anbody play any other instruments? [Archive]

jim_n_virginia

Jul-23-2005, 7:45am

I am always slightly amused at the number of posts by new mandolin players here on the Cafe that start out something like... "I am a guitar player and I just started playing the mandolin..."

How many guitar players I wonder are there on the Cafe? What other instruments do you play? And do you plan to learn how to play another instrument in the future?

guitar 30 years
mandolin 6 years.

And one day I plan on how to play the fiddle and I already own one and it is waiting for me!

John Flynn

Jul-23-2005, 8:14am

guitar about 34 years
mandolin about 14 years
harmonica about 10 years

I have thought about taking up some other instruments, including fiddle, banjo, dobro and even pedal steel, but decided against it. I like the mando so much that I don't even play my other two instruments enough to make any progress on them. I never get bored with the mando. I want to see how far I can take it. The only instrument I may get into is the banjo uke, only because I have some friends that play and it's easy and fun at a basic competency level. But I would not make a serious study of it.

JimRichter

Jul-23-2005, 8:21am

guitar (both acoustic and electric): 23 years
5 string banjo (both 3 finger and clawhammer): 22 years
(electric) bass: 20+ years

I also repeatedly try to learn fiddle every few years. One of those instruments I'd like to learn,probably more than any other, but can't get the hang out of it (the bowing). Will probably have to break down at some point and get an instructor.

Jim

dtb

Jul-23-2005, 8:46am

guitar......35
mandolin....25
bass........5

and I still only know 3 chords. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Pedal Steel Mike

Jul-23-2005, 8:48am

Pedal steel http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

arbarnhart

Jul-23-2005, 9:16am

Piano/keyboards - almost 40 years, off and on (mostly off the last few years)
Guitar - almost 30 years, off and on (mostly off the last few years)
toyed with recorder,harmonica and others. Wanna learn bass and hammered dulcimer.

Keith Erickson

Jul-23-2005, 9:23am

-Guitar 23 years
-Mandolin 1½ years (even though I bought my Harmony in '86)
-Dulcimer 8 years

fatt-dad

Jul-23-2005, 9:25am

I have full intentions of learning how to play THIS THING (http://savethebanjos.com/Acme%20Professional.htm). I've had it for years and just had it repaired so now it's just a matter of figuring the bum-ditty and some old-time standards - ha.

f-d

Oh yeah, I also play the guitar.

Coy Wylie

Jul-23-2005, 9:35am

Guitar 31 years
Mandolin 2 years
Fiddle 6 months

357mag

Jul-23-2005, 9:43am

Guitar about 20 years. Mandolin bout a year. Thank goodness for that two finger chord chart. To hear me play, you would think ive been playing mando at least,AT LEAST--5 minutes. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

groveland

Jul-23-2005, 9:49am

Is it better to learn to play all instruments you can to some degree, or to focus on mastering one instrument? #Which makes the better 'musician'?

38 years guitar.#
Bass as required.
Theoretically piano.
I own a violin. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Flatpick

Jul-23-2005, 9:59am

Guitar 42 years
Bass Guitar 6 years
Banjo 6 months, quit that nonsense, drove family crazy!!!!!
Mandolin, on/off for years

John Craton

Jul-23-2005, 11:19am

Violin - 41 years
Piano - 38 years
Flute, recorder, viola da gamba, organ - during my school years
Guitar - a failed attempt during undergrad
Banjo - never!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

bratsche

Jul-23-2005, 11:25am

Violin - started 42 years ago,

90% superseded by Viola - 24 years ago

Mandola/Mandolin - started 5 years ago,

Probably have no plans for any other instruments, since I've got my hands and spare room full with these, and also have many extra-musical things on the list that I want to do and/or learn.

bratsche

lownote

Jul-23-2005, 11:26am

Guitar (35yrs), Saxophone (36yrs), Fiddle(1yr) and I want to learn how to pick the Banjer.
Lee

GnomeGrown

Jul-23-2005, 11:33am

mando- 8 months, leading into a lifetime

fiddle-one month into frustration (to be fair it is only played when the mando irks me)

Guitar- had one for nearly 10 years, I know 3 chords, hate playin it

Turntables- 4 years, and I can do what ever I wish on them

gnelson651

Jul-23-2005, 11:34am

5-string Banjo 30 years, Scraggs style
Mandolin 1 1/2 years

Hope to learn mandola but want to concentrate on the mandolin. I may not be able to master it but I want to try.

