(Mostly) August Music Thread

Hello! Haven't been here for ages...

But Oh Knowledgeable Ones In The Way Of The Flute! Can you recommend music for about Grade 6 level? DS has done his grade 5 but he's not going to do another flute exam for the near future. We could get the ABRSM grade 6 book to play but that seems a bit dull...

Omg what a coincidence, dd's clarinet teacher (we're at the lesson now) just took out a bass clarinet, and A clarinet and an E clarinet to play around with them as it is her last lesson with her. Dd loves it!

Yes, Fleur you do. (Three euphs, two troms, cornet, pocket cornet, trumpet, bugle, flugel horn, violin, dulcimer, ocarina, flute, piano, penny whistle, multiple recorders and Kaiser baritone). DH has a growing collection of sticks, mallets and beaters but he has promised that the percussion kit is going to stay in the bandroom.

The file marked "random music" is due for a dust off this week. I'm sick of the fuss we have whenever DS is looking for a particular piece. I've bought a lever arch file and 50 plastic pockets and we are going to be organised with proper filing and an index. I should have done it years ago.

In terms of instruments we only have a piano, a clarinet, a recorder, a classic guitar and an electric guitar. We need to work on it don't we?

foundout as we've established I barely know the difference between a violin and a big violin ( cello) are you telling me that instrument is part of the recorders family?

Thank you cantkeepaway I'll ask our music service when the time comes.

I have a problem, I can't stop buying music books. Just bought a clarinet Guest spot book as it looks so good. I said this to dd's piano teacher yesterday and she said I am one of her favourites as I always get intresting books and she never feels worried asking me to buy a new one. Not sure if that's a compliment as I am definitely not loaded.

I have also given 7 books to next door who's 7 yo just started piano and now I realise a couple of those I should have kept as I want to start properly learning once I get some space. Oh well...

Hello everyone. Waffle - this is such a fun thread. I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's collections. alex I had no idea there were so many clarinets and piccolos. waffle What is a xaphoon please?

We have a piano, keyboard, banjo with just one string that the DC won't let me get rid off, hviolin has just gone to DD's flat, ukulele, assorted small percussion, electric guitar, two electric bass guitars and an electric jazz bass guitar and two double basses (double double bass) I'm very much looking forward to selling one of the double basses. It's so dire I'd happily let someone take it away but DH thinks we should ask for £200. Our house is quite small.....

Do you use Allianz as insurers? They seemed excellent when I phoned to get immediate insurance for the double bass that DS had on trial. Really really helpful.

Helen I really enjoyed your video. I admire singers - there's nothing between them and the audience and I often wonder if singers are the most likely musicians to have nerves affect their performance? I'm in awe of people who can breath!

DS 18 is starting a degree in jazz performance in September. I will miss him and his practising.

There are so many impressively achieving DC on this thread. My DD who is about to start her final year of degree in piano performance had 'only' done G5 when she was 11. She's not planning to make a living as a musician when she finishes, but the bits and bobs of teaching and accompanying she currently does will be very useful I'm sure.

DS (and visiting friend) have just finished local orchestral week-long course. Both also managed to gatecrash the co-located jazz course final concert the previous night.

Sleeping today....

Fleur, we did music service rented sax at exactly the same point - literally picked it up after the G5 clarinet exam as the exams were held in the music service building.

Then bought a decent basic Yamaha alto once established that this was going to be a fixture (DS is primarily a jazz musician).

Music service locally rents sopranos, altos and tenors, though not, to DS's disappointment, baritones, though it turns out the latter are sometimes loaned out by the county wind orchestra. Definitely a low cost way in.

not sure this will work. Anyway she saw one in "real life".

one of my dc plays an "upgraded" recorder for the cheap £5 to expensive price of £16 ha ha. however she has seen and had a go at some other of the recorder family. Not asked for the very big ones....

Omg I want them all! Dd wants the piccolo, I already said no to that!

Yes learning sax (not giving up clarinet, just teaching herself a bit of it) will be after grade 5 clarinet and by then she'll hopefully grow a bit more.

