Secondary instruments

[tauzero]

I started on guitar before moving to bass, and still play guitar a fair amount (I play bass in two bands and guitar in an acoustic duo). All my songwriting is done on guitar. I can also find notes on the keyboard and eventually work out what keys to press to play a chord - that's something I could really do with practicing. I also play electric upright as a secondary instrument.

[FJ1200]

Used to play Cornet and violin as a kid (still got it at home!). Was forced into classical music and had to be in the orchestra which I detested! If they'd taught me folk or something with a bit of life I'd still be playing but how many teenagers into Motorhead, Van Halen, Led Zep and Deep Purple wanted to learn Beethoven in the 70s? Seriously NOT cool!

My eldest daughter (now 14) and I bought a blue Yamaha Pacifica between us a couple of years ago - partly to encourage her to continue learning the guitar and partly cos I wanted an electric and wanted to learn to play but never got round to it so it's hung forlornly on the wall for much of that time. I pick it up and fiddle with it every now and then but always come back to my bass.

Would love to be able to play harmonica well, and would love to learn to play double bass.

[Bilbo]

Guitar, backing voxs, percussion (surdo, agogo etc) - all servicable not great - sufficient to record demos and explore ideas etc. Just got my first gig on guitar tho', after years of thinking I could do better than the guitar players around me. Part of it is about realising that you don't have to be a virtuoso to 'play' an instrument and about having the confidence to be mediocre!

How good is good enough?

As for b. vocals, we can pretty much all do it if we try. You don't have to be Ella Fitzgerald to justify singing! Its yours and its free. Just do it.

[wateroftyne]

Bee Vees (do they count?), and I can strum a bit of rhythm guitar. Not that I need to in public very often.

I'm a frustrated drummer and I can bang out a groove, but... for my amusement only.

The Bass... she's an all-consuming mistress.

[sticker]

Bass is my secondary instrument as I'm primarily a rhythm guitarist , but a few weeks ago I got an audition with a great band playing Bass , I've always had a bass knocking about for studio demos and jamming etc and I thought ....why not ! and ever since I've been loving it
I've really got into bass in a big way and am having more fun than I've had in the last 10 years as a guitarist !
I also do BV's and play percussion (Cajon , Cajinta , Congos etc) .

[Adrenochrome]

The only other instrument I've played in a gig is guitar; then only for a handful of songs.
I played some violin and keys as a child.

[charic]

Keyboard (not piano diff playing style) from the age of 5 & organ
Some guitar (very little)
Bass - becoming main instrument
Sax - a little but didnt get on with it
Recorder - a fair bit

On the list to try:
6 string bass
Harp

Failed attempts:
Drums... cant do it

[Huge Hands]

Drums, and trombone (at school).

I was always more interested in being able to sit in any vacant seat in a band rather than being a master at anything. I know a lot of you will disagree with that philosophy - my brother went mad when I told him I was going to give up some of my concentration on keeping his band tight (drums) to learn the bass! I can fumble chords on a piano and aim to have a go at guitar next - I'm just trying to find a gullible mate who'll permanently loan me an acoustic.

However, I always gravitate back at the bass. I don't claim to be a master of anything!

Edited March 17, 2008 by Huge Hands

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Jase' post='158824' date='Mar 17 2008, 10:32 AM']Sounds really good jake, your a bit like a guitar player I work with, on our myspace he wrote and recorded the vocals, backing vocals, guitar elec and acoustic and piano.[/quote]
Thanks

[SJA]

I'm learning guitar and keyboards.

keyboard technique is valuable for easy access to loads of sounds- including synth bass.

[Cantdosleepy]

I toy with laptops and MIDI keyboards, can play a bit of guitar. Neither to stage-quality, but in my bedroom I can crank out some phat synth or a riff or two.

I'm learning the drums at the moment - oh my, it's so much fun! Very much a beginner.

[OldGit]

In my main band I play all these at some point:

Bass
Lead vocals
BV's
Soprano Sax
Tenor Sax
Didge
Kazoo
Penny Whistle
Swanee Whistle
Recorder
Percussion
Samba Whistle
Duck call

And in another band
Baritone Sax

[Count Bassy]

Historically my heirarchy of instruments would be

Melodeon(s)
Anglo concertina
Trumpet
Bass Guitar.

Currently I'm practising bass more than anything (its the one I pick up if I've got 30minutes), but melodeon is probably still top in terms of playing out.


Clive

[KevB]

Tried picking up guitar about 10 yrs ago, couldn't get on with it at all and gave up, probably ought to give it another go some time. So I guess I'm pure bass. Unless you count bass pedals which is really like playing single-finger keyboard with your foot so maybe 'instrument' might be a bit of a stretch on that one...

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='Machines' post='158441' date='Mar 16 2008, 04:19 PM']Went through a phase of buying guitars but they all sound the same .[/quote]

all the cheap ones do


i play guitar, not really as a secondary instrument though. I came to bass playing after 13 years of playing the guitar to join a band that wanted a bass player - I still play guitar in a covers band (in addition to playing the bass in a working originals band) and I think that not only has playing covers helped to develop my guitar and bass playing, certainly from having to learn other people's parts, but playing more guitar has developed my bass playing into something a bit more than root & 5th stuff - I think anyway. There's still so much I could learn and I fully intend to.......one day

I also started learning the drums earlier this year and I was told that I picked it up quite quickly. Unfortunately it's on hiatus at the minute, but the drums developed my bass playing in conjunction with the drummer and certainly made me think more about the rhythms I played.

It's all good, you can never play enough instruments, I would like to have learned to play the piano and the trumpt I think

[7string]

I played violin when i was at school to Grade 8 standard.

I play guitar, (love 12 string acoustics!),
ukulele,
mandolin,
drums,
piano
double bass (which is such a fun thing to do).

I do sing as well so did all the vocals to all the recordings I've been involved in.

I really should play the piano better than I do (ie. better than totally inept !!).

[Golchen]

actually, bass is well down the list for me.

I play electric guitars, acoustic guitars with alternate tunings, Chapman stick, keyboards and then bass comes last!

I'd love a go at drumming. Never even sat behind a kit!

[spike]

I went out and bought a tenor sax today just so I could post in this thread



Seriously though, I'd been thinking of playing the sax for a while now so I had a couple lessons to try it out before buying one.

[Viajero]

Played trumpet from fairly young (except when I had my front teeth knocked out), and stopped after I took up bass. I picked it up again recenty, though, and am enjoying approaching it from a less pressured, more musically experienced and jazz-based perspective. I often compose on piano but I'd never suggest I can play it.

Wish I had a double bass, though...