Music And Musicians

I wish I could make money from playing. Have done a couple times, but England isn't really much of a place for it. I know over in America, you can end up making $500 or possibly more, just for playing other peoples' songs. :p So jealous.
 
I play piano (13 years of lessons), clarinet/bass clarinet (advanced amateur) and took drum lessons for two years as an adult learner. About learning the drum in my 30s: a friend of ours who is a real drummer wanted to play guitar at a basement jam session one night - I sat down at the drum set to be a "metronome" for the group and discovered I really liked it (feels like dancing and making music at the same time) - wanted to get the "basics" right so I could "fill in" more appropriately. MrS bought me a student set from the Pennysaver.

I can pick up most wind instruments and, with a fingering chart, "learn" the basics relatively quickly. Completely hopeless with strings. Completely tone deaf (although I love to sing I try not to inflict that on others) and can't "play by ear" at all. But, I can sight-read. Funny thing - on the piano I can improvise - but only in C-minor, on the clarinet only in F-blues.

I would much rather make music than listen to it. I rarely listen to music unless I am in the mood to "sing along" in the car - for that I prefer folk rock and oldies and a few "alternative" groups from when I was in college (in the 90s) and some quirky stuff that no-one has ever heard of. Songs not albums for me (I often will not even know the name of a group who sings a song that I like).

JaneQ
 
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. That Baldwin sure does look nice in my livingroom. :)


I bet it does!!! Have you seen the purple Baldwin? I know, I know... it's strange, but ohhhhh, how I want one!
 
Earth Abides by J Randall Murphy

This thread is for those of us who can actually play music, and that does include all the ways you can create it. Whether you play guitar, sing, do it on a computer, bang your head against a wall... Though I'll worry about you if the latter. =P

How about some links to some of your stuff on the net? If you have a youtube vid or a soundcloud account, feel free to share with us ...
Let's hear from you guys. =]

Cool. This thread may be old, but it's also perfect: Here's my first YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGiWolvE_gY
 
I taught piano for about 17 years (until early in 2006), played piano and organ for a couple of churches during those years, and composed a number of songs starting with when I was a kid. I used to listen to music a lot too, but honestly I am just not that into it anymore. Haven't touched the piano for a few years at least, and the last time I did touch it, I struggled and lost interest after maybe a week of practicing.

Now I mostly do reading, and internet stuff like Facebook and this forum. :)
 
I taught piano for about 17 years (until early in 2006), played piano and organ for a couple of churches during those years, and composed a number of songs starting with when I was a kid. I used to listen to music a lot too, but honestly I am just not that into it anymore. Haven't touched the piano for a few years at least, and the last time I did touch it, I struggled and lost interest after maybe a week of practicing.

Now I mostly do reading, and internet stuff like Facebook and this forum. :)

Thanks for the reply. I remember you from when I used to post here more often. You were always fair-minded and I enjoyed reading your posts. I too dropped out of the music scene for years, but never gave-up on the dream. Although my offering is very rudimentary so far as videos go, I found the act of recording and creating it so inspiring that it brought back to me how much I love music and why I got into in the first place. It's never too late to pursue the things you truly love :)
 
Good to hear from you again, PolyNatural. Yes, it is never too late to pursue a dream.
 
I am a heavy metal drummer, Yes, a woman that plays drums. I come from a non musical family, so I was on my own. I wanted to play drums after I purchased the Venom album Welcome to Hell in 1982. I was already listening to Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Praying Mantis and many other heavy metal bands like Metal Church, Exodus and Overkill (These 3 were still demo tape bands at the time), etc. But Venom was my main influence.

The very first drum kit I used was a Yamaha and I hated it. It sounded terrible and was a single bass 5 piece drum set, which was not up to what I wanted to use. So, I started working jobs and I eventually became friends with the owner of a music store at time. I told him my ideal drum set. He suggested Pearl Drums and he even helped me. He said he would buy half of the drum set provided I make money to buy the other half so I could have the double bass drum set I dreamed of like many of my idols had, especially Venom.

My cymbals were Paiste. I used Vic Firth sticks for many years until a friend started making me custom sticks as a hobby.

After self teaching, I joined my first band in 1986 and remained with them until 1991, we recorded a couple of demos and a couple of 7 inch single EPs. I joined my second band in 1991 where I remained with them until 2017 and recorded 2 demos, 6 full lengths, 2 EPs, 1 live video and 1 unreleased album. I've also done various one off projects.

I've retired from full time playing in 2017, but will do session work in the studio and live from time to time.

I have also been a studio engineer and producer since 1997.
 
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