Music, it's all about music.....

[Sven Cipido]

Hello everybody. This time not about food, your favorite spot, or something else.
This time it's all about music. We all have our favorite song, favorite group, favorite music style. Yes of course.....but we are not going to talk about this.

Music is made with instruments. That can be all kinds of different instruments themselves, your body, or totally something crazy.

So what's your favorite instrument? And explain why!

Mine is the bagpipe. My second love is Scotland, the country that made bagpipes great.
And yes they did not invent them.

History said that they originate from ancient Egypt and were brought to Scotland by invading Roman Legions. Others maintain that the instrument was brought over the water by the colonizing Scots tribes from Ireland.

Ancient Egypt does appear to have prior claim to the instrument, however; from as early as 400 BC the ‘pipers of Thebes’ are reported to have been blowing pipes made from dog skin with chanters of bone. But it is the Scots, especially the Highlanders who made them as we know them now.

But enough history :-) 

Why bagpipes. I just love the sound. A sound that is somehow hypnotical. It even, when the right song is played, made me cry. And you know the sound is just one long sound without any interruption. Because of this inability to stop playing, technical movements are used to break up notes and create the illusion of articulation and accents.

And there's one very well-known song: "Amazing Grace". Find a nice version by The Snake Charmer here: https://youtu.be/OJi-uKOlLV4

[Monique vdB]

Oh, what an interesting question! I don't play any instruments (although I used to peck away at our organ when I was a kid) (yes we had an organ) but probably my favorite to listen to is the cello. 

[Sven Cipido]

Do you know these guys: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyjuFsbclXyntSRMBAILzbw

They do great performances with cello's :-D

[Dave Liao]

I don't know if I have a favorite instrument, but I've been listening to a lot of piano lately.

https://youtu.be/cFK8fhTsViU

[Stephen Sifers]

It is 100% about Music, life is music, experience is music, everything is MUSIC!

I used to play the violin and piano, a long time ago......I haven't picked them up in ages.

My favorite instruments are the violin, viola, and cello.

There is just something about these string instruments and resonates with my soul. There is also the factor of playing these instruments. They respond to your body language, your mood, the room, the weather. You play these instruments with your body and I've always really connected with them.

Bagpipes are good, I can see them being an acquired taste for some. They're also very powerful instruments, but the notes and melodies your able to get from a bagpipe are amazing.

Great topic and thank you for sharing!

[Sven Cipido]

It's indeed true. Music is everywhere, is everything.

I love how you compare your instruments with your body language, I certainly can see something in that. If you just play the instrument, we hear music. But if you, as you stated, include body language in it, we can also feel the emotion that the player put in it. It gives a totally new experience when listening to the music.

[John Funk]

I like the sound of drums. Nothing better than when the drum section goes back in a band in a parade! I also enjoy a good drum line!

[Sven Cipido]

Oh yes for sure. I love to watch for example military taptoe's.

It's so nice to listen and enjoy at the same time the parade and figures they create.
I love it even more when it's a combination of drums and bagpipes.

[Andrew Kendris]

@John Funk - I agree! The energy a drum line brings to a band is incredible! 🥁

[timmy]

+1 @John Funk 

[LarryBrock]

Like many of you, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC!!!

A cool instrument build by a quirky Country Music artist from Austin is the Guit-steel.  Junior Brown hand-build it and plays it like a mad-man.

He's got a great sense of humor too that show in his lyrics...

https://youtu.be/DaEzT5MusFs

[Mike Rathwell]

Junior Brown is known as having among the fastest hands of anyone.

[Sven Cipido]

Didn't know about this. And looks amazing. Have to find out more about this during the weekend.

[timmy]

We used to go down to Continental Club all the time to watch Junior and his wife play. Sunday nights if I recall, or maybe it was Monday? That guy is simply brilliant. Bravo, Junior Brown!

[Mike Rathwell]

I was always a woodwinds guy when I played a lot, Soprano, alto, and contralto clarinet as well as tenor sax.

Pipes; most people only think of them in terms of "Amazing Grace" but everyone should dig up some stuff by Red Hot Chilli Pipers (they are easily found on youTube) or listen to Shipping Up to Boston/Enter Sandman by Goddesses of Bagpipe

[Sven Cipido]

Oh yes, they are great. And I also love and follow the goddesses of Bagpipe (together with The Snake Charmer).

