Instrument-Based Thread

[Dethonator]

Salutations, bronies! I would like to discuss a topic I haven't really seen as much, and that is instruments. I'm pretty sure we all know what these magical tools are, but I want to know how much members of our community use them. As we all know, the Pony remixes we have are essentially electronic, rather than jazz or rock, but of course, we have a few exceptions such as myself, Tarby, ISMBOF and many others.

Personally, I am not familiar with this type of music at all since I grew up listening to instrument-driven music, mostly hard rock and all forms of extreme metal. This fondness eventually got me to pick up the guitar and I spent several hours each night practicing since the guitar solos in the bands I listen to raise the bar so high. It was a different form of learning for me because I was basically brought up in a household that was apathetic towards music learning, and even discouraged should my guitar interfere with my studies. Most of my more fortunate friends reluctantly learned their instruments since elementary school, whereas I had to learn from a private instructor on my free time when I was a teenager since I was never given any chance to learn music in public school. Largely, I am self-taught, heavily relying on guitar magazines for lessons and techniques.

One thing my guitar playing taught me was music theory, which made composing midi a lot easier/faster for me. All I have to do is go on Guitar Pro 5, convert the tabs to midi, and that's all. And having total control of every note is a plus for me. The main drawback of relying on an instrument, though, is that unlike midi, you will have to rerecord parts several times should you play a note wrong or play too slow/fast. I don't mind, though, as I also find it a good way to better my skills with the instrument. I would like to learn every instrument, though. Unfortunately, I don't have the time or money, so I am pretty happy that we have virtual instruments these days, since I play non-guitar parts through vsts.

Of course, I guess one of the real reasons I enjoy the instrument is because I actually want to go on stage and play that instrument. I enjoy the thought of running around stage, power slides and 20-minute guitar solos. A far-reaching dream, I know, but who knows...

But enough about me. What's your connection with instruments? Are they just the tools you use to make music, or are they the inspiration for your music? It would also be pretty cool to get opinions of those who never played instruments yet still compose, too.

[DasDeer]

Oh, this thread will most likely be very amusing and intresting to read, thanks for creating it Deth!

Ah, so, where to begin? My "history", so to speak, seems appropiate enough.
I began "playing" the piano when i was around 2-3 years old. We had a old and pretty dull sounding piano at home then, and i usually spent my free time either playing video games or just playing the piano. Ofcourse, the things i played didn't exactly sound good. (Atleast that's what my mother has been telling me)
As i grew older i became interested in other things and eventually forgot all about the piano, until one summer day when i was in the 7th or 8th grade. Some of my friends were going to start a rock band, and wanted me as a member, playing the keyboard. I said yes, and bought a very small and cheap keyboard; a typical childs keyboard. After all, i wasn't sure how long i would stay in the band, perhaps the keyboard wasn't for me.
But, whay do you know. I have played with those guys ever since. Alot of my composing experiences derive from my band; i am usually the guy who comes up with new melodies or lyrics. In the band, i've also earned experince on how to compose different types of genres; mainly rock and electronical metal.

For me, the keyboard isn't only a tool to make music, even tough it makes it alot easier. For me, the keyboard is my inspiration for my music, my "link" to music. Without it, i am pretty sure i wouldn't be a composer at all, probably not interested in music whatsoever.


This was interesting to write, i must say.

[Versilaryan]

Started music on piano, continued it for the grand majority of my life on trumpet and guitar. Even with synths, I like to record MIDI data through keyboards (and I'm looking at getting an EWI, so I can put my trumpet-playing to good use). There's something about the subtle nuances of actually playing an instrument that's hard to capture with plugging in MIDI notes. Phrasing is annoying to manually plug in, as are the little variations and mistakes people make. I LOVE INSTRUMENTS.

Oftentimes, my best ideas come when I'm just noodling around, especially on piano or guitar. When you're holding an instrument in your hand, it's really easy to visualize where your music is going and play the chords that you're hearing in your head in real time. Makes for a more organic songwriting process for me, even when I'm writing electronic music.