I have pretty much given up on banjo, could never really get the hang of it. The mandolin is a more pretty instrument in both looks and sound.

Glenn Nelson
Las Vegas, NV

Milan Christi

Jul-23-2005, 12:03pm

Trombone - 42 years
Guitar - 40 years
Banjo - 25 years
Bass - 10 years
Harmonica - 5 years
Penny whistle - 5 years
Mandolin - 2 years today (believe it or not)
OM - 1 year

The guitar and mando are now my primary instruments - I don't touch the others very much any more because I'm no longer in a band.

GnomeGrown

Jul-23-2005, 12:28pm

guess I should add that in school I played Cello for 4 years, trombone/ euphonium 6 years....but couldn't play any of em now

Richard Polf

Jul-23-2005, 1:09pm

Guitar: Folk, Bluegrass & Jazz - 40 yrs

Saxophone: Jazz & Classical (referred to as "legit" in the Jazz world) - 40+ yrs

Bassoon: Classical (of course) Don't play anymore.
I went to college on a full tuition Bassoon scholarship. Hard to believe, but true. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #Those were the days!

Piano: Jazz style. (What we used to call "composer's piano" in music school.) - 40 yrs.

Mandolin: Jazz, Old Time and Classical
I won't say I play Bluegrass because I don't play fast enough, not mention that I still can't manage the approved "chop chords", despite Pete Martin's best efforts.

Anyway, since I am a working musician, doing a solo act in clubs and casuals in addition to teaching, I'd have to say that I consider Guitar as my main instrument. I miss the Sax sometimes (like whenever I hear "Blue in Green" on Miles Davis' "Kinda Blue"), but there is only so much time to practice.

Richard

Daniel Nestlerode

Jul-23-2005, 1:30pm

Guitar 25 years
Mandolin 13 years (played it for the last 10 years on a regular basis, the last 4 years seriously)
Mandola 3 years

Daniel

mandodebbie

Jul-23-2005, 1:52pm

The first instrument I learned was the guitar, way, way, back in High School. Mine was just a little student model, but I still found it a bit cumbersome for me. (I'm, like, 4'9" in height). Anyway, I lost interest when all my pals got married/careers/went to jail and I found no left to jam with.And then my late Ex (God bless his soul)loaned my guitar to his boss-lady's boyfriend and it never returned. But as fate had it, a year and 1/2 ago, I saw a cheap little mandolin in the local music shop and bought it on a whim. I have since replaced it with a better model. A few people who have seen me play ask if I also play fiddle/violin. They are surprised when I answer that I have never played fiddle/violin. I guess most mandolinists around here in Manitoba start on fiddle/violin then "graduate" to mandolin. Or demote to banjo. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Santiago

Jul-23-2005, 2:02pm

Violin... 40 years; Guitar... 25 years; Mandolin... 1 year.

Dennis Schubert

Jul-23-2005, 3:24pm

elec & acoustic guitar - 40 years
mandolin - 30 years
dobro & lap steel - 25 years
pedal steel - 25 years
bottleneck guitar - 15 years
banjo - off and on
fiddle - never, there is this court order in 7 states

Pedal Steel Mike

Jul-23-2005, 3:51pm

Most of us (including me) play the guitar, prompting the question, What style(s)?

How many of us attempt to play like Doc Watson? How many want to play like Jimi Hendrix? Or Merle Travis? Or Joe Pass? Or Segovia?

The guitar is so versetile as to be almost schizophrenic. To say one plays only tells us part of the story.

As for me, I started out as a finger stylist, a deciple of John Fahey. Eventually I get into playing rock (with a flat pick), and then country, (which is how I got into pedal steel.) I never did get into playing bluegrass, classical or jazz guitar.

Doug Edwards

Jul-23-2005, 5:19pm

Guitar 40 yrs (hate to admit no better than I play)
Banjo 4 yrs (still can't play it well)
Mandolin 3.5 yrs (now we're getting some where)
Fiddle 1.5 yrs (showing promise)
I played harmonica off and on for 30 yrs.

The wife still can't seem to understand why I want more instruments. I'd like a resonator guitar and a couple more
mandolins and fiddles. I do have a couple of fiddles I need to repair.

