Do You Play an Instrument/Sing?

hegelec wrote: This is something of a bizzare thread; I'm not sure where to put it . . . I've always wondered how many prog fans are musicians themselves and what they play.  The stereotype of the Prog world is that we are all cape-wearing keyboardists who studied musicology with the Royal Conservatory, but I'm sure this is not the case. So, I pose the questions: Do you play an instrument/sing? If you play an instrument, which one? Have you received training? How often do you often sing/play Progressive Rock? What are your favourite songs to play?

Here are my answers:

1.  Yes, I play instruments and I sing.

2.  My primary instruments are a synth (a KORG X5)  and a piano.  I also play guitars (acoustic, electric, and bass), softsynths, drums and percussion (percussion usually utilized are 5-gallon blue drinking water bottles which have a nice tone by the way, a shaker and various kitchen items), a kazoo and a soprano recorder.  I also record, sequence, mix and produce my own works via my PC, which you can check out at http://music.download.com/sterilium.

3. My musical training and knowledge is largely self-taught though I had piano lessons at the age of 11 and guitar lessons from the age of 12 to 15; afterwards, everything I know is self-taught.

4.  Majority of the music I make and play is progressive rock though I occasionally write some classical, jazz and a few radio-friendly tunes here and there.

5.  My favorite songs are of course my own, where my focus is currently into.  As a warm up, I like playing Bach's 2-part Invention in C major and the first few bars from Chopin's Etude No. 12 Opus 10 for some left hand action.  Some of the prog songs (though I play only bits and pieces of each) that I love playing are some Dream Theater lines, some riffs from Yes's Heart of the Sunrise and King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man," and a few Rush riffs here and there.

Do you play an instrument/sing? yes/yes

If you play an instrument, which one? piano/flute/guitar/taking up sitar soon hopefuly!!

Have you received training? piano lessons when i was about 7 or 8, helped me get the basics but never needed anything further!

How often do you often sing/play Progressive Rock? every day

What are your favourite songs to play? Stagnation for one, knowing tony banks solos and the entire song on piano, and the flute parts at the end...loads of fun to play, emotional!  after that, just tons of great early genesis, moody blues, YES, renaissance, focus, spirit, hot tuna...oh man, LOADS of stuff!  I learn songs by ear in a heart beat so i just play everything i like

Do you play an instrument/sing? Yes. Also sing a little bit.

If you play an instrument, which one? Piano, Various keyboards, a bit of guitar.

Have you received training? Yes. 7 years classical training, 1.5 years jazz training.

How often do you often sing/play Progressive Rock? Rehearse with my prog rock band twice a week plus and currently play 1 show a month.

What are your favourite songs to play? General Jazz and Fusion jazz  like Chick Corea's spain or dave brubeck's take 5. Currently I play/compose my own music more than play others'.

I play trumpet in my jazz-fusion garage band and I sing in the shower.

Thats about it other than the noodling I do on my cheap casio keyboard and the four guitar chords I know.

Glad someone revised this thread. I'm fairly excited because I just started playing a flute. I played one years ago and it's all coming back to me. My wife had one in a closet. I've always wanted to play it but never seemed to have the time. Well, that and it seemed to bother my dogs. I started a new job and I  sometimes work a nightshift with a couple of hours with nothing to do. I'm overjoyed that I have a place to practice with nobody to complain, great acoustics and I'm getting paid. I'm sure the boss might not be crazy about me bringing in something as bulky as a guitar but the flute is small enough that it fits into the duffle bag I carry. I'm having fun figuring out songs by ear. Maybe someday I'll buy actual sheet music.

I classify myself as a recovering folkie.

I play guitar. Some harmonica. I sing. I've never been accused of being a virtuoso.

I like playing Shel Silverstein and Neil Young songs. My favourites to play are anything with a major dose of humour. Songs like "Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other", "Let's Do Something Cheap And Superficial", "Get My Rocks Off" and "I Got Stoned And I Missed It".

There's another song that I don't perform publically but only for my wife. It's our song and mirrors perfectly the situatioin in our life when we became more than just friends. I'd tell you more about it but it's a really sappy, sickly sweet romantic story that would make you either sick or laugh at my pathetic life.

sigod wrote: Yep, I sing and play an instrument or two. If you ask me it's the most fun you can have standing up.

The most fun you can have standing up...that's awkward and rather random....HEHE!

Do you play an instrument/sing?  I sing, and I play drums and piano.

If you play an instrument, which one?  Drums and piano.

Have you received training?  I've recieved 4 years of drum lessons, and started taking piano and singing lessons about a year ago.

How often do you often sing/play Progressive Rock?  When I'm not practicing technique, that's all I play.

What are your favourite songs to play?  I don't really have a favorite song to play on piano or drums, but my favorite songs to sing are certain songs in DT's Scenes From A Memory and of course, my own work. :D