Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with instrument

Kids' musical instruments

cameronfromedinburgh — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:24:05 -0800

Musical instruments for kids. At Xmas this year my son will be exactly 7 1/2 years old. He is very interested in music, by that I mean that he listens to the radio intently and frequently asks for specific tracks/cds to be added to his MP3 player. He sings along in tune and tends to remember large amounts of the lyrics.

What would be the best way to take this interest to the next level and introduce an element of learning an instrument? And what instrument?

We live in the country so noise really isn't a factor but we don't have space for a piano.

How long will it take me to learn the keyboard?

DMan — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:38:25 -0800

Is it reasonable to expect that I can develop reasonable proficiency at piano/keyboard with 30 minutes to an hour of practice each day for a few months? Longer version: I consider myself to be musically inclined; I played French Horn in high school, picked up drums when I was in eleventh grade, and play guitar with a Christian worship band now. I really, really want to learn the keyboard, but what concerns me is that it seems like people spend years and years learning to play piano and even after that time, they seem skilled but not as much as I would expect if someone had been playing drums or guitar for as long.

So do the keys have a really long learning curve? My schedule is fairly busy and I know realistically I'll only be able to spend an hour at most per day practicing it. Is it reasonable to expect to be able to play through some songs after a few months of this, or am I looking at jumping into years of study?

Bonus points for recommended learning materials, but I realize other AskMe questions exist for that purpose.

Estranged pieces of metal in an Organ from the 1960s are the topic of the day

tmcw — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:33:36 -0800

Fixing an old transistor organ: how do I fix these switches that seem to rely on the springiness of metal in order to make contact? So, I'm working on fixing this big ol' Doric organ (previously), and I stumbled upon a big break: it appears that the voices, as well as the vibrato, may not be broken, but just the switch activating them. However, this switch seems to rely on the exact same principle as the key contacts, and that principle is failing hard fourty-something years after this thing was built.

See this picture for a quick hint.

Basically, two wires, one which is the contact and stays at a certain place, and the second which is supposed to spring onto that contact when the key is depressed. Unfortunately, the second one is no longer very springy and I believe that these contacts are a bit rusty/bad.

So, contact cleaner is obvious solution #1, but the other problem is that with a few of these buttons, the piece of metal which is supposed to move onto the other just doesn't, and I don't have much of a way of bending it, since the furthest it can travel right now is the other contact. Also, just rebending this wire is a temporary fix, I'd guess, since, after all, it'll bend back like it has over all these years, leaving the next aspiring electrician thinking that the vibrato circuit is broken.

So, please let me know your thoughts! I am not even sure what the term for this 'keying system' is called, so my google-powers are weak. And any help would be so, so appreciated!

Thanks!

Learning an Instrument

sciencemandan — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:36:58 -0800

I'm looking to pick up an instrument. What would you recommend that doesn't cost too much to buy and maintain, is fairly easy to learn, can be self-taught (i.e. with online resources/videos), and works well as a solo instrument? I really enjoy music, but the only instrument I know how to play is the trumpet, and that was almost a decade ago. I want to pick up something new, but I don't have a ton of money and don't have hours a day to devote to learning. I have a midi keyboard that I suppose I could use to learn the piano, but I don't really know of any good software packages to learn (I tried Garageband 09, but it was a very basic introduction).

I'm thinking acoustic guitar, but I thought I'd check to see if I'm not overlooking anything else out there.

Also, please suggest ways to get the best deal on the instrument (for instance, if I'm looking for an acoustic guitar, should I go the Craigslist route or the music shop?).

Thanks!

