinas I have. 3. Capable of being played softly. 4. Somewhat portable. I love that I can carry the ocarinas everywhere and play a lot of stuff by ear, but I feel like they can be awfully loud and shrill depending on where I am. I feel like I'm lacking something I can use to play a mellow tune in my living room without driving my wife nuts. It also doesn't need to be something I can toss in a backpack, but it's a definite plus if it's not so big that I feel like I'm lugging it around if I take it someplace. Price isn't a concern, though I'd probably lean toward something that I could get in an inexpensive starting model until I reach a certain proficiency. Any ideas?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 27, 2016 06:05
|
|
|
Thanks for the response! I'm awfully tempted to pick up that polymer NAF whether I get anything else or not. I watched a few videos using one and it's got a great sound. I could get behind that. I watched a few low whistle videos too and I MIGHT be able to manage, but I'm not a super huge dude. I like the sound though, just wish I had some way to tell how easily I'd be able to play it. As for genre, I don't have a strong bias toward anything. I'm pretty fond of Irish, but I'm not fond enough of any one thing for it to be a dealbreaker if something is meant for a different style. Recorder's not a bad idea either, plus I forgot I could fix up my wife's old saxophone and try to learn that, which I'd also love to do since I haven't properly tried a reed instrument. Earlier criteria aside, I'm tempted to put a bunch of less expensive (and a few more expensive) options on my wish lists so family who don't know what to get me for gift-giving occasions have some low-hanging fruit. Instruments are a fun thing to collect. If there are any specific makes/models of whistles and flutes I should put on there I'd love the input because I'm horrible at shopping for this sort of thing. I did come up with a general question though: are there any plucked string instruments that are particularly well-suited for a learner? I suppose guitar has a huge amount of material, and the right answer is probably "whatever you'll stick with," but I remember being told ages ago that it's best to start with the biggest and most unwieldy thing you can physically manage because it's always easier to go from bigger and with more strings to smaller and with fewer. I'm guessing that's true on some level, but I'm sure that's oversimplifying things a hell of a lot. I'd imagine some instruments are better than others for forming good habits that transfer well to others.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 10, 2016 07:20
|
|
|
That kemence is really cool! Good luck with it! As for me, I picked up ocarina because of the thread and it's a fun little instrument. I play it at home and carry one around in my backpack. I can play tons of stuff by ear, and I also enjoy it when nerds ask me if I can play stuff from Zelda and I tell them I only know Final Fantasy songs. The range is a little limited, but it's fun to play and I can't complain about the sturdiness and portability. I keep thinking about picking up more stuff, like NAF or tin whistle, but I also want to learn something stringed one of these days, like guitar or mandolin. I'd be coming at that as a complete beginner though, and I'm sure teaching myself on a new kind of instrument is a good way to pick up some really bad habits. Not to mention there's the ever-present concern about my practicing being too noisy for my wife to bear.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2017 12:51
|
|