Can you, or did you once, play a musical instrument ?

[IndigoSpritz]

I played the descant recorder in Primary School - over forty years ago - and the violin from Primary into Secondary School. I never liked either as I had absolutely no say in the whole business.

I dare say the recorder was, and still is, a rite of passage for thousands of school children.

I'm now learning the piano - something which I want to do. I'm only four lessons in but my teacher is very pleased with my progress so far. She reckons Grade 1 within a year.

I also played the piano as a young child but didn't enjoy it.

@lastqueenofscotland oh I love the oboe. If I had had any real talent with music, I woudl have taken that up as well (as it was, one brass instrument was enough for me!)

Obviously I know oboe isn't a brass instrument. I meant one instrument full stop was enough.

Flute, passed grade 7 but stopped to concentrate on my A levels. Thinking of learning the piano now I’m in my 30’s but never took to it as a child whereas the flute I found easy.

Yes, obligatory recorder and piano and violin.

I wanted to learn an instrument at school but although I was very academic I had very low confidence. I tried a few lessons but felt that I wasn't very good and gave up. I regret giving up lots of things at that age but I was convinced I wasn't musical or sporty or arty etc

About 3 years ago I was watching my DD doing all her gym/drama/music and felt a bit envious that she was learning all these new skills and suddenly realised there was no reason I couldn't take up something new. I found a flute teacher, rented a flute and started practicing. I LOVE it! DH bought me a second hand flute for my birthday which I love too. I'm never going to be great but I don't care anymore. It's some me time and a fab way to wind down after work. I'm working on my grade 5 pieces (but not planning on doing any formal exams) and I'm so glad I started. You won't regret it Op.

I played saxophone and keyboard as a child/teenager. Every girl wanted to learn flute when I was small, but I didn’t make the draw. I was told I could do saxophone instead and was a bit resentful but I grew to absolutely love it! One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t continue and even sold my beautiful sax as an older teen

Played piano from 6. Singing from 9. Went to university and did a music degree. Then stupidly decided to take the 'sensible' option and did a secondary PGCE.

Never again. I loved my music and I let it become a backseat thing. I'm entering into my local music festival this year to get back into the swing of it and I'll be teaching from home soon.

Clarinet - grade VIII
Piano- grade VI
Can also play simple guitar.

Have recently come back to my first love which is the recorder ( descant, treble, tenor). Joined the SRP and attend workshops- working towards my grade VI at the moment.

It annoys me that the recorder has such a bad press. I think that the experience most people have of the recorder is a few crappy lessons at primary school usually taught by people who actually can't play it very well. I can play the violin to about a grade one standard but would never consider teaching it to children. So sad that funding for school music has been historically so poor.

When played properly, the recorder is a far more versatile and beautiful instrument than the flute and has an enormous and varied repertoire.

Drums :)

Thankyou Sylvester - that's what she said. No pressure at all but it was a useful confidence boost.

It also goes without saying that a suitable teacher is very important for formal tuition. I did have about a dozen lessons a few years ago with another teacher but we just didn't gel. She was perfectly qualified and competent but just not for me. My new teacher and I hit it off straight away and that's making a big difference to me.

Drums I love. Never had the chance to try a drum kit but maybe once I've mastered the Steinway ! Session drummers and bassists are two categories of musician that never seem to be short of work.

Lots of different recorders - all of soprano descant, treble, tenor and bass. I think recorder is massively underrated as an instrument. I once heard a full recorder ensemble playing in Lichfield cathedral and it was so hauntingly beautiful. I would love to play in a recorder group, though I'd need to brush up a bit.

I also played piano to grade 4 (which was a struggle because I simply can't manage to read two lines of music at once), plus a little bit of flute (self taught) because we had one in the house, but my main instrument was bassoon. I got grade 6 and was working towards my grade 8 but then went to university and never found the time again. I sold my bassoon to pay (in part) for my wedding, and cried when I handed it over. But the fact was I was never going to play it properly again and it deserved to be played.

If I was ever going to play anything again, it would be guitar. I'm going to make nicely ask DH to reach me, as he is a very good guitarist. Either that or I might one day join a choir. Choral singing is so much fun.

Piano to grade 6 - gave up the exams when I failed grade 7! Played piano lots when I was teaching. Must have passed something musical on because DD is grade 8 flute!

I started the descant recorder when I was 7 - I found my aunt's old recorder at my granny's house, with fingering chart & some music in its box, & she thought it was worth my having lessons. (If she'd thought I was dreadful the recorder would simply have vanished...). Went on to play the treble & tenor recorders: tiny hands but long fingers.

Started the oboe when I started secondary school & carried on playing for my own amusement after I left. (Was, while walking home from the train station one night, offered a place in my local concert band - conducted by a member of ENO's orchestra - off the back of [quite literally] a uni choir hoodie a few years ago... bit surreal.)

Taught myself the flute in my first year at university. As you do.

Had been in my school choir & chamber choir & decided to use singing as my Queen's Guide Award Skill, so had a few lessons on my year out. Auditioned for the University Musical Society Chorus, who surprised me by accepting me. Luckily I found out after that just what a Big Deal they were. My Bach Choir audition in my final year, however, I got so nervous I basically forgot how to read. Words & music. I was offered the chance to reaudition in a year (after working on Not Freaking Out At The Idea Someone Can Hear You Sing) but didn't get to, because I lost my voice completely for 6 months & after speech therapy it's still a bit wonky at times just for talking. I can maybe sing a little in church, but that 2.75 octaves is gone. Which makes it more of an arse that my crap joints mean I can no longer manage to hold my oboe & flute. Can just about manage my descant recorder.

However, after that epic merail (& yes, I fully expect all the string players on here to have been playing something suitably melancholy to encounter my tale of self-pity): yay you OP! There is such joy to be had from music & it's brilliant you're learning an instrument you want to & that you're enjoying it.

I got up to grade 5 on flute although never took the exam as I had a meltdown about it shortly before. After that I just played for fun until the end of school.

That's a sorry tale Marie. Glad to see you still have your passion for music and the recorder is still an option for you.

Oh God! The horror! I did my brownie music badge (failed). In front of my mum, aunt and brother. I played the recorder and decided to do the national anthem, as everyone knows that. I forgot it. Yep, that's right. Not only that, but the woman organising it, asked why my fingering was all wrong. I later asked my brother what she meant as he had taught me and he said it was because he is left handed so he has shown me how to do it his way!

Deathraystare
😂😂

Yeah I know Parkhead! I still cannot believe I forgot how it went! Some kind lady hummed along with me but I still could not manage it. Major Cringe.

I can play the flute to a good standard but no formal grades as I only had a year of lessons at school and was self taught thereafter.
For my birthday this year I got cello lessons and it’s been the best thing I’ve done ever. I love it!

Yes, a couple with options on a third.
I was very good at one of the instruments and wanted to make that my career. Sadly, my parents, who had forked out for a private education, prevented me. They saw it as "not academic enough".