Why are you playing what you're playing?

[Lynkin]

Let's all reminisce (some have to more than others, I'd imagine) about how you started with playing instruments. I don't have a special story, but I'll start it off.

I had played piano forever prior to 5th grade. But then the big band year was about to start! So I began thinking. The saxophone was the big thought on my part. Well, I was stuck with the trumpet because my uncle had one sitting in his closet.

I'm so glad I don't play the sax now. (No offense to any sax players...don't know why there'd be too many around, however)

The trumpet or any brass instrument is so cool, I have no regrets!

[BariEuph]

i played piano at first, too, from third grade through eighth. in middle school, the director was a family friend who said that the band needed some trumpet players, so i picked up a nice benge horn. seventh grade, i was doubling on french horn for orchestra pieces, then, due to an idol of mine that was a year older (hi mary!), i chose baritone eighth grade year. after five months, i was first chair in the city middle school honor band, and now i sit first seat in the region during my sophomore year. i picked up jazz bone second semester my soph year. but baritone's my main swing these days.

[Matt]

I started playing trumpet back in the fifth grade. I played up until my freshman year in high school. My band director asked me to switch to baritone, which although I didn't want to, I did. I think it was one of the best decisions of my musical career. I was never really a great trumpet player because I never had great range. Switching to low brass finally gave me the range I wanted.

Now the next problem was that baritone was somewhat limited in the types of ensembles I could play in, so I took up valve trombone, and eventually slide trombone. Now I could play wherever I wanted, and with my improved range, I was generally playing first and second part, which I thoroughly enjoyed!

When college came, I switched back to baritone and also played euphonium---not sure why, I just did. I certainly don't regret it, because college level music contained much more interesting bari/euph parts.

College also led to drum corps, where I played both baritone and euphonium, although I greatly preferred the euphonium. I only ever played DEG bugles, but within the DEG's I felt that the three valve baritones sounded stuffy compared to the three valve euphs....

Matt

[WoofInTheWoods]

In 5th grade music class we decided what instrument we wanted to play in 6th grade band. Mrs. Jamison, the music and band teacher, convinced me to choose French Horn instead of Saxophone because there were already plenty of sax players and not enough Horns.

I got my first mellophone in my hands in jr. high marching band. I loved that thing 'cause I could play loud! In high school I doubled on 3rd trumpet in the jazz band.

I'm sure glad to be a brass player and not a woodwind!!!

[Jeffsjetta]

Genetics. Dad drummed. Grandpa drummed. I had no choice.

I don't regret a second of it either B)

[MikeD]

I started taking drum lessons in 4th grade at my school, the 1962-63 school year.

After the 64 season my dad, a dance band drummer in the 30's, signed me up with the drum corps at the VFW post he belonged to. Myself and two friends played together in drum corps and college through the 69 season, and continued in HS together, even though I moved on to Garfield.

One summer I picked up sax at summer schol for something to do, and I ended up playing bari sax throughout my HS years in concert band and jazz band, and even in my college jazz band (I majored in percussion).

I played baritone horn my last year in the Cadets, 1972.

Mike

[mikemey]

Well, band started in the 4th grade. I wanted to play clarinet initally, but my parent's really couldn't afford to rent one, and the school didn't have any to let students use.

Same with Trumpet.

So I decided French Horn...it looked cool, sounded neat, and the clincher was the school had plenty.

Now, I'm a 4th grader, not so strong, etc. Little did I know what kind of b####rd it was going to be to carry back and forth to school..

I was introduced to Mellophone in 8th grade, and been playing it ever since. I actually played an French Horn for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago (Thanks Jean), and it would take a long time for me to regain the proficiency I used to have. *sigh*

[HappyMom8105]

Well, band started in the 4th grade. I wanted to play clarinet initally, but my parent's really couldn't afford to rent one, and the school didn't have any to let students use.

Same with Trumpet.

So I decided French Horn...it looked cool, sounded neat, and the clincher was the school had plenty.

Now, I'm a 4th grader, not so strong, etc. Little did I know what kind of b####rd it was going to be to carry back and forth to school..

I was introduced to Mellophone in 8th grade, and been playing it ever since. I actually played an French Horn for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago (Thanks Jean), and it would take a long time for me to regain the proficiency I used to have. *sigh*

Heh, that french horn was a b#### to carry back and forth to school. I was in fourth grade and that student single horn case was bigger than me. That was almost 37 years ago believe it or not.

My teacher tried to discourage my folks into putting me on cornet because altho I'm a pretty tall person now, I was tiny with really small hands back then. He told my Dad my hands were too small to handle the horn. Dad said, well, my little girl wants to play the french horn so she will. My biggest supporter, God rest his soul......... Made alot of sacrifices for me to take private instruction for years.

I still play my horn. It's a real grounding device, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

-Terri

:)

[MuZiK11]

Well, band started in the 4th grade.  I wanted to play clarinet initally, but my parent's really couldn't afford to rent one, and the school didn't have any to let students use.

