What are your musical preferences?

[QuantumQuest]

I disagree with this, it is difficult to quantify biologically but what makes a good musician and great one comes down to talent like everything else.
You cannot learn to play football like George best, you have to be George best. One can practice get better get fitter learn things but one cannot "learn" to play like that.
You cannot learn how to sing like Ian Gillan or play Drums like Buddy Rich, it is who they are/were.
We have had similar discussions about talent regarding mathematics, can anyone get a PhD/published in Mathematics? answer? No.

Well, I have to disagree with all these too but in any case I respect your opinion. We just see this thing from a different angle. Personally, I think that people attribute to talent things that are not at all obvious or even evident that belong there. In order for anyone to be sure if there is such thing and in this case if it is an all-in-one cure for all, he / she has to have the exact same reasons to conceive and learn music, the same concentration and the same "environment variables" regarding home, family and a multitude of other things - not to mention a multitude of personal character features, with a "talented" person. This, obviously, cannot be done, so it leaves a huge ambiguity, at least for me, that the second person "was born" to be a musician or anything else for that matter. Also, I don't like at all the extraordinary magic nature that is attributed to talent. If a person has not great will to learn music or in other words music "does not speak" to his / her soul then he / she will never learn. Trying to learn something just for fun or for the heck of it cannot lead to anything great but definitely to something mediocre at best.

Of course, needless to say that I can't claim or prove that there is not such thing as talent but even if there is, I don't really thing that it is what many people believe to be.

Jimi Hendrix himself - which I regard as the huge difference that gave to electric guitar a whole new sense, meaning and he put it in orbit regarding the way this instrument was used before him, was very moderate and when a journalist told him "People regard you as the best player in the world" he responded by looking at the chair in which he was sitting and said "who is this guy you talk about?" - I just give it in my own words but with no loss of its original meaning. How many hours did he practice and played / composed songs? Countless. What were his real innate reasons about learning music? No one can tell with a hundred per cent accuracy. How concentrated was in what he was doing? Very much. How much did he love his guitar and playing? Really excessively. So, after these questions, did the "talent" made him what he become or even if there was talent, can we attribute his huge success to talent alone? I don't know for sure but I don't think so.

 

[StatGuy2000]

I had a chance to quickly look at the poll. It does appear that the majority of respondents (67.4%) can play the guitar, with keyboard/piano coming in second (41.3%).

Woodwind players like me are a small minority!

 

[BWV]

Have one of these, which probably puts me in a real small group

 

[pinball1970]

Well, I have to disagree with all these too but in any case I respect your opinion. We just see this thing from a different angle. Personally, I think that people attribute to talent things that are not at all obvious or even evident that belong there. In order for anyone to be sure if there is such thing and in this case if it is an all-in-one cure for all, he / she has to have the exact same reasons to conceive and learn music, the same concentration and the same "environment variables" regarding home, family and a multitude of other things - not to mention a multitude of personal character features, with a "talented" person. This, obviously, cannot be done, so it leaves a huge ambiguity, at least for me, that the second person "was born" to be a musician or anything else for that matter. Also, I don't like at all the extraordinary magic nature that is attributed to talent. If a person has not great will to learn music or in other words music "does not speak" to his / her soul then he / she will never learn. Trying to learn something just for fun or for the heck of it cannot lead to anything great but definitely to something mediocre at best.

Of course, needless to say that I can't claim or prove that there is not such thing as talent but even if there is, I don't really thing that it is what many people believe to be.

Jimi Hendrix himself - which I regard as the huge difference that gave to electric guitar a whole new sense, meaning and he put it in orbit regarding the way this instrument was used before him, was very moderate and when a journalist told him "People regard you as the best player in the world" he responded by looking at the chair in which he was sitting and said "who is this guy you talk about?" - I just give it in my own words but with no loss of its original meaning. How many hours did he practice and played / composed songs? Countless. What were his real innate reasons about learning music? No one can tell with a hundred per cent accuracy. How concentrated was in what he was doing? Very much. How much did he love his guitar and playing? Really excessively. So, after these questions, did the "talent" made him what he become or even if there was talent, can we attribute his huge success to talent alone? I don't know for sure but I don't think so.

