Why Doesn't Everybody Play a Musical Instrument ?

[Gdjjr]

any kind of tool or device.

Every guitar is different. Every. Especially acoustic, no matter what they cost. (2 identical in construction [even hand made/built will sound different than the "identical"])- you said, "cheap instruments" - cheap is subjective- a 6000 dollar Gibson would be cheap to a billionaire- or even a well resourced musician - the musician can write the cost off as a necessity to his business-

The video I posted, I know the man playing and singing- that instrument cost him 40 bucks new.
My most expensive guitar cost 348 buck + Uncle Shams cut- it sounds okay, unplugged, and great plugged in- but both definitions are subjective- go get a guitar you like the looks of, that you can afford, and do what you can with it- you'll be glad you did.

 

[justinacolmena]

The video I posted, I know the man playing and singing- that instrument cost him 40 bucks new.
My most expensive guitar cost 348 buck + Uncle Shams cut- it sounds okay, unplugged, and great plugged in- but both definitions are subjective- go get a guitar you like the looks of, that you can afford, and do what you can with it- you'll be glad you did.

I don't have a place to keep it or the time to play it, and I don't care to associate with gun-banning liberals who play musical instruments. Not that I find anything wrong with the music, but I need guns, not musical instruments at the moment, and I definitely don't need other people to make my decisions for me.

 

[Pogo]

as long as it works for you it can't be "wrong"

Yessir and I abide by that with my style of thumb plucking- but, it would be nice if I had more time to learn more so I could become an 20 year over night sensation- at 73, as of yesterday, that 20 years looks a bit elusive- so, I want "professional" pointers to help me advance sooner-

I've played with the "finger picking" and watched countless videos, to no avail- the open D and G sound good when strummed, as a whole- open- incorporating it into what I do is what I can't wrap my head (or fingers) around w/o input, in person- and I spend a lot of (all of in fact) time practicing what I do, which is currently about 15 songs with more on my radar as well as penning originals- in fact, my originals are where I've really advanced to "thumb plucking" to get a sound I like, I can call my own, and relearning covers in my style- it's a full time effort, LOL, since I am a novice and a bit late in life and very picky- very picky not being a metaphor- it is an imperative.

I'm not discounting what you're saying and I appreciate the input- sincerely-

Yep, just passing on what worked for me.

 

[sealybobo]

What an awesome thing music is. It's 3 basic elements Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony combine together to really stir our inner emotions. It is played in a wide variety of genres. People can pick which musical genre they like the most, and listen to it endlessly.

Some people have developed a keen awareness about their favorite type of music. They know a lot about it and can talk about it. But why limit yourselves to that ? Why not choose a musical instrument that is to your liking, buy yourself one, and learn how to play it ? I'm a music teacher and I get a lot if satisfaction out of transforming my students from non-players to players.

I get an absolute thrill when I see my students eyes light up, when they suddenly realize they have gotten to learn their instrument, and can play at least one song or tune on it. After learning that first song, they then have the confidence that they can learn to play just about ANY song/tune, And they're then well on the way to becoming a musician.

As human beings, we have the gift of being able to play music. Had we all been born a dog, a cat, an ape, a horse, etc, we would not have this capability. It seems a shame to go through a whole life never taking advantage of this ability. I think people who don't play an instrument, have no idea what they are missing.

Instruments are cheap at the starter level, and easy to obtain. They also make a marvelous Christmas gift. I bought my sister a mandolin for her birthday a couple of months ago. Hopefully, she'll learn to play it. If not, it'll become the most beautiful wall decoration she ever had. Yes, it does take some effort to learn to play (any instrument), but it is actually a fun type of work, and it becomes easier and easier with the more you learn, and the better you get at playing your instrument. View attachment 425691

I was 35 when I finally met someone who could teach me how to play guitar. He said screw the individual strings. He taught me a-g and a minor thru g minor. So I can play at bonfires.

Right now Im learning rockstar by da baby. It Gm B F# E. Now I just need to memorize all the words. It’s fast rap. But eventually I’ll memorize it.

My brother bought me a $600 martin guitar. It sounds great.

 

[sealybobo]

Because there are right and left-brained people. Generally, left-brained people are artistic, good musicians. Right-brained folks are more analytical, adept at math, and data.

You love playing an instrument and it comes easy to you. I love MUSIC, but I also LOVE studying mathematics. Outside of my major, I took several pure maths courses in college because I loved it.

One isn't right or wrong, they're just different. Of course, there is overlap. For instance, music depends heavily on math.

Technically solid musicians, depend more on their right-brain. Solid left-brained musicians are the Jazz players.

