Do you have a favorite musical instrument? And why?

Oh, yes...I love oboe and bassoon, too, but can't stand the clarinet. Yes, I know piano is a percussion but oddly enough the harpsichord is a string because the strings are plucked rather than struck. I love watching the Addams Family, especially when Lurch is playing the harpsichord. The piano is usually the first instrument students have to take because it is very basic. I took two years of piano, myself, and I find it very easy to learn. The strings such as violin or cello needs a good ear and there are no marks to find the right keys like on say a banjo or guitar? Because of this I never could even consider learning these instruments...they daunted me...and I have enormous respect for anyone who can play them.

As a Clarinetist I'm afraid I can't let that one slide, friend. There is a distinct difference between the playing of the Clarinet by someone who actually knows how to play one and a beginner or someone who does not often play one. I'm not sure which type of clarinet sound you have heard. Then again, I can't stand the flute no matter who plays it, so I can understand how you feel. I like the bass clarinet best of all, however. it doesn't have that kind of edgy clarinet tone, but a nice smooth one with some really great sounding low notes. I'm also a fan of the Bari sax, same kind of deal.

thanks for the responses. i think its the taste and preference of sound that we are into, flute and piano have a softer and much mellow sound compare to that of a clarinet and a bass or sax which have a richer and sharper sound on the contrary i think thats what makes the difference in preference.. as for me, i think i'll choose flute over a sax or bass clarinet.. Being also a player in Violin, i find learning the instrument quite useful for ear training as our ears will have to be trained to recognise the exact pitch, even a slight change will cause a difference in the overall sound. My violin teacher has perfect pitch and she is very strict in this matter. in the beginning it might frightening you a bit, but once you're in it, you tend to enjoy the process of trying to recognising the correct pitch as you are playing the instrument.. i think its the same as when you're trying to learn relative pitch.. you learn how to recognise the sounding of the notes with reference to another..

Yes...I know how those deep tones can just fill the soul, no matter which instrument. I even like the deeper vocals. I prefer a contralto to a soprano, a baritone to a tenor and a good bass can be awesome, as well.

Mrcol: Oh, yeeeaaahhh...a baritone sax sends me over the moon, that deeep hoggy, gut-stirring growl, whew! Gets me where I live--every time! Moooore! Maggiepie “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, & your government when it deserves it.” ~ Mark Twain (1835-1910)

You never tell me these things! Tubas?? Who knew! Guess I'll start calling you the Oompah Lady! Do you now buy tuba toothpaste, tuba toilet paper, tuba shampoo? Just teasing. Love ya, Elic! Maggiepie “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, & your government when it deserves it.” ~ Mark Twain (1835-1910)

LOL...we just love those deep tones, don't we?

LOL! Okay, I'll give ya Lurch! Gotta love that guy! As for C&W, while there are particular artists & styles I enjoy, I find the "Nashville Trash" hard to listen to, & overall, just not my cup of moonshine... Truth is, I don't even know who Shedaisy is! I used to sing when I was little, mostly in the huge, echo-y forests of rural Northern Louisiana, but anywhere, really. Years ago, for example, in my salad days, I sold cut flowers on street corners. I found that when it was bitterly cold, singing would help me bear it. I sang in Church, I sang in choirs & solo there & in some science fiction conventions, both solo & in groups. Heck, why keep it in the shower? :o) I only had a few years of piano, but my teacher, Miss Castle, after hearing me at 4 (I played by ear, on an aunt's upright) asked Mom if she'd let me give a concert in public before she taught me anything. It was so successful I kept it up 'til I was nine (with lessons), after which I stopped for personal & traumatic reasons. Now the only time I can play is when I'm drunk. I'm a terribly maudlin drunk, so I never play THAT instrument at all. If I could afford to put new strings on my zither, I'd play that, though! Hmmm...banjos...I agree about bluegrass, but my favorite instruments in that genre are mandolin & hammer dulcimer. I taught myself to play the latter, & as for mandolins, well, I'll tell you a short story. I once lived in a section of Austin which was home to many local musicians. I lived in the top of an old 2 & 1/2 story apartment building. Lots of musicians there would allow strangers to come into their homes & listen. On any given summer night, you could wander those streets & walk into open parties & hear great live music. You could even do so in the daytime, when musicians would practice. I could sit in my living room & hear some of the best stuff you'd ever hear, all around me. There was a stairway to my balcony behind my apartment, & I was also atop a hill, so I had an entire eastern skyline of the city outside my door. Great view! One morning I was awakened by the sound of a mandolin playing wonderful bluegrass tunes, fast & slow ones. I went to the kitchen & looked out the window. There was a bearded young man, privately playing his wonderful music to welcome in the new morning. His music was as pure & sweet as the fresh air. I was so smitten by his music I invited him in for coffee, & he told me of his love for his music. He was a traveling man, dang it, or else...;o Ah, well, missed opportunities & wistful regrets...I still see him in my mind, all red & gold in the soft sunlight, his notes a gift to the neighborhood. The other musicians' music was a always a special delight, but never did any of those come to my back porch to serenade the new day, & unknowingly, me. Maggiepie "It does not take a majority to prevail...but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush-fires of freedom in the minds of men." ~ Samuel Adams

Awesome story, Maggie. I know that feeling of missed opportunities, people who have touched my heart, then waltzed out of my life but that's a story for another topic, another discussion. thanks for all your input here.