Am not claiming magic, it's biological.
Evolutionary process at play, hunting attracting mates imitating birds animals ritual dance, all part of our ancient history.
No amount of nurturing, training and diet can change your genes.
George best is a great example because diet life style and training facilities were primitive compared to today. He played on cobbled streets as a kid and on mud soaked quagmires in the 70s, pitches I would have turned my nose up at, playing football Sunday league.
However the beautiful football he was able to produce was astounding.
You cannot learn that, you are born like that.

 

[KinggMalcolm]

I primarily do mallet percussion (Marimba/Vibraphone if you want to get even more specific), but this year my director wanted me to try out french horn. I plan on expanding my skills out even more and being able to play a variety of instruments!

 

[newbiegirl]

I'm just curious; this forum is full of people who excel at creativity thinking, something essential for music and art.

I play the keyboard and an electric guitar, but I'm not practiced in either, I just dabble.

I played piano as a child then woodwinds in high school. Apparently the students classified flute as dainty and most of the girls chose that instrument for music class

 

[RachelAnne]

Seem the guitar is the most popular one, or the most easy one to play.

 

[symbolipoint]

Seem the guitar is the most popular one, or the most easy one to play.

Portability could be a strong influence leading to popularity.

Easy or difficult to play depends on just what and how to be played. Also, of just how much effort the player gives to developing.

 

[CrunchBerries]

Relative. Piano, violin etc... the quality of play is directly proportional to the depth of knowledge and skill. Its easy to play a tune on any intrument, hard to reproduce genius.

 

[phinds]

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

I play mainly Guitar.

I have a classical guitar, electric fender guitar and electric fender bass guitar.
Though I play rarely nowadays, can't find the time to play; now and then I still play my classical guitar.

I much prefer playing with my fingers than with a pick.
But I don't make money from playing guitar.
Now and then, I get bored with the repetitive music that I hear and play my "chaotic" music on my classical guitar.

I once tried reading the musical theory, but I much prefer to improvise; sometimes I improvise something that I heard, I remember some bass guitar lines from a gong's Espresso track.

 

[richard101]

Hi to all musicians out there

I just want to share my own experience. I've started playing guitar when I'm on 4th grader. My brother was also a musician. But, I've stopped for a long time just to focus on my studies. Also, as a young kid, I wanted to play rather than to practice.
When I got worked, I learned to play a violin. But I can play only one piece of composition that my brother arrange. I didn't continue for so long because I stopped again just for nothing.
For now, since I have worked again, I'm trying to play the piano. I was inspired to play to our church so I keep practicing.

It's just nothing. I want to share my side. But, if you have any comments for me, I will greatly appreciate that. Thank you very much for listening.

 

[Mary Conrads Sanburn]

I can really play the harmonica. I love it! It makes me happy!

 

[Vanadium 50]

I bought a trombone; figured I'd learn to play it while isolated.

A gentleman is someone who knows how to play trombone. But doesn't.

 

[Mary Conrads Sanburn]

Dear Vanadium 50 please practice your trombone. Get out into your backyard and wake up the neighbors! Tell them to sing along as you play your trombone. They would probably enjoy your talent.

 

[BWV]

I have been arranging songs for guitar for the past few years, here is the Steely Dan tune Aja

 

[pinball1970]

Dear Vanadium 50 please practice your trombone. Get out into your backyard and wake up the neighbors! Tell them to sing along as you play your trombone. They would probably enjoy your talent.

Why do you dislike Vanadium's neighbours so much?

 

[symbolipoint]

A great thing would be to pair this poll to the voters' choices for scientific or engineering subject-area and THEN such a poll might tell use how subject area is or is not related to musical instrument choice.

