# Hey, join the band: What instrument(s) do you play? Do you sing? Write music? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104 "2010-01-15T18:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/21 "2010-01-15T21:02:47Z")
French horn/mellophone here! ---
**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:** [January 15, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/22 "2010-01-15T21:08:43Z")
I play rhythm guitar in a semi-working, sometime recording band. I also included keyboards and writing in my repetoire, but they aren’t my strong suits. I have next to no technique on keys, but I know all the major and minor chords, and I can fake it when I need to. I don’t write music as such, but I do have a library of riffs that have found their way into various songs. I suck at writing melodies, but I can come up with a decent lyric from time to time. ---
**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:** [January 15, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/23 "2010-01-15T21:47:33Z")
Primarily a guitar player, (but I also play piano accompaniment for an adult singing course). I got a gig in a few weeks playing Bossa Nova tunes with a small combo but I’m a mediocre jazz guitar player at my best. (I’m actually a bit nervous but the singer is quite the tasty dish 😉 ) My main gig is my [Moe’s Cafe](http://www.myspace.com/moescafe1) project - solo guitar improv using loops. Sorta like Steve Reich/Philip Glass meets psychedelia, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/24 "2010-01-15T22:53:17Z")
I play the tin whistle. I can pick a few tunes on a bagpipe chanter and as a kid I rang … church bells! Big bells - I had a go at the hand bells a few times, but much preferred the big ones. I’m not a Christian and eventually they threw me out for not attending service on Sundays. I loved it, I’d play any of the three smaller ones. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Not\_Appearing\_on\_This\_Site](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@Sir\_Not\_Appearing\_on\_This\_Site](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Not_Appearing_on_This_Site)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/25 "2010-01-15T23:34:09Z")
Anybody need a 'cello player? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/26 "2010-01-15T23:38:36Z")
I put sing and play guitar and bass. In the past I played viola, piano, and clarinet (and wrote music in a rock band), but those are the only three I’m comfortable with right now. ---
**Author:** ![bink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@bink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bink)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/27 "2010-01-15T23:47:02Z")
You forgot ukulele! ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/28 "2010-01-16T00:10:20Z")
Klezmer violin. ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/29 "2010-01-16T00:17:53Z")
> [@bink](#): > > You forgot ukulele! My aunt plays the ukulele! I played it a little bit as a kid. I’m sorry I couldn’t include everything. ☹ Please keep the write-ins coming. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/30 "2010-01-16T00:32:17Z")
I play the bass and even some rythm guitar one in a while. I can sing, but not well enough to sing a whole concert. Give me some backing vocal and maybe a lead here and there. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/31 "2010-01-16T00:39:11Z")
I sing. Definitely not solo quality, but I kick ass in a quartet or sextet. You can plug me in as a high tenor or a low alto. ---
**Author:** ![natterj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dbc845/32.png) [@natterj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/natterj)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/32 "2010-01-16T01:00:43Z")
I sing lead and play guitar in a classic rock cover band (in fact I need to leave soon to go set up for tonight’s gig). Also drum a little (for my own amusement mostly). I’ve dabbled in some songwriting, and played some of my originals at church when I was leading the praise band there, and right now I’m working on some originals for our band to record. I also mess around with some home recording. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/33 "2010-01-16T01:39:11Z")
Drummer/percussionist checking in. Played in my high school’s jazz and concert bands. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/34 "2010-01-16T04:16:06Z")
I checked damn near everything on that list. I can make noise with anything. I’ve been writing and recording and producing my own shitty cult music for over 2 decades now. [They even let me keep it online in a few places](http://www.myspace.com/snowboarderbosnoarder). ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/35 "2010-01-16T17:15:08Z")
Fake plastic guitar! Also, real guitar. Badly. Still working on it. ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/36 "2010-01-16T17:35:33Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Fake plastic guitar! Me too! My usual role in the family band is fake plastic bass. The singing is real, though. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/37 "2010-01-16T17:36:02Z")
I’m a longtime player and teacher. The instruments that I actually play or have played professionally: Classical Guitar Acoustic Guitar Electric Guitar (lead & rhythm) Electric Bass String Bass Piano Organ (Hammond, not pipe) Mandolin Banjo Voice (lead and harmony vox) Drums Things I pretend I can play but know deep down I can’t: Dobro Harmonica Fiddle Turntables (DJ) What I wish I could play but will never actually bother to learn: Bagpipes (really!) Cello Marimba any wind or brass instrument I write and compose a fair amount. I mostly write rock, folk or americana songs, but have also composed a fair amount of orchestral pieces, mostly smaller works. I’m in school now for Music Production, and will be diving more deeply into the digital side of composition and production - combining digital and virtual instruments with real world instruments. can’t wait to explore this world more fully! ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/38 "2010-01-16T17:58:02Z")
I mostly sing. I play a bit of piano and dabble in composition, but I’m not good at either. Right now the only thing I’m working on is Frank in _Die Fledermaus_. ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/39 "2010-01-16T18:04:58Z")
> [@picker](#): > > I > > Things I pretend I can play but know deep down I can’t: > > Dobro > Harmonica > Fiddle > Turntables (DJ) > > What I wish I could play but will never actually bother to learn: > > Bagpipes (really!) > Cello > Marimba > any wind or brass instrument Things I pretend I can play but know deep down I can’t - my list would be: saxophone kalimba Oboe started out as this, but became my primary instrument by the time I was in high school. I was kind of hoping some other double reed players would check in. What I wish I could play but will never actually bother to learn: I always wanted to try bagpipes, too. The timbre has a bit in common with the oboe, IMO. I also wanted to play cello. It has a beautiful sound, and it looked so cool when Lori Singer played it on **Fame**. 😛 She is a cellist in real life, too. ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104/40 "2010-01-16T19:41:38Z")
Drummer with delusions of grandeur here. This is a [Soundclick page](http://members.soundclick.com/dfrntbreign) I made a few years ago. (no musicians were harmed in the making of this) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-join-the-band-what-instrument-s-do-you-play-do-you-sing-write-music/525104.md?page=3)