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PLaying A Lot OF Instruments
- Thread starter cliffbass
- Start date
Fail.
I think it helps you very much. I play orchestral instruments as well.
These made me able to read music, learn basic fingering muscle memory, and a good amount of theory. A great amount, actually.
On top of that, I am able to incorporate classical into other styles and it helps me write lines with accidentals and odd times signatures & keys.
I think it helps you very much. I play orchestral instruments as well.
These made me able to read music, learn basic fingering muscle memory, and a good amount of theory. A great amount, actually.
On top of that, I am able to incorporate classical into other styles and it helps me write lines with accidentals and odd times signatures & keys.
I think you are 14 years old and should wait a while before forming such strong opinions. I PROMISE I am not putting you down. All I know is that everything I thought was down at 14 is now up. Everything I thought was up is now down. Most everyone I know older than 24 would probably say the same thing. If all you want to do is play bass for now, then go for it. Enjoy! Just leave yourself open to the endless possiblities of the future. Good luck!
I've got a Fender MIA Standard Jazz.
All I do is play bass, but I learned to play orchestral instruments beforehand. I play them during school for class, but i'm switching to band so I can play bass.
point is: other instruments can help you learn much more. The same way taking match can help you with science.
All I do is play bass, but I learned to play orchestral instruments beforehand. I play them during school for class, but i'm switching to band so I can play bass.
point is: other instruments can help you learn much more. The same way taking match can help you with science.
How is that a "strong" opinion? Maybe the "Fail." But apparently nobody not in OT has any sense of humor for fail/win.
Quoting myself for effect.
I know people of all ages who think this way. I understand where they're coming from, the old "pick one thing and stick with it for a long time and you'll get good" philosophy.
Trouble with it in this situation is, the "one thing" we're talking about here is musicianship, and that easily includes multiple instruments. Kinda like a language specialist becoming fluent in several languages, when you become proficient on one instrument, each successive instrument becomes progressively easier and easier to become proficient upon.
And, of course, the obvious question is, "Why the hell not?"
I'm pretty accomplished on several stringed instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and piano. I can't imagine limiting myself to only one of these.
Trouble with it in this situation is, the "one thing" we're talking about here is musicianship, and that easily includes multiple instruments. Kinda like a language specialist becoming fluent in several languages, when you become proficient on one instrument, each successive instrument becomes progressively easier and easier to become proficient upon.
And, of course, the obvious question is, "Why the hell not?"
I'm pretty accomplished on several stringed instruments including guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and piano. I can't imagine limiting myself to only one of these.
I think playing a lot of instruments is the way to go. Someone said on TB (I forget who and on what thread) that all instruments are just tools of expression for what your really feeling musically. Limiting yourself to one instrument kind of voids this expression. Obviously you could constantly play one instrument and become a virtuoso or something, but isn't the point of music to have fun and to express yourself?
If you can play a lot of instruments pretty well is a very good thing.
But I think you should find the ONE instrument that you really feel for it and love to play. A lot of people can "jive" on different instruments but don't truly mastered. I strongly suggest that you find your voice.
That said I can tell you that bass is the best instrument of all and a lot of people overlook it. They can play a bit of bass and see it as an easy instrument but they don't understand the real function and all the subtilities that makes a bass player a real bass player. I can tell you that I have rarely heard guitar players been really good bass players 'cuz it goes beyond playing the notes IMO.
Sly
But I think you should find the ONE instrument that you really feel for it and love to play. A lot of people can "jive" on different instruments but don't truly mastered. I strongly suggest that you find your voice.
That said I can tell you that bass is the best instrument of all and a lot of people overlook it. They can play a bit of bass and see it as an easy instrument but they don't understand the real function and all the subtilities that makes a bass player a real bass player
. I can tell you that I have rarely heard guitar players been really good bass players 'cuz it goes beyond playing the notes IMO.Sly
I play both, guitar and bass. I'm accomplished on both. If I had the money and time I would play violin, sax, and piano. I would put my playing against someone that "only" plays bass any day. I'm not saying I am better than anyone else. However, I can use what I know from playing guitar and incorporate it into bass. Being a guitarist made me a better bassist. I know how the band works because I understand the instruments.
