What instruments can you play?

I’m curious to hear what instruments you can play and record for your own music compositions? Except MIDI keyboard haha. :joy:

Here are mine:

  • Electric Guitar
    I can play rhythm guitar (quite badly but with enough takes).

  • Vocals
    I can do a bit of random slavonic/latin like vocals to overdub a vst choir.

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hi
piano for me , but don’t ask me to play chopin :slight_smile:
i have try also violin and flute but too hard for my ears :slight_smile:
for my course in the conservatory i have start to learn how to play harp because i have written a contemporary score for electro acoustic harp, and i had to know the difficulty to play this note before this one and how to prepare the pedal to change the tune of the string

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Anything with a keyboard really but normally bounce between Piano, Synthesizers and the mighty Pipe Organ. I can also play Alto Sax (Baker Street, Careless Whisper and bit of jazz/blues stuff that I like playing). I also sing if I have to as I hate the sound of my voice. Normally I sing Tenor lines in my little choir, when I am not playing the organ unless I know the Tenor part really well. Then it gets fun, left hand, right hand, feet and voice to co-ordinate…ha ha ha. :slight_smile:

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I think most of us composers have a certain pull towards the keyboard haha. :slight_smile:

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Ever recorded sax on any of your own compositions? Share a link if you have. :slight_smile:

I am really wanting to learn to play the guitar better myself, so I at least have one other instrument I can record with on my tracks.

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Elettric, Acoustic and classic guitar, with most of the technique requiered like legato, string skipping, tapping (not 8 finger lol), alternative picking etc etc

A little bit of piano (I wanna improve this instrument)

E. Bass (not my favorite inst at all)

Violin… hem… only effect… hahahahahah .

However in this life I think I can’t do it, but I would like to play cello, horns, trumpet, trombone, flute, bagpipe… and I remember when I was a child I use to love the Oboe sound… but I have no time for this :frowning_face::disappointed_relieved:

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We composers want to be able to play ALL instruments lol :wink:

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Play? I don’t know… I can approximate my musical ideas using various devices. :wink:

Used to do a bit of vocals (intend to pick that back up any decade now), and can usually get away with recording one part at a time on the keyboard without too much editing.

Over the last two years I’ve also picked up the violin, and then the cello, and intend to start recording basic parts soon. Nothing advanced, but I’ve been focusing on intonation, tone, and vibrato, so the simple things I can pull off at least sound nice and expressive, which is kind of the main priority when starting to reach beyond sample libraries.

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I am looking forward to hear your bowing techniques and expression in your future compositions! :slight_smile:

Oh forgot to mention, I have been toying with the idea of getting a bunch of percussive instruments, sticks, brushes, mallets and stuff to add organic rhythmic performances to my otherwise 100% software based music. :slight_smile:

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Been playing guitar for over 10 years but write my sutff on keyboard ( I dabble and work out what i need ) also professional singer, though havent used that much yet in my compositions :slight_smile:

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Piano quite well.
Vocals, but it’s often painful, haven’t been practicing my vocal cords lately so they don’t obey as much as I would like :smiley:
A bit of guitar, but it’s painful too, to my fingers especially so I try to avoid it and resist the temptation. Guitar has been always so attractive for me.

I usually take inspiration from instruments I cannot play. The other day I borrowed a violin and although I cannot play it, it made some sound, right :smiley: and it lead to some ideas. Same with guitar, flute etc. It is fun. And I really do wish I could play every instrument lol

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Mostly guitar for me. For 24 years… 6, 7, or 8 strings.
Have kne with a midi sensor so I can use it to control libraries or synths.
Bit of bass too.
I have a cello too, turns out they forgot to put frets on it so it’s not going as well lol

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Strangely I have never recorded my Sax playing on any of my tracks. It is on my to do list, but I just never seem to get round to it.

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I’ve been playing electric and acoustic guitar since I was 13 …piano off and on over 8 years (took lessons) …5 years of drums (formal instruction) and play a 5 string bass as well … my sight reading has deteriorated over the years but I can read percussion stave prettty well …can play by ear as well so a bit of a crutch…

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Hi Michael, I play the guitar, Bass, Banjo, Mandolin, Harmonica, Kalimba, sing, drums, basically anything I can get my hands on. Ironically I’m not very confident with my piano skills.

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How much do you use your performance skills in your compositions these days?

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Do you record those instruments in your compositions too?

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I absolutely do. I’ve had more film jobs want my recorded music than big orchestral sample library stuff. Here’s a folksy one I did a while back for a Travel documentary…https://soundcloud.com/user-31255647/tennessee-sour-mashclip-4-8-17

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I’ve been focusing a bit more on orchestral stuff lately, but I recorded 4 albums in 5 years with no midi at all. I want to be as rounded out as possible as a composer. I realize it takes longer to not focus on just one area, but I want to be able to do everything…This one has some samples in it, but I play all of the guitars, shakers, etc. https://soundcloud.com/user-31255647/mexico-bound

Here’s a free album if you like…https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/privet3

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Really nice folk vibe, and you do have good skills playing those instruments! :slight_smile:
I have heard from more composers recently that it is way easier to get gigs and licences if you recorded real instruments in the composition. In fact, that is a reason I started this thread to hear your experiences in this. I am thinking about at least getting some simple percussion instruments to record some organic shaker performances and stuff, as it does make a difference on a sub concious level at least, which in return gets better results

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