Same with Trumpet.

So I decided French Horn...it looked cool, sounded neat, and the clincher was the school had plenty.

Now, I'm a 4th grader, not so strong, etc.  Little did I know what kind of b####rd it was going to be to carry back and forth to school..    

I was introduced to Mellophone in 8th grade, and been playing it ever since.  I actually played an French Horn for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago (Thanks Jean), and it would take a long time for me to regain the proficiency I used to have.  *sigh*

well let's see now ..... it all started 11 years ago when i got to pick my instrument i wanted to play .... i decided to pick clarinet , i think bc my friend was playing flut and we didnt want to play the same thing. i played the clarinet for two years and enjoyed every second of it, ,i loved playing music.... two y ears later i transferred to a new school and decided to pick up another instrument so i picked up the flute ... now i hadnt played it before and they stuck me rite in with the regular band , and u knwo what, i was pretty darned good! .... i stuck with that through middle school and through high school (playing first flute)even up until now even though i dont plauy anymore really ... one day after a football game in tenth grade , i approached the band director in her office and asked her if i could learn soemthing new ... she asked how would i like the french horn ( i think bc our lone horn player was graduating) and i was ecstatic .... well i think that was the best decision of my entire life ... i fell in love with it instantly ... so i begang learning french horn and mello and even went to NYSSMA (for those who know what that is) after only playing for two and half months .... i bought my first horn in 12th grade ... auditioned for several colleges on flute and french horn and got in on both isntrument , when i had to choose it really wasnt a hard decision , i had fallen so i love with the horn i couldnt possibly give it up .. so hear i am a performance/ed major on frencfh horn .... finally this year i got to do what i always wanted to do , i joined a drum corps ! , and i couldnt be any happier ... i'm a drum corps nuts! ...... anyways .... i also played alto sax (by default) when the pep band school couldnt find the honr parts so silly me said , hey why dont u jsut gimme an alto, since iw as reading off the alto parts, and thewy did .... i got the sax on a friday ntie and had to play at a game the next morning, but i did it!..... ok so basically , i havbe learned to play everything (saxes, calrinet, flute, trumpet, baritone, horn, etc..) so far except double reed , but im workin on that this ocming year , and i will h ave ocme full circle to learn everything ....... *phew* ok, now im done! .....

p.s. ur welcome mike ;)^

[HappyMom8105]

Well, band started in the 4th grade.  I wanted to play clarinet initally, but my parent's really couldn't afford to rent one, and the school didn't have any to let students use.

Same with Trumpet.

So I decided French Horn...it looked cool, sounded neat, and the clincher was the school had plenty.

Now, I'm a 4th grader, not so strong, etc.  Little did I know what kind of b####rd it was going to be to carry back and forth to school..    

I was introduced to Mellophone in 8th grade, and been playing it ever since.  I actually played an French Horn for the first time in years a couple of weeks ago (Thanks Jean), and it would take a long time for me to regain the proficiency I used to have.  *sigh*

well let's see now ..... it all started 11 years ago when i got to pick my instrument i wanted to play .... i decided to pick clarinet , i think bc my friend was playing flut and we didnt want to play the same thing. i played the clarinet for two years and enjoyed every second of it, ,i loved playing music.... two y ears later i transferred to a new school and decided to pick up another instrument so i picked up the flute ... now i hadnt played it before and they stuck me rite in with the regular band , and u knwo what, i was pretty darned good! .... i stuck with that through middle school and through high school (playing first flute)even up until now even though i dont plauy anymore really ... one day after a football game in tenth grade , i approached the band director in her office and asked her if i could learn soemthing new ... she asked how would i like the french horn ( i think bc our lone horn player was graduating) and i was ecstatic .... well i think that was the best decision of my entire life ... i fell in love with it instantly ... so i begang learning french horn and mello and even went to NYSSMA (for those who know what that is) after only playing for two and half months .... i bought my first horn in 12th grade ... auditioned for several colleges on flute and french horn and got in on both isntrument , when i had to choose it really wasnt a hard decision , i had fallen so i love with the horn i couldnt possibly give it up .. so hear i am a performance/ed major on frencfh horn .... finally this year i got to do what i always wanted to do , i joined a drum corps ! , and i couldnt be any happier ... i'm a drum corps nuts! ...... anyways .... i also played alto sax (by default) when the pep band school couldnt find the honr parts so silly me said , hey why dont u jsut gimme an alto, since iw as reading off the alto parts, and thewy did .... i got the sax on a friday ntie and had to play at a game the next morning, but i did it!..... ok so basically , i havbe learned to play everything (saxes, calrinet, flute, trumpet, baritone, horn, etc..) so far except double reed , but im workin on that this ocming year , and i will h ave ocme full circle to learn everything ....... *phew* ok, now im done! .....

p.s. ur welcome mike ;)^

This is WAY cool. Look at all the concert horn players posting on here! WOO HOO!!!!!!!

:D

-Terri