[Harp-L] Re: other instruments ?

["Splash" <celtiac@xxxxxxxxx>]

First instrument I started learning to play was the Ulian Pipes, and then a 
2-drone bagpipes. I joke now that I had to give them up for health reasons.

They were going to kill me if I didn't shut up with that gawd-aweful noise! 
<Har!>

A little bit later when I was 5, my Grandfather caught me playing one of his 
tenor banjos and gave it to me.  A year later I got my first guitar.  And 
then later I got a 5-string.  I played the banjo(s) and guitar for a number 
of years and then a friend gave me her old C-Melody Saxophone.

I started learning the Sax but it needed pads badly so I got an Alto. 
Trying to learn that without lessons was a struggle so I got a flute and 
started taking lessons on the flute.  Coming home and re-learning the same 
lessons on the C-Melody which I had pads and springs replaced and then 
transposing to the Alto.  Played those for about 10 years till the burglary. 
Meh!  We had a pretty cool band going during those years with a trumpet 
player and his brother on Trombone, a nice horn section doing covers of 
Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago Transit Authority etc.  And also Jethro Tull 
stuff on the flute.  I was a real Herbie Man fan too.

All during that time I was singing in school.  The Chorale, the Barbershop 
Quartet, Madrigals, and later in the jazz band.  That singing discipline 
gave me more knowledge about music theory than any of the other instruments 
by far.  Reading music became almost second nature for voice and the other 
single-note instruments, but much more difficult for me on guitar.  I didn't 
persue the Classical guitar stuff much but still do use some the techniques 
for fingerstyle folk on steel stringed guitar.

Then I got my grandfathers old - er ancient mandolin and proceeded to 
rebuild it from the bones up.  Tuned the same as the tenor banjo so it was 
fairly easy to get the fingering down.  It since has failed braces and is 
back in a box waiting.

I never did progress much on the piano or the violin but I did give those a 
try.  Like Dirty Harry says, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Oh, I did about 5 years playing electric Bass Guitar in a Jazz-Rock fusion 
band because there were too many guitarists and there were opportunities for 
gigging on the Bass.  It seemed like there was always someone needing a bass 
player on short notice too.

These days I am 99% playing acoustic and electric guitar and harmonica 
(10-hole diatonic).  If I see a musical instrument I have not tried, I will 
most certainly give it a try.  Didgeridoo,  not very good at but like to 
toot on them when someone has one.  African hand instruments... and I 
recently picked up a pair of Congas.. er 1 conga and 1 quinto?

I say, try everything once and then stick with what makes your passion 
juices run hot.

"If yer not having fun, yer not doing it right!"

PEACE
Splash