I started classical guitar 33 years ago when I was 33. I’m not pro-level by any means but I entertain myself greatly. Never had any intention of going on stage.
I’ve taken several years of lessons off and on over the years from various teachers. My last teacher (a few years ago) often commented on my ability to sight read. Hand me the sheet music and I can play through a new piece of moderate difficulty at tempo … but I can not play anything by ear, not even strum chords to something like Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle stuff – I gotta have the sheet music. Also, I have no idea what the song will sound like by looking at the sheet music – I have to start playing to hear the song.
I’m currently working through Carcassi’s Opus 10 and this video (it is not me) reminds me of me when I am enjoying playing a fairly easy piece.
This may be a weird question but I figure I’d ask it here. As an adult who hasn’t had much music experience, sometimes I’m curious how some of these instruments feel and play and (maybe) if I’m secretly good at them. I can easily find keyboards or pianos in our mall, and it seems every other person has a guitar for me to mess with, but what I really want to do is try to play a violin. Is there anyone I could go where they’d let me just try to jam on one for a few minutes? Or like a cello or some kind of guitarish instrument that you play with that stick?
Also I’ve always wanted to blow a tuba or a french horn or some kind of flute or clarinet. With the spit and all, its probably not something I’d want to just try off the rack, but I want to see if my terrible childhood recorder playing was merely a reflection of a cheap elementary school instrument or my own lack of musical talent. I mean, how hard can a tuba be, you just blow as hard as you can and hit those buttons. Or a saxophone! I’ve always thought I’d be good at it for some reason. And a harp, I mean, how hard can that be, you just pluck strings and it sounds like angels fucking
According to Bach, anything with a keyboard is a breeze. You just hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
He was probably being sarcastic, but there’s something to it. Playing the guitar, I’ve mostly struggled along on a cheap one that I bought yonks ago. Once in a while, I get my hands on a really good guitar, and it instantly sounds great. Or at least so much better than what I’m used to. Like I only have to touch it, or at least simply hit the right notes, and it purrs like a kitten. That sort of thing. Thing is, I almost feel bad about it. If feels like cheating. Back to the cheap old Yahama. It’s kind of crap in the same way that my own musical talent is, and it feels like there’s an honesty in that.
But to what avail? You have enough limitation to deal with in yourself, why aggravate the issue with a problem instrument?
Since Yamaha generally makes fairly decent stuff, I suggest get yours to a good luthier and see if a proper set-up will make yours reasonably playable. Alternatively, but more expensively, there are numerous guitars in the up-to-$500 range that are well-made. A beginner doesn’t need the cream of the crop, but certainly shouldn’t have to struggle with the bottom of the barrel.
Oh, you’re right. I forgot to add that I’m aware that this sentiment of mine makes no goddamn sense.
One day I’ll get over this idiotic quirk and buy an awesome guitar.
Edit: I wouldn’t call my current one a “problem instrument”, though, that’s pushing it way too far (although the tuning peg for the G string has come a bit loose, which is a slight PITA, but anyway). More like modestly mediocre. I guess I was exaggerating a bit in my post above.
If you go to a music store that also provides instruction and say you’re interested in learning to play they’ll usually go over several instruments with you, a teacher might let you “jam” for a few minutes, and if renting and instrument is an option you can do so for a brief time to try out an instrument.
Surprisingly hard, actually.
Playing brass like tuba, french horn, trumpet, or the like requires that you hold your lips in a certain position to avoid sounding like a fart or worse. Flutes are notoriously hard to start on, it takes a bit to get a knack. Yes, there is spit, but there are ways to clean spit off.
I went to a Sam Ash Music store near me a few weeks ago and they practically begged me to take an instrument off the wall and play it. I’ve only been playing violin for a few months, but I felt pressured into trying a funny looking electric violin they had. I also wanted to try a viola, so they let me play that also. I don’t know what they do for instruments you have to put your mouth on.
Panache45, make sure you come back to report on your cello playing! The more I play violin, the more I want to try viola, cello, double bass…
They have cleaning wipes and disinfectant for wind instrument mouthpieces.
