I loved that historical deep dive! And point #5 resonated with me. I'm tired of this new trend of becoming the best (and making money out of it if possible) for every single hobby or interest we have. It puts so much pressure and defeats the purpose of having a hobby.
Exactly! We can make music with just about anything, so if it even looks a bit like a musical instrument, that's only better. There is no need to always aim for the most expensive, the most fancy, from the idea that we possibly could find ourselves in a situation where anyone would care.
Joy in life is what matters. Not the stress over having a too low ranking instrument.
Yes the cello has a beautiful sound. I took a few lessons several years ago, with a rented cello, but had too much going on. I had played a bass but don’t any more, so I gave it to our granddaughter. We also gave her an amp as a graduation present — she graduated from U of Arkansas last week. I hope she gets with a group. Do you play with a group?
Congratulations with your granddaughter's graduation! She must be over the top of having such nice grandparents who gives her a bass :)
I hope that you'll get back to the cello again, if this is your dream. Why not pursue it, prioritize the time for it?
As for me, I am very much alone here with my music interest. I even didn't play at all for many years, until I now pulled myself together with getting that mandolin, and I am now again fascinated by the thing. It will take a bit before I can offer anything to a group, as I have to learn or relearn most things, and then I simply do not know anybody here who are playing.
So, for me, it's a matter of getting something else into my life to fill out the empty space of lost dreams, I suppose. But that's not bad, it's a movement along a pleasant path.
I play guitar most of the time, but also violin and lap steel guitar some. I get to play with several groups at our Unitarian church. Getting ready to play/rehearse in a few minutes. Will get back to you later.
I play guitar the most but really enjoy the lap steel, violin and 12-string guitar. One group I play with is doing springsteen’s American Land, so I get to play violin on that while another guy plays viola. I would like to Learn the cello.
Sounds like you have a musical mind, getting around several different instruments like that. It also sounds great to be doing the violin/viola duo.
I actually also have a violin, an old Suzuki I bought on an auction, and I expect that it'll take a while before I get good at playing that one. It sounds good, though, which is encouraging for a learner.
A cello is beautiful both in shape and sound, and for someone who has enough space for it, it must be a great instrument to play.
Here is a great little example of a happy fado song, and the working of the orchestra behind it – in this case with two Portuguese guitars and two fado guitars, as well as a fado bass.
It is with a famous singer, Katia Guerreiro, and it gives a very good view into both how the Portuguese guitar is played (somewhat different from a Spanish guitar would have, with thumb and index finger equipped with finger picks and doing all the right-hand work, and with a focus on melody, no strumming), and also what the role of the fado guitar is (fado viola, as it is called in Portuguese): they players use solely the two bass strings, which covers the tone range that the Portuguese guitar doesn't have.
So, even though I speak about the Portuguese guitar as a big mandolin, it is used differently and has a special role in this type of music.
Also, not so clear in this example: the bass is an acoustic bass guitar, but it can also be a double bass. It has a sometimes very active role, being part of the show, not just a helper, with extensive melody playing.
I loved that historical deep dive! And point #5 resonated with me. I'm tired of this new trend of becoming the best (and making money out of it if possible) for every single hobby or interest we have. It puts so much pressure and defeats the purpose of having a hobby.
Exactly! We can make music with just about anything, so if it even looks a bit like a musical instrument, that's only better. There is no need to always aim for the most expensive, the most fancy, from the idea that we possibly could find ourselves in a situation where anyone would care.
Joy in life is what matters. Not the stress over having a too low ranking instrument.
I enjoyed your post a lot, because I am also fascinated by musical instruments and have acquired a few along the way.
Yes the cello has a beautiful sound. I took a few lessons several years ago, with a rented cello, but had too much going on. I had played a bass but don’t any more, so I gave it to our granddaughter. We also gave her an amp as a graduation present — she graduated from U of Arkansas last week. I hope she gets with a group. Do you play with a group?
Here is a different way of playing the Cello – maybe you know this band already? https://youtu.be/B9FzVhw8_bY?list=RDGMEMpBkrRsgmbnoWVzfUhAA61g
Yes I remember seeing that video … they’re really good, and I like the banjo too.
Congratulations with your granddaughter's graduation! She must be over the top of having such nice grandparents who gives her a bass :)
I hope that you'll get back to the cello again, if this is your dream. Why not pursue it, prioritize the time for it?
As for me, I am very much alone here with my music interest. I even didn't play at all for many years, until I now pulled myself together with getting that mandolin, and I am now again fascinated by the thing. It will take a bit before I can offer anything to a group, as I have to learn or relearn most things, and then I simply do not know anybody here who are playing.
So, for me, it's a matter of getting something else into my life to fill out the empty space of lost dreams, I suppose. But that's not bad, it's a movement along a pleasant path.
I play guitar most of the time, but also violin and lap steel guitar some. I get to play with several groups at our Unitarian church. Getting ready to play/rehearse in a few minutes. Will get back to you later.
What is your favorite instrument or group of instruments?
I play guitar the most but really enjoy the lap steel, violin and 12-string guitar. One group I play with is doing springsteen’s American Land, so I get to play violin on that while another guy plays viola. I would like to Learn the cello.
Sounds like you have a musical mind, getting around several different instruments like that. It also sounds great to be doing the violin/viola duo.
I actually also have a violin, an old Suzuki I bought on an auction, and I expect that it'll take a while before I get good at playing that one. It sounds good, though, which is encouraging for a learner.
A cello is beautiful both in shape and sound, and for someone who has enough space for it, it must be a great instrument to play.
I'm glad you liked it :) It is a very big world, with so much to take in and digest. I am likely going to write more along the way, as I learn more.
Here is a great little example of a happy fado song, and the working of the orchestra behind it – in this case with two Portuguese guitars and two fado guitars, as well as a fado bass.
It is with a famous singer, Katia Guerreiro, and it gives a very good view into both how the Portuguese guitar is played (somewhat different from a Spanish guitar would have, with thumb and index finger equipped with finger picks and doing all the right-hand work, and with a focus on melody, no strumming), and also what the role of the fado guitar is (fado viola, as it is called in Portuguese): they players use solely the two bass strings, which covers the tone range that the Portuguese guitar doesn't have.
So, even though I speak about the Portuguese guitar as a big mandolin, it is used differently and has a special role in this type of music.
Also, not so clear in this example: the bass is an acoustic bass guitar, but it can also be a double bass. It has a sometimes very active role, being part of the show, not just a helper, with extensive melody playing.
https://youtu.be/-Uzsy5w6hVU