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Playing multiple instruments

Poontang_clan
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Poontang_clan
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12/02/2006 7:01 am
I noticed that playing more than one instrument has positives and negatives, for one you get to play more instruments. Also, they will help you in a way to better understand your main instrument and give you a better sense of rythm and timing if you learn drums.

But the thing is you progress much slower with each instrument I find.
My main thing is guitar but now i play keyboard and drums. It has helped in ways but left less time for guitar. What do you think about playing more than one instrument?
"We forgot to call Dylan" "Who the F*ck is Dylan?" "oh, I mean xDylanx" " oh yea we forgot to call him"
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# 1
Kevin Taylor
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Kevin Taylor
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12/02/2006 7:14 am
I got nothing but positive things to say about it. I don't know what I'd do if I had to rely on other people all the time for stuff like drums, bass, keys etc...
It makes listening to music more fun too, cause you can get into more than just one aspect of a song.
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# 2
Dr_simon
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Dr_simon
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12/02/2006 12:28 pm
yep, defiantly a good thing !
Even if your knowledge if the other instruments is just enough to scrape buy !!
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# 3
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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12/02/2006 7:44 pm
I as well find it to be a good thing. And I don't think it's all that detrimental to the progression of each instrument. Usually playing keyboard will spark up a thousand ideas for guitar and vice versa. And the way I see it, it's not really about getting good at one instrument, it's about getting a good sense of music in general. If you don't feel like playing guitar, play something else! It's just as good for ya!
Can't a Captain look at a Queen?
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# 4
rockonn91
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rockonn91
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12/02/2006 9:28 pm
Yeah, expanding on what Earthman said, I find Keyboard to help you immensely theory-wise, as its so easy to work out on a keyboard.

I guess I see where you're coming from though, that if you work on all at the same time and you're starting from the same level of experiance in each, then it could be a bit constricting. So yeah, perhaps it would be better for you (its different for eveyone) to just focus on one for the time being and really get that down, then use that experiance to help you build up the others.
JK :cool:

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# 5
Poontang_clan
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Poontang_clan
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12/02/2006 11:41 pm
Alright thanks for the input im goign to stick to the other instruments in order of importance, guitar keyboard and drums. Guitar is my main instrument.Keyboard is fun and good and i need grade 6 piano at some universities to become a music teacher i believe, so it will be good to learn. And drums are just fun and give me a a better sense of rythm and timing.
"We forgot to call Dylan" "Who the F*ck is Dylan?" "oh, I mean xDylanx" " oh yea we forgot to call him"
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# 6
Vegas Wierdo
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Vegas Wierdo
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12/03/2006 1:02 am
It is very good! Especially if you're a home recorder because then you don't have to put up with other people's crap! They won't get in the way of your grand vision, no matter how awful it is.

It also helps the alpha member of the band behave like more of a Nazi when bossing the other members around.
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# 7
srpianojrguitar
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srpianojrguitar
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12/03/2006 1:31 am
well i play keyboard, guitar, bass, harmonica, bit of drums, n the kazoo. and theyre ALL wonderful
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HEYYY AQUAALUNNGGGGG!
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# 8
alucard0941
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alucard0941
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12/03/2006 5:09 am
has anyone tried playing drums and guitar at the same time? :p

