What is an musical instrument would you like to know how to play?

whaleross@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 70 points –

And why? Not an instrument you already play. Pick something else.

I'll start.

Saxophone, so I can climb the rooftops and play my neighbours some cheesy sax porn solos of the eighties.

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I've always wanted to learn the violin since it goes well with the piano but there's no way to practice quiet.

There's a kind of electric violin that actually is rather quiet, and in addition to the strings being quieter (there's no resonance chamber) you can plug headphones in (yeah, plug) and have it sound loud to you. Electric or "silent violin" should probably lead you in the right direction!

Oh sweet, alright I have something to look forward to. Thanks!

I want to play the accordian. I just don't want to pay for an accordian.

My daughter got a mini accordion for cheap online. It was at least good enough to see if you enjoy it enough for a real one.

the keytar

I learn the sax, you pick up the keytar. Then we take over the stages of every major festival with dual soloing to smoke machines and neon lights until the groupies carry us off stage. Deal?

Bagpipes, they are the most beautiful sound to me and the most horrific to everyone else! Also a hurdy gurdy, because it is a interesting sound and I could probably make one and will hopefully do so when I have the time

Cello. I really think there is no greater instrument (maybe the church organ). It has such a range, from quick and frantic to dark and brooding. Forreference, check out anything composed by Gabriel Saban.

There are precisely two instruments on this world I would try to learn:

  • the bag pipes

Because, to my knowledge, it it the most annoying instrument known to humanity. It's loud, it's screechy, it's haunting, it's everything hateful in a music instrument and yet it is so damn epic sounding.

  • the hurdy gurdy

Silly sounding name for an instrument capable of sending shivers down your spine.

It is also ridiculously cumbersome and unless you know what it is, the basic reaction to it is wondering if a piano, an accordion and a jack-in-the-box had a threesome and nature decided to create the musical instrument equivalent of the platypus.

I like this instrument so much I created a character for a story that is a necromancer bard, that conveys spells through the music of the hurdy gurdy.

Hurdy gurdy are pretty cool instruments but also loud as fuuuck.

I'd like to have one for accompaniment when my neighbour is predicting the violin and keep going when they are done.

To learn to play the hurdy-gurdy, you must also learn how to repair the hurdy-gurdy

This makes me want to learn the hurdy-gurdy even more! I mean, in reality, I'm never putting in the time to learn to play it anyway. So, in the fantasy of me being dedicated enough to learn to play an instrument, the added fantasy of me maintaining a finely tuned instrument is just added appeal.

Was I skillful enough, I would build mine. My favorite type is the large, cello-type body, with the characteristic deep tone.

They're very cool but reading about the maintenance scared me away lol

Have always wanted to be able to play the cello, whose sound simply resonates with me.

Anything. I absolutely love music and the thought of being able to make it myself has always been a dream of mine. However, I can't hold a beat to save my life. I've tried playing the piano, guitar, trumpet, and baritone at stages of my life, never with any success. I can't even play Guitar Hero past medium difficulty.

I’d love to learn the sax, my trumpet skills are not as romantic as teenage me had hoped

I've always wanted to pick up the guitar.

I have played, in the distant past, at various levels of ability: trumpet, baritone, French Horn, trombone, piano

You're way ahead of most people learning guitar even if none of those instruments are fretted. Give it a go, I'll bet you'd surprise yourself with how capable you are after a couple of days!

Mediocre bassoonist here.

I really like folk instruments. I've been working on learning accordion, but I've put it down for a while. I'm going to make serious study a goal in 2024. Although I don't know what I'd do with it!

I'd like to learn to play to play the hurdy-gurdy or one it's relatives, the Balalaika , any fipple, or any of the hammered dulcimers.

In practicality, I should be a better keyboardist though

Drums. It seems they're really hard to learn, thought.

Midi keyboard because

  1. Its versatile
  2. Requires less maintenance, at least less than acoustic guitar

You don't need a physical keyboard to use MIDI technology. Many audio production programs have a virtual keyboard that will let you play basic stuff with your computer keyboard. However, I sequenced my entire metal album's drum track by just clicking and dragging all the notes in the editor. (Not gonna post it because I don't want to dox myself.) You can get Ardour (which can sequence MIDI amongst other things) for free through your Linux distribution, and I believe it can be found for Windows. Else, Reaper is technically not free, but you can use the demo for as long as you want.

All of this is to say that you don't need any training or equipment to start playing electronic music, particularly that using MIDI technology. A couple hours here and there will be enough to start producing competent music.

Piano. I actually can play it a bit but I'd need 10000 more hours and space and time and motivation to do that. I wish I could just sit down and play, without disturbing the neighbors or limiting my living space or cutting down on my other hobbies. But piano is really nice. I guess I'll stick to listening to it.

You could get a keyboard and use headphones if the noise is the most significant blocker. That can help with the space, too, since you could fold up the stand and put it away when not in use, unlike a piano which is furniture as much as a musical instrument. Unfortunately, there's no helping with the time part unless you're lucky enough to be born with talent, though even then it just means less time rather than little time.