I can create a whole list of this kind of music :-)

You also have to look up "The Black Tartan Clan" or "The Porridge men" on Spotify, you will love them also.

[Darryl Lee]

So I can't remember where I first heard it, but man, the Hammond B3 organ is it for me.

It's what you're hearing on Booker T. & The MG's classic "Green Onions":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oox9bJaGJ8

And on "Gimme Some Lovin'" by Steve Winwood with the Spencer Davis Group: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPgUhDaAWho

And then when I found this album in my dad's cousin's record collection, I was all-in for Jimmy Smith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT2swLuF6Sk

[Sven Cipido]

I know these songs but didn't listen to them for a long time. Didn't know it was this instrument. It is nice to listen to them again and using Spotify I get some other songs also.

[timmy]

Oh, yes, yes, yes. Hammond Organ is spectacular! Gimme some Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, Jon Lord, or Don Airey... oh, I love the sound of the Hammond Organ.

[Darryl Lee]

Ah yeah, here's the entire Jimmy Smith album, Respect. It's so so good:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2NFXkfCoZhHD6b23CerA7f?si=-v6rajG5TAOd52HgHHLV_g

And then, for something entirely different - Jimmy Smith riffs on Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf:

https://open.spotify.com/album/7DLAzRN21LLFxY2bOt9NIX?si=bMXlKpszQm6eo0DkD6njGw

[Fadoua]

I used to play guitar. I even took classes to learn the different musical notes and how to read them.

I was inspired a lot by Gypsy Kings. I always pay a great attention to however plays guitar within a band. 

[Sven Cipido]

That made you listen to a totally different way at concerts or just an album you are listening to.

Do you learn a lot this way to play yourself?

[Dominic Lagger]

Cool question!

I play the trombone for about 20 years now. I like to play in a little brass band in our little village. 

But when I chill or relax, I like to listen to some minimal/electro beats. 

If someone is also a fan of minimal music, I can recommand you a german DJ called "Paul Kalkbrenner". Best songs are "Sky and sand", "Aaron" or "Feed your Head".

[Sven Cipido]

Didn't hear about minimal music before, so something new for me to discover.

Brass bands are always nice to see and hear. Mostly I see them indeed in small villages here in Belgium, and then only when it's carnaval or fairs. Not fully my kind, but at the right moment I really can enjoy them :-) 

[Adam Rypel _MoroSystems_]

Might be weird, but I love to listen to minimal techno when I work on home office. It just helps me concentrate.

And one of the artists, which caught my ear is Stephan Bodzin (especially track and album called Liebe ist...), a German producer, if I am correct :)

[Laura Holton _ACE Rotterdam_]

Ooh that's an interesting question! I used to play the violin (not well I may add - even after several years 😂) however I absolutely love the range of music the violin can portray. I first wanted to learn how to play after I watched a movie that for the life of me I can't remember the name of.

I'm actually really glad yo didn't ask for a favourite song, band or genre as for me as long as the music genre isn't classical I love it!

Happy Fri-yay All 🥳

[Sven Cipido]

I know the feeling when asking for a favorite song, band,... I also have the same issue. I love so many music styles, bands, songs.

I have a wide range that I'm listening to. As long as I find it good myself.

[Shannon S]

I played the recorder in the 3rd grade, but I didn't practice enough to participate in the school concert. I moved onto chorus when I realized that took less practice.

Unsurprisingly, I collect ukuleles, and I used to have more time to play them. Currently, I have a tenor, a concert size, and a couple of sopranos. 

My latest instrument is a pink melodica, inspired by this video. I hope one day I know enough songs from memory that I can do something like this. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o_fyuv7WT0

[Sven Cipido]

That looks like a lot of fun. Let us know when you put it online

[Matteo Gubellini _SoftComply_]

Air guitar!

[Sven Cipido]

Is there a movie of you playing air guitar :-D

[Andrew Kendris]

When I studied percussion performance in university, I really enjoyed the steel pan 😄 It's such a fascinating instrument with such a great sound!

For the community's enjoyment, I managed to find this gem from back in 2012 of our spring performance. Hope it brings positive vibes and also introduces you to the sounds of a steel band! 

Happy weekend!

NYU-Steel-Spring-2012 Concert

[Sven Cipido]

Steel pans are a nice instrument.
Do you know that Jean Michel Jarre also used these in one of his songs? The song called Calypso.

