What do you play

Rather than hijack Petermac's Topic "Potential N Scale time waster" I thought I'd start a Topic about learning musical instruments.

Bill mentioned he was also, like me, learning the Ukulele.

Don't think I'll ever be this good.


Ride of the Valkyries and Silver Machine - The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - BBC Proms - YouTube

 

The ukulele is great fun Ed and makes a super sound.

My nephew plays it - he was a member of the George Formby club and used to play at their annual convention in Blackpool.

My musical skills are somewhat less than his in that they amount to pressing the 'Play' button on my CD player ……..

Look forward to hearing how you're getting on.

I'm led to believe the Ukulele is now taught in UK Schools Peter, rather than the Recorder which was all we had when I was young.



 

Yes, when I was at school we were all issued with slates and chalk (he he he) and offered, as a first musical instument, the recorder.  I wouldn't mind betting almost every post-war child had a recorder !!

Now if they'd offered a guitar, or, as you say Ed, a Uke, then I'm pretty sure we'd have more musicians today than we have.  In my parents and grand-parents day, it was the piano - those who could afford one had the space to house it, the time to practice and the funds to pay a tutor …………………………………

I'd have liked to play one - either the piano or the bagpipes ……………………….

Think you need somewhere a bit remote to practice bagpipes, or alternatively give earplugs to the neighbours 😂

I’ve been learning guitar for the past 10 years, although not done much in the last few years. I’ve actually got 7 guitars now!
Including a kit guitar my son got for my birthday ( which I’ve customised in the form of a pink Floyd tribute)

Custom guitar 

Ed said

Rather than hijack Petermac's Topic "Potential N Scale time waster" I thought I'd start a Topic about learning musical instruments.

Bill mentioned he was also, like me, learning the Ukulele.

Don't think I'll ever be this good.


Ride of the Valkyries and Silver Machine - The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - BBC Proms - YouTube

 

From “Learning a musical instrument”, 1st February 2025, 1:50 pm

nice rendition of silver machine. 

Gray said

Custom guitar 

From “Post #291,302”, 2nd February 2025, 5:44 pm

Nice  

Thanks Ed. Not too difficult to achieve. Just apply a bit of thought process and do things in the correct order, just used grey undercoat spray and then Matt black spray then a clear varnish spray on top. The neck was wood stained with a suitable colour. The design was pencilled on first then I went over it with posca pens, masked off where needed. Then wired up and strung, it plays ok. 

This track wasn't liked by many, but I like it.


Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall, Part Two (Official Music Video)

Ed said

This track wasn't liked by many, but I like it.


Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall, Part Two (Official Music Video)

From “Post #291,336”, 4th February 2025, 10:33 am

hi, yes I actually like that track. 

Me too. 

The lady of the house learned ukulele to an intermediate level in response to a good friend having suffered a serious - but not fatal - stroke.  He had been interested in it and is married to a guitar-playing musician but was unable to proceed having lost the use of one arm.  

Enter the £5 ukulele.  Which was learned upon though sounded every bit as cheap as it was and was duly passed on to a then-young Godson / nephew who referred to  it as his "rittle 'tar" (little guitar).  He got another five minutes enjoyment from it …..

More ukes were bought here in an effort to find one which really suited.  There are currently four in the cottage of which one, a Luna concert (tenor) example has the best tone and is the most-played.  It has a "low" bottom string unlike many of its ilk which have the distinctive high note "bottom" string.  There is also a genuine Hawaiian model which is strung more normally for a uke and which is the second-most played.  Usually because it is offered to friends if we host a sing-around.  We also have two guitars, one a small model and one which is nominally mine which has a beautiful tone, an electric pick-up but a very high action which can be uncomfortable.  

Songs have been written by our little bunch and chords / strum patterns worked out.  One has been recorded with ukulele and guitar, the latter played by a very proficient musician who has sadly fallen into bad ways, hard times and jail meaning we do not share the video of that recording. One of our songs has been translated into Cornish in which language it probably sounds better than the English original.  

