Kids/Teens Book Club discussion

Hi, I was wondering do any of you play musical instruments? I play the keyboard and I sing a bit, thats preety much it.
But I would love to know if/what you play.

I play flute and am picking back up guitar, i used to be able to play piano

I would love to play guitar, I used to play but I failed, I quit.

I want to play piano. I used to play so I know some but I didn't have to Time practice so like Megan and guitar, I quit piano :(

I end up quiting the things i like, but i know i am not going to give up keyboard, maybe singing cos im bad but im keeping keyboard

I play guitar and want to learn piano, saxophone or flute!

I play the Clarinet and I want to learn guitar. I played piano for 4 years in elementary school, but then i quit.

i play the flute. i wish i could sing. i suppose that's one of those things where you can either do it or not.

i sing and play the trombone...but not at the same time, that'd be a bit difficult. Although, if any of you ever invent a way to do that, lemme know- I'd love to try. XD

That would be awesome...

I play the viola and piano officially. I can also play the violin and sort of cello and bass. But sadly, I cannot sing.

I know, right? Alas, I'm not an inventor....

When I was little I invented the fliolin. Part flute, part violin. Unfortunately it made absolutely no sense, and so it doesn't exist. It would have been nice though...

Klara wrote: "i play the flute. i wish i could sing. i suppose that's one of those things where you can either do it or not."

I think singing is one of those things, I sorta wish I could sing.

That's pretty cool, Kate!

Irene- I'm so glad I can sing. I LOVE singing. *bragging moment* *gave me warm fuzzies* My choir director (not school, an audition only choir) told me that I was one of her best singers (there's at least 40 other girls in this choir too)

That's great :) my best friend can sing but she can't play instruments so she is directly the opposite of me.

Thanks! Yeah, you'll get that.

((Hey, Rae! Congrats on the promotion ;) ))

I play piano, and the clarinet. I do desperately love music. Who likes Les Miserables here?

One of my friends is obsessed with it. I would like to see it, but haven't.

((Thanks, Klym!))

I've not seen it. I think one of the community theatres in my area put it on, but I didn't go- in hindsight I wish i would have.

As far as instruments go, I play bass guitar right now. Over this upcoming summer I want to put some focus on acoustic guitar and piano.

i play piano, and i used to play clarinet, i rented it from my old school,but now at my new school they dont have any lft to rent :( but im thinking of taking up alto sax

I know the basics of playing the guitar and now I'm currently learning piano through self-study.

I've played trombone for...long time. I'm pretty alright at it, if I do say so myself. Also for like, two years I've been fiddling with the ukulele, which I'm absolute pants at, but it's the most fun thing on the planet so whatever.

Baxter- Yeah, I've been playing for 6 years this year...it seems like time has gone by so fast since then!

Mia Claire wrote: "I know the basics of playing the guitar and now I'm currently learning piano through self-study."

How's self study going? I am considering relearning piano that way (I used to play when I was little but I dropped it in 5th grade and can't remember any of it).

I learn on my own as well. I think it is more efficient to try and lean an instrument by yourself, because you don't need to go by a specific schedule. Learning from a teacher allows you to learn in a much more formal way, but you have to go by the teachers schedule and methods. Plus, you can learn whatever you want if you teach yourself. The only bad thing about being a self-taught musician is the fact that you may pick up "bad habits" in your playing, or you may do a certain technique wrong. But, it is nothing that will damage your playing permanently.

The thing about teaching yourself is that you may or may not pick up bad habits, but you don't learn some things that are really important. I pretty much taught myself to play the viola, and now that I play it in an orchestra, I have issues reading the low and high notes, or playing in third position–things I could do perfectly well on the violin, which I was taught.

Not going by a schedule sounds actually like something of a detriment to me, because when you have a teacher and a schedule, you HAVE to play at least however often you have lessons. I know that personally I'm so busy that if I didn't have lessons I would never play the piano (and there are weeks where I don't even touch the keyboard between lessons).

Having been taught two instruments and self-taught myself three, I'd say that self-teaching is fun and can be rewarding, but there are definite benefits to having a teacher. I think it's a really circumstantial issue, so one thing may not be good for multiple people.

I know what you mean about practicing, Kate. Since I don't have band class this year, I've only picked up my instrument for pep band (we play at some of the home basketball games, but we're almost done with that now) and that started in Janurary, so I've been playing somewhat regularly for about a month...

For me having a teacher to learn another instrument would definitely be more beneficial than just self-teaching. I don't think I'd have the motivation to teach myself-- especially if I picked up something somewhat foreign completely to me like the cello or a guitar (two instruments I've somewhat wanted to learn how to play over the years).

I do have the motivation to teach myself and will set aside a particular time, just as I do for other things to keep from stressing out. I am going to start once AP exams are over and personal things smooth out and quite being so eratic.

I am learning how to compose! XD

Yay! Composing is one step closer to really understanding music by others. All those chords.... *shudders*

That's so cool Irene! I barely even understand basic theory...

Kylaia (Formerly known as Klymene) wrote: "Yay! Composing is one step closer to really understanding music by others. All those chords.... *shudders*"

Yep, and music theory is sorta out there and something I would like to tackle.

Kate wrote: "That's so cool Irene! I barely even understand basic theory..."

Thanks, it's alot of basic information to begin with but once you grasp that it is easier, so far anyhow as I am working on that.

I love music! Its a brilliant way of expressing yourself and its so much fun. I hope that I continue to play piano all my life.

im learning piano again now!!!!

Tina wrote: "im learning piano again now!!!!"

Good luck with that!

hehe thnx! ;)

Tina wrote: "im learning piano again now!!!!"

Me too

Theory really isn't so bad... if you have the right books or teacher to learn from. I like it because it makes pieces by classical composers seem even more intriguing. And sometimes it makes songs easier to memorize. On the other hand.... It's a painful process at times.

Kylaia (Formerly known as Klymene) wrote: "Theory really isn't so bad... if you have the right books or teacher to learn from. I like it because it makes pieces by classical composers seem even more intriguing. And sometimes it makes songs ..."

My teacher is just fine it is just I have a once a week hour session and it is a lot of independent study. I am enjoying it immensely I just have other things on my plate :)

Piano, Clarinet, Penny Whistle and I'm learning Recorder.

Singing, Piano, and acting I am in a production of Wizard of Oz at my Local theatre I was cast as Dorothy!

What's a penny whistle? (I haven't heard of them before)

It's a colonial instrument. I picked it up over night. It's really fun to play!

Turtle wrote: "It's a colonial instrument. I picked it up over night. It's really fun to play!"

Oh, never mind I have too heard of those :)

It is really awesome playing Dorothy I was very excited to get the part!

That's neat, I got to see and opera last night :)

Cool what was it called?

It was an opera adaptation of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory " pretty good adaptation and they kept to the basic parameters of opera performances.