Who else plays an instrument?

[dean owens]

i know a few of you play guitar. i was just curious how many musicians we have in here. so here's some quick questions.

• what instrument(s) do you play?
  ...got any pics?
  
• how long have you been playing?
  
• what styles do you play?
  
• who were/are your major influences?
  
• is your current gig in your living room, local bar, church or on the road?
  
• got anything else you want to share?

 

[Kazza]

I play piano - lessons in my younger years - but no longer have a piano.

I'm a self taught VERY amateur guitar player - I have a Yamaha acoustic six string.

With guitar I play by ear mostly, so I try to copy any rock riff I like (Clapton, Led Zep, The Who, Pink Floyd, Hendrix - the best guitar players who I try to copy - as I said AMATEUR player who would never play in front of anyone else.....)

 

[dean owens]

• what instrument(s) do you play?
  ...got any pics?

main instrument is bass.
- i started off on a harmony bass. it was junk but i loved it.
- next bass was my first real bass... a 78 fender mustang. i had it all the way up until about 6 months ago and sold it. just felt like i was storing up treasures where moths and rust would destroy it. here's a pic.


- next was a hamer slammer at about age 16. my introduction into the 5 string world. i still have it - although it doesn't get much playing time.


- about a year ago i got as close to my dream bass as i think i'll ever get. i picked up a spector rebop. i'd love to have a neck-through with a solid maple body... but i'll take a bolt on alder body. it sounds amazing. oh, and i'd love it to be white.

and here's my rig. i got too old to carry a big amp around anymore. so a 5 lb head that puts out 350 watts into a single 12 is right up my alley.

i also play guitar.
- electric - i have a fender MIM nashville tele and a 5e3 tweed deluxe amp that i built.
- acoustic - i have a takamine.
i don't have any pics of my guitar stuff.

i've also been known to play djembe from time to time. my wife has one that she never plays. i tend to break it out and play it for the girls every now and then.

• how long have you been playing?

i've been playing bass since i was 12 "and a half" (or since christmas 1989).
i started playing guitar about 8 months later.
not sure when i started playing any percussions i could get my hands on.

• what styles do you play?

i guess a little of everything. right now i play a lot of "praise" music when i play with others.
around the house i tend to play a lot of blues on guitar. every now and then i relive the glory days and play a bit of metal.
generally if i pick up my bass for fun around the house it's usually metal.

i have added a new genera recently... kids songs. my girls love singing songs so i've started learning whatever songs they like so we can have "sing time".

• who were/are your major influences?

i started off as a metal kid. i grew up playing metallica, megadeath, skid row, slayer, etc. it's still in me. i started playing bass because of rachel bolan (the bassist for skid row) and because of him always dreamed of having a white spector bass.

over the last 8-12 years on guitar i've gone from dave matthews... to stevie ray vaughn... to jimi hendrix... to david crowder.

• is your current gig in your living room, local bar, church or on the road?

my most consistent gig is for my girls in my living room. i also play 1-3 times a month in church and a few times a year for weeks of camp and such. the rock star days are behind me.

• got anything else you want to share?

if i knew how to post songs i'd share the only recording i have from my time in college but i have no clue so i'll just stop here. besides, i think i've yammered long enough.

 

[dean owens]

I play piano - lessons in my younger years - but no longer have a piano.

I'm a self taught VERY amateur guitar player - I have a Yamaha acoustic six string.

With guitar I play by ear mostly, so I try to copy any rock riff I like (Clapton, Led Zep, The Who, Pink Floyd, Hendrix - the best guitar players who I try to copy - as I said AMATEUR player who would never play in front of anyone else.....)

always wanted to learn piano. still do actually. and you have GREAT taste in music.

 

[Dennis in NH]

I play piano: I play classical (good exercise) and some pop or whatever sheet music I buy for songs that make me feel "I need to play that".

I started guitar a few years ago and stopped due to too much piano. I started guitar a little more seriously late Summer last year and am learning that. I earned some good callusses and hope to continue. Part of what stopped me before was it was just too painful.

My piano is a Yamaha Grand C3 (professional grade piano) -- I think it's a 6' 1"; I bought it thinking that I can never upgrade until I can justify myself on it. I'm surely not there yet and most likely never will be. It's still a great piano. It's going on year 2 without a tune and still sounds good.

I had a Yamaha Grand GP1 (casual player grade piano) before -- nice small grand piano and traded that for the C3. I have an electric piano from GEM and still use that to avoid waking my family up.

