Musician roll call

[SteelBlue]

Seeing as we all grew up Mo, I'm guessing nearly every participant here played an instrument growing up. I'm curious to know what it was, and if any of you are still playing.

I grew up playing piano and violin. Dropped piano by age 12 and violin morphed to exclusively old-time fiddle/bluegrass. Played in a family band (checkered tablecloth western shirts and all) busked and gigged and competed until age 15 when my mother finally allowed me to quit. Picked it back up again this year at age 55 and am having some fun re-learning an instrument that I absolutely despised playing as a kid. Looks like Mom finally wins. I also have an itch to get a mandolin since the fingering is the same and I feel like I could have fun much quicker than I would on something like guitar (which I'd truly love to learn but would be starting at square one). Anyone else out there still playing? Anyone re-learning as an adult?

[Donuthole]

I played piano from ages 10 to 14, until my mother finally allowed me to quit. Played percussion/drums in jr high and all through high school (marching band, concert band, jazz band) until my senior year when I tried out for madrigal choir because there were several hotties in there and I wanted to go on choir trips with them. I made it and have been in several choirs since. (Tenors for life--Basses can ESAD). I picked up guitar in college and have had a few lessons. It's a great instrument to sing along to. I have considered going back to take piano again, but I can't see how I would fit it in, timewise.

Also, not to be outdone by SB's countryness, I am a proficient square dancer, having mastered Beginner, Mainstream, Plus, and Advanced-A levels of square dancing (I never got to Advanced-B or Challenge, the final two levels).

[USUC]

Started piano when I was 8, dropped out at 12. Picked up guitar at 16. Have played synths and bass guitar occasionally since early college. Played in terrible garage rock bands all the way through grad school.

I haven't played anything other than acoustic guitars in probably 15 years. I have Like 30 guitar pedals and 3 tube amps but no where to play them at volumes that sound good.

[SteelBlue]

I played piano from ages 10 to 14, until my mother finally allowed me to quit. Played percussion/drums in jr high and all through high school (marching band, concert band, jazz band) until my senior year when I tried out for madrigal choir because there were several hotties in there and I wanted to go on choir trips with them. I made it and have been in several choirs since. (Tenors for life--Basses can ESAD). I picked up guitar in college and have had a few lessons. It's a great instrument to sing along to. I have considered going back to take piano again, but I can't see how I would fit it in, timewise.

Also, not to be outdone by SB's countryness, I am a proficient square dancer, having mastered Beginner, Mainstream, Plus, and Advanced-A levels of square dancing (I never got to Advanced-B or Challenge, the final two levels).

I remember you telling us about traveling with your dad while he called square dances (I'm not making this up am I?) and you'd be like waiting in the car reading outside a senior center or local bar. I remember thinking it'd be a cool scene in a movie.

[SteelBlue]

Started piano when I was 8, dropped out at 12. Picked up guitar at 16. Have played synths and bass guitar occasionally since early college. Played in terrible garage rock bands all the way through grad school.

I haven't played anything other than acoustic guitars in probably 15 years. I have Like 30 guitar pedals and 3 tube amps but no where to play them at volumes that sound good.

That honestly sounds like a great time. Because of my experience (mom was a music teacher and chose for us young based on skills she thought we had) I made sure to let my kids choose their instruments. My boys both played the drums and I really miss their shitty garage bands practicing at our house.

[BigPiney]

I played the trumpet. I regret not learning the guitar at some point. I wonder if my dad's guitar is around somewhere.

My son plays the drums. It has been fun.

[USUC]

That honestly sounds like a great time. Because of my experience (mom was a music teacher and chose for us young based on skills she thought we had) I made sure to let my kids choose their instruments. My boys both played the drums and I really miss their shitty garage bands practicing at our house.

Both my kids are taking piano. My son just started percussion in 7th grade. Neither of the kids have shown interest in guitar. It'll be a shame if don't ever because I got all the gear they'll need.

[Copelius]

Played the Tuba beginning in 6th grade through my senior year at BYU (marching band only in college). Started trombone to join the jazz band my sophomore year in HS
Sang in high school choir and was pretty good so I sent a tape to BYU to see if they would give me a scholarship.
No scholarship, but accepted into the freshman voice class. Not knowing that was for majors, I signed up. Halfway through the semester I was told that I had to be a major to be in the class so I changed my major. Never got around to changing it back.
Finished my undergrad with a BM, winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Utah District Auditions and advancing to Regionals in Denver. Also was the highest rated singer at BYU my senior year based on the scoring system at the time, having sung in 5 operas while there. Sang for Army events, usually national anthem, including the German national anthem for a Battalion change of command ceremony in Buedingen. Was a soloist for UAF choirs masterworks series during my time in Fairbanks. Have been a soloist in community Messiah performances. Currently sing in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as a 2nd Bass. Would classify myself as a Basso Cantante or Bass-Baritone with a range between A1 and A4. Use to be able to get to C5 but age caught up with me.
Can play a few chords on the guitar.
Married to a piano major who has over 30 students in her studio.

[Donuthole]

I remember you telling us about traveling with your dad while he called square dances (I'm not making this up am I?) and you'd be like waiting in the car reading outside a senior center or local bar. I remember thinking it'd be a cool scene in a movie.

