To ask for your favourite and least favourite musical instruments?

[Coffeebiscuitsrepeat]

I'll start.

I love the viola
I fucking hate the saxophone (Unless played SPELLBINDINGLY well).

If we’re going for voices as instruments then a damn sexy melted chocolate male voice is on my favourites list.

Least favourite would be symbols because I hate loud crashy noises, or my mothers karaoke which sounds like two ferrets scrapping.

*cymbals

Best cello/saxophone

Worst mouth organ

Ahhhhhhhhh this is so hard

Best; Oboe, Cello, Mandolin, Sitar, Indian Classical Violin, Classical or Flamenco Guitar.

Worst; I’m not keen on the sax. Snare drums make me a bit panicky. Electric Jazz Organs sound naff. Cheap 80s synths. Don’t love a ukulele.

I like bagpipes. They make me a bit emotional in a Sistine Chapel sort of way.

Bagpipes in context can be fantastic. Not sure I have a favourite though , it's when instruments come together I am happiest

Electronic keyboards when played to sound electronic are probably bottom of my list

Best : oboe, by miles. Worst: penny whistles.

Hate the bagpipes, ear bleeding.

Fave: I have special affinity with the double bass though it doesn't sound particularly beautiful

Worst: bagpipes... flute and ukulele are also quite annoying

Worst - flute! Followed by sax
Best - anything brassy.

Best: Saz (a Turkish stringed instrument a bit like a lute I guess) followed by a guitar if not available. I also have a special spot for a darbuka drum.

Worst: I think I would go recorder.

Hate Bagpipes - I live in Scotland and the sound just goes right through me.

Love - Drums, guitar and cello

I was going to add the sound of children singing as probably the worst music but it's maybe not the instrument you were looking for! A whole band of primary school violins comes a close second.

Mine all play wind instruments and have been not too bad from the start.

Best : piano
Worst: flute

CardsforKittens do you have perfect pitch, or just a really good ear?

Definitely not perfect pitch - I used to be a keen amateur musician and my ear was always pretty good but I know I don’t have perfect pitch.

I’m wondering if it’s actually the beginning of impending deafness. My mum started to go deaf in her 40s and she says all music sounds ‘wrong’ now, even with hearing aids.

However, unlike most PP I really like the bagpipes.

Best harp & guitar
Worst piano and flute

I also dislike the flute, especially when the player uses a very wide vibrato. I won't give away which instrument I play as I don't want to seem biased, but it is actually not my listed favourite!

Bagpipes are fine when played in context - ie Scotland (or Ireland for the Irish type or Northumberland for the Northumbrian type, sorry if I've missed any out). Not ok eg in the middle of Frankfurt or Rome.

Harp is lovely.

Recorders can be awful but it isn't actually that hard to play one well. It's worth listening to Michaela Petri for something really amazing.

I like brass bands but don't like the tuba on its own.

I played the clarinet for a couple of years but didn't stick at it. Ditto piano in my teens though I got good enough to pass my GCSE music practical exam.

I wouldn't want to play the cello or the double bass because of practicalities (ditto the harp I suppose).

Fave - euphonium and I'm going to give a boost to bagpipes as well. I love them. Bagpipes - heard properly and not right in your ear - are beautiful.

Worst - Saxophone...I can't hear it without thinking bad 'sexy' music.

Not a big fan of voice though. The slightest hint of being out of tune sets my teeth on edge. School choir concerts are very very hard. I wish I could get over myself but it seems to be beyond my conscious control

Agree, though I don't have perfect pitch either and struggle to sing completely in tune myself now due to lack of practice. It's very easy to sing flat unless you control it perfectly and small children don't!

Oh go on Coffeebiscuitsrepeat, you must tell

Least favourite is flute, I always turn off Classic FM if a flute appears.

Favourite, too hard to say but I will give uileann pipes a shout out (not to be confused with bagpipes). Moving Hearts (band name) playing The Lark is a good lively example.

I was about to ask how anyone could object to the euphonium.

Then I remembered the family video of DS playing his very very first one, aged about 7. ‘Angry snoring warthog’ is a fair description.

Bagpipes

Worst: Probably bagpipes, it's the drone underneath I dislike. Piccolo is a very close second though; just because you can play that high doesn't mean you should!

Favourite: Alone, a piano. Together, cornets.

Love piano or organ.

Can’t stand bagpipes.