I have a deep love for Halloween season. I always wanted to get a waterphone. They are just a little to expensive for something that would 100% be a novelty.

Thank you for reminding me that this exists. FYI, it is out of patent and Mr. Waters is now deceased so, one could ethically and legally make a copy. (Patent no. US-3896696-A)

I'm intending to make one for myself at some point, as I THINK I have all the necessary tools at the Makerspace.

EDIT: Just investigated a bit. I absolutely do have access to the tools!!! Now, just to get in to practice TIG welding so that I'm not terribad at it.

My father in law in an AMAZING machinist. I should mention to him to see what he could do with it.

Piano. I can play most wind based instruments to some degree, but I can’t get the hand separation needed for piano

Harmonica. You can carry it anywhere and bust a jam anywhere.

There are two instruments that I would like to learn.

  1. Drums: so I can take out some of the anger and frustration and make it into a melody.

  2. Bass guitar: I have always liked how they sound and when I played any Guitar Hero or similar games, I always played the bass. I could imagine laying in bed and playing a melancholic tune until the sadness goes away. Or just play whatever fits my mood at the moment.

I have also thought that violins look and sound interesting, but they seem pretty complicated to play.

I picked up a cheap acoustic u-bass during the Covid years just to be able to play along with old songs and some soothing melodic solo bass laying on my couch. They are pretty quiet, enough for solo playing without disturbing the neighbors, but the vibrations from the instrument body travel really nice on top the belly. Also it sounds nice and boingy like an upright bass. Perfect for faux jazz and blues.

Guitar.

I just started playing the guitar a year ago, and there have been few things in my life as rewarding

That's excellent to read. I'm thrilled for you.

Are you into a particular style?

I started because I wanted to play classic metal, but have since discovered a deep love of playing the blues.

That's a transition!

I really enjoy the blues. Gen X here.

Thank-you for sharing and look forward to hearing from you here again.

I'm trying again using rocksmith+ and I just have such a hard time with the coordination.

I've not heard of it.

This time next year I'm sure you'll be a marvel to behold. Please post back when you get your epiphany!

Thinking of ya.

Think Guitar Hero but you use a real electric guitar instead of a plastic toy.

I never really got that plastic guitar thing. I'm over 5 yo.

No need to disparage people who enjoy rhythm games. Just because you don't get it doesn't mean people who do enjoy it are children.

As an adult, I thought of learning the bagpipes. Just to annoy the neighbors.

My childhood dream was playing the organ. But anything like that was financially far out of reach back then.

I guess piano, because I got a free piano off the streets. I could look up videos and lessons, but I'm kind of self conscious about practicing on a real whole god damn piano in an apartment building with neighbors in every direction. I also just don't like to make a lot of noise. I should price an electronic keyboard I can pair with Bluetooth headphones to practice in perfect silence and privacy sometimes.

I would buy some cheap second hand yamaha keyboard and set it up on a table. Something like this:

RockJam RJ761 61 Key Keyboard Piano with Keyboard Bench, Digital Piano Stool, Sustain Pedal and Headphones https://amzn.eu/d/6uVi2Yu

They go a bit cheaper than that too. But anything with over around 66 keys would work.

See how that feels first. If you get into it and enjoy it then move over to the piano you have or spend more money on a proper electronic piano that you can use with headphones.

I own one a bit like this

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/220131380566008--yamaha-ydp-145r-digital-piano-rosewood?gclid=CjwKCAjwysipBhBXEiwApJOcu1nTflfdbaEUK38oHS82_2TzTFF0NfNXVZUCkGoMu1wkzOz0tIFxlBoCnpYQAvD_BwE

Though mine is 20 years old now and cost a few hundred less.

Piano! I like the way they sound. Other instruments, up close kind of irritate me. I don't really enjoy listening to someone play the guitar or the violin. Fuck the violin.

Any of them. I love music and I've always wanted to play but never had the time, place, or money.

I already know how to play the guitar, only if I have a chord chart for the songs. I can't play by ear which is what I really want.

I'd love to learn the harp, it's such a beautiful instrument. I gotta get back in practice on my drums first though

"closed hole" flute: I have a tendency to pick up loud and obnoxious instruments. trumpet. diatonic harmonica. penny whistle. it would be cool to have a genuinely soft instrument. also, having skills that would transfer to piccolo:D

Drums. I can play a basic beat but i would love to learn to play properly. Plus my band needs a drummer.

  1. Violin so I can play sick violin solos over metal music.

  2. Drums so I can play blast beats all day in literally every local metal band.

  3. Saxophone so I can do this.

Good to find someone who has the exact opposite taste in Metal that I do. Except point two, blast beats are the shit.

A dizi (chinese flute). I got two of them at home but never managed to get any good at playing.
Like most hobbies in my life, it's something I get super excited about for a weekend and then completely drop again for half a year or so.

I'd love to be able to play the Mongolian Morin Khuur just for the sole reason of making that horse noise

Saxophone or trumpet as well would be fun to bust out funky solos