Author Topic: Music--as your hobby, or passion  (Read 7717 times)

Offline MaineWriter

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Music--as your hobby, or passion
« on: July 30, 2007, 04:37:42 am »
I don't play an instrument, but in my fantasy life, I play the baritone saxophone. My grandmother taught piano and tried to teach me, but gave up, saying I was hopeless. Oh well. What about others? What instruments do you play--or wish you could play?

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Offline Kelda

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2007, 05:10:39 am »
Hi all:

Well, I play in my local amateur brass band - a la Brassed Off style (http://imdb.com/title/tt0115744/). No saxaphones or clarinets in this type of Brass Band!!!

I play a cornet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornet) - which is like a trumpet and at the moment play principal solo cornet - mainly because noone else would take on that mantle!

I started playing cornet when I was 9. The whole class took a music test and the best 5 got the chance to play an instrument - I was one of them. It was one of those tests - is this sound higher or lower, is it louder of quieter than the last - but like an optician appointment but for your ears!

So I've been playing for 16 years. I really enjoy it and when I was 14 began playing in the band I'm still in today - Irvine and Dregjhorn Brass (this is our site but its still in construction http://idbrass.com/default.aspx )

For me playing in this band and being involved in the brass banding movement is a real social activity too - most of my good friends are or have been involved in the brass band scene. And I've grown up involved in it. Its where I learnt to drink, and its also where I made a wide variety of friends - both mya gae younger and older - the current oldest member of the band is 80!

Since I took this principal position on, I'd say my playing has impoved back to a standard I had when I was at school and was playing every day. I'd say my sight reading has vastly improved too!

This is the piece the band played on 10 March at the Scottish Championships. This is not us playing but this is what the piece sounded like. Its called Prelude and Jubilate and was arranged by Darrol Barry.

http://www.divshare.com/download/49746-0ba

part 1 of piece is above (although they should run into each other but thay have been saved on the official championship CD as 2 seperate tracks)

and part 2 is
http://www.divshare.com/download/49807-096

Kelda
x


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Offline louisev

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2007, 05:56:01 am »
this is a topic near and dear to my heart.  I started my professional singing career at the age of 5 in my local church as the youngest member of the choir, began music lessons and singing lessons at 6, and won my first state competition at 7 - how's that for young?  But the instrument was chosen for me.  Since my great grandfather and everyone else in the family seemed to have gone wrong on the piano, my mother selected the ACCORDION. Famous in Italy and the German speaking world but anathema to the English-speaking.

more later. back to class.
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mvansand76

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2007, 06:24:53 am »
I used to play the flute, but I don't anymore. I wish I could play the violin or piano. My boyfriend studied piano at a conservatory and he's very good. He once started playing the piano at the restaurant in the Marriott in London and everybody just looked at him play with open mouths! I was so proud of him!  :D I still get goose bumps thinking about that moment...

Scott6373

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2007, 01:47:21 pm »
Hobby?  Not anymore.  Passion?  Always.

I've compartmentalized certain aspects of music in my life.  I have my guily, for my own enjoyment, music, and there's the stuff I get paid to do.  Still, I won't sing at the drop of a hat.  Maybe because I have developed a finely tuned performing process, that an off the cuff concert makes me cringe, and when asked (at parties, etc), I politely decline.  I've often said that if anyone wants to see the real me, come and see me perform music that I love.  That's the only time that everything I am and the core of who I am is visible.

Offline Kelda

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2007, 03:04:44 pm »
Hobby?  Not anymore.  Passion?  Always.

I've compartmentalized certain aspects of music in my life.  I have my guily, for my own enjoyment, music, and there's the stuff I get paid to do.  Still, I won't sing at the drop of a hat.  Maybe because I have developed a finely tuned performing process, that an off the cuff concert makes me cringe, and when asked (at parties, etc), I politely decline.  I've often said that if anyone wants to see the real me, come and see me perform music that I love.  That's the only time that everything I am and the core of who I am is visible.

Now I want to see you perform - it seems like much more of a 'have to do it' than 'love to do it' - its in your blood, its part of you.
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Scott6373

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2007, 03:07:34 pm »
Now I want to see you perform - it seems like much more of a 'have to do it' than 'love to do it' - its in your blood, its part of you.

But I am not sure if that's the performing or the music...is the music just a vehicle?  is it always just a vehicle for human emotion, and emoting?  Could we learn a new way of expression if music did not exist?  Does art (painting, sculpture etc) offer the same depth of human emotion and revelation?

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2007, 06:50:17 pm »
Last night, I got to sing under the full moon with some Bee-Ewe-Tea-Full Brokies.  We probably sang over 20 songs.  It was a peak experience for me.  I love songs and song lyrics.  Songs and song lyrics is a rich aspect of how my mother, and sister, and I communicate with each other.  And my daughter at four totally shows herself to be one of them types too.  :)

Offline huntinbuddy

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2007, 09:17:28 pm »
in my fantasy life, I play the baritone saxophone

No fantasy for myself, I play Tenor Sax, and have since I started studying music at I believe 10 years of age.  Participated in solos, ensembles, state music contests etc. throughout high school, and was in my college marching band for four years.....and was not a music major!  In 2000, I bought a new,  top of the line Sax, a Selmer super action Model 80 tenor.  It is a gem.  I practice it about 8 hours a week.  I also have a Gemeinhardt professional model flute that I play some, but not as well as I would like.