 

[GiriBang]

I don't play keyboard that much though I learned to play keyboard in school. In fact I don't even have it now. Thappu a percussion has been my fav instrument since childhood. Sometimes I even play by using plates and spoons

 

[Bob Walance]

I'm just curious; this forum is full of people who excel at creativity thinking, something essential for music and art.

I've a theremin signed by Bob Moog. I can sort of play it, but I'm no Clara Rockmore.

Also, the keyboard was recently modified to be in a 'balanced' format. See my post from yesterday.

 

[melissaa]

I play keyboards but been dreaming of learning to play the guitar for a long time now. Wish I had more time for that!

 

[Mark44]

I had piano lessons for two or three years starting when I was about 11. I hated them at the time, but I'm grateful that my mother insisted on them. A bit later I took violin lessons for a short time, but quit shortly after.
When I was about 15, my folks bought me a baritone ukulele, which is really a small 4-string guitar. Since then I've had about 10 guitars, all steel-string acoustic, including two 12-strings.
My current collection of instruments:

• Roland keyboard
• Some kind of piano that my wife brought to our marriage
• Two charangos - Andean string instruments with 10 strings
• Guild 12-string acoustic
• Martin D-35
• Martin OOO-18
• Another guitar that has a Martin logo, nut is likely a Chinese counterfeit.

For as long as I've been playing guitars, I'm not all that good, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing it. I play the two real Martins regularly, and the Guild 12-string, which to my ears is every bit as good as a Martin D12-28, and maybe better.

 

[pinball1970]

I had piano lessons for two or three years starting when I was about 11. I hated them at the time, but I'm grateful that my mother insisted on them. A bit later I took violin lessons for a short time, but quit shortly after.
When I was about 15, my folks bought me a baritone ukulele, which is really a small 4-string guitar. Since then I've had about 10 guitars, all steel-string acoustic, including two 12-strings.
My current collection of instruments:

• Roland keyboard
• Some kind of piano that my wife brought to our marriage
• Two charangos - Andean string instruments with 10 strings
• Guild 12-string acoustic
• Martin D-35
• Martin OOO-18
• Another guitar that has a Martin logo, nut is likely a Chinese counterfeit.

For as long as I've been playing guitars, I'm not all that good, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing it. I play the two real Martins regularly, and the Guild 12-string, which to my ears is every bit as good as a Martin D12-28, and maybe better.

Nothing sounds like a Martin

 

[Mark44]

Nothing sounds like a Martin

That Guild 12-string sounds as good as or better than the Martin 12-strings I've played. I have the receipt from the original owner, back in 1974, and it sold for $1200 back then.

 

[pinball1970]

That Guild 12-string sounds as good as or better than the Martin 12-strings I've played. I have the receipt from the original owner, back in 1974, and it sold for $1200 back then.

I've never played one, I've played a 12 string a few times but not a top end one.

 

[sysprog]

That Guild 12-string sounds as good as or better than the Martin 12-strings I've played.

When I was a teenage kid (in the '70s) I was allowed to tryout-play guitars at a local shop $-$ I liked a small Martin mahogany and a Guild D-25 M (also mahogany but, despite its characteristic color and the M in the model name, unbeknownst to me at the time to be such) $-$ they were both better than my meager skills could take full advantage of.

 

[Klystron]

That Guild 12-string sounds as good as or better than the Martin 12-strings I've played. {snip}.

Agree: an authentic Guild 12-string makes a glorious smooth sound. Martin acoustic guitars sound superb but in the 12-string world of the 1960-70's, the Guild more than held its own.

