String instruments...

[TAlderson]

Anyone out there play string instruments besides guitar- or violin-family instruments?

AKA Banjo, Mandolin, stuff like that?

I'm looking to expand my instrument collection, just wondering if you'd recommend a certain instrument or family of instruments. I just want something I can strum and pick to accompany myslef that sounds cool, because after a while guitar gets a little boring...

-Tyler

[dach]

As far as strings goes, I have (?) guitars, (2) basses, (2) banjo's, mandolin, oud, borzouki. I used to have a violin but I seriously could not produce a good tone. If you learn and get very good technique on say guitar, then the other instruments should not present much difficulty to "learn" or have fun with.... playing them in an authentic manner is is something else entirely... I have to "think" like a bass player and part of the team when I pick one up... same with drums or anything else....

[brandondrury]

While there is something to versatility, I've often found that "focus" is better.

In other words, you can spend your time barely learning how to play 20 instruments or you can get 20 times as good at one instrument. More than likely if you end up actually being 20x as good on one instrument, you stand a better chance of being successful financially with that instrument...if that is your ambition.

Then again, most people can't play one instrument anywhere remotely close to acceptable but some people are mega pro at 20 instruments.

I know nothing about the stringed instruments you are referring to, but if I was into that sort of thing and had the time for it, I would be borrowing this stuff. You need to hook up with some grandmas with attics or whatever. So many families have beginner instruments just laying around that no one is using and you could "borrow" these indefinitely.

Brandon

[hairspan]

Since the viola and cello are considered violin type instruments- no. What exactly do you play?

[TAlderson]

Well, I have had formal instruction on clarinet, bass clarinet, guitar, and voice, but I also play the portuguese guitarra (kind of like a twelve string guitar), mandolin, Native American flute, Filipino flute, keyboard, harmonica, and baritone saxophone.

I would say that I am pretty proficient (AKA can play dencent-level music with little practice) on almost every one, minus the bari sax, since I only play it occasionally, so I'd need to sit down for a while with some music to figure it out.

As for guitar/piano, I mainly just play to accompany myself, so I'm not really a lead guitar, but I fingerpick and stuff, and I can play a lot of keyboard stuff, but again, nothing too intricate.

I would say that my main instrument is voice, and most of the other instruments I use are for accompaniment.

For me at least, I like to be able to play a variety of instruments, since they all lend a specific sound to whatever I'm doing. A song that sounds so-so on guitar can sound really good on the guitarra, or maybe with some flute in the background. However, I do agree with your point that focus is good. Since I want to be able to accompany myself (instead of finding someone else for every instrument), I try to learn different iinstruments.

-Tyler

[brandondrury]

Wow! You're a busy body. That's actually pretty cool that have such a diverse musical background.

Brandon

[guitar junkie]

well...

some things are tuned the same....

or at least close to each other....

dobro and banjo have a lot of the same tunings...

mandolin and violin are tuned the same...

cello and viola are tuned the same also... just lower octaves is all....

right now now, I am going through re learning how to play mandolin, it is very fun!

[TAlderson]

Yeah, once you know one instrument, it really helps when learning another. Although the guitarra is tuned D-A-B-E-A-B, which takes some getting used to...

-Tyler

[Laura]

Originally Posted by TAlderson

Anyone out there play string instruments besides guitar- or violin-family instruments?

I have a Turkish banjo. It is called a Cumbus. Do a google on it! My sons think the name is just a dirty joke, a la Beavis & Butthead. It is a fretless, 12-string Turkish thingy that was supposed to stand in for the Oud (turkish lute), but be loud enough to play at Turkish weddings. This was before the advent of microphones & PAs.

I got it 'cause I love Middle Eastern music and it is made of metal with a wingnut to adjust the neck action. Thus you can take it to festivals, leave it in cars /tents and otherwise abuse it the way you shouldn't treat a fine guitar.

One reason I wanted to get into recording was to create jamtrax for myself with dumbeks & cymbals so i could practice my Cumbus. It's not the kind of music you can find millions of others to jam with, unless you are at a big SCA event (SCA-society for creative anachronism. Lots of medieval folks, belly dancers etc.)

Since that time my musical ambitions have expanded considerably and now I want to make music as great as Dream Theater. Wait, they do a lot of stuff in the phrygian (middle eastern) mode too.

[Charlie_M]

I think the mandolin is a great compliment to acoustic guitar. Has a good amount of versatility to it also. You can go straight bluegrass or jazzy or even other stuff too. Pick up any CD by David Grisman if you want to be inspired regarding the instrument's potential. I used to play it a bit as a kid - but never bought one, just borrowed my father's back then for practice and the few times I gigged playing mando I was luckily able to borrow a nice Gibby F-style (a 1924 Lloyd Loar) from a friend who had one. I think that Loar was worth $20k or so even back then and this it many years ago. This experience probably spoiled me to a point that I couldn't ever afford one that I really liked. I still would like to pick one up but it hasn't risen to the top of the list yet. I doubt I'd go over $1k for one unless I hit the lotto. I bet they are a bear to record. When I worked on live sound way back then we would stick a 57 up near the f-hole and that worked but really you have to leave it to the musician to step up and back to control the dynamics. The sound falls off really fast as you back even away just a little.