Jason Kessler

Jul-23-2005, 5:33pm

Guitar- 30 years
Mandolin- 10 years
Theremin- 7 years
Pianer & violin back in the school days

I played guitar professionally in rock bands in the 80's (when CBGB's was still in a bad part of town), then got involved in a bluegrass band because my brother had started playing banjo. A $60 thrift shop mando seemed too good a deal to pass up, and it's been mostly mando ever since. I did get a Regal Dobro a few years ago, and have been fingerpicking blues and bottleneck.

The mandolin (now an Eastman 614, which I LOVE) has done time in rock, folk, and reggae bands as well as bluegrass. It's a VERY adaptable instrument.

JimD

Jul-23-2005, 5:45pm

mandolin
guitar
piano
tenor banjo (CGDA and Irish style GDAE)
5 string banjo (classical, minstrel and frailing)
bouzouki
mandocello
charango
10 course lute
lap steel
recorder
tin whistle

and a variety of other ethnic plucked strings and winds.

Styles -- classical, jazz, blues, Celtic and others.

1860

Jul-23-2005, 5:50pm

Heavy Metal Guitar back in High School when I had long hair (or hair for that matter)...
Mando for 5 years...
Starting to try and learn the violin but my family and neighbors are trying to convince me to stop.

hernbone

Jul-23-2005, 6:48pm

Primarily a guitar player hence the name, 25 years mostly bluegrass, playing mandolin off and on for about 10 years but no where near the level of my guitar playing.

groveland

Jul-23-2005, 6:51pm

I love this... we're getting a handy bio here so we know who we're addressing when we post - That's great!

Most of us (including me) play the guitar, prompting the question, What style(s)?
Yeah, Mike, doesn't that make all the difference. Sure, this thread is about guitar (and other instrument) players that took up mandolin, but I would venture to say playing Leo Kottke is a different instrument than playing Allan Holdsworth, and Stevie Ray Vaughn bends and vibrato don't translate well to an F5.

So I would like to hear not only what the instruments are that people play, what myriad of styles they play, but also is it repertoire or improv, or something in between... Self-taught or schooled... ever professional or simply for the pleasure of playing...

arbarnhart

Jul-23-2005, 10:50pm

I got to thinking...

I learned piano first because my parents made me. They finally gave me my choice after a few years and I quit. My mom says my piano teacher cried, but my wife thinks it was probably tears of joy. I have played off an on since. I always have a keyboard around and occasionally put on some headphones and torture - I mean tickle - the "ivories".

I learned guitar because I wanted to be a rock star. I wanted to make a ton of money and have women chasing me wherever I went. Didn't work out. Swapped the electric for an acoustic and play it every now and then.

I am learning mando because I like it. I have no preconceived notions about getting fame or fortune or even getting to be all that good at it. I am enjoying it far more than I ever did guitar or piano, but as an interesting side effect I am finding that I enjoy and am getting better at other instruments.

mandopete

Jul-23-2005, 10:57pm

Guitar - 30 years
Mandolin - 10 years
Texas Hold 'Em - 30 minutes

Stephanie Reiser

Jul-24-2005, 6:11am

When I was little I was made to take piano lessons. I am so indebted to that because it has really helped to understand notation. Then, as a teen, I switched to classical guitar. But my heart was in folk music so I also aquired a steel-string guitar and learned the flat-pick and fingerstyles of many folk musicians of the 60's and 70's. Then the guitars spent more and more time in the closet. When I discovered the mandolin I became interested in acoustic music all over again.

Piano, guitar (several styles) mandolin.

tinwhistle

Jul-24-2005, 6:49am

Guitar 31 yrs. (fingerstyle, classical, boom-chuck if forced to)
Mando off and on 25 yrs
Bass all styles 28 yrs including bowed
Clarinet 10 yrs, then quit
Irish tinwhistle (hence my username) and Irish flute 10 yrs
Some keyboards as needed
Harmonica every since I can remember
Hope to take up bagpipes and u-pipes one day

While I usually play music that people actually enjoy, I take great joy and pride in making sounds that generally annoys folks.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Michael H Geimer

Jul-24-2005, 9:00am

I started off on classical guitar 20 years ago, but when my friends and I joined up to start our garage band, I switched to playing keyboards (I wasn't even close to being the best guitarist in the group). So, I played keys for the next 10 years or so.

Once I finally got a piano at home, I got hooked on the sound of acoustic instruments. That led me back to guitar, for its portability, and eventually lead me to the mandolin.

