Instrumentist Survey

I play Drums first, then Guitar/Mandolin, finally keys (in a rather idiosyncratic manner!). I tried wind instruments, but it just didn’t work…

DSP

Maybe we can made a “musician/directory” of ntrackers where anyone can put it name under the instrument that plays and her skill level. With a link for Hollywood producers, also.

I play Drums first, then Guitar/Mandolin, finally keys (in a rather idiosyncratic manner!).

Wow, that does seem a little out of the norm. I started on keys, moved onto percusion (congas and concert band percussion) then onto a full drum set last (and somewhere along the ,line I picked up some guitar and bought a bass).

Even though I don't actively play piano anymore I found the theory base to be a great start to other instruments.

How come only one instrument can be selected?

I play guitar (acoustic, steel-strung, and electric), bass guitar, mandolin (acoustic and electric), harmonica, keyboards, recorder, percussion and xaphoon (pocket sax). I hope to take up singing and alto sax any time soon… :D

regards, Nils

xaphoon (pocket sax

How is going this business Nils? I remember when you post your questions about it and you was learning it. How are you now about it? Is the "really nice" thing it claims?
Quote (dubbreak @ Dec. 15 2004,21:58)
I play Drums first, then Guitar/Mandolin, finally keys (in a rather idiosyncratic manner!).


Wow, that does seem a little out of the norm. I started on keys, moved onto percusion (congas and concert band percussion) then onto a full drum set last (and somewhere along the ,line I picked up some guitar and bought a bass).

Even though I don't actively play piano anymore I found the theory base to be a great start to other instruments.
do you use a metronome or something? Even then, drums are the basis for any song. It is in the drums that the groove is established. All instruments work off of the drums. If I actually recorded drums, I would record them first. Even though I do not (I use very good sounding samples via midi), I always lay them out first, even amongst my midi stuff. I use midi for drums, keys and electronic effects, and bass (although I play bass, I like the control of midi and the availability of good bass sound). But I always compose the drums first of the three midi parts. I chose the samples for them first. I vstify them first. I import them into the track first. and I mix them first. Everyone I have talked with start with uses drums first. But hey, whatever works for you. As long as it sounds good in the end, right?
Quote (marce @ Dec. 16 2004,06:42)
xaphoon (pocket sax


How is going this business Nils? I remember when you post your questions about it and you was learning it. How are you now about it? Is the "really nice" thing it claims?
Hi marce, and thanks for your interest.

I have now played the thing for about half a year, and am getting more adept with it every time I play. I have devleoped a juicy, Bechet-style vibrato and a tone I like myself (well, you can always improve). I'd definitely recommend the pocket sax to anyone wanting to learn ordinary sax. It is a cheap way of learning embouchure and blowing technique. After a bit of experimentation, I've settled for Rico no. 3 blades, as that works best for me. (YMMW) In fact, I am considering buying an alto sax from a friend of mine.

Actually, I am having my first real public performance on the instrument this sunday, playing a couple of christmas carols with some friends to entertain the customers in a local café. I will bring my Fender Telecaster, too, so as to not completely embarrass myself... :D This is, after all, our first public appearance in twenty years.

Reports on how the venue went will follow...

regards, Nils
This is, after all, our first public appearance in twenty years.


That's Good! Congrat Nils and luck in your performance. Nice to hear about the instrument from a "real" guy (you know, all the advise in the xaphoon webpage is good, but, who knows if it is true?) The fact that playing it anger you to go with a more "heavy" instrument like a sax is a good thing.
Are you going to record the performance? For sure that some folks would like to hear it, even if you cant record it at top quality.

Well, see you Nils, and luck with the public performance!

Another guitarist here. 42 years (electric, gtr synth, steel string, classical, archtop for jazz, bottleneck) bass, keys, recorders, harmonica, vocals, arranging.

do you use a metronome or something? Even then, drums are the basis for any song. It is in the drums that the groove is established.

I said a theory base, as in learning piano will give you the tools to learn anything else. You learn to read notes, learn scales after a short time you can pick out intervals by ear. Also it gives you a good idea of song composure in my opinion.. as a drummer you are then able to read where a song is going better (which is important if you are playing a gig dry). Being drummer so I would not disagree that drums/rythm section is the MOST important part of a band. If they aren't on it doesn't matter how good the rest of the band is.

I also found that playing piano made sight reading drum music easy (there aren't as many notes at the same time i love it!). A lot easier than if someone just jumped into drumming not having played any other instrument.

I also agree on laying drums down first. The band i'm in records drums and bass at the same time so we can "groove" on each other. Of course on seperate tracks so that if one of us goofs and the other has a great take we don't have to scrub it.

I started on alto sax in the fourth grade. Switched to Bari in 8th grade and played that through college. I started guitar at age 14 and joined a band as lead singer at age 15. Started my own band at 17 as lead guitarist and lead singer. Switched to bass at 21. I play blues harp as well.

My best instrument is my voice. :D

Marce, a sax is a woodwind. :D

Blessings, Terry

Marce, a sax is a woodwind.

:D

Historically thats not right,i believe. Sax is a mix between brass and woodwinds. Using the blow thing similar to a clarinet and the metal material.

Anyone more knowledge can say something?

It depends what crowd you run with. More classically minded folks say hybrid. Technically that is true where as the term woodwind refers to the “horn” itself, not the reed thus flutes are in the woodwind family. Only in the past 75 years have flutes been made of metal. Before that it is was ebony and other woods. The sax is a ophicleide derivative which is a brass instrument and a clarinet derivative. More modern minded folks say a sax is a woodwind which it really is unless you want to get all pedantic and purist. The same folks fight over whether a piano is a percussion instrument or not.

The story is Adolphe Sax was a bit of a jerk and pissed off half the symphonies in Europe, thus the sax was never used extensively in orchestral music and was relegated to mostly military band use. Surprisingly you still see a prejudice against today in some purist circles. I used to work with a classical repairman who when he would “pity” someone and work on a sax would test the pads for leaks and would always end it with “Close enough for jazz.”

As I said, it depends on the crowd you run with and the way things are taught in differenet countries too. Just like the US is the only place to use the alphabet for note names. Everyplace else uses a fixed Do.

which it really is unless you want to get all pedantic and purist

I see that you are knowing me better Bubba :D

Clasify instruments is always a little hard since you can have diffrent ways to do. After years studying the topic i have my own way to classify them: Group 1: I like them. Group 2: I dont like them (well, if you want give one of them like present i can change my opinion) ;)

I think in this survey for operational purposes, now i know (and the other members of the forum) where to ask some thing about any instrument. Im surprise that in the "most wanted features" score was choosen more than a "tablature" guitar mode, or something like that.

I think tablature doesn’t help folks sequence. If they need tab, as you have seen, there are a million guitar players around and it is just as easy to write the chord names on a lead sheet and record a real guitar. The score feature is really just for sequencing I would think and not so much for printing sheet music.
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I see that you are knowing me better Bubba


Yes, I have you figured out. :;):
The score feature is really just for sequencing I would think and not so much for printing sheet music.


I see the point.