 

[DennisN]

My current collection of instruments:

Nice. Here is my list :

• Roland JX8P vintage analog synthesizer. I've had it for 25-30 years and it still works excellent. I will likely sell it to save space.
• M-Audio MIDI keyboard, which I connect to the computer for playing software synths.
• Yamaha CS01, vintage analog mono mini synth. My first synth, and I will never sell it. Still works. I've had it for 30-35 years.
• Fender Stratocaster US 1976. Will sell it, I don't use it and it's worth a bunch of money.
• Epiphone Les Paul. A lovely guitar which I have modified.
• A Harley Benton Stratocaster. Actually very good considering the low price. Will modify it.
• A Harley Benton Jazz Bass. Also quite good. Will modify it.
• Another Harley Benton Strat which I assembled (a strat kit). Will modify this significantly, and also do a custom paint job on it.
• A short scale electric bass, not very good. Will probably sell it. Or rebuild it into an electric guitar.
• A Swedish Bjärton nylon stringed guitar. I've had this a very long time, will keep it. It's very nice to play on.
• A Jasmine steel stringed acoustic guitar (Takamine cheap version). Will sell it. I've always thought it was too big and not very comfortable to play on.
• A Harley Benton CLA-15MCE Custom Line steel stringed acoustic. Very good value for the money, it was quite cheap. Quite nice to play on.

 

[sbrothy]

I used to be pretty good at playing the acoustic guitar. Learning stuff like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Al De Meola et al (flamenco, "Friday Night in San Fransisco"), Dire Straits etc... Unfortunately, I broke my wrist in a meaningless accident and that much pretty ended that. I still dabble a little but sadly it's mostly gone. People are still impressed when I give it a go though (not to toot my own horn too much). Sad story.

These days I play around with programs like Reason, Fruity Loops and Cubase in an attempt to make electronic music. It's for my own ears only though. I'm sure that even though I've amassed a lot of equipment peopoe would still call it noise. It's a lot of fun though. :)

 

[Mondayman]

Nice. Here is my list :

• Roland JX8P vintage analog synthesizer. I've had it for 25-30 years and it still works excellent. I will likely sell it to save space.
• M-Audio MIDI keyboard, which I connect to the computer for playing software synths.
• Yamaha CS01, vintage analog mono mini synth. My first synth, and I will never sell it. Still works. I've had it for 30-35 years.
• Fender Stratocaster US 1976. Will sell it, I don't use it and it's worth a bunch of money.
• Epiphone Les Paul. A lovely guitar which I have modified.
• A Harley Benton Stratocaster. Actually very good considering the low price. Will modify it.
• A Harley Benton Jazz Bass. Also quite good. Will modify it.
• Another Harley Benton Strat which I assembled (a strat kit). Will modify this significantly, and also do a custom paint job on it.
• A short scale electric bass, not very good. Will probably sell it. Or rebuild it into an electric guitar.
• A Swedish Bjärton nylon stringed guitar. I've had this a very long time, will keep it. It's very nice to play on.
• A Jasmine steel stringed acoustic guitar (Takamine cheap version). Will sell it. I've always thought it was too big and not very comfortable to play on.
• A Harley Benton CLA-15MCE Custom Line steel stringed acoustic. Very good value for the money, it was quite cheap. Quite nice to play on.

Just curious, how do you think your modified Epiphone holds up to a Gibson?

I'm wanting an LP, but can't decide if its worth buying a Gibson for $2500 or an Epiphone and some good pickups (Pearly Gates or Whole Lotta Humbuckers).

 

[AndreasC]

Just curious, how do you think your modified Epiphone holds up to a Gibson?

I'm wanting an LP, but can't decide if its worth buying a Gibson for $2500 or an Epiphone and some good pickups (Pearly Gates or Whole Lotta Humbuckers).

Personally I'd say go epiphone, it's cheaper, it sounds fine, and the important thing is learning to play well. The guitar doesn't make a huge difference, especially the body, as long as it is comfortable. So my advice would be, try out the Epiphone and try out the Gibson. Ignore the sound. Focus on the comfort, the evenness of the frets, the feel etc. If you still think the feel of the Gibson is worth 2k more, buy that. Although 2.5k for a guitar sounds like an overkill regardless, there are good Gibsons going for much less. If you don't think the feel is worth the extra price, go for the Epiphone with good pickups.

