Musicians

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

Any musicians here? If so, tell us what you play, whether or not you are in a band, etc...


I play guitar, and I am in a Speed/Thrash/Power Metal band, with a demo on its way within the next few months.

What about anyone else? What kind of gear do you use?

I play through an ENGL Powerball head, with a Mesa Rectifier slant cab. I just bought a new B.C. Rich Stealth, too. Killer deal on it. $1700 guitar for $1000! It smokes through the ENGL.

[Garland]

I have a Yamaha Motif ES 8 synthesizer workstation with two Event studio monitors. I've been playing the keyboard since I was about 5. I've joined a handful of no progress garage bands, but only play for myself now. I think I'd rather be a one man band like NIN. If I only had the creativity. I'll start playing a song, doing some tracks, and I'll think: "Wow, this sounds cool. If it's cool, it's probably not original." Then I go listen to all the songs I like, usually finding something close, and throwing out the song. My biggest fear is giving out a song, and someone saying: "You ripped off X, you loser." Good music gets so deep in your brain, it's hard to know when you have something new.

[Kirobaito]

I play guitar (and banjo, to an extent) and sing.

My guitar is a $250 Ibanez. Not supreme in quality, but it sounds decent enough when you plug it in. When I graduate from university in a little over a year I'll get a Martin.

I play folk music, traditional and contemporary. I do not play in a formal band, though there are numerous people that I perform with, depending on the setting and who is available. I'll occasionally play a break set for someone, or during my own shows have some of my colleagues accompany me. It's all very informal.

[JKTrix]

Played violin when I was much younger, more recently I was in a military band playing Saxophone. I love me some saxophone.

[I Don't Need A Name]

I play guitar primerally.
£360 Epiphone SG with a Line 6 Spider 110 Valve amp. the fun you can get out of that :jess:
i mainly play rock or metal on it
i wouldnt say im wonderful at it, but im getting there

[Boney King]

Play a Premier drum set with a set of Zildjian cymbals and a double bass pedal (forget which brand).

Used to play an Epiphone imitation Les Paul, before I broke that :skull::skull::skull::skull:.

Play a crappy beginner's acoustic guitar with strings that are like a century old (not literally).

Fool around with a keyboard every now and then. I don't know what brand it is, but it's not really my keyboard. My friend's friend let me loan it when we were considering a band together, and I never gave it back.

Oh yeah, I play a variety of stuff on my drums (rock, metal, jazz), and I only know like 1 or 2 songs on guitar.

[the AJman]

I play a black pearl export series drum kit, with sabian cymbals and a double pedal, its a pretty cheap set, but it sounds fine and it works so can't complain. I play a wide varitey of rock on the drums.

I have a guitar, but I can't play anything on it, I don't even know a single chord.

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

I have a Yamaha Motif ES 8 synthesizer workstation with two Event studio monitors. I've been playing the keyboard since I was about 5. I've joined a handful of no progress garage bands, but only play for myself now. I think I'd rather be a one man band like NIN. If I only had the creativity. I'll start playing a song, doing some tracks, and I'll think: "Wow, this sounds cool. If it's cool, it's probably not original." Then I go listen to all the songs I like, usually finding something close, and throwing out the song. My biggest fear is giving out a song, and someone saying: "You ripped off X, you loser." Good music gets so deep in your brain, it's hard to know when you have something new.


Interesting. When writing music, I believe that it is very important to draw outside influence, rather than listening to bands which play the same type of music you are playing. It helps to bring something new to the table, as well as keep you from indirectly taking riffs from someone else's work. For instance, when I write my music, I do it with middle-eastern folk in mind, or very bombastic orchestra music.
In fact, I want to incorporate orchestra music somewhat into what I am doing now, but I sadly have no keyboard player.

[Araciel]

I play guitar and sing but I don't make my own music so I can't really say I'm a musician. I have two cheap Yamaha acoustics.

[Moon Rabbits]

I'm like those people in Stomp, I make music out of things as I walk down the street / sit at the bus stop / take out the trash / etc.

Yeah, I'm pretty fuckin' talented.

[LunarWeaver]

I often regret never learning an instrument of some kind before I grew into an old man that was too lazy to learn. But I can't sing anyway, so what a lost cause. I'm jealous of you all though!

[Garland]

Interesting. When writing music, I believe that it is very important to draw outside influence, rather than listening to bands which play the same type of music you are playing. It helps to bring something new to the table, as well as keep you from indirectly taking riffs from someone else's work. For instance, when I write my music, I do it with middle-eastern folk in mind, or very bombastic orchestra music.
In fact, I want to incorporate orchestra music somewhat into what I am doing now, but I sadly have no keyboard player.