My biggest influence was Sarah Mclachlan -- it was her that made me feel like I needed to play. I wanted to play as a child but never had the time. I was out of work for almost a year in 2002ish and that's when I started. Other influences are Paul McCartney and various rock bands that have great pianists. I adore Amy Lee of Evanescence -- her voice and playing (I love playing "My Immortal"). I also love to listen to Diana Krall -- I'll never get that good but love to watch her anyway.

My guitar is an Alvarez -- $200 at Daddy's Junky Music (and came with a case too) -- seems like a decent guitar.

Music provides that extra something you need when you feel whatever. When I'm happy I play, when I'm sad or depressed I play -- either way the music comes out different when you play in "an emotional state". Chopin is best played when you're a little down -- Nocturn in C#m. Mozart is best played when you're kind of happy -- Rondo Alla Turca. Beethoven is best play when you're a little pissed (Moonlight Sonata 3rd Mvt.). After playing out your emotion, you feel a little better.

Anyway, ...

Dennis

 

[oldfast007]

I don't play, but rather commit "guitar", ya know kind of like when you commit golf but aren't actually good enough to "play" it

Been trying for years to get good at it, but for now it's just a great stress reliever. I don't have an "ear" for it. so I hope some day a kind and patient player will teach me how to improve...

Gear:

Carvin DC200T Electric. (That I couldn't sell)
Peavy Limited Exp Electric
Carvin SX 300 2X12 100 Watt Amp
Line 6 Pod XT
Seagull S6 Slim Acoustic

I play in my house with all the windows/shades and doors shut. Until the wife tells me to stop or put headphones on, usually after 5 minutes

 

[Motogiro]

I don't play, but rather commit "guitar", ya know kind of like when you commit golf but aren't actually good enough to "play" it

Been trying for years to get good at it, but for now it's just a great stress reliever. I don't have an "ear" for it. so I hope some day a kind and patient player will teach me how to improve...

Gear:

Carvin DC200T Electric. (That I couldn't sell)
Peavy Limited Exp Electric
Carvin SX 300 2X12 100 Watt Amp
Line 6 Pod XT
Seagull S6 Slim Acoustic

I play in my house with all the windows/shades and doors shut. Until the wife tells me to stop or put headphones on, usually after 5 minutes

Hey does that SX series Carvin amp use MOSFETs? I think I remember that series and MOSFETs were know for their richer harmonic content being closer to emulating tube sweetness. Carvin is right up the freeway from me....

 

[Kazza]

Dean, since you love bass, what's your opinion on Mark King? Level 42 bassist and I believe one of the best bass players ever.....

 

[oldfast007]

Hey does that SX series Carvin amp use MOSFETs? I think I remember that series and MOSFETs were know for their richer harmonic content being closer to emulating tube sweetness. Carvin is right up the freeway from me....

Not sure honestly, but I do know that it is NOT a true "tube" amp sound, and when plugged in at my house without a guitar connected you can get what sounds like Radio free Korea or some other am band third world radio station through the speakers...

So, have you been to the factory yet? do you play? report man, report!!

 

[dean owens]

Dean, since you love bass, what's your opinion on Mark King? Level 42 bassist and I believe one of the best bass players ever.....

wow. learn something new everyday. i've seen youtube videos and heard the songs but i've never "heard" of him before. just did a little more searching. he is pretty good. i don't have much of an opinion just yet. but thanks for pointing me to more great music. i'll be checking him out a little more in the coming days and get back to you. at this point i know he's good, just don't know how good he is.

 

[Motogiro]

Not sure honestly, but I do know that it is NOT a true "tube" amp sound, and when plugged in at my house without a guitar connected you can get what sounds like Radio free Korea or some other am band third world radio station through the speakers...

So, have you been to the factory yet? do you play? report man, report!!

I play a little. Haven't been to the factory yet but my son and I were laughing our butts off one day trying to figure out what happens when you plug your guitar into one of the many Cuisinart guitar processors with say a 2 by 12 celestion cabinet emulator using the Marshall emulator into a Fender Twin Reverb. Hahaha :rof:
My son started playing more seriously a few years ago and really impresses me with his taste and creativity in music. He does some home recording and we'll bounce stuff back and forth. I play guitar, bass and love beating on things. Sometimes I play rythms at restaurants on all the condements. But you know people...Sometimes they just go to eat and if they haven't seen you on TV it doesn't matter how good you are! Hahaha! J/K

Music is like a door to me. If it makes you feel good that's where it matters and somehow that can translate to people who hear you play because it's something honest from your heart and doesn't necessarily need expert technique but if you have both. Wow! Until your wife tell you to stop! Hahaha :rof: Only kidding! Music is such a powerful energy and experience.

