Yo to all.

seeing as the music room has what media are we playing etc, I thought I'd ask what actual music anyone who has an instrument etc is playing, now...

To start - on grade 3 piano - so am doing -
Bartok - Round dance no 17
Also been playing: Cloud shapes by Wil Baily, plus assorted other bits by: abba , Paul Simon etc...

So ,what are you playing, and why?

Andy,
It is nice to see at least one other player here! Are you taking lessons, exams, etc. or just doing it on your own?

On the cello I am currently in the pre-stages of learning Twinkle, Twinkle....

On the piano, it's a different story. There is always huge piles of music perpetually strewn around the piano that one can't see the floor let alone walk around. Currently (and the past 6 months/years?, who knows) struggling and plodding my way through, bar by bar:
- Bach, WTC Bk. I, e minor prelude & fugue, BWV 855
- Beethoven, Piano Sonata in F major op. 10, no. 2
- Schumann, Bunte Blätter, Op. 99 (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 so far)
- Chopin, Preludes, Op. 28 (about 18 of the 24, so far)
- Chopin, Etüde in A flat major, Op. 25, no.2
- Debussy, Prelude, Des pas sur la neige, Bk. 1
- Prokofiev, Visions Fugutives, Op. 22, (#1, 3, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 so far)
- Brahms, Piano Trio in B major, Op. 8

Usually the huge piles of CD's strewn around the hi-fi reflects what I'm trying to learn/play.

Why, you ask? Even if it is hard, takes a huge amount of time, effort, and commitment every day, sounds mostly horrible and I'll never make it to Carnegie Hall and Deutsche Grammophon will never call it is simply one of the most satisfying and pleasurable activities that one could be involved in, IMHO.

Cheers,
Doug

Dear Andy,

Here is a picture where I am playing a bass on the Twelvth of April this year, in preparation for a concert on the next day.



Really I stopped playing in 2002, and for a fee two years before that, but came out of a retirement for a special commemoration concert for a friend's seventieth Birthday! I used to play for her over a very long time, so it would have been hard to avoid playing this last time.

I am trying to weigh up whether to play some more. At the moment I have put the decision off till the stuation over nature of employment and running a car is settled.

I still enjoy the occasional listen to a few private recordings I have of concerts I played in. More now than at the time in reality, as I was, and still would be, terribly self critical. I think this elememnt makes it hard for me to "actually enjoy" playing, though sometimes it could be satisfying enough after the event. For me the music is my love and my playing followed on, and then left - a relief in many ways.

George

PS: Here is my fine bass, sold in 2002, which one pupil noted [with some sadness!] sounded as is it was an octave lower than his student bass. The difference was this bass was strung with gut and had a remarkably fine and focussed tone! He could not get the gut strings to sound though. Gut is a real problem till the technique is conquered.

quote:

Originally posted by GFFJ:
I am trying to weigh up whether to play some more. At the moment I have put the decision off till the stuation over nature of employment and running a car is settled.

Same me. I borrow a car when I need to drive, but have taken to cycling to save money. With one thing or another I can't remember the last time I took my violin out of its case, and I generally don't feel inclined to play with a life full of largely disagreeable uncertainties!

I thought you gave up playing because of arthritis? Your hands look OK in the photo... anyway, seems to me you should step up the bass playing a bit!

EW

After all of 8 weeks playing bass guitar I am currently playing (or trying to) Lady Madonna (Beatles), Another one bites the dust (Queen) and You give loving a bad name (Bon Jovi)

quote:

re you taking lessons, exams, etc. or just doing it on your own?

In my 14th month of weekly lessons - I found a really good teacher 1st time of trying.

Have done ABRSM grades 1 and 2 - am doing my 3 at xmas. i like playing all sorts, but both my pianos (Roland a90ex and Zimmerman Z1 upright) have introduced me to clasical music also. i find my self listening to piano stuff (obviously) as much for phrasing and trying to sus scales pieces are in etc.

I have no probs with scales, and correct fingering, but summer 2008 is the summer of sight reading - I need to get consistent at the art of...

quote:

it is simply one of the most satisfying and pleasurable activities that one could be involved in, IMHO.

totally agree - totally engrossing and also a great stress reliever...

