SwingDJs

if you play -- what instrument? what style? inquiring minds want to know

I play African rhythm, mainly drums, although less lately than in the past with my schedule.

-FF

I would if I wasn't too busy and poor.

Violin. A long time ago, when I practiced and didn't suck, I played classical. Now I do Irish fiddle when I need a quick buck.

Started on electric bass in 1986.

Picked up drums and guitar along the way.

Bought an upright bass about 2 years back (still mediocre on it, though).

These days I mostly play drums along with early jazz records. However, I just bought a tenor banjo for early jazz use.

I hope to set up a band when I move to Seattle in the vein of the early, smaller Fletcher Henderson groups.

I did music "full time" for a while in the 1990s. But, the life of an indie rocker on the road wasn't really for me. You can see my former full-time music group by going to allmusic.com and doing an artist search for "gumption."

Gary

me: i play trombone, piano, african/middle-eastern percussion, voice, and i'm learning guitar. (i have a bunch of "fun" instruments too, like melodica and ocarina, and i'll be getting an alto recorder) whenever the pittsburgh wedding music guy calls me (sporadically and unpredictably) i have a gig playing trombone. i'm in a few bands and stuff.. i work with a vocalist, we call ourselves "The Yakov and Shoham Show," and we'll be putting on a vaudeville production ("The New-Fangled Old-Tyme Vaudeville Company") in November.

also, i'm in the u of pitt men's glee club (choir), and i teach music at a jewish sunday school.

we're an ecletic group!

I played violin for about eight years, and I was in a youth symphony for about five of those. I pick up my violin once in a while, and I love the feeling of being able to play the "foreign" instument.

(Edited for typo.)

Matthew wrote:I played violin for about eight years, and I was in a youth symphony for about five of those. I pick of my violin once in a while, and I love the feeling of being able to play the "foreign" instument.

There is a certain rush that muscle memory gives me. When you stop practicing all the time, you get a little incredulous at your own ability to play the damn thing at all.
And there is a certain pride that even if I get bad at it, the ability to make some form of in-tune non-screechy music on a reasonably difficult instrument will always be a part of who I am. It feels good to know that the hard work I put in years ago permanently altered a part of me and made it something beautiful.

Played cello for 12 years. A big part of me misses it, and I echo what kitkat and matthew said about the violin.

Also played jazz piano for 4 years; just enough to scratch the surface. I'd like to get back into that, too.

I'm thinking about giving the trombone a try, though. I just love the its register and sound.

I programmed a drum machine and did the samples for an industrial band named Dustmite.. we rocked, and sutff.

Clarinet and saxaphone (whole family, but my favorites were the alto and baritone)

Mostly in highshool jazz and symphonic bands but I did play with a small sax quartet and some dixiland. Even recieved an scholarship from the Sacramento Traditional Jazz society when I was 14.

Sadly I haven't played in over a decade.

-Kevin

the trombone is definitely my first love. i was sick to death of piano excercises and picked it up in fourth grade. what a fun instrument. i must warn you though, it takes a LOT of practice before you can make anything but farts.

I really really really want to get one of these:



http://www.rosevillebigband.org/cgi-bin ... sopTrb.htm

i heard a guy playing badass jazz on one of these babies a couple weeks ago.

The Soprano Trombone Swindle!!!

Played piano from 4 - 18 - enjoyed playing for myself, and I would entertain myself after school by playing through the Rodgers and Hammerstein song book and singing along! I could never control my fingers when I played in front of people though and I got to the point I didn't want to practice seriously.

Played clarinet from 12 - 25; in both marching and concert bands; I consider this my instrument.

Played bari sax in high school jazz band (fun since you often got the melody line with the alto), and played tenor sax in college jazz band. Never practiced enough and improvised poorly, so I was always stuck in the 2nd tenor chair!

During college I got some gigs in a musical theater orchestra, and played in community concert and jazz bands until I started dancing seriously.

Played flute a little, and can play one scale on the trumpet!

Gary is trying to talk me into being in his band if I get my chops back up - that would be fun; and maybe I'll get a soprano sax and start learning some Bechet solos

yeah, i didn't know that about the bari sax in jazz until i started doing jazz arranging this year... it's easy because alto 1 and bari can read off the same part that's like the one good thing about transpositions

and trust me, the 2nd tenor part usually sucks since it's filling in the harmonies. I also liked the bari parts where you got to do part of the bass line - in shuffles or in funkier tunes.