Instruments You Struggle With

[Stub Mandrel]

Violin, I can't bear the sound I make.

[T-Bay]

11 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Violin, I can't bear the sound I make.

I agree 100%, last year we were in Russia and had the chance to see a virtuoso violin player of international reputation. I thought what the hell, you only live once and all that. It was two hours of my life I will never get back. The lady was a superb musician without doubt but it still sounded like the death throws of some poor tortured creature. Never again.

[Trueno]

It might depend on the music played. If it's an atonal squawk you can admire the tone and virtuosity but still reach for the earplugs.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Trueno said:

It might depend on the music played. If it's an atonal squawk you can admire the tone and virtuosity but still reach for the earplugs.

Oh with me it's just attempting basic folk rock stuff like matty groves or john barleycorn (just the melodies, not solos!) Still sounds like pure pain...

[ubit]

On 25/01/2017 at 08:24, xgsjx said:

I can relate to harmonica. There's always been at least one in the household when I was growing up & try as I might, it sounded like a cat's chorus put through a harmoniser that couldn't pick up the notes.

Every other instrument I've picked up, I can soon grasp.

I agree. I bought one thinking how hard can this be? Theres no notes to finger. How wrong was I?

[inthedoghouse]

I love sitar music so bought one a few years ago.  There is lots on Youtube with lessons but it's just so different, as is the Indian musical notation - it's like trying to learn another language.  I pick it up now and then but I know I'll never get to grips with it in any meaningful way.

I can add to this that I struggle with mandolin and harmonica.  I'd really like to play keyboards and drums but I know I'd be a disaster, so best stick to what I know 🙂

Edited April 23, 2020 by inthedoghouse

[Hobbayne]

On 22/04/2020 at 15:08, ubit said:

I agree. I bought one thinking how hard can this be? Theres no notes to finger. How wrong was I?

True dat. I thought the harmonica would be a piece of fosters to play.

I loved the early Feelgoods and thought I would give it a crack.

Its still in its box. 🙄

[StickyDBRmf]

I remember in the 80's I was in a house with no one else and there was an old drumkit so I set it up and bashed about it with great abandon and no one to critque or give me grief. I sounded like the Magicband but oh what fun and a good workout. (Beefheart told the drummer on "Icecream for Crow" , "I want it to sound like bb's in a piepan."

[ubit]

12 hours ago, Hobbayne said:

True dat. I thought the harmonica would be a piece of fosters to play.

I loved the early Feelgoods and thought I would give it a crack.

Its still in its box. 🙄

I hear the harmonica break in this and I am like how the f**k is he getting it to sound like that? How do you learn this?

 

 

[Kiwi]

On 05/04/2020 at 16:03, NickA said:

Double bass =it's too big and makes my hand hurt playing in tune

Me too, I had an opportunity to purchase a brand new NS Wav bass @cost about 10 years ago.  I tried it and it sounded gorgeous but goodness me I stumbled around on it and fought it feriously.  Just not my cup of tea but, as I said, it sounded fantastic. 

Also: Piano.  My son is learning and I'm left handed so my dominance is on the lower notes.  Now I know Jools Holland is a leftie and his left hand is always busy as  a result.  And Phil Collins doesn't seem encumbered when he plays 'A Groovy Kind of Love' but I struggle with controlling dynamics with my right hand.  

[Woodinblack]

On 23/04/2020 at 15:31, Hobbayne said:

True dat. I thought the harmonica would be a piece of fosters to play.

I loved the early Feelgoods and thought I would give it a crack.

Its still in its box. 🙄

I love the sound they get on this on the record. And surprisingly I didn't even think about it being a harmonica on the record until I saw the video!

 

[Lfalex v1.1]

On 24/01/2017 at 11:43, BigRedX said:

Vocals.

Apparently I had a great singing voice until it broke. These days I sound like the Red Dalek trying to carry a tune.

Likewise. My voice broke, and it really did break.

If I've a sore throat or have slept with my mouth open, I sound like Darth Vader/Barry White's mutant offspring.

There's a reason I play an instrument 🤣

Edit- and I look stupid wearing a guitar. They're just too small against me, even though I'm only of average size...

