Do you like musical instruments, even if you can't play one ?

[TheTecknician]

I hope I'm not the only one. The piano is my thing, even though I haven't played for months and I never really mastered it anyway! But I love reading about guitars, bass guitars, mandolins and drum kits. Not just the instruments themselves but the makers and the musicians. I've watched film of small-time luthiers at work and been fascinated by their skill. Then there's stuff like amplification, effects pedals and microphone placement. So interesting. I'm fortunate in that a few of my workmates are musicians - at least two guitarists and one drummer - so it's good to talk about these subjects, even if from a layman's perspective.

I'm still a fan of piano and keyboard music generally but I wonder if I chose the wrong instrument??

Maybe it IS just me. Musical instruments are things of beauty, though, except for recorders and violins in the hands of six year-olds. That ain't beauty.

Yes, and I imagine that many musicians admire instruments and techniques they don't use themselves. Why are you hoping you're not alone? Does it feel like an affliction?

I play piano but think violins are beautiful to look at, and have wondered about the history of bowed instruments... did they start with an archer messing about with someone's lute?

Go to a good musical instrument store and have a look at the effects pedal display cases - rows and rows of colour and unique artwork. I'm always amazed at the artwork on something that is going to live on the floor and get stomped on.

I'm tone deaf and couldn't play the triangle to save my life, but I bloody love a cello. I think they're stunning and if I ever win the lottery I will expend cast sums of money on a very good, expensive cello teacher who can attempt to teach me something about it!

No idea why cellos. It may be due to watching The Living Daylights at a formative age...

I don't play anything but my sons both do - piano and guitar - and I agree that a nice musical instrument is a thing of beauty. We have a lovely old piano that we had restored at ridiculous expense a few years ago. Seems daft really when we could have got a very good electric piano for far less, but I somehow feel like it has a soul. There's is a plaque on it with the date it was sold by a local music shop just before WW1 and I like to imagine all the families it has belonged to and how much history it's seen. But maybe I'm just a bit mad. It does also have a very nice tone!
I don't feel quite the emotional attachment to other DS's guitars, but I do have fairly strong views on what I do and don't like from an aesthetic point of view and appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry of a well made instrument.

I get loads of interesting stuff on Facebook from various musicians and it's always nice to see what their preferences are. David Gilmour, for example, likes Fender Stratocaster guitars and Pete Cornish pedals. Ronnie Tutt played at least three different brands of drums throughout his career; Ludwig, Tama and Drum Workshop. Nathan East plays Yamaha bass guitars. I've watched a few Bruce Welch 'Guitar Story' videos on YouTube recently. I learned that Cliff Richard imported the first Stratocaster to the UK!

Yes!!! I can play Celtic harp a bit and I try to play guitar - I'm very bad at it, but I had lessons and bought myself a cheap classical guitar and I have fun at home trying to play it! But I just love music and musical instruments - I love watching orchestras playing - I'm hooked on music videos on utube! I'm still cross with myself for not learning piano when I was a kid - and I have always had a secret longing to play drum kit. 😁
I always have music playing in the car when I'm driving and I play it at home all the time - I love and collect cds and I have a cd player in each room.
Musical instruments are things of beauty 🎸🎷🎶

Its the way the violin resonates which fascinates me. Its sounds like little bells are going off inside it when it resonates on the high notes in 5th position.

I'm also learning piano and the concert ukulele. I really like strings and woodwind can play clarinet and flute too. Instruments just fascinate me😁

I love woodwind, particularly flutes. I think people look beautiful playing them, as well as loving the sound.

Armenian duduk. I know nothing about Armenia but I love a duduk 😍

My guitar is a thing of beauty, with very intricate shell inlay on the fretboard it also has a beautiful sound providing I'm not playing. But I guard it jealously and dc aren't allowed to touch it, until they have mastered the basic techniques on their own guitars.

Too bad that quality instruments are often very expensive. I once saw a Boosey and Hawkes tenor saxophone in a music shop. It was £8000!

I think the contoured shape and styling of the Fender Stratocaster and Precision Bass guitars are hard to beat.

violin , with classical music played with the instrument

I sometimes play at playing the piano. I did, in my youth, get as far as bashing out one full Mozart sonata (and the occasional Chopin nocturne) but I can’t play well, as I have toy hands that can barely stretch octaves.

I did a year of clarinet at 12 and really liked it, but didn’t have the time or money to pursue it.

I bought a mandolin on ebay the other day. I should have it by Monday latest. I have never played the mandolin before, however, I did play violin in the school orchestra and the mandolin has the same tuning! Hope that helps .

I would love to play the piano. I did not get my Brownie's music badge. I played the recorder but unknown to me, I was using the wrong fingers. My Brother taught me and he was left handed. To try to get the badge I stood in a hall which was full of proud parents. My mum, aunt and brother were there. My choice of tune was God save the Queen. Easily remembered right? Wrong! I forgot it half way through!!!! They also told me my fingering was all wrong.

You will all be pleased to know I got my cookery badge and , thanks to mum (ex seamstress) the sewing badge!!

@TheTecknician have a look at Cannonball saxs, they do all kinds of vintage and 'distressed' looks. The mando is a lovely instrument and easy to get started with. Don't be tempted to start with a really floppy pick, even though it might feel "easier", you want 0.7mm or thicker to be able to play notes precisely and with good attack. And while you can just use ordinary guitar picks it will be easier with proper mando picks. There are loads of youtube videos about how to build up the right hand speed to get the classic tremolo picking sound.

Thankyou Melodious. Said mandolin arrived this morning. I tuned it with my piano, it sounded completely different to all the YouTube tuning guides and I broke an E string in the process! I wonder if I've inadvertently bought an instrument with different strings and tuning. I'll investigate further and I might buy a new set of strings as the 7 remaining are showing signs of rust and oxidation.