Here you see them live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNIjDUSIOzY
This is a nice video as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLulE8_KAZc

[Andrew Kendris]

This is awesome @Sven Cipido - thanks so much for sharing! The live video was great and such much energy! Loved the fireworks! 

[Adam Rypel _MoroSystems_]

I love saxophone, violin or piano. Never played them, but love the soothing sound of these. And they also sound great with any kind of electronic music.

[timmy]

Piano and drums. Both instruments possess the greatest dynamic and melodic ranges of any instruments. They have the ability to lead any ensemble (pick your favorite genre) with authority. Plus, they can accompany themselves while soloing.

I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU to listen to Martha Argerich. She is 80+ years old now (??) and she plays the most insanely difficult classical piano music from MEMORY. I believe she might be from another planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF7pmimzjBs 

Terry Bozzio has played for many rock groups since the 1970s including Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Missing Persons, Steve Vai, U.K., Korn, and many others. Terry is also from another planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CroX237dzfY 

[timmy]

In fact, I will add Jeff Beck to my list here. He is the guitar. Jeff Beck is definitely from another planet.

Watch him play "A Day in the Life" by Beatles - this is amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xwlvNRtAjo 

[Mike Rathwell]

If you would like an example of where piano and drums are used together with significant authority, I recommend this one. One of those that starts off gentle and light with the music becoming HUGE as it progresses.

This is the kind of thing I listen to while working and have a big playlist of just this kind of music. The referenced one, especially, and others in that list are WAY too much fun to hurl an airplane around the sky to.

[Sven Cipido]

I know what to listen the next week with all the suggestions here (and the previous posts). Let's hear the other planet people....

[Tom Kakanowski]

Wow, tough question, as I've worked with a variety of instruments over the years both professionally and for my own pleasure.   From a "favorite" perspective< i suppose it would be guitar, but I flip between keyboards, string instruments and sax fairly regularly.  But the instrument I'm most interested in getting to a reasonable level of mastery these days is the Chapman Stick, a (often, but with variants) 10 string instrument that, like a piano, is actually a percussion instrument and played by 'hammering', flat freboard vs most string instrument's slightly bowed model, tuned a little differently (but tuning configurations are very subbjective, just check Michael Hedges for that), and typically active pickups.   Most Peter Gabriel albums have Tony Levin playing Chapman Stick on tracks, he plays 50/50 bass vs CS as a rule. Shock the Monkey and San Jacinto come to mind.

Tony Levin on The Chapman Stick 

[Sven Cipido]

Didn't know that about Peter Gabriel. Thanks for this great info

[Linda Milne_Togetha Group_]

Brass and string... generally not together. Love the jazz / swing thing - perky and fun... well, except when its more bluesy, and really sad. Symphonies and orchestral music with lots of string instruments are just lovely... well, except the fire and brimstone ones.

... en masse is the key

[Liam Green]

I love music... and love so many different varieties.  I love that a song, or piece of music, can just transport you to another place and time.

I think my favourite instruments would be the violin and piano - i just find both so soothing.

[Dharma Ramos]

I played the clarinet, which I love. But to listen to, I like the sound of acoustic guitars.

[Marc Dvorschak]

Funny, I was just thinking about this question on my way to work this morning... 😅

My favorite instrument is the piano. 🎹 Actually, it's just about pressing the right keys, in the right order, at the right speed. But still, this instrument can sound like a whole orchestra.

Simply amazing! 🤯

[Jack Brickey]

I absolutely love music, all sorts of music, well except rap. I would have to say my favorite instruments are brass. I love the sax, trumpet, trombone, etc.

[Liam Green]

I think my all time favourite instrument is the violin, closely followed by piano... I can't play either though!

[Hana Kučerová]

Piano. I've always loved it (I don't know why, I just remember I wanted to play the piano since I was a small child).

One of my favorites, genius arranger of movie soundtracks.

[Alex Koxaras _Relational_]

Hi @Sven Cipido 

So many favorites and it's really hard to choose. If the world ended, and I had to stick with one instrument to be played by a virtuoso, then that would be the violin. But I hope that the world will not come to an end :D

[Brant Schroeder]

Any instrument I do not have to play.  I am a terrible musician.  My favorite to listen to is the piano because you can do so much with it.