Instrumental Indecision Crisis

[TyrantSong]

I've been through a couple of instruments, and I can't seem to find my niche.

Age 11, got an acoustic guitar. Dreamed of being Johnny Cash. Found out I can't rightly work the frets.
Age 15, got an electric. Figured, hey, maybe I can play this easier. Was wrong.
At 17, tried keyboards briefly, again not having nimble fingers is a hindrance.
18, I got my first bass. I fell in love, played it all the time.
Lately, I've fallen out of love with bass. I hoped that getting a new one would change anything, but I'm sure it won't now.
While at Guitar Center last night, I listened to all the guys trying out different istruments and I felt, well, inadequate. Discouraged, even.

I wasn't discouraged by their skill, moreso by the fact that they found their instrument, and I hadn't.
Practice makes perfect, I understand this, but I can't practice something that I can't fall in love with.
It's a matter of interest over talent.

I know I have some kind of music in my soul, but I just can't find it.

Currently, I have a harmonica, which I'll say I'm playing fairly well, but my heart just isn't in it, nor is my interest.

I'm posting this to all of you, looking for suggestions or even like stories.
Above everything else, I'm at a loss for what direction to head.

Care to lend a hand or drop some knowledge?

[Guybrush]

I think the flute is a fine and underrated instrument.

You can even get them quite cheap, either second hand or - there are some made cheap in countries like China.

[Burning Down]

Have you ever tried the clarinet? Cheap, easy to learn, and it lends itself well to different styles of music.

Originally Posted by toretorden

I think the flute is a fine and underrated instrument.

You can even get them quite cheap, either second hand or - there are some made cheap in countries like China.

The use of the flute in genres like rock is underrated. I guess because the instrument was not intended to play that type of music!

I sold my first flute to a beginner student for $100, which is a steal considering it was evaluated at $400. I kept it in good condition.

They are relatively cheap. That depends on one's definition of "cheap." My first flute, a beginner's flute, was $600 Canadian. I wouldn't have a clue about how many Euros that is The flute that I have now cost $2500. It's an intermediate level flute! I've seen the real professional ones go up to $16,000...

[GuitarBizarre]

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Have you ever tried the clarinet? Cheap, easy to learn, and it lends itself well to different styles of music.



The use of the flute in genres like rock is underrated. I guess because the instrument was not intended to play that type of music!

JETHRO TULL.


Anyway - Tyrant, we're giving you a hard time on the practice thing because its something we've all seen before, as musicians, and we know that a lot of young musicians will pick it up, and they'll make an effort, and try, but they'll only do it for a month or two. Or they'll do it for a long time, but they'll never get anywhere because they only practice maybe once a week, and it becomes something they don't like doing purely because they arent any good at it. The thought process goes from 'lets try this' and more towards 'I've been doing this for ages why aren't I good?'

And lets not forget multiinstrumentalists. The fact is, in my opinion, nobody has an instrument that is 'their instrument', its all a matter of the willingness to do what it takes to learn properly. Even a guitarist who practices regularly for a whole year will sound comparitively awful next to someone who has done it for 3, and that IS discouraging to some people, and it leads to one of two things. Either dropping the instrument, or in some cases, developing a level of scorn towards those people who are technically more skilled. (IE, Punks reaction to glam excess and technical musicianship) For me, it was a drive to get that good, and keep going after that.

[Guybrush]

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Have you ever tried the clarinet? Cheap, easy to learn, and it lends itself well to different styles of music.



The use of the flute in genres like rock is underrated. I guess because the instrument was not intended to play that type of music!

I sold my first flute to a beginner student for $100, which is a steal considering it was evaluated at $400. I kept it in good condition.

They are relatively cheap. That depends on one's definition of "cheap." My first flute, a beginner's flute, was $600 Canadian. I wouldn't have a clue about how many Euros that is The flute that I have now cost $2500. It's an intermediate level flute! I've seen the real professional ones go up to $16,000...

I got me a bran new flute which was 1100 NOKs which is about ~190 USD I got it from a guy who imported instruments from China. He even drove to the biological institute and delivered it in person! It's probably not the best flute out there, but it was new and I'm happy with it - great for practice!

Stuff like that is usually very expensive in Norway and I was expecting to pay a lot more for a new instrument. I was quite surprised at the price and I'm sure you could get it even cheaper in America where there's more competition in the market.

I also had the choice of buying second hand flutes, but most of the ones I found were a bit nobby with gold details and so on so they were usually a bit more expensive, but still not bad. 100 dollars for a 400 dollar flute sounds like the student got a bargain

[Annissette]

A good example of instrumental production is on the recording Chili Dawg by David Grisham, the playing of the instruments is super and very professional. Find and listen to music by this artist at: songlist.net Chili Dawg is at; Chili Dawg by David Grisman

[GuitarBizarre]

Sounds to me like your problem is practice, not instrument. Nobodies fingers can do anything on guitar when they first start to play. Hell, I think most people I know agree I'm a good guitar player. Certainly a couple of people have mentioned I'm the best they know, but when I picked it up I was tone deaf and I had to use my right hand to literally FORCE my fingers into chord shapes. The fluidity and so on only came with extensive practice. Now I'm going on 10 years strong. I didn't begin to make anything remotely musical until I'd played at LEAST 4 months, playing most days.

[kouki]

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

Sounds to me like your problem is practice, not instrument. Nobodies fingers can do anything on guitar when they first start to play. Hell, I think most people I know agree I'm a good guitar player. Certainly a couple of people have mentioned I'm the best they know, but when I picked it up I was tone deaf and I had to use my right hand to literally FORCE my fingers into chord shapes. The fluidity and so on only came with extensive practice. Now I'm going on 10 years strong. I didn't begin to make anything remotely musical until I'd played at LEAST 4 months, playing most days.

Listen to this^^. I was once like you(orig poster) I started playing guitar at 14 and then gave up because it was too hard.I started again in May of this year(now im 25)and actually tried and practiced this time.Till now I learned about 43 chords all the notes on the fret and I love playing now,its an addiction. I just learned 13 major scales too.Just dont give up,be patient.

[Guybrush]

^True, any instrument requires practice. Even those little eggs with sand in them. Some level of patience and sticking-with-it is obviously required and before you reach some level of skill, it might not be all you thought it was cracked up to be.

[TyrantSong]

Originally Posted by TyrantSong

Practice makes perfect, I understand this, but I can't practice something that I can't fall in love with.
It's a matter of interest over talent.

I realise I'll need practice, but I can't do it if I'm not happy with it.

Also, I thought about flute earlier, but I'm not sure it's for me. I'll give it a try at some point, I just can't see myself playing.

I was thinking of looking into a fiddle or violin, but I realise they go back to my poor dexterity.