The Right Brain, The Left Brain, and the Musician

The concept of “right brain” and “left brain” is a proven one; the right side of the brain largely governs creative and intuitive thinking, while the left side largely governs logic, mathematics, a…

laurierileymusic.com

I hate it when they say students who learn an instrumen5 do better at math. I suck at math and don’t see math in playing guitar.

 

[Pogo]

What an awesome thing music is. It's 3 basic elements Rhythm, Melody, and Harmony combine together to really stir our inner emotions. It is played in a wide variety of genres. People can pick which musical genre they like the most, and listen to it endlessly.

Some people have developed a keen awareness about their favorite type of music. They know a lot about it and can talk about it. But why limit yourselves to that ? Why not choose a musical instrument that is to your liking, buy yourself one, and learn how to play it ? I'm a music teacher and I get a lot if satisfaction out of transforming my students from non-players to players.

I get an absolute thrill when I see my students eyes light up, when they suddenly realize they have gotten to learn their instrument, and can play at least one song or tune on it. After learning that first song, they then have the confidence that they can learn to play just about ANY song/tune, And they're then well on the way to becoming a musician.

As human beings, we have the gift of being able to play music. Had we all been born a dog, a cat, an ape, a horse, etc, we would not have this capability. It seems a shame to go through a whole life never taking advantage of this ability. I think people who don't play an instrument, have no idea what they are missing.

Instruments are cheap at the starter level, and easy to obtain. They also make a marvelous Christmas gift. I bought my sister a mandolin for her birthday a couple of months ago. Hopefully, she'll learn to play it. If not, it'll become the most beautiful wall decoration she ever had. Yes, it does take some effort to learn to play (any instrument), but it is actually a fun type of work, and it becomes easier and easier with the more you learn, and the better you get at playing your instrument. View attachment 425691

I was 35 when I finally met someone who could teach me how to play guitar. He said screw the individual strings. He taught me a-g and a minor thru g minor. So I can play at bonfires.

Right now Im learning rockstar by da baby. It Gm B F# E. Now I just need to memorize all the words. It’s fast rap. But eventually I’ll memorize it.

My brother bought me a $600 marain guitar. It sounds great.

Tune that second A up to a T and it'll be worth a lot more

 

[sealybobo]

I studied piano as a child....and I can play some guitar, not much, just a little of either. I forgot everything.

What two, three or four chord songs can you play on a guitar?

 

[justinacolmena]

go get a guitar you like the looks of, that you can afford, and do what you can with it- you'll be glad you did.

Maybe it's used and beat up looking. Pluck the strings quietly or play a few random chords before you buy it --- even if you have no idea what you are doing and have never played a guitar in your life --- you'll know immediately if the sounds it makes are pleasant and it's something you want to spend more time practicing on.

Don't knock guns either. Guns are fine instruments, too.

 

[Pogo]

Because there are right and left-brained people. Generally, left-brained people are artistic, good musicians. Right-brained folks are more analytical, adept at math, and data.

You love playing an instrument and it comes easy to you. I love MUSIC, but I also LOVE studying mathematics. Outside of my major, I took several pure maths courses in college because I loved it.

One isn't right or wrong, they're just different. Of course, there is overlap. For instance, music depends heavily on math.

Technically solid musicians, depend more on their right-brain. Solid left-brained musicians are the Jazz players.

The Right Brain, The Left Brain, and the Musician

The concept of “right brain” and “left brain” is a proven one; the right side of the brain largely governs creative and intuitive thinking, while the left side largely governs logic, mathematics, a…

laurierileymusic.com

I hate it when they say students who learn an instrumen5 do better at math. I suck at math and don’t see math in playing guitar.

I hate math too but it's two different ways of playing.

My Dad would play (piano) reading from sheet music. That would take me forever --- I only ever had the patience to do it once (Bach's Prelude in C). I memorize sonically and match what's in the memory. I'm sure writing dots on a staff had its function before we had recording devices but for me it's just two sides of the brain that don't talk to each other.

 

[sealybobo]

go get a guitar you like the looks of, that you can afford, and do what you can with it- you'll be glad you did.

Maybe it's used and beat up looking. Pluck the strings quietly or play a few random chords before you buy it --- even if you have no idea what you are doing and have never played a guitar in your life --- you'll know immediately if the sounds it makes are pleasant and it's something you want to spend more time practicing on.

Don't knock guns either. Guns are fine instruments, too.