That would we the best accomplishment
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# 9
lyricchic
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lyricchic
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12/03/2006 6:22 am
Yeah, I don't know, I pretty much gave up piano when I started guitar. Guess I just couldn't find time for both, but it's fantastic if you can.
Don't worry. I shred.
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# 10
quickfingers
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quickfingers
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12/04/2006 1:38 am
indeed. i just started learning piano this year, and ive got to say that i feel so much more confident about being able to progress on it thus far. given, when i think anything involving theory, my mind maps out a guitar neck to figure stuff out, not a piano keyboard. thats just the way i work. but its so much easier to wrap your mind around music in general when looking at a theoretical infinite stretch of piano keys, and patters occuring so symmetrically down the instrument. actually, im putting down 700 for a real nice yamaha tomorrow, partly for my progression of the instrument, but mostly for home recording and whatnot.
"the more you know, the less you know. I don't feel like i know shit anymore, but i love it."
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# 11
40ftsmurf
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40ftsmurf
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12/04/2006 2:12 am
Here is an inventory of instruments in our house. (you can sing this to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" if you want).
6 guitars, two mandolins, two fiddles, 1 upright bass, 1 piano, 1 keyboard, and 1 clarinet. There are 4 of us that play music. We all play all the instruments. I think playing different instruments helps your playing ability. It really helps when playing in a group to understand more about what other players are doing.
Favorite quote.....GET OUT THE BEANS!
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# 12
Krunek
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Krunek
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12/04/2006 5:39 am
Originally Posted by: 40ftsmurfHere is an inventory of instruments in our house. (you can sing this to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" if you want).
6 guitars, two mandolins, two fiddles, 1 upright bass, 1 piano, 1 keyboard, and 1 clarinet. There are 4 of us that play music. We all play all the instruments. I think playing different instruments helps your playing ability. It really helps when playing in a group to understand more about what other players are doing.


Cool. Fiddle is a violin, right? Someone once told me that a violin is a queen of instruments... something like athletics in sport. Myself, I play all kind of stringed instruments that have frets... I also own a mandolin...But I don"t think that is much of an achievement, cause if you play guitar, you pretty much know how to play all string instruments...The thing I never played, but would love to try, is a banjo. Very rare in our country...What is the thing with the upper strind that goes only to about half of tne neck? For playing bass part or? Anyhow, aside the string instruments, I play a trumpet. Not so great at it, but...Playing multiple instruments can really help you do evolve as a musician, indeed. :)
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# 13
melbournian
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melbournian
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12/04/2006 6:30 am
(this is my first post but I'm terrible at introductions...so hi).

I definitely think that playing multiple instruments is beneficial...I've been playing piano since I was 4 and violin since I was 10 and I think they've really helped with guitar...I've been teaching myself the past 6 months or so and am probably farther ahead than if I didn't play anything, just for things like music theory, rhythm, sight reading and even a bit of the mechanics of playing...

40ftsmurf your house sounds like mine...we have three guitars (two acoustic and one electric that I just bought), piano, keyboard, bass, drums, and my violin. No mandolins though...I'm thinking of buying a melodica next :)
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# 14
acapella
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acapella
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12/04/2006 5:10 pm
Originally Posted by: melbournian(this is my first post but I'm terrible at introductions...so hi).

Welcome :)

All we have in my house is guitars, basses, and a piano. I only play the guitars and basses, but I'm going to start playing the piano because I think it'll help a lot with my understanding of music theory and construction, and also because I want to be just like Amanda Palmer. :D I don't really see how playing multiple instruments is anything but helpful. I know for sure that when I started playing guitar it improved my bass playing a lot.
You go outside and practice screaming. We'll play music while you're gone.
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# 15
DAMAGED ONE
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DAMAGED ONE
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12/04/2006 7:53 pm
I find it easier to relay my ideals for an instrument because I play them all and understand.
The Mind Is A Terrible Think To Waste.
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# 16
earthman buck
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earthman buck
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12/04/2006 8:18 pm
Originally Posted by: DAMAGED ONEI find it easier to relay my ideals for an instrument because I play them all and understand.

EVEN THE FLUGELHORN?!?!? GRAWWRAWWRAWRR!!!!!
Can't a Captain look at a Queen?
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# 17
DAMAGED ONE
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DAMAGED ONE
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12/05/2006 1:02 pm
Originally Posted by: earthman buckEVEN THE FLUGELHORN?!?!? GRAWWRAWWRAWRR!!!!!

Yes, Skin flute included :D
The Mind Is A Terrible Think To Waste.
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# 18
maestro shaz
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maestro shaz
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12/06/2006 5:37 am
It will obviously help!!!!

I play a few instruments.

Since I self taught myself the piano and guitar, etc.. and listening to heaps and heaps of Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Lizst, Vivaldi, Satch, Vai, Malmsteen etc... it just opened a door of possibilies.

Piano really helped with the theory side of things.

I feel like a one man band. I don't need to rely on others when recording a song. I can do it all myself, and that's just fun as!!! :D
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# 19

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