Your instrument of choice..... musical that is!

The Y-man

The Y-man

I recall various threads discussing the musical talent within Somersoft over past years, and a discussion with Telejazzer at the last Melbourne Somersoft Meeting raised my curiosity as to exactly how many muso's we have here (whether proficient or not is a totally different question!!:p)


I have been fascinated with all things keyboard since I was small - my first instrument was a portable chord organ (bit like an accordion with an electric airpump if you can figure that out!). I then went on to a Casiotone MT-800 (which I suspect is somwhere in my mum's house).

These days:

Casio CTK-7000 (my main board - which I can sort of play 3 finger LH + 1 finger RH!)
Yamaha PSR-500 (back up)
Ensoniq ESQ-1 (managed to blow it up - hoping to repair "one day")
Roland Juno 106 (got a DCO that won't turn off! :()
Korg EX-800 (rack mount version of Poly800)

Roland TR-505 drum machine
Yamaha QX-5 Sequencer (no I don't use it now - Anvil Studios on my laptop is so much easier!)

When loudness is needed:

Roland CPM-120II powered mixer
Roland HK-20 (yes I still use it)


I also own a guitar (not sure I can claim to be able to play it!)

Ibanez Axstar
with a
Roland Cube-20X amp


So tell us what instrument of choice it is that you have to impress/disrupt your neighbours with :D plus whatever else you tinker with!


The Y-man
 
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I've been playing guitar since I was 5 because I was lucky enough to have a Dad who owned a music store.

I was thinking just today how much of an influence that musical gift has given to me over the years. I have been playing professionally for a good 10 years now, have met some of my best friends through playing my guitar, have earned alot of money, and get to go out and have a blast while I'm at "work" It really is awesome.

I've experimented with all sorts of gear in the past and now I play a Fender custom shop Custom Classic Strat (in honey blonde, birdseye maple neck) a Marshall 50w early metal panel (72) and matching 100w cab, some basic pedals and I've never been able to find a tone that I like better so it's been about 6 years I've been playing the same gear.

I also do some luthier work and basic amplification repair because I like being able to repair my own gear, plus I did it for a living for 10 years, too as a warranty agent for most brands.

Music has given so much to me, but I also give/gave it alot of time to get to where I am today.

Music runs in the Family too. My Grandfather played clarinet in a POW band believe it or not. My Brother plays in many big bands in London including The Coldstream Band and orchestra. My Father has played in bands all his life and has also been an amp technician for the majority of that time. And there's me.

I also believe that some people are naturally more gifted than others. And this is especially true if they start very young.
 
one of the things I'm most looking forward to about moving to our new house is going to be having a "music room", which will be as far away from me as possible! :D
I dont mind music, but I am desperately in need of quiet spaces.
We currently have an electronic drum kit (sorry, dont know what sort, but its a good one), and an electric guitar in our bedroom (along with the weight lifting gear). My daughter also has a keyboard in her bedroom. All of them will be out of the bedrooms in the new house and in their own space.
My husband was a professional jazz drummer for many years, and my son seems to have picked up the gift. But my husband plays the drum kit through the headphones, whereas my son likes to have the sweet melodies of both instruments able to be heard from as far away as possible.;)
 
pennyk said:
one of the things I'm most looking forward to about moving to our new house is going to be having a "music room", which will be as far away from me as possible! :D
Click to expand...

Make the room double brick on a slab base, acoustic ceiling and everything inside covered in insulation batts :D

The Y-man
 
I'm a muso as well. Work as a piano teacher (well Head of Keyboard really) in a large private school. Co-ordinate 170 piano students and 11 piano teachers. Do lots of accompanying for many of the School's ensembles including choirs and instrumentalists. (Students sitting for exams).

I'm lucky - I get to play great pianos at work! All day if I like (well, I have to do some work as well). We have a C5 Yamaha Grand which is beautiful - and plenty of other pianos around the department.

I don't touch the electronic stuff (guitars, drums, amps etc) but plenty of the kids do - makes lots of noise - but it's funny - I don't actually 'hear it' when I'm at work.

I'm used to plenty of sound going on around me all day!

Must say - I like it quiet at home though!

I can't actually imagine life or a work place without music!

Regards Jason.
 
The Y-man said:
Make the room double brick on a slab base, acoustic ceiling and everything inside covered in insulation batts :D
Click to expand...
Very much on my christmas wishlist :cool: but playing for all the neighbours to hear is just as fun :p

Gibson SG and a boss GT10 multi effects peddle are my favourite toys at the moment.

What style of music do you play Y-man? lots of 80's? :)
 
shuggy said:
Nice , is one of those a ukulele ?

the killers
Click to expand...

The largest is a bouzouki.
The other are smaller versions of the bouzouki, each with their own name (tzoura the mid sized one & baglama the ukele sized one).

The little one is a nice old instrument, so it's got the almost antique factor about it, but i an ornament now with it's sunken lid, very cheap The mid sized one I just bought, another old one made by a master no longer with us, this is a gem of an instrument, if only I could become 1/3 the player that it is an instrument.. The big one is a cheapie, but a goodie.
 
The Y-man said:
Make the room double brick on a slab base, acoustic ceiling and everything inside covered in insulation batts :D

The Y-man
Click to expand...

It is actually a brick room, which we are going to gyprock.. so might be worthwhile putting a bit of insulation in there somehow. Its underneath the garage, so hopefully noise upwards wont be too bad.
 
I must admit , gotta be an electric guitar. I had the most beautiful woodgrain elec guitar for years until I just stopped playing eventually and lost interest not being in a band or anything .
But , it's also very hard to pass the piano too although I can't play . Some of my family do though and have for years . Got a free concert one Christmas from my richo sisters 200k grand, very nice.
 
8yr old daughter plays the Alto Sax ... very cool and very well.

Her school band blitzed this years' Bandfest with a resounding, soul stirring win. I'm hoping she'll continue on playing for many years to come as she loves listening to Jazz players and gets excited when picking out the Sax in modern songs.

Unfortunately I haven't a musical bone in my body - but do appreciate being serenaded.
 
Music... love it!

I started out learning guitar on an old yamaha nylon string acoustic, but migrated fairly quickly to a Takamine D series acoustic with pickup. I learnt electric guitar on a Yamaha Pacifica, but now play my Steinberger Spirit GT-PRO headless electric guitar, and on my recent trip to the US picked up a matching Steinberger XT-25 headless 5 string electric bass.

To make things sound right I use BOSS effects pedals, specifically a CS-3 Compression Sustainer, PH-3 Phase Shifter, DD-7 Digital Delay and MT-2 Metal Zone distortion.

I practice on my Roland Cube30 amp, and also run my signial through the pedals and amp when playing a gig.

I only started learning about 8 and a half years ago, but love playing, and now I work from home can pick up a guitar or bass most days for a quick practice.
 
I'd like to add what has become a very important saying to me.

"Life is too short for bad gear"
If you play quite a bit and really enjoy your art, then I believe you should never deny yourself the best gear. It makes a huge difference to your sound, feel & enjoyment. And in-turn (maybe) well-being

I'm quite tight with my money and really dislike spending it on non essential items, but musical instrumentation is essential to me, it is the one thing I will spend on because I enjoy it the most and we're talking peanuts compared to if I were a car nut :D
 
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