Does anyone here play any musical instruments? Or would even like to? So, which one is worth investing one's time in? For what purpose though? I am sure several of us had been forced as children to sit by the piano and slave away at it hours at a time. Sure makes one hate playing anything after a while. As for those of us that do enjoy playing, is it a waste of time in the end? Even if music is not a career option, is it fine to just have? I am just wondering of anyone here enjoys playing an instrument regularly and why they enjoy it so much. I play music myself, but sometimes I can't help but feel that it is just an expensive hobby. The better you get, you only want to get even better, meaning your gear must be ugraded eventually; and you need to pay for maintenance, repairs, and performances; and playing music is also a major time investment; it goes on. And yet we keep doing what we do.

Growing up, I wasn't forced to play an instrument. I really, really wanted to.. but my parents couldn't really afford it [or the excuse that they didn't want to put up with the noise.]
I did join in choir and chorus in school.. which was pretty fun.
I'm not very good at reading music, but I've tried to learn how to play guitar. I guess I can say, it's not for me.
I have a lot of friends who play many things.. [a lot of them in bands as well.]
I do want to learn piano, and if possible.. the violin.
I think playing an instrument is helpful.. it's a stress reliver [especially drums] and you get an awesome feeling of accomplishment when you can play a song.. or composed something all by yourself. When you think about it.. people will pay money to hear music. So, if you're lucky.. you might get some of that.
I also want to get into DJ'ing.. not like.. a regular request-club dj.. but one that can do their own stuff. I could probably do that better than a regular instrument since I'm more tech.
If it's something you love to do and it makes you happy.. of course you will do whatever you can to keep it up. I know my friend who was pretty much homeless.. and even when he didn't have a dime in his hand.. he always kept his guitar with him.. and would never pawn or sell it off for money. He even said he rather go hungry than sell his baby.

If you prefer some instruments which will not take to long to learn to play good, you shouldn't play piano,
and believe me, i can know.
I play piano whole my life, mostly with pleasure, but not always, i'm sure everyone has that.
This topic started at the right time for me, i won the second prize in a big music( so all instruments, classic like piano, violin, cello etc), that concours is one of the commercial ones here in holland, so it get's a lot of publicity.
I want to have a career as pianist, but it's still a long and hard way.
And with the jury really surprised and satisfied, they said my level was really respectfull.
Kraygbassist you asked wether it's a waste of time, well in my case you should look it like the way i do, it's never a waste of time, especially when you want to make it, practicing makes art right, actually you have to practice a few hours per day, i play between 2 and 3 hours a day, which said to be too little, 4 hours is the minimum if you want to make it to the top,
Overall, enjoy making music and play a lot, and i really mean alot, you need to put things aside, like anime or school, but in my case the result is good and big, i will never, really never regret the hours i spent behind the piano

andricon-girl

If it's something you love to do and it makes you happy.. of course you will do whatever you can to keep it up. I know my friend who was pretty much homeless.. and even when he didn't have a dime in his hand.. he always kept his guitar with him.. and would never pawn or sell it off for money. He even said he rather go hungry than sell his baby.

wow, that friend of your's is hardcore, andricon-girl, haha. Also, DJ'ing does not sound too bad; give it a try i guess (I don't know a thing about dj'ing, just that it involves mixers, turntables, and $$$)

Yukming

Overall, enjoy making music and play a lot, and i really mean alot, you need to put things aside, like anime or school, but in my case the result is good and big, i will never, really never regret the hours i spent behind the piano

I have thought about doing all that, just screwing everything else and going straight into music. I have gigged around with my band around Hollywood and Beverly Hills, but that's just chump change for summer. I do love music, but since I am studying engineering, I am looking at the sad possibility of me having to give up my instruments for the sake of a secure future. Either that or maybe I am just not taking my music seriously enough...o welll

Btw, Congrats Yukming on the 2nd place prize at that concert. Got any recordings of your playing by any chance?

Well i play piano and am in percussion in band.
Is hard to say this around my peers, but after playing piano starting from 4, i actually am glad that i kept it up. When i was small i literally hated, or just too lazy to practice everyday for an hour. But my grandfather literally forced me to sit on the stool everyday. I guess when you are young, things you play is just notes, sounds, and you can't really feel what you are playing. Also, it often annoys me how when you start a new piece, everything is hard and boring and annoy.
But now that im older and...my developement of understanding(lol) advances, i think it was really worth it. Now im actually playing hard music i kno and can actually participate in competitions and feel accomplished. Yea i hav to say now that i don't live my grandfather anymore i sometimes slack and get lazy and not practice seriously. But i guiess i have a sense of duty, if i do bad at a piano lesson i get really guilty and practice. But yea, i don't like practicing. but really, is like equivelant trade, the result is just...worth it.

But that's just me, i have a thing for music lol.
If you really really dislike playing a instrument, like piano, and you wasted years on it and still think is not worth it, i wouldn't suggest you to keep it up. I mean, if you really can't get anything out of it, after all the time, work, and money spended, is time to try something new. But i wouldn't quit because of small things. If you are actually good, have talent, and love music, working a little harder might get you to some really good competitions and awards.

