# Can you play a musical instrument ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679 "2011-10-24T21:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/41 "2011-10-25T15:49:59Z")
I’m a somewhat active amateur tuba player. I don’t practice as much as I’d like, so my playing has gone downhill a bit over the years. I can hold my own, though. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/42 "2011-10-25T15:53:37Z")
Piano I took guitar lessons a long time ago, but I didn’t want to spend the time practicing and gave it up. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/43 "2011-10-25T16:10:32Z")
Guitar player. My acoustic style is simple, soft, blues/rock/pop. My electric style and technique is somewhat like the sound of a cat, chased by a lawnmower through a thorn bush. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/44 "2011-10-25T16:15:16Z")
With 33 years as a saxophonist, 32 clarinetist, 6 flutist, and half a term of beginning piano, I think I can state confidently that live music no longer has a social function in America outside of paid performances by a small number of successful professionals. Otherwise, it plays a role in our lives only if we have school-age children. If we’re disappointed people don’t play in large numbers, we have to find a way to make it _mean something_. Not just to them, but to the community. Do you eat locally? Shop locally? Then please - _listen locally._ It’s not trendy like food or consumer goods. But it is a joy - one of the most basic joys we have in life. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/45 "2011-10-25T16:39:13Z")
I play the flute and piccolo well. The saxophone and oboe not so well. I wish I could plink something other than “The Entertainer” on the piano. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/46 "2011-10-25T17:11:35Z")
Back in my teens I played pretty much everything you can hit with a stick, from a snare drum to a full drum kit, to timpani, to all manner of xylonphone, marimba, bells and chimes. I also have a passing aquaintence with a piano, although I’m far from what I would call proficient. I’m quite rusty on all counts these days, but could probably get back to passable with a couple weeks of practice. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/47 "2011-10-25T17:53:02Z")
As mentioned elsewhere, I play a [diatonic accordian](http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/368376193/YW667_DIATONIC_BUTTON_ACCORDION.jpg), commonly used in various types of folk music. Used to be considered fairly competent on piano, organ and saxaphone but haven’t done anything with them in years. Do pretty well on harmonica and can do basic chording on guitar and ukelele. SS ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/48 "2011-10-25T19:29:48Z")
After noodling and frustrating myself on guitar for many years, I recently found an awesome private instructor to take lessons from. After a couple of months, I can call myself able to play guitar (though am still taking lessons). I still suck and fumble a lot, but I’m beyond the 3-chord wall and flying into new musical worlds. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/49 "2011-10-25T20:06:37Z")
Piano, tabla, and jew’s harp. I can play recognizable tunes on almost any instrument presented to me - except for brass winds - for some reason I just can’t make a proper sound on those. (Which sucks, by the way. I would love to be able to play trombone.) ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/50 "2011-10-25T22:01:15Z")
guitar, piano, and desk (for those unfamiliar, this is a percussion instrument played with the fingers, which also supports a desktop computer and typically a cup of coffee. Various objects are used to alter the sounds). (similarly I also play the chest and stomach). ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/51 "2011-10-25T22:10:44Z")
Piano, flute, piccolo, oboe, tenor sax, djembe, dununs, hoshos (the last badly). I’m teaching myself the tin whistle and Native American flute. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/52 "2011-10-25T22:31:47Z")
Trumpet - not brilliantly but am the regular second “cornet” in our local band (several performers play cornet parts on trumpet, we have only one who usually plays an actual cornet and, just to be awkward, even when we have trumpet parts as well as cornet it’s usually the cornet parts we want played). Organ - again, not brilliantly, but our church has had a proper instrument for me to practise on for only a year or so. My claim to fame is that I know over a hundred hymn tunes well enough to play from memory in full harmony (and did so, as part of the fund-raising we did to get the new instrument). And I can explain very simply the difference between a Trumpet stop and a Cornet. 🙂 I scraped the cello to little effect at school, enjoyed the double-bass more when I switched to it, but have played neither in the last 30-odd years. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/53 "2011-10-26T19:02:43Z")
Piano. I started taking classical lessons when I was 7, studied for 6-7 years, then studied again for a semester in college. I still play at about an intermediate level, but never publically. I also sing – much better than I play the piano; I’m a classically trained semi-working jazz singer – though much debate exists on whether voices are instruments in the same manner as pianos, guitars, etc. > [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > live music no longer has a social function in America outside of paid performances by a small number of successful professionals. What’s the alternative? Isn’t _all_ live music performed “by a small number of successful _[in that they have a gig]_ professionals _[in that they’re getting paid]_”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/54 "2011-10-26T19:10:31Z")
A small number out of\* all\* professional-_quality_ players - ie: those who could hack it. And being successful is not getting _a_ gig - it requires building a reputation that leads to _regular_ gigs. BTW, I want to apologize for leaving out religious services as one of the few remaining social functions of live music! Can you tell I don’t currently attend any? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/55 "2011-10-26T19:20:29Z")
My band is playing an open mic show tonight … for fun. That’s pretty social. Hell we play every Tuesday night down at our studio for free for whomever wants to show up and watch us argue with each other between songs. ---
**Author:** ![Dustin\_Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Dustin\_Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dustin_Jake)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/56 "2011-10-26T19:40:09Z")
I actually picked up guitar about 4 years ago and decided to start writing my own songs (mainly to impress a particular girl). Now I’m doing it full time as a career… go figure ha ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/57 "2011-10-26T20:02:14Z")
Banjo. Bought one out of the blue this summer. Well, I’m still learning of course but it’s great fun. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/58 "2011-10-26T23:52:09Z")
Guitar. Been trying to teach myself for the last 20 years. I’d say I’m mediocre at best. As I usually tell people “I’m not a guitar player. I’m a guy who owns a guitar, and sometimes I play on it.” ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/59 "2011-10-27T00:06:58Z")
I’m an above-average bass player, and a competent guitarist. I can also play a bit of piano and drums. Back in school (25+ years ago) I played the clarinet, alto and baritone sax, and bassoon. Back then I also taught myself the basics of playing trumpet. ---
**Author:** ![Philliam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/philliam/32/3011_2.png) [@Philliam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philliam)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679/60 "2011-10-27T00:20:15Z")
Various abilities - Bass guitar - many years, for money. Tuba, Trumpet, French Horn - if needed for a studio gig (desperation situation). Bottle-neck Guitar, Harmonica - for fun only. Alto Sax, Electric Guitar & back-up vocals - to drive away un-welcome guests! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-play-a-musical-instrument/600679.md?page=4)