My brother had the guy at the guitar store play 5 different guitars. He immediately knew he liked the way mine sounded. And I agree it’s the best sounding guitar I ever had. Ive basically only owned starter acoustic and electric guitars. Back when I was playing I couldn’t afford to pay $600 for a guitar. I stopped playing and my brother said recently “ you should start playing the guitar again” and I said I needed to buy a new guitar. Didn’t like the way my old one felt or sounded. So for my birthday he bought me a sweet Martin. Acoustic but you can plug it into an amp too, it’s perfect

 

[Markle]

I hate it when they say students who learn an instrumen5 do better at math. I suck at math and don’t see math in playing guitar.

There is a tremendous amount of math in playing an instrument. There are many correlations between math and pleasing or displeasing sounds.

Correlation Between Math and Music Ability

Some research finds that music activates the same areas of the brain that subjects use while solving spatial-temporal reasoning problems.

blog.brainbalancecenters.com

.

 

[protectionist]

When I went to school music was a part of the curriculum. We had a separate music class that was one hour per day with the music teacher. Her name was Mr. Carlson. The man who taught how to play an instrument was Mr. Chyala.

Music lessons for just about any instrument was offered to all the kids.

I started learning to play the clarinet when I was in 3rd grade. I was in the school band all through school. In middle school I taught myself how to play the guitar. In high school and middle school one of the elective classes that was taught was guitar. I already knew how to play so it was easy to get into that class even though it was full at the time.

My ex learned how to play the piano as soon as his feet could reach the peddles. His grandmother was a piano teacher. He plays the guitar too.

Studies show that music and art stimulate certain areas of the brain and help with logic, mathematics and reading. Children who learn music or to play music do much better in school.

My child learned how to play the piano and violin.

I wish my school would have had guitar teaching. As it wound up, I taught myself the guitar, then afterwards the mandolin and violin. Now I teach these instruments myself, but I am dismayed at the overwhelming majority of people (99%) who love music, listen to it frequently, but have no interest in learning to play it themselves. They don't know what they're missing - and they're missing A LOT.

Give somebody a guitar or mandolin for Christmas. Hopefully, they'll learn it, and at worst, it makes a superb wall decoration.

 

[protectionist]

I'm not that advanced- I have tuned to open D and for my style of thumb plucking it didn't do anything for me- and I'm not skilled enough to pick *a* note on purpose. I didn't like the sounds of the chords in open D either-
I guess a good teacher could help with that also though.

If you want to play in open tunings, here's a couple if suggestions in Rolling Stones songs, both in open tunings >>
1. Brown Sugar - G
2. Gimme Shelter - E
Check the internet for tutorials, or get a teacher.

 

[protectionist]

I remember seeing Louis Armstrong on the Ed Sullivan Show back around 1962 or so. I thought to myself, "Man, that guy looks like He's having a great time. I'm going to try that." The next day I went to the schools' band director and told him I wanted to get started on the trumpet.

Then The Beatles came along (again, the Ed Sullivan Show) and I thought to myself, "Man, those guys looks like they're having a great time. I'm going to try that." So I traded a fishing rod to a friend of mine for an old guitar hanging up in his parents' garage, got a Mel Bay book and off I went.

Been hacking away at both ever since.

Sounds like the story of my early life.

 

[protectionist]

Cheap? Sure, but let's just say they have to be reasonably in tune, or good enough quality to stay true to how they are tuned. Instruments of any kind (musical or not) that are too cheap will only frustrate beginners learning to use them.

I bought a nice solid-top, Mitchell mandolin that sells for $180 brand new, and I got mine used (in like new condition) for $100. I tuned it when I brought it home last January. It has remained in tune, the whole time. Beautiful instrument too, with gold tuners & tailpece, and abalone inlay on the fretboard dots. Sounds good.

 

[Thoth001]

Besides the marvelous sounds they produce, many musical instrument are also pleasing to the eye, as well as the ear. My personal favorite with regard to looks, is the Florentine style mandolin. Shown here are a couple with Abalone inlay in the headstock, and individual designs in the frets on the fingerboard.
The abalone is beautiful, as it changes its brilliant colors, depending on what angle you look at it, and how the light is hitting it. If you right click to open the image in a new tab, and zoom the pictures to 200%, you can see the fretboard designs better.