I think keyboardists are less common than guitar players for the same reason melee damage dealers are more common than healers in MMOs. Everyone wants to be the hero. Let's face it - Activision didn't name their flagship cash-cow Keyboard Hero. The axxe toting band vocalist and frontman gets all the fame. S/he has all the sex with the fans. That's my take. That, and you can take a guitar anywhere. My keyboard weighs more than me, and forget lugging around amps, too. I never travel. This rig is studio setup only.

EDIT: You guys use any DAW software? I have both Logic, Garageband, and some Yamaha generic software on my Macbook Pro, but I haven't really gotten into it. It's a shame. I got the MBPro FOR Logic and Garageband, to take my work to the next level. I'm having an easier time sticking to the built in functions of the keyboard itself.

[Tama2]

*Points to name*

[Aerith's Knight]

*points to piano*

I only really use it to play FF-songs these days, but meh..

Sometimes a little Beethoven.

[o_O]

I play a Pearl forum double bass kit, it's a bit of a frankenstein kit which I made out of two forum sets with different sized toms. :p

I also have an Ibanez RG220, and a Jackson soloist with a Peavey 100W amp, though I'm not that good at guitar.

I used to play piano when I was younger, but I only had an ancient upright with dead strings to play on.

[Jessweeee♪]

I quit playing the clarinet when I was thirteen :</>|

[The Man]

I used to play keyboards, but I haven't practised for about ten years. I still compose, though; I have a MIDI synthesiser and a sequencer. I'm too preoccupied with other aspects of life to make anything lasting at the moment though.

[nik0tine]

Piano, lackluster composer.

[Big D]

Clarinet, though I haven't practiced for a while. I also play a range of African and Middle-Eastern drum rhythms on the djembe.

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

Interesting. When writing music, I believe that it is very important to draw outside influence, rather than listening to bands which play the same type of music you are playing. It helps to bring something new to the table, as well as keep you from indirectly taking riffs from someone else's work. For instance, when I write my music, I do it with middle-eastern folk in mind, or very bombastic orchestra music.
In fact, I want to incorporate orchestra music somewhat into what I am doing now, but I sadly have no keyboard player.

I think keyboardists are less common than guitar players for the same reason melee damage dealers are more common than healers in MMOs. Everyone wants to be the hero. Let's face it - Activision didn't name their flagship cash-cow Keyboard Hero. The axxe toting band vocalist and frontman gets all the fame. S/he has all the sex with the fans. That's my take. That, and you can take a guitar anywhere. My keyboard weighs more than me, and forget lugging around amps, too. I never travel. This rig is studio setup only.

EDIT: You guys use any DAW software? I have both Logic, Garageband, and some Yamaha generic software on my Macbook Pro, but I haven't really gotten into it. It's a shame. I got the MBPro FOR Logic and Garageband, to take my work to the next level. I'm having an easier time sticking to the built in functions of the keyboard itself.

Would you, in the future, ever be interested in collaborating with me via internet? I have side projects I desire to do, and it would be nice to have a keyboard player involved.

[Gwawr]

I'm a professional harpist, but I also play piano, cello and violin to a professional level. To a lesser level I play flute and sax, and to an appauling level I'm a guitarist (classical acoustic).

I can knock out the odd tune on a trumpet, and I'm also a composer/arranger for short amateur films.

I see a lot of people talking about music software - I use Sibelius myself, always have. I think it's a wonderful software package for notation, but in terms of recording in, I use Garageband.

[Rostum]

Been playing guitar for around 5 years now; have a Yamaha acoustic, Fender telecaster and a Dean strat. I also play keyboard and have a very nice hand-made djembe. I'm also a fully trained audio engineer.

Played in a couple bands when I was in high school, but in most recent years I've really just been laying down tracks for anything I can and just haven't had it in me to work on anything since taking my new career path.

[Kalen]

I just picked up the Cello again after not playing for a few years...Not good at all.

I also play the Jublag with a Balinese Gamelan group. ;)

[Garland]

Interesting. When writing music, I believe that it is very important to draw outside influence, rather than listening to bands which play the same type of music you are playing. It helps to bring something new to the table, as well as keep you from indirectly taking riffs from someone else's work. For instance, when I write my music, I do it with middle-eastern folk in mind, or very bombastic orchestra music.
In fact, I want to incorporate orchestra music somewhat into what I am doing now, but I sadly have no keyboard player.

I think keyboardists are less common than guitar players for the same reason melee damage dealers are more common than healers in MMOs. Everyone wants to be the hero. Let's face it - Activision didn't name their flagship cash-cow Keyboard Hero. The axxe toting band vocalist and frontman gets all the fame. S/he has all the sex with the fans. That's my take. That, and you can take a guitar anywhere. My keyboard weighs more than me, and forget lugging around amps, too. I never travel. This rig is studio setup only.

