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What Instrument(s) do you play?


Piano

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What's wrong with saying the violin is the best instrument in the world? It's true!

Word of advice, and since you're being civil about it I'll only forewarn you

Saying that one instrument is better than all the rest is not only ignorant, it's blatantly wrong. Instruments are only different, that doesn't make one better than the other. And what's wrong with saying that Violin is the best instrument in the world? It's wrong, I like violin myself, but that doesn't mean it's the best in the world.

For future refrence, think about what you say before you say it

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Word of advice, and since you're being civil about it I'll only forewarn you

Saying that one instrument is better than all the rest is not only ignorant, it's blatantly wrong. Instruments are only different, that doesn't make one better than the other. And what's wrong with saying that Violin is the best instrument in the world? It's wrong, I like violin myself, but that doesn't mean it's the best in the world.

For future refrence, think about what you say before you say it

I am deeply sorry. Please forgive me. Actually, I think the human voice is the most beautiful instrumnt in the world. :)

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Will Kirk - do you have a problem here?

violinfiddler happens to think violin is the best instrument in the world, and you're telling him he can't have this opinion? Well just because his view does not agree with yours doesn't mean either is wrong.

My opinion is that red is the best colour in the world.

Am I wrong? Is that so stupid a thing to say? No, no it's not.

Instruments are different, but let's compare the harpsichord with the piano. I say the piano is purely a better instrument. Not just different, but better.

Let's take two more diverse instruments.

The Contrabass, and the clarinet. I think out of these two that the clarinet is the better instrument. That's not to say that it's more useful, etc. I mean I prefer the various tones and sounds which the clarinet makes over those that the contrabass makes. I think it's much more beautiful, and more deeply characteristic.

These are all examples of course, which I'm just using to illustrate that someone can believe one instrument is better than another if they wish.

Don't be so agressive - I know you had a less than pleasant exchange before, but violinfiddler was not being argumentative in the least.

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Will Kirk - do you have a problem here?

violinfiddler happens to think violin is the best instrument in the world, and you're telling him he can't have this opinion? Well just because his view does not agree with yours doesn't mean either is wrong.

My opinion is that red is the best colour in the world.

Am I wrong? Is that so stupid a thing to say? No, no it's not.

Instruments are different, but let's compare the harpsichord with the piano. I say the piano is purely a better instrument. Not just different, but better.

Let's take two more diverse instruments.

The Contrabass, and the clarinet. I think out of these two that the clarinet is the better instrument. That's not to say that it's more useful, etc. I mean I prefer the various tones and sounds which the clarinet makes over those that the contrabass makes. I think it's much more beautiful, and more deeply characteristic.

These are all examples of course, which I'm just using to illustrate that someone can believe one instrument is better than another if they wish.

Don't be so agressive - I know you had a less than pleasant exchange before, but violinfiddler was not being argumentative in the least.

I know, I'm only forewarning him to be careful, I wasn't TRYING to attack him personally, although it may have come across like that. I didn't say he couldn't have an opinion, I was only stressing that he should be careful when he says things like that

Apologies for the misunderstanding

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  • 3 weeks later...

Piano for four years, guitar self-taught for about one year (I can play pieces such as the Romance D'amour and am learning the Asturias), can play a few tunes on an ocarina (something like a flute) and can keep a decent drum beat :)

I really want to pick up the violin, though :D :D amazing instrument :blush:

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  • 1 month later...

Daniel, I wouldn't agree that the harpsichord is a worse instrument than the piano.

People feel superior about the piano for the wrong reasons. The piano does have dynamic capabilities, which certainly adds to its expressivity in a way the harpsichord cannot. But the harpsichord has an extremely clear sound; cetainly some baroque music turns to mush on the piano.

But futher than that, three things make haprsichord playing as detailed and expressive as piano playing: articulation, ornamentation, and registration. A good harpsichordist is always moving between slightly detached performance and something else pianists never do, overlegato. Such articulations can go with motives or themes or hands or whatever, and can make one line really stand out from another. This can be done on the piano as well, but nobody would notice it! On the other hand, the harpsichord has a slight click after each note is released, making such articulations very clear. As one musician described, the harpsichord is a very voice-like instrument because it can "speak" with both vowels and consonants. Articulation comes naturally and very expressively on the harpsichord.

Ornaments too make harpsichord music very beautiful. Certainly pianists can ornament music as much as harpsichordists, in theory. But too much ornamentation can make the piano awkward and dense. On the harpsichord, ornaments of all kinds spill out on their own and they are loads of fun: trills, mordents, and all sorts of improvised figuration and arpeggiations. Try playing some baroque music on the harpsichord... you'll notice your fingers automatcally trilling all over the keyboard.

