My late uncle (a Jazz Saxophonist and pianist) started teaching me Jazz piano chords when I was around 5 or 6. To be honest, all I wanted to play was R&B and Pop music (yes, even at that age). In any event, my moms (a soprano singer and pianist of classical music) eventually threw me into the stern hands of a gifted piano teacher. That's when I learned how to read music. All of that practice and more practice allowed me the flexibility to finally learn how to learn to play the music that I really wanted, as well as other forms. In my opinion, there is no such thing as learning too much. A good and solid foundation of the fundamentals will go a long way -- regardless of music genre or your instrument of choice. It ain't gonna hurt, that's for damn sure.

 

I play with myself :D ... and guitar

 

Mischievous boy! Are you insinuating that I'm not a musician?
At least I'm trying to be.

 

Started with violin at 3, guitar at 5, piano 7, mandaline 9, manditory recorder in school.... Alto sax[5-6th grade], Tenor Sax [7th-junior year] Baritone Sax same years for different music compititions, Basically every single reed woodwind instrument. Trombone [they sit right behind you in band] Trumpet [first chair always sits next to only tenor sax player] Drums, though I'm far better writing them and probably couldn't play my own songs, Bass, mostly proficient in finger style, since i'm not a bass pick person and my slap tech is rather good. 8 string guitar, which yes if you've played one its a whole different beast than a normal guitar. Tuba [same fingerings as a trumpet] While I haven't in awhile Steel slide guitar, I dunno I'm probably missing things. But I also grew up in a studio and my dad just retired from his band like 2 years ago cuz he's getting to old and he's still plans on doing solo avoustic act with looping and using Realband for his backup. So when people say music is their life, it's just that.

ps i only particapated in marching band one year, worst shit ever. Jazz band played mostly santana style guitar and been in bands since 7th grade as singer, guitarist, bass player imn different bands, I just turned 35 and I've been writing my own music since 1986 and start digitally with mastertracks pro on mac when I was about 13.

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2016

btw that first picture of Cobain is hilarious and would make him so sad at the same time lol

 

Backgammon and others

Serious: guitar, bass, piano, violin/viola, flute/whistle, bouzuki and a few more. Worst challenge in my life was trying to play uilleann pipes for about 7 years and I gave it up ...... I got kids

 

The guy in the first post is left-handed. Is the hand itself effective in making a good music?

 

Not at all. Just saying there is more to making good music than just being a good musician

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2016

Right... and 1+2=5

If you are your going to say blatantly dumb things you should exit the thread immediately. Someone would have to be in my house to physically damage my equipment. Or do you not know what the word physical means? My question is rhetorical, don't respond please.

 

I'm a player in general.......

 

I play melodica, Kurzweil K2000, Novation Remote SL, and Akai MPD32.

I was never an Akai fan, even of their samplers and MPC machines, but I got in love with MPD32. I really consider it an instrument on its own. The only thing it lacks is a simple 8 track sequencer for "quick jotting" or jamming, and possibly an arpeggiator, but I that's what MPCs are for.

And I wasn't joking about the melodica. It was my first instrument. The piano class was full so they offered me to go to a melodica class and I agreed. I was 7. I just wanted to play sumfin' with keys!

I learned how to play a keyboard [Roland Jupiter-4 and later D-10] and sing later on in my teens. I traded Commodore 64 computer for a Jupiter-4... I would do the same today. Anybody?

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2016

But a "record producer" doesn't have to be a "musician"...just helm the whole operation..

 

guitar, drums, bass, faders & knobs, a little bit of keys, mostly anything that makes sounds, I can make music with it (polyphonic beer cans etc) .... and of course clitoris

 

I was mostly busting your chops, but at the same time, I just can't believe we live in such a scientifically illiterate society. Idiocracy is a documentary to me. Idiocracy (2006) - IMDb

At the same time, I calculated the time it took me to get to "expert" at different things, at 1k hrs for great intermediate, and 10k for expert seems to be spot on. There really isn't a short cut, must be an artifact of the human machine. One distinction I do want to make is there's a grave important difference to me between "expert," i.e., someone that knows all the skills of a specialty, and a "master" in that specialty, because though an expert may know all the skills, only a master knows when to apply which skill, or to do nothing for a specific task. That's why they ask "experts" cause they are still not mature enough to ever say on camera, fk, Mr. News Reader, there's nothing we can do about that. That doesn't help steer the population, if your stooge doesn't follow the rules and talk out their asses on queue reveling in feeling important, even if what they suggest is total bs.

You play more than one instrument at a time!? I've tried, but I either get a mechanical error, or my instrument randomly shoots out of my hand like those old bars of soap.

Have you tried then, to "play with yourself...and guitar," with someone helping? That will prob work. I've tried something like that before, but I never get passed tuning and the warm up.

@Dread Never underestimate the "come here" double finger gesture tapping (that's important, not rubbing, tapping) just behind the pubic symphysis at 12 o'clock. Use with caution, cause then you can get in trouble for causing something they couldn't stop enjoying , since it's reflexive, and out of their control.

 

Last edited: Jun 18, 2016

Used to play bass/lead guitar in a band back in the 80's, packed that in then acquired a Korg analogue synth and played around with that until the early 90's. Became a DJ and started running a nightclub mid 90's then work got in the way (shifts).
Sold all my records 4 years ago then got dragged back into the club scene last year, with NO records!! So started making my own tracks again this year.

Having come from string instruments, 4 track tape machines and unstable synths, then the records, what we have today is amazing!
Sure, I can use the piano roll on the DAW, but only ever use it to correct minor things if I need to.
Try doing that with unstable VFO's and tape machines, with more hiss then the garages airline

I tried Cubase, Reason and Ableton, but seem to 'get on' with Studio One the best. I can dream up a melody and within seconds, its there, in the DAW, ready to be used.

As someone said previous, if someone invented a brain to PC music interface, our work would be done ;-)

 

Are you a producer, OP? A producer doesn't need to play any instruments at all. I think you mean to ask, "So you're a composer..."

People get "producer" and "composer" mixed up quite a bit.

 

As a modern man I play laptop, drumcomputer and synth.
I think Mozart would have too if he was among the living.
I only improvise when I play guitar, bass, or piano.
I'm not a composer, singer or a producer, I'm an artist.

 

vsts are my toys

 

I think Foster has narrowed things down to "you're not a musician if you're a musician!" That's the only conceivable logic I can gather from his outlooks. Well, one day maybe we will understand, until then, it's better to just move on and make music and be artists.

Here's my terms if it adds any clarity:

DJ: A person that plays turntables and mixer (which is not me by the way, since I do not own turntables or a mixer)
Producer: A person that produces tracks on a DAW, whether that be with guitar, bass, or midi keyboard and samples etc. That's a producer
Composer: A person that can read and write compositions, usually consisting of all acoustic instruments like cello, violin, bass, etc.

I think that is the easiest way to understand the terms. If anyone can make some contrary statements, please give me some of your views. Put them all together and you can make the general statement that they are "artists". As for musicians, I would certainly put them into another category. They would be persons who can play piano, bass, cello freely etc. Whether that be someone playing from a written piece of music or from their imagination.

 

Don't take this the wrong way, Foster, but I would consider you in the category of "producer" or more accurately "amateur producer". No hard feelings!