Currently I get together, and not often enough, with a group and we play dixieland jazz stuff.

My fantasy is to play guitar really well.....like Jimmy Page!

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2007, 10:12:15 pm »
No fantasy for myself, I play Tenor Sax, and have since I started studying music at I believe 10 years of age.  Participated in solos, ensembles, state music contests etc. throughout high school, and was in my college marching band for four years.....and was not a music major!  In 2000, I bought a new,  top of the line Sax, a Selmer super action Model 80 tenor.  It is a gem.  I practice it about 8 hours a week.  I also have a Gemeinhardt professional model flute that I play some, but not as well as I would like.

Currently I get together, and not often enough, with a group and we play dixieland jazz stuff.

My fantasy is to play guitar really well.....like Jimmy Page!

That's wonderful you play the baritone sax!  :D

I played alto sax in high school for several years. I was in the high school marching band my freshman and sophomore year in high school, and I even marched in the Indianapolis 500 parade on year! During the winter when it was too cold for marching band, I played both alto and baritone sax.

My parents insisted I start piano lessons when I was 5, I think. I took piano lessons for about 16 years from a wonderful woman by the name of Miss Eaton. She was a spinster, about 65 years old when I first started taking lessons from her. She supported herself by giving piano lessons to roughly 40 people, and she was also the organist  at her church. She continued to teach piano well into her 80's until she died. She taught classical piano, so that's how I learned to play, and I think this is probably why I learned to love classical music at such an early age.

I decided to also take violin lessons about a year after I started taking piano, and mom and dad bought me my very own violin! When I turned 8 I think, I started nagging mom and dad for a cello. They told me the piano and violin were enough, but I continued to nag and beg them until they agreed and bought me a cello. I started taking cello lessons and I soon fell in love with the instrument.  During my Junior year at high school, I switched over from the band to the orchestra. I loved the orchestra and Mr Grant asked me if I would be willing to give violin and cello lessons to some of the other students after school.

So that was my life as a teenager; violin, piano and cello lessons along with at least 1 hour of practice on each instrument every day. Only on the weekends did I have time to pursue my other interests such as basketball, hiking and playing with my friends.

I also play the banjo and guitar. I don't own a guitar right now, but I'm planning on buying one pretty soon. I do own a banjo and sometimes when my friend Craig comes over to visit he'll bring along his guitar and we'll sit down and play a round of "Dueling Banjos". Currently I don't own a piano either, but I have my eye on a cute little baby grand. Maybe someday, huh? I have a very nice 88 key keyboard though and I enjoy playing on it. It has a tactile keyboard, which means the harder you strike on a key, the louder the tone will be, just like on a piano. It's good enough for me right now!  :)

I think my instrument of choice (if I had to choose) is probably the cello, with the violin a very close second. The cello is a beautiful instrument and very fun to play. Finally, all those years of practice are paying off for me, I think. I love the feeling of the strings vibrating against the bow. I think probably most cellists would agree with me. There is much power in those cello strings, and I can literally feel the music as I play it. It's a special kind of relationship I have between me and my cello. I can hear it and feel it too!  :)

I also played trombone in elementary school for about a year I think, but I never took to it and quickly gave it up and switched over to the saxophone. I never really enjoyed the saxophone either. It's a beautiful instrument but it just wasn't for me, I guess. And I wasn't very good at it. Maybe that was part of the problem? Nowdays, I play my cello, violin and keyboard, and sometimes my banjo. I play mostly classical music, but I also enjoy playing bluegrass and mountain music on my violin sometimes and also on my banjo. It's fun!  :D

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Offline Kelda

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2007, 03:19:46 am »
Wow David - you are quite the musician!!

I have to say, I don't practice as often as I should at home - although we have a 2 hour band practice every thursday and in the run up to competitions and festivals we'll have Tuesday practices too.

One thing I bought recently - which is great because I get very self consious practicing when I know people can hear-  is this - its a silent brass and I can hear clearly what I'm playing but others can only hear a dull muffle.




huntinbuddy - I've always fancied playing the sax.. its such a cool looking and sounding instrument - but I think now I would find it hard to adapt to the reed after years of being a brass player!


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Offline Kelda

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2007, 03:27:41 am »
For the last two years I have participated in a huge musical event called Whit Friday. (if you've seen Brassed Off - the band in that participate in it!) What is Whit Friday i hear you ask?

Quote
Often described as 'the greatest free show on Earth', the Saddleworth & District Whit Friday Brass Band Contests take place every year on the afternoon and evening of Whit Friday - 1st June in 2007.

From the earliest recorded contest in 1884, the event has grown in popularity. Last year well over a hundred brass bands participated in some twenty different contests at venues scattered around the moorland villages and towns on the western edge of the Pennines. All of the contests are open-air, many in delightful surroundings. The area has a very strong tradition of brass band music. In the weeks before Whit Friday, the sounds of rehearsals echo across the hillsides from the various band rooms and village halls. There are thriving bands in some of the tiniest villages. And the best bands are world class.