[Navron]

I think one reason most musicians seem to stay away from actual instruments is the entire process required behind it.

I can record my bass and guitar through an effects pedal via USB, however you really have to know how to gate your sound properly to avoid background noise, set up crossfades for nearly every segment, and of course it isn't quite as simple to change keys or tempos.

I'm slowly learning more of the VST world, but setting up a live recording and layering tracks of real instruments is a fairly difficult process in itself.

The plus side though, is real instruments sound much better, because you can capture all the subtle details in the musician themselves, such as vibratos, dissonant chords bends, etc.

[Tsyolin]

Well I do both electronic and orchestral, though I'm more well known for my orchestral stuff. However, I don't do live recordings because I really don't have the equipment needed. I barely got away with my electronic vocal mix which was recorded on a crappy laptop built-in...

I've played all my life though, Mallet Percussion. God I love being a mallet percussionist, but I also do auxiliary percussion as well. Plus, I've played piano for 5 years or so now.

[Triple_B]

I've been playing a guitar I picked up at a pawn shop for $20 for the past year on a 10-watt amplifier that I managed to find at a garage sale with a working cord... It's basically the inspiration for my music, though large parts of my inspiration remain vocal and electronic based, I too grew up in a home.... Actually, I grew up listening to the radio and '80's pop, I got into metal and juts about every heavier subgenre/genre henceforth about four years ago, getting into electronica nigh-on religiously about.... four or five months ago.

I'm not one to learn playing actual songs on the guitar, however, if you say 'Bassline' I can do a bassline. You say 'solo' I can do a solo. I've essentially self taught, though I take a guitar class in school because the orchestra teacher is a boss and I live in hick-ville USA; though this has only managed to teach me a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very basic grasp on Musical Theory, Reading Music/Tableture, and chords/chord progressions, I feel like I've learned several things from the class.

More to the point; I love my sunburst orange axe. I named her Savannah when I got her, because I'd just watched The Lion King (Best movie ever) that night and the sunburst reminded me of the sun on the grass in the beginning (It's all red and orange and whatnot)

I actually have several medical problems involving bone and joints nowadays, so my ability to play most instruments besides my guitar, which I grudgingly refuse to give up, and a keyboard are severely hindered. (I suppose I could play the drums, but I have no desire to do so) Therefore, most instruments, being out of reach, remain an article of fascination, and inspiration, in my eyes.

[LunchBagMusic]

Oh man. Piano is my life.

I could never write something without first sitting down at a piano for at least 30 minutes and just... playing. I don't understand how some people can compose without being able to play it (a melody) first. All the ideas in my music come from me at my piano, then my shitty attempt to notate it (List of things I need: MIDI Keyboard). Sometimes mistakes in my rhythmic dictation lead to much better results, other times I just can't get the sound I want (For example, at the moment I'm writing a Rhapsody for my school's concert band. I can get this amazing melody out of my fingers, but it just won't translate into Sibelius).

I (Read as: "My parents") own a digital piano (better than a keyboard, worse than a real piano - except it's small enough to fit into my room - I am one of the few pianists who sleeps next to their instrument) and a 120-130 year old German upright. I compose mostly on the digital, as its a hop skip and a jump away from my workstation, but the upright is joyful to play.

Another thing ten years of piano has given me is a brilliant and in-depth knowledge of theory and technique, which helps my composition immensely.

Fun Fact: I plan to learn Trombone next year.

[Kumquaticus]

I had absolutely no musical background until I was about ten or so, when I decided to take up the violin for absolutely no reason (although the Charlie Daniels Band was what pointed me towards that particular instrument). Now, I'm double-fisted with the viola, which I absolutely love. (Cue the viola jokes everywhere)

Although I suppose I got a pretty cheap accoustic guitar when I was about seven or so, I never could figure out how to play the darned thing...

[LunchBagMusic]

Now, I'm double-fisted with the viola, which I absolutely love.