And my role in all of this?  Making the tea.  I have never successfully mastered any instrument.  Force-fed the piano aged four I rebelled and never really went near any instrument again until the mandatory ear-piercing shrieks of school recorder lessons.  Since then I have described myself as a "Patella Percussionist"  One who taps his knee-caps to the beat.  And a frustrated never-to-be guitarist who cannot master chord shapes and cannot remember them either.  

I am sometimes allowed use of the bodhran.  And I have been known to sing.  Including in public and being recorded.  But I deny all knowledge of all of those things, Your Honour.  

Don't think I'll ever be this good.
Ride of the Valkyries and Silver Machine - The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - BBC Proms - YouTube

Absolutely my favourite piece by that ensemble.

Nice  

Yes.  But it's not the famous black Strat …..
We enjoyed the Pink Floyd exhibition "Their Mortal Remains" at no less a place than the Victoria & Albert Museum the last room of which was entirely empty.  Except for those who stood, sat on or laid out along the floor.  The sound system was far and away the best I have ever heard and simply played Comfortably Numb over and over.  "Mesmerising" wouldn't do it justice.  

Gwiwer said

The lady of the house learned ukulele to an intermediate level in response to a good friend having suffered a serious - but not fatal - stroke.  He had been interested in it and is married to a guitar-playing musician but was unable to proceed having lost the use of one arm.  

Enter the £5 ukulele.  Which was learned upon though sounded every bit as cheap as it was and was duly passed on to a then-young Godson / nephew who referred to  it as his "rittle 'tar" (little guitar).  He got another five minutes enjoyment from it …..

More ukes were bought here in an effort to find one which really suited.  There are currently four in the cottage of which one, a Luna concert (tenor) example has the best tone and is the most-played.  It has a "low" bottom string unlike many of its ilk which have the distinctive high note "bottom" string.  There is also a genuine Hawaiian model which is strung more normally for a uke and which is the second-most played.  Usually because it is offered to friends if we host a sing-around.  We also have two guitars, one a small model and one which is nominally mine which has a beautiful tone, an electric pick-up but a very high action which can be uncomfortable.  

Songs have been written by our little bunch and chords / strum patterns worked out.  One has been recorded with ukulele and guitar, the latter played by a very proficient musician who has sadly fallen into bad ways, hard times and jail meaning we do not share the video of that recording. One of our songs has been translated into Cornish in which language it probably sounds better than the English original.  

And my role in all of this?  Making the tea.  I have never successfully mastered any instrument.  Force-fed the piano aged four I rebelled and never really went near any instrument again until the mandatory ear-piercing shrieks of school recorder lessons.  Since then I have described myself as a "Patella Percussionist"  One who taps his knee-caps to the beat.  And a frustrated never-to-be guitarist who cannot master chord shapes and cannot remember them either.  

I am sometimes allowed use of the bodhran.  And I have been known to sing.  Including in public and being recorded.  But I deny all knowledge of all of those things, Your Honour.  

From “Post #291,356”, 5th February 2025, 10:32 pm

Sounds (no pun intended) like your in a very musical group Rick  

I'm led to believe that a lot of modern popular music consists of four chords, C G Am and F, so you've only really got to learn 4  


Ed

I built this about 10 years ago, wanted the Telecaster kit but ordered the Strat by mistake.

I even made a case for it.

AUSSIETRAINS said

I built this about 10 years ago, wanted the Telecaster kit but ordered the Strat by mistake.

I even made a case for it.

From “Post #291,360”, 6th February 2025, 10:25 am

 

Seem to have stuffed up the pictures somehow, will try and retrieve the situation.

AUSSIETRAINS said

Seem to have stuffed up the pictures somehow, will try and retrieve the situation.

From “Post #291,362”, 6th February 2025, 10:27 am

Hi, I would like to see it if you can upload the photos.