Hi,

It's great to know that there are some members out there who can make their own music, irrespective of technical proficiency or medium used, whether it be electronically or acoustically.

Timster - indeed - even more gratifying when you get chance to play some Abba alongside another piano player, on two £14k grand pianos!

Well yes, however, I am am sure that you will agree that given the compositional perfection....of the piece in question...that it would sound good on a Stylophone. They didn't have Logic in 1980

...still have to press the notes, even on one of those antequated items - lol. Still, no need to quantise, eh?

Hi Andy,

Inspired a little by your efforts and Fredriks return to the bass I have stopped the "all year practice" of Christmas carols and have returned to the Bach Cello Suites 1 and 3 which I could play quite well about 20 years ago.

I am finding muscles in all sorts of places as I improve the bowing and fingering. Slow progress but why not??

FF

Morning frank,

This week its mostly trying to get the sustain pedal right when playing - not too early on, not too late off, etc....

Have nearly conquered the Cloud Shapes piece, which I can't actually play without having to read the music, which is a major step if you think about it?

Re Xmas carols, it was quite strange learning jingle bells in may last year (contained in 'piano for older beginners', by James Bastien)

He's got it well sussed Frank, I was listening to him playing last night

Indeed he is Polarbear. Patience has its own rewards.

Well, I have all the Bartok notes in the right place now - just need to add the emotion to it next....

I'm a complete tart and will play anything that gets me a gig on stage.
My current regulars are; a Blues Brothers tribute where I get to play Duck Dunn, a "dad rock" covers band where I get to play LOUD, and a Cuban (in reality Buena Vista-like) band where I get to play double bass.
I get at least ten times more bookings for bass than guitar. I guess the world is full of hopeful guitarists.

There is a shortage of bass guitarists. I had a friend whose band needed a bassist for a gig so badly that we stayed up all night teaching me their songs on my bass which I had owned for about two weeks at that point! I must have truely sucked, but it was good fun!

quote:

I'm a complete tart and will play anything

...LOL I'm still at the 'nervous' stage when playing in front of anyone other than the piano teacher or wife...

quote:

...LOL I'm still at the 'nervous' stage when playing in front of anyone other than the piano teacher or wife...

Andy, I don't know if this 'nervous' stage ever goes away completely (especially for a solo performer). I know it can gradually get better over time and with experience but it seems to always be a factor when the heat is on and the stakes are high. Some days my knees are knocking and my fingers shaking for days before a performance and other times I can be as cool as a cucumber and be totally relaxed and in control. I guess we're human and not machines! Sadly, many musicians use beta-blockers or other means to control the nerves. This to me is cheating.

I just wish I could play for my teacher and others like I do when I play at home when no one else is around (totally relaxed and in a non-threatening environment.) And for some strange reason my teacher doesn't buy my lame excuses or believe me anymore when I claim, "But I just played it perfectly at home an hour ago, honest I did!" He just shakes his head, rolls his eyes, and shows no empathy. Yes, nerves and playing from memory are the biggest hurtles for me.

BTW, glad to hear that the (#17) Round Dance is coming together. Keep pressing on because #20 & #38 are the important "Drinking Songs"

Cheers,
Doug

Bach - Bouree in A Minor On a "classical" guitar.

I have always played "classical" guitar to keep up my chops for electric bass. Right hand technique is very similar between the two.....


George,

Regarding your gut strings comment.... I experienced the same issue when I restrung my string bass in college. It wasn't until I bought a proper bow that I could get a good sound from them.... and of course developed much better technique.

When I played my teachers bass and bow i felt like I was a virtuoso.

FYI, I had a cheap ($4000) bass and a real shitty bow (thrown in with the bass purchase)

My teacher's opinion at the time was that it is needed to "match" the bow to the bass. In terms of $$$$ he thought you should spend almost as much on the bow as the bass, up to a certain point of course.

When I spent $2000 on the bow, my plywood bass actually started to sing, and I felt as though I was actually a competent player.

lastly... that bass appears to be a 5 string????? If so, your student was somewhat right in that you had 5 lower notes.... the low B always impresses.