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Thread: Which is the best musical instrument?

  1. #51
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by catmandu2 View Post
    Well I gotta tell you--bluegrassers and mandolin devotees notwithstanding--there is much, much more interest, as well as recording and artistic use, of synthesizers, these days
    While you are right, its no great challange to be of more interest to the general public than bluegrass.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  2. #52
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by cwtwang View Post
    My question has been: Why do so many members of my family HATE the sound of a mandolin; even the finest Loars played by the greatest players in the World? Is hating the sound of a particular instrument genetic? Even my neice (when she was so little that she was barely talking yet) uttered only two stern words when I played a very sweet tune for her on the mandolin: "Put BACK!!!" Geesh!


    Nah. If I can judge from my families musical tastes, there is a hatred of anything that I get passionate about. I suppose its because they feel it robs them of some of my passion, or that they feel jealous of my attention, or, my own favorite explanation, they feel powerless to influence me when I am in my passion. I try very hard to include them. But a typical response, this from a nephew, "Uncle Jeff, why do you play the mandolin? Isn't that something musicians do?"

    If you think families hate mandolin, its nothing compared to how much they hate fishing.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  3. #53
    Registered User Pete Summers's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Milne View Post
    I gotta disagree with this, sorry Pete. The piano while developed for its dynamic range really only has one timbre.
    It's size isn't exactly conducive to being transported around easily, which rules out scenarios like being thrown into a backback, carried on a bike and played at the beach etc.
    Oversized one trick pony =/= versatile to me.
    I agree, the disadvantage of lack of portability of the acoustic piano is a negative, as is the lack of a variety of timbre.

    However, I think those are more than off-set by its versatility in terms of its ability to be self-accompanying (an enormous advantage that few instruments can match), its range of tones from bass to treble, its inspiration for composers, its ability to play ten or more notes at a time, and to play any style of music. It's no accident that more piano music has been written than music for any other instrument (the violin is second, I believe), simply because the piano can do more.

    Of course we all recognize this whole discussion of the "best" instrument is ludicrous -- best is entirely subjective. All instruments have their advantages and disadvantages, but to my mind the piano can do more than any other single instrument, except perhaps the pipe organ. And nowadays, the digital piano has eliminated the piano's lack of mobility -- at 30 pounds or so, it can be taken anywhere an electric instrument can go.

  4. #54

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    While you are right, its no great challange to be of more interest to the general public than bluegrass.
    My comment was actually--comparing the interest and use of synths today with the relative interest and use of synthesizers in 1983

  5. #55
    Registered User ninevah's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Voice !

  6. #56
    Registered User trevor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Sorry, I haven't read the whole thread. My least favourite question in my store is 'what is the best guitar/mandolin?' Fortunately the answer is simple. Whichever you like best.
    Trevor
    Formerly of The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) Brighton England now retired.

  7. #57
    String-Bending Heretic mandocrucian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?



    take your pick.....electric or acoustic

  8. #58

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by OldSausage View Post
    When was the last time anyone thought to themselves "The thing I'd really like to purchase today is a fine album of synthesizer music!" though? My guess: 1983.
    I have a couple of Tomita albums - Snowflakes Are Dancing (1974) and Pictures at an Exhibition and I get quite a kick out of the synthesized versions of Beethoven's 9th on the Clockwork Orange soundtrack (1971). Everybody knows analog's best.

    My dogs are not particularly fond of my mandolin - until I get the French Horn out. (Actually, the Horn is an indispensable and and oft-synthesized sound - so don't even go there.)

    Welcome to Heaven, here's your harp. Welcome to Hell, here's your accordion. (Gary Larson)
    I saw Homer & Jethro once. This mandolin therapy isn't helping me get over it.

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  9. #59

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Cello. It's relatively portable and a range of over 4 octaves. It comes in different sizes and a cheap cello still sounds pretty nice. It can sound like a violin or a double bass. Bowed or pizzicatto. Lead or rhythm. Great for extended technique noises. And we all know about the magic of 5th's tuning. Mind you I've never played one but have played with accomplished cellists in a number of contexts, electric and acoustic and I'm always blown away. Now if you could mount a cowbell on one....

  10. #60

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Summers View Post
    I agree, the disadvantage of lack of portability of the acoustic piano is a negative, as is the lack of a variety of timbre.
    Since we're breaking this down a bit more than did the article...gotta put in a nod for the "stomach steinway" if portability is your penhcant (and you don't have an electrical outlet)



    Last edited by catmandu2; May-03-2012 at 12:11pm.

  11. #61
    Registered User neil argonaut's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by catmandu2 View Post
    Since we're breaking this down a bit more than did the article...gotta put in a nod for the "stomach steinway" if portability is your penhcant (and you don't have an electrical outlet)
    I tend to think an accordion is the worst kind of size for portability - heavy enough to be a pain to carry, but light enough that you're expected to. I think it's best to go for either something mandolin sized or smaller (concertina rather than accordion if squeezeboxes are your thing), penny whistle, harmonica etc, or something like a piano where you aren't expected to carry it to gigs on your back.

  12. #62
    Registered User the padma's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Which is the bodies best leg, the one on the left or the right?
    If it gets the pig clean ~ use it.


    .

  13. #63

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by neil argonaut View Post
    I tend to think an accordion is the worst kind of size for portability - heavy enough to be a pain to carry, but light enough that you're expected to. I think it's best to go for either something mandolin sized or smaller (concertina rather than accordion if squeezeboxes are your thing), penny whistle, harmonica etc, or something like a piano where you aren't expected to carry it to gigs on your back.
    But more convenient than those pipes behind maestro di Gesualdo. But yes, if you're not playing the Toccata & Fugue...why I play concertina and diatonic button accordians myself--although I do have a very heavy piano accordian that sounds killer...for blues and zydeco, ooh...

    My partner said it best one day at one of our gigs: trying to explain to the audience why we cart along so many instruments (it's usually a point of interest to an audience), I self-deprecatingly said, "well we just can't decide what we like..." Then my partner simply said, "we like em all"

    Even the little pokerwork is an expressive instrument
    Last edited by catmandu2; May-03-2012 at 2:59pm.

  14. #64
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by catmandu2 View Post
    Since we're breaking this down a bit more than did the article...gotta put in a nod for the "stomach steinway" if portability is your penhcant (and you don't have an electrical outlet)
    Or bandoneon.

    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  15. #65

    Default Re: Which is the best musical instrument?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandocrucian View Post

    Yes, but Spock's playing was devoid of emotion

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