Edited June 6, 2020 by Lfalex v1.1

[gjones]

I live in Scotland and though born in Dublin to an Irish mother and a Welsh father, see myself as Scottish.

But I just can't stand the bagpipes. 

[Nail Soup]

I mainly play stringed instruments and that is my comfort zone.

I usually struggle when playing 'blown' instruments such as penny whistle and have never succeeded...... but there is hope, I'm currently venturing into harmonica and so far so good!

[MothMan]

Banjo. I've had a tenor for a few years now, and the neck is just so short and thin I can't get fingering correct.

[Barking Spiders]

On 23/02/2018 at 10:45, Marc S said:

Although I have several instruments around the house - I never really get time to spend playing anything much, other than bass and DB
I do like the sound of the mandolin though, and always fancied playing one....
I have one, and spent quite a bit of time on it, and got so far.... however, I found the same as Barking Spiders - tiny strings and tiny distances between frets
My podgy fingers just wouldn't allow me to play even some of the basic chords

Then I discovered Bouzouki -  it can be tuned the same way as a Mandolin (though on Bouzouki, D & G string "pairs" are 2 octaves)
and there's much more space for my awkward, bass players fingers.... I just need more time to spend on it though! lol

If you like Mandolin Barking Spiders - either give Mandola or Bouzouki a try....

Last week I tried a Greek bouzouki and a cittern in Hobgoblin but still my fat fingers struggle with the tightly strung double strings

[ubit]

On 31/07/2020 at 07:32, MothMan said:

Banjo. I've had a tenor for a few years now, and the neck is just so short and thin I can't get fingering correct.

I have a banjo. A good few years ago I got to a not too bad a stage. I could do all the rolls at a semi decent speed. Now I have a house full of people and two 24 year olds who NEVER go out, so I just can't practice. You can't play the banjo quietly.

Edited August 6, 2020 by ubit

[Woodinblack]

Just now, ubit said:

I have a banjo. A good few years ago I got to a not too bad stage. I could do all the rolls at a semi decent speed. Now I have a house full of people and two 24 year olds who NEVER go out, so I just can't practice. You can't play the banjo quietly.

That is the very definition of a gentleman. Someone who can play the banjo but doesn't

 

[ubit]

11 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

That is the very definition of a gentleman. Someone who can play the banjo but doesn't

 

I do try my good man.🤓

[kingforaday]

On 06/08/2020 at 10:22, ubit said:

I have a banjo. A good few years ago I got to a not too bad a stage. I could do all the rolls at a semi decent speed. Now I have a house full of people and two 24 year olds who NEVER go out, so I just can't practice. You can't play the banjo quietly.

Have you tried a banjo mute? I bought one for my stepdad while he was learning (so my mum didn’t leave him) - seemed to do the trick, slides on the bridge and just kills the resonance to keep volume down. 

[kingforaday]

Piano. Literally makes zero sense to me. As with others here, I play guitar bass and drums to a fairly good standard (I’d like to to think) but every time I try to learn anything on piano I’m a fumbling mess... I can’t even play the simplest of things. 

[dave moffat]

Anything with reeds so sax, clarinet, bagpipes and chanter are out

[Nail Soup]

On 06/08/2020 at 10:22, ubit said:

I have a banjo. A good few years ago I got to a not too bad a stage. I could do all the rolls at a semi decent speed. Now I have a house full of people and two 24 year olds who NEVER go out, so I just can't practice. You can't play the banjo quietly.

I was looking at some banjo roll advise sites when I tried to take it up - a couple of them actually said you'll need to silence your banjo while you practice rolls for the sake of your family etc.

So I think the banjo mute idea is the way to go.

BTW - in the end I did not have the patience to learn any rolls ☹️.

[paul_5]

10 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

 

Edited August 25, 2020 by paul_5

[ubit]

13 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

BTW - in the end I did not have the patience to learn any rolls ☹️.

The moment I had when I suddenly found myself playing one of the rolls at a fairly fast speed was amazing. Fair enough I was just repeating the roll over and over whilst holding one chord but it actually started to sound like fast Bluegrass. It was a definite Eureka moment and I am just cheesed off that I can't carry it on at the moment. How I am praying for the Universities to start up again!