View attachment 426807

View attachment 426811

View attachment 426812

View attachment 426813

I've not paid a great deal of attention to mandolins, but, there are some beautiful (IMO) guitars- I have one- an Epiphone Pro Dove in white- https://www.musiciansfriend.com/gui...MI6I3MzIbB7QIVEvDACh2pSgZGEAQYASABEgLuRvD_BwE

It is absolutely, the most beautiful guitar I've ever seen and it only cost me 350 bucks- it's tone is mellow and it has very little volume, but, it is an acoustic electric (as are several of my guitars) and maybe some day I'll get that fishman amp I like-

Until then, I'll keep collecting- next on my list is R314 - Washburn Guitars

Look at the bridge on that sucker and the neck in lays-

Beautiful guitar, I like it. It's got quality, with a solid top, and Epiphone is a brand (the new Gibson) that I respect quite a bit. This guitar is similar to my Ibanez Artwood, which is also a solid top, and I paid $350 for it, and it's acoustic electric.

I had an Epiphone SG guitar (solid body electric) - loved it, but I needed the money, and I wound up selling it. Wish I had it back. I'll get another one like it one of these days. maybe after the next stimulus check.

View attachment 430970


View attachment 430971

Here is my sweet Gibson Les Paul. I love the 24 frets!

 

[protectionist]

I was 35 when I finally met someone who could teach me how to play guitar. He said screw the individual strings. He taught me a-g and a minor thru g minor. So I can play at bonfires.

Right now Im learning rockstar by da baby. It Gm B F# E. Now I just need to memorize all the words. It’s fast rap. But eventually I’ll memorize it.

My brother bought me a $600 martin guitar. It sounds great.

You got a really good brother (and a really good guitar)

 

[justinacolmena]

I bought a nice solid-top, Mitchell mandolin that sells for $180 brand new, and I got mine used (in like new condition) for $100. I tuned it when I brought it home last January. It has remained in tune, the whole time. Beautiful instrument too, with gold tuners & tailpece, and abalone inlay on the fretboard dots. Sounds good.

Looks solid, well build. I'm sure it does sound good. No cheap-ass electronic amplifier junk built into the instrument itself.
It gets very dry and cold where I live. Temperatures reach -40°, the freezing point of Mercury.
Climate controlled places to store fine woodwork are hard to come by, and something like that would warp and be ruined in the cold.
Some people have built traditional style instruments out of fiberglass and other materials that are more dimensionally stable, but they lack the classic “warm” sound of real wood.

 

[protectionist]

I hate math too but it's two different ways of playing.

My Dad would play (piano) reading from sheet music. That would take me forever --- I only ever had the patience to do it once (Bach's Prelude in C). I memorize sonically and match what's in the memory. I'm sure writing dots on a staff had its function before we had recording devices but for me it's just two sides of the brain that don't talk to each other.

I'm the same way. Once you simply know the scale of the key you're in, you can find the notes of the song/tune, and play it, and with repetition, it becomes familiar and easy. They didn't have recording devices centuries ago, but we do, and just remembering the tune is just as good, if not better, than seeing the note on paper. Your memory provides the timing.

I give my students charts that I designed myself (in 4 colors), for each song/tune, but they are primarily for reference. So, if the student forgets the riffs or note progressions, he/she can refer to the chart, and then say "Oh yeah! That's right", and they're right back playing it again.

 

[sealybobo]

When I went to school music was a part of the curriculum. We had a separate music class that was one hour per day with the music teacher. Her name was Mr. Carlson. The man who taught how to play an instrument was Mr. Chyala.

Music lessons for just about any instrument was offered to all the kids.

I started learning to play the clarinet when I was in 3rd grade. I was in the school band all through school. In middle school I taught myself how to play the guitar. In high school and middle school one of the elective classes that was taught was guitar. I already knew how to play so it was easy to get into that class even though it was full at the time.

My ex learned how to play the piano as soon as his feet could reach the peddles. His grandmother was a piano teacher. He plays the guitar too.

Studies show that music and art stimulate certain areas of the brain and help with logic, mathematics and reading. Children who learn music or to play music do much better in school.

My child learned how to play the piano and violin.

I wish my school would have had guitar teaching. As it wound up, I taught myself the guitar, then afterwards the mandolin and violin. Now I teach these instruments myself, but I am dismayed at the overwhelming majority of people (99%) who love music, listen to it frequently, but have no interest in learning to play it themselves. They don't know what they're missing - and they're missing A LOT.

Give somebody a guitar or mandolin for Christmas. Hopefully, they'll learn it, and at worst, it makes a superb wall decoration.

My nephew loves to sing and when he watches me play guitar says he wishes he knew how to play. So I show him the first lesson I took. D chord to a G chord. Over and over, back and forth. Once you can easily go back and forth you can play and sing love is what I got by sublime. If he isn’t willing to go practice D to G then he’s not going to learn f, c, a, b, f#m chords.

If someone isn’t willing to learn two chords then they aren’t that interested in putting in the time and work it takes to learn an instrument.