For those of you who used to play an instrument... - Page 2

AlphaFrog · #1 01-10-2004, 10:26 PM

I started college as a music therapy major playing the flute...but the flute professor was horrible...you said "Satan" and everyone knew who you were talking about, so I switched to voice, and in marching band, I'm in the pit (marimba/xylophone)

RioLambdaAlum · #2 01-10-2004, 11:45 PM

I played the piano 1-11th grade and one quarter in college, I quit in 11th grade cause I didnt like practicing every day I wanted to go do other things. But I still play it just dont have lessons.
I played the dulcimer 4-6th grade quit cause didnt have that in middle school, plus I dont know how to tune my own still that well so it just sits in the case right now.
I played the viola 5-12th grade don't play that anymore cause I rented my instrament from school so never had my own. Plus my college never had orchestra.
I played the claranette (or how ever ya spell it) in 7th grade but stopped at the end of that year cause the teacher was annoying.
I sang in choir from 7-12th grade and didn't in college cause the director sucked really bad and no one can top my old high school choir director! LONG LIVE DR. OLIEN MAY YOU DIRECT MANY CHOIRS IN HEAVEN I WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS FOR TOUCHING MY LIFE SO GREATLY!!!!!

Jen

PsychTau · #3 01-11-2004, 01:16 AM

I started the clarinet in 7th grade. In 9th grade I switched to bass clarinet, and in high school I switched to contrabass clarinet (that's a monster of a thing!!!) For marching band in high school I was a flag, though.

I went to college as a flag first semester, but I got mono and missed the last 2 football games of the season (the Saturday before I was diagnosed with mono I was sitting in the stands during a football game while it was snowing!) After my 3 week hiatus from campus (yep, was banned from campus by my doc!). The week I came back was tryouts for concert band chairs. The band director said "You're tryout is on Thursday, here's the music, you'll play clarinet, not bass or contrabass. No we can't delay the tryout so you can learn the music." Umm, yeah...up yours. That was the end of my band career.

I guess my mono self just wasn't "dedicated".

polarpi · #4 01-11-2004, 01:20 AM

I played the flute from 5th until the end of 7th grade, when I decided I wanted to try a new instrument. I began playing the euphonium, and in eighth grade, we had to do the scale tests, but I was never able to do them in class. I stayed after school once a week every week to "make up" my exams, but when I'd stay after, the euphonium was always gone from the school. So, I quit band, and then when I got to high school, I decided not to play my flute in the band there, so eventually I just stopped playing. Subsequently, I just sold my flute to our church's organist last month, so I won't be playing my flute ever again...

Taualumna · #5 01-11-2004, 01:34 AM

I played piano from age 4 to 17 and took singing lessons from 13-23. IAfter receiving my Royal Conservatory Grade 8, I decided to stop taking exams (there are 10 Conservatory grades plus teacher's and performer's certs) and eventually just lost interest. I had also wanted to concentrate in singing as I, at one point wanted to major in voice. I ended up majoring in drama and history, but continued to take singing lessons for credit in university (as an elective). I finally gave up singing because I wanted to concentrate in graduate school. I may take lessons again after graduating.

Sistermadly · #6 01-11-2004, 02:01 AM

I quit playing because everyone called me a nerd. I wish I'd never stopped.

Rio_Kohitsuji · #7 01-11-2004, 01:16 PM

Here's my instruments:
Acoustic guitar-7th through 12- My teacher ended up being a slimeball and was trying to rip off the store owner in which was my surrogate grandpa

Piano- 8th-through present- I play it occasionally but not much.

Clarinet- 5th through now- I instruct students on my free time, but I still dislike the instrument

Trumpet/Bugle- 8th through present- I still play it here in college, they gave me money...so I play..even though I hate the band.

Bassoon- 7th through 2nd year in college- I wish I was still playing it.

I miss it so much. But the damn band instructor here hates the instrument so he wants m to play my trumpet instead. And here, I had a damn music scholorship at Ohio University playing it!! *growl*

sairose · #8 01-11-2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sistermadly
I quit playing because everyone called me a nerd. I wish I'd never stopped.

Hey, it's NEVER to late to pick it up again.