Help me retro-fy my music

wanderingmind — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:20:20 -0800

Help me write retro-styled video game music! I've finally found a system that works for me, but its supported music formats are OGG - which is nice, but too heavyweight for the kind of retro feel I want - and MOD/XM, which has definite potential... I'm trying to go for a sort of classic 16-bit feel, and tracked audio formats seem like the obvious way to go here (since they're basically what the SNES used). The thing about MODs and XM files is that they depend on instrument samples, and I've been scouring the net looking for sources. Is there any good source for reliable low-fi instrument samples that sound appropriately video-gamey? I've seen soundfonts taken from various games, but I feel a bit odd using an existing game's instrument set, and the other soundfonts I've seen are these high-end professional-type things that are similarly no good for my purposes. What I really want is just a set of about 20-30 different basic instrument noises, all free to use - generic brass, generic strings, a bass, a flute, a handful of percussion noises, things like that, in WAV format if possible (or at least some form where I won't need a special soundfont librarian program to get at them). But where would I find such a thing?

I need a new violin, and I need it to be quiet. Help?

katillathehun — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:17:41 -0800

I'm considering a new violin... but I live in an apartment. And I have no intention of performing for anyone but myself. What's the most reasonable violin to get, and how can I best keep from driving my neighbors insane? I've played the violin since I was 7, but my two gorgeous concert violins were stolen from me a few years ago. I never replaced them, and I'm really starting to miss them now. It's time to get a new one (or awesome old one. Something like that).

I don't really like to play for other people anymore, so this doesn't need to be an amazing - or amazingly expensive - concert violin. Just something that won't sound like drawing a bow across a tin can. I also need a way to keep the volume down as much as possible (do metal mutes actually work? I never had one). I know it won't be totally silent, but somewhat quieter would be great. I'm open to the possibility of electric, but I have no experience with electrics, so I wouldn't even know where to start.

My budget on this is somewhat flexible, but I'm not looking to spend $1500 on something that nobody but me is going to hear. What do you suggest?

Time vs money - buy in Canada?

dorgla — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:46:00 -0800

Seattle resident (US Citizen) wants to buy a $900 keyboard amp of Canadian manufacture from Vancouver B.C. music store. How much it would REALLY cost after taxes and customs duties? Store couldn't tell me; getting busy signal from Border Information Service 800 number. GST - about 5%? Additional provincial tax for BC, and if so, how much? Additional customs duties? Would drive up from Seattle and buy in person. Is this insane, or should I just special-order via Seattle music store and save money (but not time?)

Bass Amplification by Simulated Emission of Reverberation

shoebox — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:55:15 -0800

What exactly is the difference between a guitar and bass amp? If I were to get the latter, could I plug in the former instrument and still get similar bitchin' sounds out of my rig? I am interested in learning to play the electric bass and am set to get a beginner model + practice amp. The problem is, I have a (really) shitty guitar from a while back that i can hack out a few tunes on, and would like to amplify it as well. I would much rather not invest in a separate amp for each instrument.

My readings tell me that putting a bass into a guitar amp is not the best idea because it might explode. But how about a guitar plugged into a bass amp? wouldn't that suffice? (research doesn't turn up much) would there even be any difference in sound or anything? If so, what cheap solution can I use to compensate?

Also, past ask threads have been very useful in helping me pick out models, but if any of you have recommendations for certain brands/products, please feel free to shout across the room/

What do I need to know about learning the pedal steel guitar?

MaryDellamorte — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:50:17 -0800

I am interested in learning to play the pedal steel guitar, what do I need to know? I know absolutely nothing about it, except that I'm told that it is hard to learn, which is one of the reasons that I want to learn to play it. I also love the way it sounds. How much do these things cost? Do they make student models? What are some good models? What will lessons run me? What are some good websites I should be looking at? Any other tips for starting out are welcome, thank you!

What looks like a clarinet but is not?

Brodiggitty — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:41:38 -0800

What musical instrument looks like a clarinet but has a tiny thin reed? Just trying to write a caption for a picture. Forgot to ask the musician what the heck it was he was playing. Looks just like a clarinet (black body with silver keys), but instead of a saxophone-sized flat reed, he's blowing into a cigarette shaped reed. The instrument is straight, and about the same size or perhaps a bit longer than the standard clarinets we had in high-school band.