Now I'm working on clawhammer banjo. I'd love to try the fiddle someday, but I'm intimitated too!

- Benig

Ken

Jul-24-2005, 9:29am

Mandolin about - 25 yrs
Dulcimer- 30 yrs (on and off, mostly off since the mandolin)
Tenor banjo - 10 years
Some raggedy two finger picking on a 5 string banjo - 25 yrs

If I put down the mandolin long enough to take up anything else it will be the ukelele, I love how it makes me smile.

Ken

banjomanva

Jul-24-2005, 2:30pm

i started out playing the guitar, then i learned the banjo, then the mandolin. i guess i am best on the banjo, though i can play something on just about every bluegrass instrument except the fiddle.

slewfoot

Jul-24-2005, 3:01pm

I've played guitar for about 15 years with a couple breaks in there. I've fooled around with the mandolin for a few years and really buckled down with that instrument in the past year; interestingly, I'm probably at least as good now playing mandolin as I am at the guitar - Not that I'm a viruoso on either. I try to be well-rounded, but the more time I spend with the mando the less fun I have playing guitar. It feels increasingly klunky to me, like I have to push it harder. I can get notes to fall out of my mandolin in a more graceful way these days.

Something else kind of interesting: I played fretted bass just long enoug to sound competent on it. I didn't have to pick up much in the way of technique really, but I found myself having to think about what I was doing - about my instrument's place within the bigger picture - much harder than I had been with the six-string or mandolin, and I've noticed improvements on the other instruments since.

walshb

Jul-24-2005, 5:24pm

Hello, I'm new here and I've been playing guitar for 34 years and the banjo for about 15 years. I'm awaiting my first mandolin which should arrive tomorrow. I took advantage of a recent MF sale and purchased an MK Legacy Deluxe for $299. I've wanted to learn the mandolin for a few years now, and I'm finally taking the plunge. I love bluegrass music and that will be my main focus. I'm 52 yrs old, and I know very little about mandolins but it sure looks like I'll be able to learn a lot right here.

Onesound

Jul-24-2005, 5:57pm

guitar, banjo (clawhammer), shakuhachi, recorder, dulcimer & harmonium ...took one lesson on the dumbek

banjomanva

Jul-24-2005, 6:19pm

MR. Edwards----is that a blueridge i see in the photo you posted?

Doug Edwards

Jul-24-2005, 6:26pm

It's a Blueridge BR160 I bought last September. Great bluegrass sounding guitar for a good price. The other guitar is my 93 Gibson Gospel. It sounds good too, but is voiced differently.

jimbob

Jul-24-2005, 11:24pm

piano- for about two years when I was a kid
trombone- 4th grade through high school...still have it and play B flat scale once in a while
Guitar- 39 years...still G, C & D
Banjo- 33 years
Mandolin- 1 1/2 years
I wish I had discovered the mandolin 30 years ago.
I have always wanted to try the pedal steel. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

Guitar Jeremy

Jul-24-2005, 11:55pm

Playing the mandolin has helped my guitar skills immensely.

MOP

Jul-25-2005, 6:37am

I have also:2 pianos,one electric piano,a martin guitar D28,an ocarina.I think that all...I forgot a cat(ragdoll),look for the mistake...

250sc

Jul-25-2005, 7:06am

I play pedal steel, guitar, keyboards and mandolin.

Mike Crocker

Jul-25-2005, 7:39am

Voice...47+ years, since I first came screaming into this world.

Piano...on and off (mostly off, but on again now) for 40+ years.

Guitar...33 years.

Mandolin...15 years.

Bass...28 years.

Also ukulele, banjo, bouzouki, violin, etc...

Used to play hockey, but wasn't any good at it.

Peace, Mooh.

LeonEvans

Jul-25-2005, 8:47am

Mountain Dulcimer...28 years
5 string Banjo (3 finger style)...27 years
Guitar...26 years
Mandolin...26 years
Stand Up Bass...14 years

Gave up the fiddle when the SPCA showed up asking questions about torturing cats. ;-)

Leon

garyblanchard

Jul-25-2005, 8:55am

Let's see:

Guitar - 38 years
Harmonica - 38 years
Banjo - 36 years (on and off)
Autoharp - 36 years (on and off)
Synthesizer - 20 years (not too often anymore)
Ukulele - 3 years
Mandolin - 3 years
Strum Stick - 2 months
Fiddle - well, I scratch on it

Guitar and banjo I'm reasonably good at, the others I play enough to add some variety to performances. I play some rudimentary mandolin leads on recordings but I don't have another musician to play off of for live performances.