That definitely happened. Not necessarily in the car, ever. But sitting in the lobby or reading room/library at some Lions club in Muskogee, OK or Bismark, ND.

[SteelBlue]

Played the Tuba beginning in 6th grade through my senior year at BYU (marching band only in college). Started trombone to join the jazz band my sophomore year in HS
Sang in high school choir and was pretty good so I sent a tape to BYU to see if they would give me a scholarship.
No scholarship, but accepted into the freshman voice class. Not knowing that was for majors, I signed up. Halfway through the semester I was told that I had to be a major to be in the class so I changed my major. Never got around to changing it back.
Finished my undergrad with a BM, winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Utah District Auditions and advancing to Regionals in Denver. Also was the highest rated singer at BYU my senior year based on the scoring system at the time, having sung in 5 operas while there. Sang for Army events, usually national anthem, including the German national anthem for a Battalion change of command ceremony in Buedingen. Was a soloist for UAF choirs masterworks series during my time in Fairbanks. Have been a soloist in community Messiah performances. Currently sing in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square as a 2nd Bass. Would classify myself as a Basso Cantante or Bass-Baritone with a range between A1 and A4. Use to be able to get to C5 but age caught up with me.
Can play a few chords on the guitar.
Married to a piano major who has over 30 students in her studio.

[Omaha 680]

I have played several instruments but am not very good at any.

Piano from 8 to 16. I am still good enough to accompany at church when needed but I should never be the first choice. I regret not finishing out high school as I think those extra two years would have leveled me up to a point that sitting down to play now would be much more enjoyable.
Trumpet from 5th through 8th grade. Haven't played since. I could probably relearn it but no desire.
Violin from 4th to 5th grade. Whatever was there is gone and isn't coming back.
Self-taught bass (as if it's hard). I am not very good and play strictly with my cousins when we do our version of jam sessions.
Trying to self teach drums. If I made a concerted effort to greatly improve skills on any of these, it would be drums.

[Clark Addison]

I played the cello for 12 years as a child but never took it seriously enough to be all that good. I didn’t pick one up for 20 years but thought it would be fun so I bought one. In the years since I’ve mainly played at church stuff, sacrament meeting musical numbers, stake Messiah performances, stuff like that. Also a couple of weddings. I still don’t play it enough to be good but I enjoy it.

work has been busy the last couple of years and I travel a ton so I haven’t touched it in a while.

[beefytee]

Picked up violin at the age of 5 and played until about 7-8 grade. I was never good at it.

I did ward choir off and on through my youth and am still doing it off and on. I would have done chamber and jazz choir in high school, but it conflicted with football season, and I played football. Our high school choir was a pretty big deal. They were nationally renowned, won a contest with the CBC and produced an album with them. They also did a European cathedral trou every other year and that fell on my Grade 10 and Grade 12 years. Wish I could have participated and gone to Europe, but I am happy I did football in high school.

I didn't register for a choir class at BYU, but my friend who was registered had me come and introduced me to the professor. They had some songs with really low parts that most of the basses has trouble hitting. It was after the Add/Drop deadline, so I pretty much took the class but didn't get credit. I really enjoyed it.

I have a very limited range, and it is on the very low end. Hence, I struggle to make it to ward choir because I sound terrible trying to sing higher stuff and all the arrangements seem to be on the higher end, even for bass. But lately I have dragged myself out because I know even with bad singers, the choir sounds better with more numbers.

[Pelado]

Took piano lessons for a few years from my grandmother, starting when I was pretty young. Didn't practice much. After my mission, I took a beginning piano class at BYU. Nowadays, I don't play often, or well.

In 5th grade, I played clarinet in the school band because we already had a clarinet (that my dad had played when he was in high school). Didn't practice much. Tried playing it a few years ago and that...did not go well.

My mother made my siblings and I sing for various functions in my youth. Unlike all of my siblings, I opted not to take choir as an elective in school. I've participated in ward choir (bass) most of my adult life. Certainly not the best singer around, but with enough practice, I can usually do alright (assuming the bass part is actually a bass part instead of a freaking high tenor part).

[Northwestcoug]

Clarinet in grades 5-6. I think I took piano lessons around the same time, but really half-assed that. Took a few guitar lessons in high school, mainly to learn how to play a few Bon Jovi and Van Halen songs. When I got back from my mission I took one semester of classical guitar. And that was it for structured lessons. But hey, I can still play Don't Stop Believing, Home Sweet Home, and Just Can't Get Enough on the piano! And if you're patient I can probably struggle with Running With the Devil, Ain't Talking about Love, and a few bars of Wanted Dead or Alive, Killer of Giants, and Alone Again on the guitar.

A couple of years ago I got a ukulele and spent some time on that. I figured if I memorized a bunch of chords I could get to a point where I could play a lot of songs. There was a time when I could listen to a song and I could pick out the chords. But really, if you don't have a solid reason to play the ukulele, why are you going to keep it up? It's sitting around here somewhere, remaining unplayed.

I would like to try the guitar again. Both Mrs. NWC and I have lugged our acoustic guitars around for 5 moves now, each time their cases either getting more moldy or clasps falling off. Who knows if they're still playable. Maybe next year...