I agree that banjo and harpsichord have limited appeal. But there are pieces out there that I absolutely adore. I don't think I can handle any harpsichord pieces outside the Addams Family but I love the way Lurch plays it. And there are some rip roaring fun bluegrass pieces that would never be as fun without the banjo. I, too adore the baroque style of music with its intertwining of themes. Even with my modern music that I enjoy (pop, country, etc) I love when they use the baroque style on them. My favorite Country Baroque piece is "Little Goodbyes" by Shedaisy. Other baroque composers I really enjoy include Vivaldi and Bach but Pachelbel's Canon, as you said, transports one to Paradise. I have limited musical training...just 2 years of piano...but do love to sing. When I want to unwind, though, it's the baroque and romantic periods that soothe me the best.

that's a better story, i guess :)

LOL...well, I don't know...It hurt at the time but it's nice that I can look back and laugh now.

Great story. I hope you get your dream set someday. When I was a young adult (back in the late 70s) there was a band playing at a local bar that had the best drummer I'd ever seen. He was also into karate and very good looking...very fit. I had the biggest crush on him so naturally my buddy at the time decided to go for him and undermine me. I remember giving him massages between sets but that was as far as it ever went with him, darn it!

ALASKAN: By now, no doubt, you already know that a more common name for the tympani is "kettle drums," those enormous orchestral drums with the lovely ,deep booming sound, which the drummer can change in mid boom to a higher or lower register. Similar in sound (but with a fixed timber) are those huge Japanese drums which are hung, the struck by the drummer standing before it. Gorgeous sounds! I love drums of all kinds! Maggiepie “We must not lose our faculty to dare, especially in dark days.” ~ Churchill in March, 1942

That is a great story! Thank you so much for sharing with us. You are the second person who mentioned the tympani and I'm not familiar with that instrument. I'll have to look it up now. Hugs!

Thank you, again, maggie, for the wealth of information. You are a veritable encyclopedia! I thoroughly enjoy your input. Thank you again.

ALASKAN: Yeah! I had some distractions, or I'd have got there first! LOL! But no competition, here (except I always write the longest posts... ). As for your quote, it is one of the ones I use, as well. I've been busy collecting great Conservative quotes, as well as quotes from the hair-brained Far Left (it's called exposing them with their own words--I'll use one of those as an example). Check it out.... Maggiepie "Fundamental, Bible-believing people do not have the right to indoctrinate their children in their religious beliefs because we, the state, are preparing them for the year 2000, when America will be part of a one-world global society and their children will not fit in." ~ Former Dem. Congressman Peter Hoagland P.S. I'm Christian, but Eastern Orthodox, not "fundamentalist Christian." But I think everyone has the right to teach their own children about God--except radical Muslims, who teach hate.

LOL...Maggie...you are cute. As for politics, my party is the constitution party so check it out...how conservative can I get? At any rate, I like your quote but I like mine better - "The only thing required for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke Thought you might enjoy that one. Have a great day and I already requested you as a friend. nannynannynoonoo...I beat you. heehee

lol...I, too, am Christian...LDS...but I am also very much a product of my generation. I agree that it is the parent's right and responsibility to teach their children right from wrong and the government needs to steer clear of that. Again, though, this is another discussion topic. Nuff said.

It's interesting how we tend to like what we play. For those of us who don't play, the favorite can be different. Not everyone is saying guitar, though, and electric guitar is far different from acoustic. Thank you for your input.

Congratulations to your daughter. That must be wonderful to watch. I'm sure you're very proud of her. :)

Cool. Music is such a visceral part of our lives, isn't it?

When I first started piano lessons, I lacked a piano of my own, as well. My mother arranged for me to practice at a friend's house who lived down the street. I would stop in on my way home from school every day and practice for an hour. She also taught piano so was able to help me if the occasion required but my own piano teacher lived 10 miles away. After my mother found a piano that we could afford, she bought it but as I recall, my practicing suffered once the piano was in our home. I guess I took it for granted. I lost interest when my teacher moved away. My mother tried to find me another teacher but after going through two of them I finally just quit. I don't think I ever missed the lessons, though. I have always preferred to sing than to play an instrument.