Tried some googling without much luck. Help me Hive-Mind!

How to transpose from guitar to banjo?

shesaysgo — Sun, 17 May 2009 07:08:31 -0800

How do I transpose guitar sheet music, not tabs, into banjo sheet music?

How can I replicate the post-coital state without coitus?

zachawry — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:43:39 -0800

When I practice my shakuhachi (bamboo flute) I'm usually easily distracted, unfocussed, and lacking energy. However, I have excellent practice after orgasm. How can I replicate this without having sex with my wife before each practice/performance? I am notoriously easily distracted. Lack of focus and energy are also big themes of my life, but the only time it really gets to me is when I practice shakuhachi. I really wish I could have better, more fun, more productive practices more often. This DOES happen when I practice after having an orgasm. However, I can't have sex with my wife whenever I need to practice, and anyway "Thanks honey, that was great. Gotta go practice now!" is not exactly a recipe for marital harmony. And, I'd prefer not to have to masturbate any time I want a good practice, either.

So how can I replicate what happens when I orgasm without actually orgasming? I think it's a physiological phenomenon, so there must be another way to get the same mental state.

The moth don't care if you figure out what instrument that is...

inoculatedcities — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:21:50 -0800

What is the instrument heard at 0:46 in Aimee Mann's "The Moth"? I thought it might be a tack piano, but it has a repetitive staccato quality that is consistent and held out. Elliott Smith (on some Figure 8 songs) and Jon Brion have both employed whatever this instrument is quite a bit too.

Help Me Find My First Autoharp!

sarabeth — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:00:42 -0800

I've decided to learn how to play the Autoharp, and am looking into purchasing one for the very first time. What's a good entry-level instrument? (Note: keep in mind that I'm an absolute beginner, and am looking at the lower end of the price range, since I'm just starting out.) Thank you in advance for your help, all!

Power Supply for PSR 740 keyboard

stray — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:32:14 -0800

Where in Vancouver, BC might I find a replacement power supply (I believe it's a Yamaha PA-6 adapter) for a PSR 740 keyboard?

How do I avoid annoying the neighbors while I practice a musical instrument?

realpseudonym — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 02:00:54 -0800

How do I avoid annoying the neighbors while I practice a musical instrument? I've decided that I want to take up a musical instrument as an adult who lives in an apartment and will presumably be living in a similar higher density arrangement for probably many years. How do I manage to not annoy the neighbors?

As a child playing an instrument, I lived in a suburban home, so bothering the neighbors was not a problem.

I would most likely be practicing in the later part of the evening after work, and if I were a neighbor, I think this would be the time I would be most irritated by.

Online guitar instruction?

daisyace — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:26:50 -0800

Is there a great, free website where a child with no prior experience can learn to tune and play her new guitar? The girl who I mentor was just given a new acoustic guitar for her 9th birthday. (This Hannah Montana 3/4-size one, I think.) She can read at or above grade level, she's comfortable using a computer, and she's enthusiastic about the guitar. On the flip side, she has no guitar experience at all, she doesn't like things that are difficult for her, and she only has a long attention span for things that are pretty fun and active. She can't afford instruction, not even a low-cost option like learning from a music student. So, is there any fun, free, guitar instruction website out there?

An interesting way to grab people's attention

cusr0002 — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:26:37 -0800

What instrument is this? When I was a senior in high school, my humanities teacher invited a guest speaker to our class. To start off the speech, he banged two small cymbals together and was able to control the pitch of the ring by moving each cymbal up and down. I thought that it was sooooo cool and having this instrument nowadays could be a great way to start off meetings and grab attention. What is this instrument?

My memory could be fading. The cymbals could have been bells or metal sticks. I think it may have something to do with meditation.

My google/youtube search has led me to believe that they may have been tingsha cymbals. Can anyone verify this? I could not find any confirmation that moving the cymbals up and down could control the pitch.