And many harpsichords have various stops and keyboards, like organs do. Have you ever seen the famous authentic bartoque instrument by Hieromymus Hass? It had three manuals, three 8' stops, one 16' stop, one 4' stop and one 2' stop!! I recently heard music played by Rafael Puyana, and his registration is superb. One moment a lone nasal sounding 8' stop plays a winding melody on the upper manual, the next he thunders dramatic, trumpet like chords with the 16', 8' and 4' stops. The piano can certainly produce a variety of timbres with its wide range and dynamics, but it cannot produce an entirley new sound the way some harpsichords can.

With these three resources, the harpsichord is well-equipped to be an equal to the piano. The music written for the two intruments is very different, and both have astounding capabilities for expression.

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ive played piano for about 8 years now and trumpet for 3 years. i can play recorder (along w/ everybody else who went to my elementary school) and can pic out a sinple tune on a guitar if its layed out on a flat surface( ho thats not really "playing"). and i used to be able to play twinkle twinkle little star on my moms violin when i was like 4.

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I play the piano and clarinet mostly... I write folk/rock music for my band on my guitar but I can't really perform with it well (there are other guitarists in my band). I love the piano for its versatility... that's what I play in my band. I play the clarinet in youth symphonic bands and school orchestras but I'm not at all very good at it. No formal music lessons any more for me. I had about seven years of piano lessons but stopped last year.

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  • 1 month later...

Been playing piano since I was 7 after a false start with Suzuki technique when I was 5, but I stopped lessons when I was 12 :P I wish I didn't! I still play though, and am trying to re-learn... I'm about AMEB grade 6-7 standard.

I played violin from when I was 9 and did AMEB grade 8 last year, but stopped lessons this year to concentrate on...

THE VIOLA. I started when I was 14 (I'm 16 now) but because I play violin as well it only took me a couple of months to get my standard up to what I am on violin. Now I'm better on viola XD I'm doing Amus this year, which is a bit scary along with senior schoolwork. o_O;;

I also sing soprano (no lessons or formal training) which is fun, and me + guitar = NOOB. But it's interesting!

I desperately want to play the cello. It's a beautiful instrument.

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I play...

Piano - this is my main instrument, have been learning for about 10 years now, and got my AMus (AMEB syllabus) two years ago.

Violin - I learnt for about two years in those little primary school group lessons, lol! That's about it though.

Tenor Recorder - No, not the screechy sop recorders! I love tenor recorder ;) But unfortunately, haven't played it for 5 years now...

Singing - This isn't technically an instrument...but I sing. Either Soprano 1 or Alto, it's strange...my voice goes funny in the middle but it's alright on the outer edges.

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Probably already posted here, but what the heck.

Guitar - I started playing guitar in 8th Grade, but never got far with it. I occassionally still play it, and I'm thinking about starting to learn it again.

Bass Guitar - Been playing this for about a year and a half and I'm pretty good at it. I'm currently playing this in Jazz Band.

Saxophone - Pretty much my main instrument. The 3 Saxophones I've played so far are the Alto, Tenor, and Baritone Sax. I started playing Alto Sax in 5th and 6th grade and didn't play it again until marching band my sophomore year. Once marching band was over, I started playing tenor sax for concert band that same year. My junior year(this year), I played Tenor Sax again for marching band, and now I'm playing Baritone Sax in marching band. I tried out for jazz band a few times on Sax, but never made it.

Instruments I'm learning:

Flugabone or Trumpet - I'm thinking about playing one of these instruments for marching band next year. My biggest problem with brass instruments isn't the fingering, however the whole lip vibrato thing. Once I get that down, learning the actual instrument shouldn't be trouble. A big difference between Brass instruments and wind instruments, is that to go an octave higher, you just have to tighten your lips, rather than pressing an octave key.

Violin - Got a violin a while ago, but I haven't really had time to learn how to play it.

Instruments that I eventually want to learn how to play:

Flute

Clarinet

Percussion instruments

Bass Clarinet

Drums

Piano

My aim is to probably get a degree in music, become a band director, and probably become a professional composer.

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I have already posted what instruments I play,but what the heck. The past years, my primary instrument is the violoncello. I still suck at it, having started this late, but I try very hard to try and conquer "the wooden beast"! :thumbsup:

I am (rather, I used to be) very good at the (electric) guitar, but I'm pretty much fed up with it. I haven't played for some years, and I don't miss it. I play a decent classical though (and when I do, I almost like it) -> but I still play the Bach cello suites arranged for guitar! :P

I also play some piano, some harmonica and baglamas, a greek folk instrument. :)

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