Has anyone gone back to playing a musical instrument again, as an adult?

[legacy]

When I was at school I used to play the piano, the recorder, the violin (extremely briefly!) and the clarinet.

I was quite good at the clarinet (about Grade 7 I think) and played in a regional wind band and went on tour etc.

When I went off to Uni it all stopped, as I wasn't as good as the people who were doing music degrees etc and I got involved in other things.

Now, over 20 years later I'd like to start playing again, but am not sure how to go about it. When you are at school there are beginners orchestras and groups etc, but as an adult it all seems more professional.

I got my clarinet out the other day and couldn't remember all the fingerings, and had a crap embouchure and no breath control!
(Although I think I could get it all back with practice).

Just wondered if anyone has 'got back into music' as an adult, and how they did it?

Oh, just me then...

I'd like to learn piano. I tinkered for a while in my early 20's but now ds 7 is getting better than me I'd like to keep up (overtake)him.

I haven't got back to it cos I never did it apart from the recorder, but both DDs played piano and last year, inspired by the free Guardian 'Teach Yourself Piano' book, I decided to have a go... well I'm never going to play at the Albert Hall, that's for sure, but I can now play simple duets quite passably with the girls and my "party piece" is from an ABRSM Grade 2 book of a few years back.

I'm never going to get a lot further but I'm getting the most tremendous pleasure out of it and there are a lot of lovely pieces out there (Pam Wedgwood, mostly) for beginners like me.

I played the piano really badly for many years. I gave up as soon as I left music college aged 21. Fast forward 9 years and I trained to be a teacher and used the fact that I could (just about) play the piano to give me something good on my CV. I've had to play in every school since even though I hate playing and I'm really, really bad at it.

I also stopped singing about 10 years ago, except at school and then last year, in a moment of madness, I agreed to do a solo recital! It was incredibly hard work and took 6 months of singing lessons to get up to a reasonable standard again, but the concert was bloody marvellous! I absolutely loved it.

i took guitar lessons when i was about 26 for a few years. really enjoyed the lessons and can now strum along to kum ba ya

my children attend a junior music group and they recently started an Adults Recorder group (from the complete novice to the returners)

Ask around and see if your local council have a Music Services Deptartment, they may be able to advise you.

I'd love to start up on the pipes again. or the big drum again

I played the cello and clarinet when I was younger. I asked dh for a violin for Christmas with every intention of teaching myself to play and then perhaps joining an informal group. I've managed to practise a handful of times - having 3 kids, a job with a long commute and no outside help has made me realise just how little time I have to myself, and I'm mightily peed off.