It’s more of an issue with instruments that require a reed, as those would be a lot harder to sanitize than an all metal mouthpiece like a flute or brass instrument has.
Reed instruments like clarinets and saxophones also require you to develop callouses on your lower lip which, of course, you won’t have at first (beginners start with short practice times and work up).
Except for whacky instruments like bagpipes (three single reeds, one double) but there are other obstacles to playing those. You might be able to pick one up and with a little coaching get some noise out of it, but nothing like music until after at least a couple weeks and more like a few months of practice.
There’s an interesting book about the notion of a “critical period” for music, called Guitar Zero, by NYU psychologist Gary Marcus. It’s been a long time since I’ve read it, but I think one of his points was that children simply have more time to devote to an instrument than an adult.
That said, my unscientific opinion is that you can’t get as good, as fast, if you pick up an instrument as an adult. I’ve been playing the guitar for about 17 years, and I feel like I picked things up MUCH quicker as a teenager.
Still, while you may not reach the potential you might have, you can still learn to play at a decent level. It’s true that you can sound pretty passable quickly on the guitar, though I feel that it’s one of the more difficult to play extremely well.
Yeah, MB - stop that right now! While some Yamahas are great, if you feel your particular guitar doesn’t sound / play nearly as good as others, please do yourself a favor and either get that one set up, or as you say, get a different/better guitar. It really is a golden age of inexpensive acoustics, so there is no need to tolerate a guitar like that.
no there isn’t. if you don’t have the talent, then it doesn’t matter how expensive the instrument is. “Talent” is knowing how to hit the right keys at the right time. Shit like Bach supposedly said is just false modesty.
Thanks to all who’ve commented and shared their experiences. I’m glad to know so many other people have done this.
Wind instruments are right out of the running – I’m asthmatic and have enough problems breathing for one sometimes. (My big bruiser of a brother, surprisingly, learned to play the clarinet in high school. But for marching band he was put on the Sousaphone, because he was one of the few kids who could carry the thing.)
Well, now this brings up an issue that I wasn’t thinking of when I posted the OP. I have some arthritis in my right hand (second and third fingers). I suppose it will just be there no matter what I do, so just go with it, right?
You can strum with your thumb, or you can hold a pick (plectrum) between thumb and index finger and strum that way. You’ll have some trouble later on if/when you want to finger pick.
My own mildly asthmatic self used to play bagpipes and flute.
Now, asthma is no joke, and it will make getting your endurance for a wind instrument a little bit harder and take a bit longer, but actually it can significantly improve your lung capacity and breathing. There’s actually no reason an asthmatic can’t play wind instruments and it may actually be good for you. In fact, my niece was encouraged to play brass by her doctor once her interest in it was known specifically to build up her lung power.
Of course, it does require that your asthma be under a reasonable amount of control. But if a wind instrument strikes your fancy there’s no reason not to try it.
Again, it might slow you down, but provided you don’t over do it (short, frequent practices are recommended for new musicians) the exercise might actually help with that a bit.
Of course, this is all qualified with the fact there are exceptions to the above. If playing a particular instrument aggravates a medical condition, or seems to, consult with a doctor in real life.
I’ll just add to the chorus (orchestra?) that it is certainly possible. My aunt, after no more than rudimentary musical training as a child, took up the clarinet from scratch at age 50 and after a few years of lessons was very competent, sufficiently so to play recognisable tunes that were enjoyable to listen to and join a local amateur orchestra, which she still does to this day.
While you certainly need short nails for the left hand, long nails are not necessary on the right hand - it’s a matter of personal preference.
Long nails will provide a brighter and louder sound. This can be useful in classical concert settings allowing the high frequency sound to travel further (higher frequency sound decays more over distance than lower frequencies). Longer nails probably allow one to play a bit faster too, especially arpeggios.
Short nails, meaning you’re plucking the strings with flesh, provides a more expressive and mellow sound.
Both approaches are used by classical guitarists. Andrés Segovia played with nails, while Fernando Sor and Mauro Giuliani used flesh. Francisco Tárrega went from nails to flesh.
I use flesh as I prefer a mellower sound and also play piano, for which you need both hands to have short nails.