 

[Motogiro]

main instrument is bass.
- i started off on a harmony bass. it was junk but i loved it.
- next bass was my first real bass... a 78 fender mustang. i had it all the way up until about 6 months ago and sold it. just felt like i was storing up treasures where moths and rust would destroy it. here's a pic.


- next was a hamer slammer at about age 16. my introduction into the 5 string world. i still have it - although it doesn't get much playing time.


- about a year ago i got as close to my dream bass as i think i'll ever get. i picked up a spector rebop. i'd love to have a neck-through with a solid maple body... but i'll take a bolt on alder body. it sounds amazing. oh, and i'd love it to be white.

and here's my rig. i got too old to carry a big amp around anymore. so a 5 lb head that puts out 350 watts into a single 12 is right up my alley.

i also play guitar.
- electric - i have a fender MIM nashville tele and a 5e3 tweed deluxe amp that i built.
- acoustic - i have a takamine.
i don't have any pics of my guitar stuff.

i've also been known to play djembe from time to time. my wife has one that she never plays. i tend to break it out and play it for the girls every now and then.


i've been playing bass since i was 12 "and a half" (or since christmas 1989).
i started playing guitar about 8 months later.
not sure when i started playing any percussions i could get my hands on.


i guess a little of everything. right now i play a lot of "praise" music when i play with others.
around the house i tend to play a lot of blues on guitar. every now and then i relive the glory days and play a bit of metal.
generally if i pick up my bass for fun around the house it's usually metal.

i have added a new genera recently... kids songs. my girls love singing songs so i've started learning whatever songs they like so we can have "sing time".


i started off as a metal kid. i grew up playing metallica, megadeath, skid row, slayer, etc. it's still in me. i started playing bass because of rachel bolan (the bassist for skid row) and because of him always dreamed of having a white spector bass.

over the last 8-12 years on guitar i've gone from dave matthews... to stevie ray vaughn... to jimi hendrix... to david crowder.


my most consistent gig is for my girls in my living room. i also play 1-3 times a month in church and a few times a year for weeks of camp and such. the rock star days are behind me.


if i knew how to post songs i'd share the only recording i have from my time in college but i have no clue so i'll just stop here. besides, i think i've yammered long enough.

@Dean
Haha! I used to talk to Dave (The Snake) Sabo when he sold guitar picks at some hole in the wall music store in Toms River area. It was just before they started opening for Guns n Roses. Haha! Pretty cool to see people on the verge of their dreams, fingers crossed. I also grew up around the Boss way before he became famous. From the days of The Castiles, Earth, and Steele Mill. Funny to be a kid playing right next to someone like that, going camping together and to see him on TV today with Elvis Costello.

I love music and know I'm right where I should be with it....

Oh yeah you should be able to create a zipped file and upload it here if you want to share your music.
And Oh Yeah! Happy Valentines Day!

 

[Motogiro]

I don't understand this double post hiccup!?

 

[McLovin]

i know a few of you play guitar. i was just curious how many musicians we have in here. so here's some quick questions.

• what instrument(s) do you play?
  ...got any pics?
  
• how long have you been playing?
  
• what styles do you play?
  
• who were/are your major influences?
  
• is your current gig in your living room, local bar, church or on the road?
  
• got anything else you want to share?

I play the guitar.

Been playin over 10 years.

Blues, jazz, psychedelic rock, heavy metal is what i mostly play .. i like to jam to anything that sounds good to me..

major influences are metallica, rhcp, opeth, dream theater, pink floyd and many more..

i like to jam with my good friends..and jam to garageband or any other song..played concerts in highschool. I also played the drums for a while. Just learned by being near it in the studio. Learned base the same way.

I taught myself how to play just by listening to songs and looking at tabs and chords on the internet. Started on the classical, switched to acoustic and later picked up the electric guitar. I currently own an Ibanez s450.

 

[krid80]

I am most proficient in singing (University trained classical singer) and jazz saxophone. My jazz director in college said if I applied myself I could be pro.... didn't apply myself much though.

I started on a beginner sax YAS-23 Yamaha and in high school, traded that for a Yamaha YAS-52. I still use it and it is quite good. I play a Meyer medium chamber hard rubber mouth piece and a plastic reed. I mostly play church solos now (often unaccompanied).

I also play guitar (have an Ibanez P10 acoustic) that I use a Dean Markley pickup to amplify. When I play guitar, I am usually either doing it for a wedding, for me, or leading acoustic worship for a small group.