Nco asked people to bring their Eflat if they had one....i hid that bit from dd 😀

Alexandra you put into words what my mind is phrasing for the last few months. Stuff like "we'll buy dd a nice sax when she gets to grade 5 clarinet* and a clarinet in A and obviously now she's seen ministring playing the bass clarinet she wants one (I suspect because it is so big). And so many types of saxes also.

By the way any saxophone beginners instrument recommendation? And does one start on alto or tenor? It would be good to research it because she is getting a sax at one point.

Drummersmum- your ds would be amazing on Vibraphone- expensive though aren't they?

Thank you for all you kind words. She will certainly keep singing. She's hoping for a chiral scholarship at uni. Some places don't want choristers though ( royal Holloway I'm looking at you ....) singing, well music, is so good for them as they grow up - I guess it's a constant through all the changes maybe ?

Really struggling with internet and you tube so the uploads are failing.

Managed to get this done. Ds at his choral scholars concert (aged 20)

Loose great to hear exam is over and I am sure DS1 is fine and won't need a retake!

Hahaha string I had to go back to YouTube and put my glasses on realising it is indeed a cello. Obviously! That shows you how much I know about identifying strings, like in that joke "small violin, medium violin, big violin" It also explains my warm feeling when I heard it, I always wanted dd to play the cello but she didn't.

Thanks for clarifying reg bass clarinet, just seen the price of one, not ever going to happen.

Hi Green and everyone and many thanks to Waffle for the new thread but where on earth did July go! I blinked or something!
Green - I have something that may help with singing, will try to attach document to a pm.
Anyway in the Loose household we have me and my inept grade 5 piano playing. DS1 (15) took his bass guitar grade 8 today and isn't sure how it went but agrees it was useful experience and is quite happy to re-sit if he needs to! He plays in a drum corps, is ace at snare drum and at some point has to bite the bullet and do grade6 tuned percussion ( not as confident on xylophone!)
DS2 (12) has just got a merit in piano G4 and if he can sort out his scales will do G5 cello in December.
Everyone in this house except me seems to be able to pick up a guitar and play tunes on it!

Helen, your daughter has a beautiful voice! I think its a great gift to be able to sing. No one in my big and small family can sing so very much envy here! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Waffle for a new thread! I did google some instruments you mentioned as no idea what they are. And Drummers, some people must have a big house for all these instruments. Maintaining them must be equally expensive. I need to get a second bow and I have been delaying it. Rehairing and getting a good bow are complicated and expensive enough for me. Living in a terrace and dont have a posh shed(wink wink to Loose and wanted to check how did it go with DS1 exam today?), a tall piano has already created a problem for us that we mostly have to wear headphone when we play/practise. It reduces her pleasure to play massively unfortunately moving to a semidetached in our area meaning over £70k stamp duty alone. I dont think we could ever afford it.

Nearly forgot to introduce ourself!! I have a 9 yrs old who is learning violin and piano. She has done her G5 for both and also G5 theory(last June). We are thinking of an exam next term however will decide by end of Sept.

Unfortunately from next year we might even have less time and focus for music as we will have to start learning, planning for secondary entrance as she is entering year 5. My task next week which I have been procrastinating is researching for schools and requirements etc. I dont know how to start. Will need to have a plan, hopefully after this holiday.

Fleur - i fear she can't be that good as its a cello not a violin ; yes the bass makes a v lovely sound. . Dd has played bass in some pieces in the nco before (they usually ask for volunteers esp as some people won't have played before and want to have a go) but hasn't done any solo work (but Waffle is about to solve that :)) She 'won' the bass seat last year in her JD wind orchestra. Waffle would know much more but i think that her fingers are so long is a help and she is tall (but you can sit on a stool); takes quite a bit of puff though! i think people usually go to the A before they go to the bass (DD did) but i don't know if you have to follow that pattern, and some people are happy never to play it.

paulweller we have a marimba but certainly no timps! What DS really needs is a vibraphone though. His school doesn't have one. With his jazz piano and tuned experience he could be playing some serious vibes.