WhenI get into a jam situation with guitarists I only need to look to see what chords they are playing. From there I can pick up the needed scales. That in itself impresses many.
Should you master your instrument? Yes. Should you stop once you have become accomplished? No.
If you really want to learn the English language, study French, Latin, and European English dialects. You are already fluent in English, but once you begin to understand the other languages you see where things tie in together. You see than many words we use are foreign. You begin to watch a web weave itself together that allows you to become more structured. Music is the same way.
I have a brother than plays trumpet as a primary instrument. Guess what, he has learned to play every brass instrument, piano, and sax. Why??? So he can better understand the dynamics of those he plays with, and to give himself more flexability.
WhenI get into a jam situation with guitarists I only need to look to see what chords they are playing. From there I can pick up the needed scales. That in itself impresses many.
Should you master your instrument? Yes. Should you stop once you have become accomplished? No.
If you really want to learn the English language, study French, Latin, and European English dialects. You are already fluent in English, but once you begin to understand the other languages you see where things tie in together. You see than many words we use are foreign. You begin to watch a web weave itself together that allows you to become more structured. Music is the same way.
I have a brother than plays trumpet as a primary instrument. Guess what, he has learned to play every brass instrument, piano, and sax. Why??? So he can better understand the dynamics of those he plays with, and to give himself more flexability.
I can play
Bass
Guitar
Drums/Percussion
Trumpet
Flugel Horn
Piccolo Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
French Horn
Euphonium
Alto Sax
Clarinet
and Harmonica
and I think I'm BETTER than you.
The point is, I started on trumpet, and then picked up the bass. I had a huge headstart, it immediately made sense to me. All the other brass instruments took me a few days to get the hang of. The woodwinds took a slight adjustment of embechoure, which is the way you use your mouth, which was easy because I was so used to using my mouth on the brass instruments, I just know what my mouth is doing (there are a LOT of muscles in there that non-woodwind players never even think about) and I know how to control all the muscles in there. I could go and learn flute in a few days if I had the time and a flute.
I consider myself a very conscious and musical musician. I may not be a virtuoso bassist, but I can GROOVE like there's no tomorrow (it is my favorite out of all the instruments). I think more about what the rest of the band is doing that what I am doing, because I understand what it means to work FOR the music, not for my own bass-playing glory.
Does that have anything to do with me being able to play a ton of different instruments? I think so, because I am able to listen to the music as a whole while I play, rather than just what I am playing.
Bass
Guitar
Drums/Percussion
Trumpet
Flugel Horn
Piccolo Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
French Horn
Euphonium
Alto Sax
Clarinet
and Harmonica
and I think I'm BETTER than you.
The point is, I started on trumpet, and then picked up the bass. I had a huge headstart, it immediately made sense to me. All the other brass instruments took me a few days to get the hang of. The woodwinds took a slight adjustment of embechoure, which is the way you use your mouth, which was easy because I was so used to using my mouth on the brass instruments, I just know what my mouth is doing (there are a LOT of muscles in there that non-woodwind players never even think about) and I know how to control all the muscles in there. I could go and learn flute in a few days if I had the time and a flute.
I consider myself a very conscious and musical musician. I may not be a virtuoso bassist, but I can GROOVE like there's no tomorrow (it is my favorite out of all the instruments). I think more about what the rest of the band is doing that what I am doing, because I understand what it means to work FOR the music, not for my own bass-playing glory.
Does that have anything to do with me being able to play a ton of different instruments? I think so, because I am able to listen to the music as a whole while I play, rather than just what I am playing.
+1
and I too don't mean to put you down, but a gain in experience will change things.
Listen to howard levy as just one example of a fantastic multi instrumentalist.
I think playing more than one, but with one main instrument, can only help. Even ,rto understand your main instrument