Good songs utilizing the trumpet

repoman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:18:28 -0800

Please suggest a few songs (rock,punk,alt-country,indie,country, I hate using labels, but please no blues or jazz or classical) that incorporate the trumpet. Doesn't have to be the main ingredient, just part of the song will do. For some reason, when used in this vague context, it sends me into a solemn, pensive place for a while. Thanks.

What do I need to know about the hammered dulcimer?

valleys — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:07:52 -0800

I'm very curious about learning to play a hammered dulcimer. What do I need to know? About 25 years ago I saw a wonderful solo hammered dulcimer player at a pub in southern England (I have the record somewhere) and have been idly intrigued by the instrument ever since.

I'm looking for a new hobby. I have no musical experience whatsoever. Should I even consider this instrument as something to learn?

If so, what do I need to know?

Some specific questions, though any information would be appreciated:

- How much would an instrument suitable for a beginner cost?

- And where would I find one? (Online? I'm in Ottawa, Canada ... I asked about hammered dulcimers some time ago at the Folklore Centre and they weren't even sure what I was talking about.)

- Learning resources? (Books / CDs / DVDs?)

- Tuning? If I have no musical knowledge, how do I know when it's out of tune?! Guitar tuner?

What else should I be thinking of?

30 Rock Music ID

Jeff Howard — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:38:33 -0800

What instrument is featured on 30 Rock? During the first season of the TV sitcom 30 Rock Liz's scenes are sometimes introduced with a few notes of wistful music, played with what sounds like a woodwind instrument. Usually solo. Can anyone identify the instrument?

I bought mine tuned.

tmcw — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:29:29 -0800

Would it be way too expensive to get some minor work (installing railroad spikes) done on my banjo... in Washington, DC? (vs. 'the suburbs' ?) If not, any recommendations of general instrument guru shop guys? (also, if you want to convince me to go for a sliding capo or just the Key of G all the time, go ahead)

Simple music machine for kids?

progosk — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:17:15 -0800

Our kids, 5 and 7, haven't singled in on any specific instrument yet (nor, perhaps, will they ever), but they do love listening to, humming/singing, and dancing to all kinds of music, and playing the various "minor" instruments we've got. We're thinking about buying some sort of simple music machine/synth to have in the house for them play around with. Any recommendations?

Can I or someone else repair my Godin Multiac?

Grangousier — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:33:21 -0800

Problem with Godin Multiac Nylon String Synth-access guitar - specifically the RMC pickup. A mishap (falling off a guitar stand) resulted in the bottom two strings on my Godin Multiac (this guitar) giving severely attenuated signals. I'd like to be able to check whether it's a loose wire or something I can remedy myself, but the access plates on the back don't let me get to the pickup wiring and I can't work out how I might check it. Is there a trick to getting at the pickup electronics on this guitar? Does the bridge come off in a replaceable way at all?

If even that much is beyond me (which is probably the case) does anyone know of someone in the London UK area who has experience with and can repair these guitars? (I got in contact with someone in Manchester a while ago, but nothing came of it. I'd rather it was someone local).

An email to Godin didn't garner a reply, but I didn't think it would.

Help me pick the best first instrument for a very small 6 year old.

headspace — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:28:12 -0800

Help me pick the best first instrument for a very small 6 year old. My daughter is six, and would like very much to play the guitar. The problem is that she's very small. She's too small to properly place her fingers on even a student guitar fret. There are other, cheaper, smaller guitars, but as you can imagine they aren't very good instruments.

I've been reading online that some people start young guitar players with ukeleles instead. They're smaller, and apparently the chords are less complicated (which makes sense, since the ukeleles they're suggesting only have four strings.)

Would that be a good way to start her out, and help her transition to the bigger guitar, once she grows into it? Should I just buy her a cheap tiny guitar and get her lessons? Or should I let her duke it out with an oversized guitar and hope she grows into it before she's too frustrated to want to play it?

I don't play an instrument, so I don't know and I was hoping for some advice or guidance. I just know she really loves music, and I'd like to help foster that love in the best way possible.