EDIT: You guys use any DAW software? I have both Logic, Garageband, and some Yamaha generic software on my Macbook Pro, but I haven't really gotten into it. It's a shame. I got the MBPro FOR Logic and Garageband, to take my work to the next level. I'm having an easier time sticking to the built in functions of the keyboard itself.

Would you, in the future, ever be interested in collaborating with me via internet? I have side projects I desire to do, and it would be nice to have a keyboard player involved.

I don't see why not. Life's hectic atm, though. I'm in the middle of trying to start my own business, and it consumes my every waking minute. What would probably be realistic is that I try and do a demo of some sort and post it on the internet. After all, you don't even know if I'm good enough for you. I play by ear, only having rudimentary music reading skills from taking trumpet in highschool. I can manage to play anything on a keyboard with quantize, a million retries, and a lot of luck, but I'll give you something to judge. I like helping people out and working with people, but I hate not being good enough, so I'll give you a chance to see what I can do as not to waste your time. It'll take me a bit though. Coffee houses don't build themselves.

[Balzac]

I play guitar. I have an original 81 gibson flying V worth £2500 (if we want to compare prices in a wank off), An Ibanez Ergodyne and two Landola semi acoustics worth over £1000 each. I use an old 100watt Marshall Valvestate amp I've had since I was sixteen. You can put a tear in the cone on those things and they still sound amazing. I've been playing for too long and should really be better.

As for software, I use Sibelius, though mainly to learn how to read and write music, mostly though I use Guitar Rig 3 through a firewire cab and pump out stuff with sonar, using guitar rig as a plugin.

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

Interesting. When writing music, I believe that it is very important to draw outside influence, rather than listening to bands which play the same type of music you are playing. It helps to bring something new to the table, as well as keep you from indirectly taking riffs from someone else's work. For instance, when I write my music, I do it with middle-eastern folk in mind, or very bombastic orchestra music.
In fact, I want to incorporate orchestra music somewhat into what I am doing now, but I sadly have no keyboard player.

I think keyboardists are less common than guitar players for the same reason melee damage dealers are more common than healers in MMOs. Everyone wants to be the hero. Let's face it - Activision didn't name their flagship cash-cow Keyboard Hero. The axxe toting band vocalist and frontman gets all the fame. S/he has all the sex with the fans. That's my take. That, and you can take a guitar anywhere. My keyboard weighs more than me, and forget lugging around amps, too. I never travel. This rig is studio setup only.

EDIT: You guys use any DAW software? I have both Logic, Garageband, and some Yamaha generic software on my Macbook Pro, but I haven't really gotten into it. It's a shame. I got the MBPro FOR Logic and Garageband, to take my work to the next level. I'm having an easier time sticking to the built in functions of the keyboard itself.

Would you, in the future, ever be interested in collaborating with me via internet? I have side projects I desire to do, and it would be nice to have a keyboard player involved.

I don't see why not. Life's hectic atm, though. I'm in the middle of trying to start my own business, and it consumes my every waking minute. What would probably be realistic is that I try and do a demo of some sort and post it on the internet. After all, you don't even know if I'm good enough for you. I play by ear, only having rudimentary music reading skills from taking trumpet in highschool. I can manage to play anything on a keyboard with quantize, a million retries, and a lot of luck, but I'll give you something to judge. I like helping people out and working with people, but I hate not being good enough, so I'll give you a chance to see what I can do as not to waste your time. It'll take me a bit though. Coffee houses don't build themselves.

No rush, man. Take your time. Try to stay in contact though.

Also, you should play keyboard in your coffee house. :lol:

[Garland]

That'd be fun. I'm sure BMI, ASCAP or RIAA would find a way to sue me for it, though. Music is one of the challenges I've come up against. Gotta get licenses from every bureaucratic acronym in the music industry to play anything worthwhile (I'm liking female lead metal like Within Temptation a LOT lately). You won't hear 80s easy listening pop supermarket crap in any business I own. But I risk derailing a good topic. I'll shut up now, but will keep in touch for sure.

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

Alright, awesome.

[eestlinc]

I play the euphonium. I have a Hirsbrunner (handmade in Switzerland!) that I (my parents, technically) bought in 1998 for about US$6000. I got it while the company was switching from one design to another. Mine is some kind of hybrid between the two, and it is awesome. I haven't played much recently, though. Too busy with other stuff.

[ThundagAuron]

Trumpet and guitar. Guitar FTW though.

EBMM JP6 and a JP7 through a Mesa Boogie Roadster and a 2x12 Genz Benz G-Flex cabinet. Pretty much awesome in physicality.

[Disenchanted_Cynic]

I had 4 roadster heads (they kept giving me new ones) and they all malfunctioned, because of a power supply issue.

I just got rid of it, eventually, in favor of an ENGL Powerball.