My cousin has an expensive strat, I think it costed about 1.5k. I've tried it out and while it does feel and sound better than my 250 euro Squire, and it is definitely very comfortable, my bandmate has a Jaguar which he bought for around the same price I bought my strat, and honestly it beats the super pricey strat in terms of comfort, and the sound is pretty damn nice too. Super pricey guitars are overrated.

 

[DennisN]

Just curious, how do you think your modified Epiphone holds up to a Gibson?

Very good. I've put a roller bridge on it (somewhat like this one), and it is extremely easy to play on. String bending feels a bit like you are playing on a fretboard that has been dipped in butter. Very, very little resistance. It's by far the most easily played guitar I've got.

I will also install roller bridges on the other electric guitars I have (except the '76 Strat).

I've recently bought two brand new humbuckers (Alnico 5) with split coils which I will put into the Epiphone. This will result in six pickup combination possibilites:

1. Neck Humbucker
2. Neck + Bridge Humbucker
3. Bridge Humbucker
4. Neck Single Coil
5. Neck + Bridge Single Coil
6. Bridge Single Coil

I'm wanting an LP, but can't decide if its worth buying a Gibson for $2500 or an Epiphone and some good pickups (Pearly Gates or Whole Lotta Humbuckers).

I can only speak for myself: I would not buy an expensive Gibson. I would take an Epiphone or something similar and modify it. And I would spend part of the remaining money on on other things, like pickups/accessories, effects, other guitars, or other instruments.

Super pricey guitars are overrated.

I agree!

 

[DennisN]

Just curious, how do you think your modified Epiphone holds up to a Gibson?

By the way, here are some photos of my modified Epiphone:
(I actually took them yesterday to send to one of my friends who also plays guitar)

Epiphone Les Paul:
(There is a hole where the original pickup switch was.
There I will put a volume/tone pot bypass switch after I have fitted my new humbuckers.
I will also replace the original pickguard with a fully transparent pickguard,)

Rollerbridge:

 

[DennisN]

Just curious, how do you think your modified Epiphone holds up to a Gibson?

@Mondayman, @AndreasC (and others; I know there are others on PF who have built music gear, e.g. @QuantumQuest showed a couple of effects here)

I want to say that there are many good videos on youtube on improving and modifying cheaper guitars
(and also building and painting guitars). Here are some good examples:

• Here is a video about modifying an Epiphone Les Paul:
  Building The ULTIMATE EPIPHONE! - One Les Paul To Rule Them All
• Here is a video about modifying an Squier Stratocaster:
  Building a SUPER SQUIER! - Taking Aim At Fender's Best
• Here is a general video about improving guitars:
  Make Your CHEAP Guitar Play Like a MILLION Bucks
• Here is a great video about building a custom guitar from a Rickenbacker kit.
  It became a very cool and beautiful guitar and a great story about who finally got it.
  I built my DREAM Rickenbacker...then gave it away
• Here is a video about building a completely custom unusual guitar:
  Build your DREAM SUSTAINIAC (ft. @SCAR-MY-GUITAR )
• And regarding building, painting and finishing guitars, there's a guy named Brad Angove who has got a channel about this with many great videos:
  Brad Angove youtube channel

Maybe some may get some inspiration from these videos. I did .
I've been thinking about building a Rickenbacker type guitar either from scratch (except the neck, which I would buy), or try to locate some suitable DIY kit to start from.

Regarding DIY kits there are a couple of sites on the net, here are two:

• Harley Benton Guitar Kits (quite many different kits)
• Harley Benton Guitar Kits on Thomann

 

[Mondayman]

I typed up a long reply and thought I posted it. Wonder where it went.

Anyway, that is a nice guitar, @DennisN. I am pretty sold on the Epiphone. There's so much more to tone then the guitar, and that extra $1250 would be good to buy a new Amp with. I've always been after that Sticky Fingers tone that Mick Taylor had. What a great album.

I'd love to tinker with guitars, maybe even build my own. I love how EVH built one straight to his liking, essentially creating the superstrat.

What kind of music are you folks into?