And feeling accomplished is not the only thing. if you get a good award, it'll look good on your college paper. and playing a instrument ... i guess is like state of mindish thing. it just adds more things to your life. i mean, compare yourself to someone who doesn't play the instrument, they are lacking something, rit?

well idk, i personally think is worth it. And like others said, I will never regret the time and money i spend, and besides, who knows, maybe someday i can go in the music career lol

Yeah, I know what you're talkin about when you say it is a state of mind. I can't quit music, even when I have fleeting thoughts about doing just that. Its something I can't quite let go of yet. Having played piano for a better part of my life myself, the theory worksheets and practices that I slaved over as a kid it comes in handy when composing stuff on the guitar or just playing stuff by ear.

So I guess the general consensus is that music is worth only what you put in. I am actually kind of glad no one called instruments a waste of time.

I play piano and clarinet. I don't enjoy piano, but I do like clarinet; you meet a lot of cool people in band.

So basically, most of my friends are band geeks...or just people I've known for a while.

I just picked up the guitar and started playing a couple of days ago. My fingers are so sore from just trying to get certain finger postitions down. I'm having a friend of mine give me lessons and hopefully I'll get good enough to actually so something on my own with it.

I played Euphonium/Baritone from 6th grade through my Junior year of college at The University of Tennessee.. so that's.. 9 yrs? I also dabbled a bit with trumpet and I was on my high school's drum corps playing in the pit during my senior year. I was in a ton of honor bands and state bands.. played in Bush's first Inagural parade.. played in many many MANY football games- including our 98 National Championship. Those were the days. We WERE the best college marching band. ^_^

Well, I used to play acoustic guitar and growing up with borrowed gear means I only play at school, using those old unrepaired stuff from the good old clubroom, and we rely on club funds to pay for the maintenance of these wonderful equipments, we also played around with performances for the school and so on, what convinced me to drop it was when i realized that it did not really get into me, I realize that whenever I play, I am playing someone elses' tune, and never my own, or play as something I enjoyed, and something I really wanted to play never seem to occur, or if it did, I probably missed the beat by a mile, I somehow lost inspiration when the sad and obvious truth occured to me and make me recount, what I should have done to make it all happen.
And then I understand, I suck, I should just move on, I guess one can say I gave up because I lack inspiration and the expensive part does play a heavy deal. I hardly have enough money now to support myself, much lesser than to support an instrutment of choice.

As a kid, I wanted to play piano or violin, but my parents never took the chance to get me lessons. I've played all the saxophones from grade 7 to now, which really isn't a big deal because if you can play at least one, you can play all. :] I learned the guitar for a year now. Not so great at it, but I'm still able to perform a bit. I used to take vocal, but quite after a year or two.

In general, yes, music is a pretty expensive thing to look after and have, but music is a part of life for me, and I think it's worth it.

I've been playing guitar (classical) since year 5..? I'm glad that my parents forced me to learn when I was small (although it wasn't small enough in my opinion.. ^^; ).

But I think I'd be more happy if my parents got me to learn piano rather than guitar. Guitar might be easier, but I find that the range of notes you can play on a guitar is very limited, whereas in piano, you basically have the whole notes on your fingers.. ^^;
eg. You can play a very low note and a very high note at the same time... (thats not quite possible on guitar)

but yea...I'm happy I'm able to play guitar now...can be a form of relaxtion (like someone said b4 =p )

Well, I've been playing piano on and off for a few years, first learning a bit in elementary school for a couple years, then picking back up again about a year ago. I do it just for fun right now, though I'm looking to be part of an orchestra in about a year if all goes well. I was never forced into doing anything, so that wasn't a problem for me. I just get a great amount of pleasure from playing songs I know other people- and myself- can enjoy. It takes a lot of practice, but I only get about 10 minutes a day, yet I still make good progress. Something to keep in mind is the music and the teacher. At first I had a series of bad teachers, which made me not want to play. Then I got a good teacher later on, and he let me play what music I wanted. I found what music really suited my taste, which led me to want to play more. Once you find a song you really like, you'll keep trying and practicing until you get it down. And it really feels worth it in the end. (Especially when it's one of your favorite anime songs.) XD

Yup...i agree that most kids are forced to play an instrument when they are young.
me? i've been forced to learn the piano when i was 6. In high school, i've been playing double bass in my school's chinese orchestra.
playing double bass is fun but you can get blisters in your finger and it is kinda pain. Playing the instruments for more than 6 hours a day in order to prepare for an orchestra compatition is indeed tiring during that time since i had to focus on my studies.
I've lots of memories playing in various compatition and concert. Plus, i've performed in taiwan once. Wining lots of compatition is fun especially when your team is a champion. Playing double bass is fun compare to piano and now...i still play the piano even though i've given up my dream to take a degree in music. ( i can't survive as a musician in my country...)
Now, i plan to learn acoustic guitar as well as bass guitar. Playing music is a must for me even though i no longer have a chance to perform in an orchestra.

If you're gonna learn an instrument you've gotta have some passion about it yknow? like don't try and learn guitar just cause you think it's cool because you probably won't get far before you start to think its alot of work to become well skilled.Try learning some from whoever doesn't have to be some kinda tutor or anything but see what you like,different strokes for different folks as they say.Me,I'm a guitar playing drummer,I love playing both instruments and keep trying to get better at it,I do have different forces that drive me to do it though.I'm someone who easily gets jealous so when I see someone who pwns the guitar I'm driven to get better somehow.It's been a great investment in my mind,but as always when you're starting out dont go too expensive or too cheap and go from there.