Lastly, piano. I started taking piano lessons at the ripe old age of 4 (thanks mom). I hated it back then but continued off and on until high school. After that, I started liking it but no longer took any lessons. Mom and Dad bought a Baldwin upright that still is in their house and still plays pretty good. At the church in my hometown I would often play the 1921 Steinway Baby Grand that was in the sanctuary. I currently have a Yamaha DGX-205 "Portable Grand" keyboard that fills the need whenever I need to work out that song in my head.

I have always had the ear for music and have nearly perfect pitch (always know where Middle C is audibly). Planned on being a professional opera singer, but changed my mind and haven't done a lot with my music since. Ideally, if I were to get back into music, I would have a job kinda like dean (college minister) where I could lead authentic acoustic driven worship.

Ah well. Good times.

 

[Humperdinkel]

Cool thread idea :thumbup:....... I have been playing various instruments for , ohh i dunno 17 years or so ... Let me go take some quick pic's....

#1 is my Fender Musicmaster Bass , which i am sitting here restringing as i type
#2 & #3 are my Didgeridoo's , one day when i have the time i'll tell you all the stories behind the artwork
#4 is my Johnson Blues Harp
#5 is my Ashton Acoustic
#6 last but not least , my pride and joy Ibanez Jem 77FP :rockon: :rockon:

Ohh and i also forgot to take a pic of my Bugle but im still not able to play it so i wont worry bout a pic

 

[Circle]

Damn! Bass players "Assemble!"
As a (bass playing) music teacher this thread brings a ear to my eye! :rockon:
"You just turn it on its side and... Cello!"

 

[OZXJR]

i know a few of you play guitar. i was just curious how many musicians we have in here. so here's some quick questions.

• what instrument(s) do you play?
  ...got any pics?
  
• how long have you been playing?
  
• what styles do you play?
  
• who were/are your major influences?
  
• is your current gig in your living room, local bar, church or on the road?
  
• got anything else you want to share?

I,ll probably get :ban:ed for this
I can't mention what I play here ,and I have some great answers to those questions

 

[Jb40k]

Some awesome kit on show here, I love how we have as much passion for our instruments as we do for our bikes!

I play bass guitar at the moment, a Washburn XB120, been playing for 18 months (previously played guitar, Ibanez EDR170 EX, for around 6 years).

Current playing in a four piece ska punk band called 'Dave Little and the Window Lickers' - we don't take ourselves too seriously, playing style is ska/reggae with alot of heavy low end! Personal influences include: Tool and Black Sabbath, although most jam sessions are much more upbeat: Sublime, Rancid, Less Than Jake...

Currently gigging local bars, whilst writing and looking to record some original stuff over the next few weeks!

Thats my rig there: Marshall MB4210 combo with the Yamaha BBT410 cab, Zoom GFX3 for onstage leveling, muting and tuning.

Couldn't help whore a photo of my last band 'Johnny 4skin and the Pullbacks', that was our final gig headlining as a house band at the Students' Union, playing rock covers (mostly Kings of Leon)... around 2,500 people packed the Ballroom that night!

 

[dean owens]

I play piano: I play classical (good exercise) and some pop or whatever sheet music I buy for songs that make me feel "I need to play that".
...
My piano is a Yamaha Grand C3 (professional grade piano) -- I think it's a 6' 1"; I bought it thinking that I can never upgrade until I can justify myself on it.

wow. would have never guessed. gotta say, i'm a little envious.

I adore Amy Lee of Evanescence -- her voice and playing (I love playing "My Immortal").

great influences... i too love her voice. that first cd is pretty amazing. i rock out to it quite often. i've always loved a nice powerful female voice.

Music provides that extra something you need when you feel whatever. When I'm happy I play, when I'm sad or depressed I play -- either way the music comes out different when you play in "an emotional state". ... After playing out your emotion, you feel a little better.

PREACH IT BROTHER!!! :rockon: :rockon: music was my crutch to lean on when my parents split. i was in jr. high and probably would have done A LOT more things wrong if i didn't have music to turn to. it's amazing... not only what it does for you but what you can do for others through it as well. it is such a gift... and i also think it's such a responsibility because of that.

I don't play, but rather commit "guitar"...

Been trying for years to get good at it, but for now it's just a great stress reliever.

that's all that matters. as dennis so greatly put it... it's an emotional release. music is good for the soul.

I play in my house with all the windows/shades and doors shut. Until the wife tells me to stop or put headphones on, usually after 5 minutes

:rof: :rof: :rof:

...
Blues, jazz, psychedelic rock, heavy metal is what i mostly play .. i like to jam to anything that sounds good to me..

major influences are metallica, rhcp, opeth, dream theater, pink floyd and many more..

another one with good taste in music. dream theater is AMAZING!