This year's prize fund is £31,410.

The contests are open to all-comers. So the local youth bands get to match their skills against the top bands of the country. For bandsmen, the dash from contest to contest makes for an exhilarating (though exhausting) evening. SThis is a major event in the brass band calendar and bands travel the length of the country to participate, some even turning up from overseas.

Contests typically start at about 4.30pm. Bands play two pieces (marches), one on the march and then their well-rehearsed show-piece on whatever passes for a rostrum. Each performance is scored 'blind' by an adjudicator, hidden in some adjacent darkened room or caravan. Each contest offers prizes for the best band, best youth band, best soloists etc. At one of the busier venues, you could expect to hear over 50 bands, before the winners are announced shortly after close (10pm or 11pm, though the most popular contests can go on well into the early hours).

It is possible to look in at several contests during the evening. But with over 100 bus-loads of bandsmen about, with many of the roads closed to traffic and the inevitable parking problems, it pays not to be over-ambitious.

Each contest is organised by local volunteers. All the running costs and prize money are raised by local donations and through fund-raising events. Most provide refreshments. Helpers are always needed on the night. If you can spare a couple of hours at any of the contests, please email.

Each contest sets its own rules. Bands are required to play a published March, an unmarked copy of which should be handed to the Contest Steward on arrival at the signing-on point. Normally, no more than 25 players may play the contest piece, plus the conductor.




This first two vids are us... (a scratch band of scottish players who just met up and came together for the day to play) playing...
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nAeaBGHjm0[/youtube]
[youtube=425,350]http://youtube.com/watch?v=BBc-vLI8zOg[/youtube]

this one is another scratch band (boogie brass) at the last competiton - brill!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkce6RLZ6VQ[/youtube]

This is another Scratch band. Chav brass... so funny all dressed up as Chavs playing an arrangement of an old techno tune.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04mFNhLYZl4[/youtube]

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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2007, 01:04:46 am »
Wow David - you are quite the musician!!

I have to say, I don't practice as often as I should at home - although we have a 2 hour band practice every thursday and in the run up to competitions and festivals we'll have Tuesday practices too.

One thing I bought recently - which is great because I get very self consious practicing when I know people can hear-  is this - its a silent brass and I can hear clearly what I'm playing but others can only hear a dull muffle.




huntinbuddy - I've always fancied playing the sax.. its such a cool looking and sounding instrument - but I think now I would find it hard to adapt to the reed after years of being a brass player!





Kelda! That's a wonderful invention! And I'm sure it comes in handy sometimes too, even though you are a fine cornetist as we have heard in those videos you posted!  :D

I wish they made a similar device for the violin and cello. They do make mutes for instruments in the violin family, but they don't nearly silence the instrument. They only slightly mute it, or rather make it sound a little less harsh. We will sometimes apply the mute when performing in an orchestra and a single instrument is featured briefly, such as a clarinet, oboe or flute. Once the solo is finished, the mute is removed.

On the violin, the mute is inserted just below the bridge and it is attached to the A and D strings on the violin. To use the mute, it is slid up over the bridge. When it is not in use, it remains just below the bridge. It looks like this...




The mute works basically the same way on the cello. The cello mute sometimes looks like the mute of a violin. More often it looks like this...



Often it is attached to the G and D strings, also muting the C and A strings located on either side of the central G and D strings. Sometimes the cello mute is slid (or rolled) as it is on a violin, or clipped on and then removed after use. Quite often the cello mute is made of rubber, or some rubbery like material.

Here a two string mute has been inserted on the D and A strings of the cello and a single mute is found on the G, leaving the C string unmuted. Since they are positioned below the bridge, they are not being used at this time.




I rarely mute my instrument in this way. I use the standard 4 string mute most of the time.


 
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Offline Ellemeno

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2007, 01:11:44 am »
David, could you please record and upload some of you playing?  I would love it, and I'm sure the rest of your fan club would too.

I love the cello.  I don't know how to play it at all, but even just sitting down and running the bow across my sister in law's cello feels and sounds wonderful.

One of the most inspiring things I ever heard is that John Holt took up the cello when he was 80.  There's hope!


Offline David In Indy

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2007, 01:15:54 am »
David, could you please record and upload some of you playing?  I would love it, and I'm sure the rest of your fan club would too.

I love the cello.  I don't know how to play it at all, but even just sitting down and running the bow across my sister in law's cello feels and sounds wonderful.

One of the most inspiring things I ever heard is that John Holt took up the cello when he was 80.  There's hope!



Sure. I'll upload something. Give me a chance to work up the nerve and I'll upload something for you all!  :)
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Offline Kelda

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #15 on: August 02, 2007, 03:57:52 am »
Sure. I'll upload something. Give me a chance to work up the nerve and I'll upload something for you all!  :)

YAY!!
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Offline KristinDaBomb

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Re: Music--as your hobby, or passion
« Reply #16 on: September 24, 2007, 12:28:10 am »
I wish I could play piano or guitar. I also wish I could write music.
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