I love the Viola too. It has a warmer tone than the violin, and I often find myself giving it more than its far share of colour in my compositions.

[Bendelsohn]

Well, I took private guitar lessons for 4 years. My teacher (Goh Nakamura, completely awesome person in every way, has an album) moved away, and now I remember how to play 2 songs. I have been self teaching myself piano via synthesia tracks, and I know 4 songs. That is part of the reason I have only composed for the piano. The other reason is that the piano is very easy to make sound good with FL studio.

[MasterOfRegret]

I too grew up in a home.... Actually, I grew up listening to the radio and '80's pop, I got into metal and juts about every heavier subgenre/genre henceforth about four years ago, getting into electronica nigh-on religiously about.... four or five months ago.

I read that without the content in the ellipses, like so:

I too grew up in a home......four or five months ago.

Anyway....
I grew(am growing, whatever) up listening to the classics on the radio all the time(all rock), before Ipods were more popular than Walkmans, and such, so I always thought guitar was cool. But I had no ambition to pursue it.

My brother got a guitar for his birthday about 4 years ago, and tried to learn it (unsuccessfully, he didn't understand the difference between "e" and "f") and when he couldn't, he left his guitar alone for 2 years or so, and then decided it would be easy to re-gift it to me. And that's how I got my cutie mark. The end.

No, but really, I spent a summer teaching myself the guitar, and have been playing ever since. I have probably played about 700/730 days of the past two years. I prefer to pluck the strings over chords, but I love the sound of the notes in harmony when I play chords. It's quite a predicament.
And my grandmother thought she could make me learn the keyboard/piano if she gave me one. (She was right.) So I learned some of that too.

I would like to and plan on recording a song with my guitar soon, but I would prefer to produce things from MIDI, only because I can't get an audio engineering career not knowing how to use commonly used software, and all the tips and tricks that go with it.

[Senator Myth]

I can play the guitar and bass guitar quite proficiently. I can play the keyboard/piano at a sort of novice level... I played the French horn in middle school, and I sort of wish that I had stuck with it so that I could actually be studying music now instead of just doing it as a hobby... oh well! I play the guitar or the bass or both, practicing for at least an hour each day...

I got a mandolin and an ocarina for Christmas, and so I'm also learning those.

[Pickslide1992]

I'm a VST man through and through, mainly because I don't have the space or money required to have a warehouse of synths and drum machines and these guys do me just fine.

Though my guitar sounds are real. My SG is something I'll take to my grave. It had never failed me, it's been through hell and back and it still plays like the day I got her. Only thing she needs is a string change and she'll be good to go.

[TheSunAndTheRainfall]

I've been pretty much self-teaching myself to play guitar for the past... seven years or so. And I still kinda suck at it, but hey, whatever, most of the time I'm able to play most of what I wanna play, so I don't mind too much.

The main drawback of relying on an instrument, though, is that unlike midi, you will have to rerecord parts several times should you play a note wrong or play too slow/fast.

This, oh man, this a million times. Whenever I'm making a song and I have to record guitar parts I usually set aside a couple of hours and make myself comfortable because I know I'll be there for a long freaking time. I fuck up SO OFTEN when I'm recording and it drives me nuts. But in the end I'm usually satisfied with the results.

[Pickslide1992]

I hear ya. Sometimes I have to take a break so I'll get it right after a while.

[Versilaryan]

Or you could, y'know, take it like a professional musician and practice until you can't get it wrong. Ever. =P

Pro tip, though. If you want to be a truly great musician, don't practice until you get something right. Practice until you can't get it wrong. You should be able to play the song you're practicing all the way through at least three times straight through without making a mistake.

I was almost a trumpet performance major. And then I decided I didn't want to practice that much. >.>
Also play the guitar and some keyboard on the side. I recently got an EWI, so I can put those hard years of trumpeting to good use in electronic music, now!

[ArtAttack]

I've been taking private piano lessons since I was seven, and I like to think I'm pretty proficient on the keys. I also play a little guitar and did drums in a jazz band for about 2 years.