Dave Schimming

Jul-25-2005, 9:27am

Guitar 40 years
Mandolin 6 years
Banjo 2.5 years

Greydog

Jul-25-2005, 9:40am

Saxophone 38 years
Tin Whistle 5 years
Mandolin 2 years

Mark Walker

Oct-22-2005, 9:47am

Guitar: 30 years
Mandolin: 5 years
Banjo: 10 years
Bass: 1 year
Fiddle: 3 years - still trying; all I succeed in doing is causing the cows to go dry, and horses to elevate to an altitude of 4 feet and dart about at that elevation in terror!

DryBones

Oct-22-2005, 10:15am

guitar about 8 months (off and on)
mandolin about 4 months (off and on until last month, "playing" daily now)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

guitardad

Oct-22-2005, 10:54am

Guitar (rock, blues, classical, misc gospel) 19 yrs
Harmonica (blues, folk, rock, country, etc) 20 yrs
Piano (strictly hymns & christmas carols) 12 yrs
Dobro (haven't picked one up in a while) 10 yrs
Slide Gtr (a la Ry Cooder, yes it's differnt) 2 yrs
Bass Gtr (does anyone NOT play one of these?)18 yrs
Mandolin (eat, live, breathe, etc) 6 mths

As others have stated, I've mainly been a guitar player, (up untill I got the mando), hence the name. Don't remember when I picked a guitar up tho.

RI-Grass

Oct-22-2005, 11:57am

Guitar for 30 years.
Mando for 3 years.
Fiddle for about 6 months.

After playing guitar for so long, I really love an instrument tuned in perfect fifths.

Sal

FredB

Oct-22-2005, 6:42pm

Trumpet - 45yrs (hardly ever play at all)
guitar - 45yrs (but only returned to playing ~7yrs ago)
dobro/lap steel - 4 yrs
tin whistle - 2yrs
mando - 2yrs
In the process of teaching myself Irish flute
Thinking about uillean or Scottish small pipes
Thinking about banjo and pedal steel

It's all fun. But my preference is mando.
FredB

Peter Hackman

Oct-23-2005, 11:04am

Guitar, 47 years
Mandolin, off and on for 39.

Brief flirtations with harmonica (chromatic),
recorder, and banjer.

Jeffers

Oct-23-2005, 9:48pm

Violin (not fiddle sad to say!) - 10 years and stopped
Bagpipes - 13 years
Mandolin - 3 years
Guitar - Starting when it arrives!

Been meaning to show my face around here for a while and say that I'm going to start guitar. #A common story on these message boards is "Been playing guitar for X years, picked up mando recently and now the guitar's never out of the case!"

Still playing Mando as much as ever, at least 5 days a week. #The last year or so I've really been focusing on back up playing, chords etc. #I must say that a while back I though that by now I'd be getting to grips with improvising solos a bit more but no matter how much I practice those pentatonics or try and learn some cool licks it just doesn't seem to come naturally in a big way. #Unsure at the moment if that's because I'm still waiting for the major "breakthrough" or if some people just have more of a virtuoso streak than others!

Listening to and playing lots of folk music at the mo, and while the mandolin is a very cool and useful thing to have around in a jam, I'm finding that fingerpicking guitar is really the sound I want to be able to get at the moment. #Borrowed a friend's guitar some and have been getting to grips with the basics.

So - recently ordered a Seagull Mosaic and looking forward to it arriving! #I do wonder though if my story's soon going to be "Been playing mandolin for X years, picked up guitar recently and now the mando's never out of the case!" #We shall see ... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

rsgars

Oct-24-2005, 8:58am

Guitar. . . uhhhh . . . beginner
Bass . . . uhhhh . . . beginner
Manodlin . . . very, very beginner

adgefan

Oct-24-2005, 9:23am

guitar - 10 years
mandolin - 22 months
clawhammer banjo - 1 month

I think I'm already better on banjo than on guitar! I know chords on guitar but only started flatpicking about 8 years after I'd first started learning. And I've barely touched the thing since I started on mandolin. Banjo came about after sitting in a few old-time jams and wanting to be more involved but realising mandolin doesn't really fit. Mandolin gets played for hours on a near daily basis, other two are just for fun (at the moment).