I teach private lessons on saxophone. One lady, who is about 35, called me last year because she was given my name as a sax teacher. She told me she had played only a little bit in school (maybe a year or two). She had quit because everyone made fun of her, and she regretted it. She asked if it was out of the question to take lessons from me and learn to play again, and I gladly obliged.

She is doing very well now! She realized it wasn't too late to play again, and she is really playing quite well. She is a joy to teach.

So in all this rambling, my point is, if you wish you'd never stopped, it's not too late to pick it up again.

NinjaPoodle · #9 01-11-2004, 08:05 PM

Flute--Started in the 2nd or 3rd grade (don't remember) and continued straight through high school. I looked into playing for UCLA marching band but decided against it because I didn't want to move to LA.

Violin-- Again, started in the 2nd or 3rd grade. I was off and on with this one but I enjoyed it enough to be in my jr. high school orchestra for 6th and 7th grades I switched back to the band in the 8th grade.

Piano-- I took a class and enjoyed it. I want to purchase a baby grand when I have some extra cash. If I have kids, I want them to learn to play.

Guitar--I still want to learn to play. I'm a summer camp survivor (

) and all of the years I listened to the counselors playing the guitar and the wonderful sounds they created made me learn to appreciate the instrument.(even though I hate Kum-Bay-Yah to this day

) I made a goal for myself this year to buy a flute and a violin so I can start up again. I miss playing.

MareImbrium · #10 01-11-2004, 08:06 PM

I played the violin for 7 years and I can still play it. I remember once being the 3rd chair in an orchestra (section leader for the 2nd violins). Sometimes I wish I had taken up piano as well although that was my very first instrument. Music is a big part of my light. I use the instrument of my voice since I joined my church choir about a year ago and I absolutely love it.

ZTAMich · #11 01-11-2004, 08:10 PM

I played the clarient from 5th grade till HS graduation. In college I really just didn't want the extra time commitments. Plus I wasn't all that competative (read: I really didn't care how good or bad I sounded) about it & wanted the time to explore other options.
I have played the piano since 7th grade and still play when I get back home to our piano.

I'm from a musical family so I guess it was bound to happen that I play somethin!

aephi alum · #12 01-12-2004, 12:01 AM

When I was little, I wanted to learn how to play an instrument. My best friend at the time played piano... I wanted to play piano too, or flute, or violin. My parents signed me up for recorder lessons instead.

They didn't want to actually spend money to encourage my interest in music... recorders are cheap, pianos and violins aren't.

I wasn't interested in the recorder, but I had a music teacher in middle school who also ran the choir and encouraged me to consider singing. So now I sing.

Cluey · #13 01-12-2004, 12:19 AM

I played the bassoon for 8 years. I quit playing when I transfered to a crappy college and they were wanting me to play music that I could have played when I was in middle school. The director was upset with me, but then I brought in some tapes of the music I was used to playing and he kind of understood.

I still miss it, but I don't have a lot of time to spend on practicing like I used to.

adduncan · #14 01-12-2004, 12:21 AM

I started violin in the first grade. This was NOT my idea. I wanted to play the drums. The parents were not keen on this. I played violin, not for myself, but to keep my parents happy. By the time I got to 6th grade, I goofed off enough so that my parents got the hint that I really didn't want to do this--to tell you the truth, I just did not have the talent to play.

I finally got to take up the drums in college. I wasn't all that great, but I could play bass drums in the pep band at hockey games. Even got to take a class in it! The reason I don't take it up now is because of money and priorities. I have a lot going on in my life, activity-wise, and the time/cash isn't there.

But I do love music.....

Adrienne

ADPiSAI · #15 01-12-2004, 12:38 AM

I play the flute, but it's so hard to find motivation to practice when I'm not in any ensembles or anything. If anyone has any suggestions on how to find motivation, I'd greatly appreciate it. I've spent far too many years and far too much money on lessons... plus I love it too much to ever give it up completely.
I also played oboe in high school, but that was because I wanted to do district orchestra, but, well, they weren't too good, and I needed a challenge. Once that was over, I stopped, mostly because I couldn't afford my own oboe.
And clarinet, well, I just started playing that because my brother did and there was one around the house. That just faded off, and I never was all that good.