Are you a musician?

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FinanceDude Rich, if you were good enough to back up Harry Belafonte, why didn't you get a cushy orchestra gig on SNL??

You don't have to be that good to play Jamaica Farewell all night. DAAAAAYOH is not that challenging either.

But it was fun. Actually, when I did play with more professional groups, jazz mostly, the druggie culture scared me off. This was the 70s, after all.

[Martha]

Started violin when I was pretty young. No orchestra in my very small school so my teacher actually had me shipped to a bigger school to play there. I also played in a chamber orchestra when I was 11 to about 14. Whenever our group was photographed they always stuck me the little girl front and center. Kind of embarrassing. Practiced a lot until teenagerhood hit with a vengence. I eased off and decided I wouldn't be good enough for a career in music. Now I haven't played the violin in years. I have served as a symphony board member for a number of years and negotiated musician contracts. Weird having my old violin teacher on the other side of the negotiating team. I am sure she felt like I had gone to the dark side.

Also played piano, no star here, just servicable. Still play some on my electronic piano.

Picked up some acoustic guitar as a teenager, would like to try that a bit more for fun.

Took some music theory in college for fun. I know my augmented and my diminished chords too.

My father tuned pianos and repaired violins to pick up some money and he also enjoyed it. He also "tuned" pipe organs. I would help him by running around and adjusting pipes. That was a lot of fun.

[Elderdude]

No, in fact I don't really listen to much music. But I am in a band. In the last few years, we have been paid to play in festivals in Ohio, Arizona, Florida, California, Las Vegas, Montana and even went to Hungary one year. I tell jokes and provide a bass line with a one stringed instrument. We have some great musicians in the group, several of them worked professionally all of their lives. At 64, I am probably the second youngest guy in the group.

Some of us had, or have, other jobs that provide us with pensions and health benefits, or wives who did so. But unless you are one of the very best in the business, music is no way to make a living. But a couple of our band members can't be happy doing anything but playing music. For the rest, seems like retirement is a great place to pursue this endeavor.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarhead* I found myself stranded in Texas in the 60's, as the outfit that I was working for went belly-up. I took a job as a piano player in a "Cat House", just outside of San Antonio. That's were I became acquainted with ReWahoo, who after all these years directed me to this forum. Small world.

Tiffany said to tell 'el grande kielbasa' hello for her.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo! Tiffany said to tell 'el grande kielbasa' hello for her.

[TromboneAl]

One of my sayings: Jazz is a career that you have to save up for.

[Jarhead*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo! Tiffany said to tell 'el grande kielbasa' hello for her.

ReWahoo: Now that's a surprise. She's still working?

I told her years ago to emulate the thrifty "Tom Cat", and put a little
in the Kitty everyday.

You can lead a horse to water, but--------------.

[My Dream]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords You might want to read some of their biographies. For them guitar is an obsession-- the first thing they pick up in the morning and the last thing they put down at night, including their families. If you've been meaning to pick up a guitar some day then you're not even close to their mindset... or to the hours of practice that they call "fooling around"...

You are so right Nords, I remember reading where Angus Young (AC/DC) had his first album at around age 17. Jimmy Hendrix would pick up his guitar as soon as he got up in the morining and play while frying eggs, when you was young.

I can dream though, can't I?

[CaptCurmudgeon]

Inspired by Duane Eddy, Link Wray and Bo Diddley as a young teen, pestered my folks to get me an electric hollow body Epiphone (which I still have). Taught myself how to play which severely hampered my prrogressing any further than a basic lead guitar in a kick-ass three piece party band in college. Graduated to a Fender Jaguar; bass player got much better than me at lead, and switched to a Precision Bass. Graduated, became too sophisticated to play in a bar band, sold everything except the Epiphone.

35 years later got Born Again and interested in Christian Rock. On impulse walked out of a guitar shop with a brand new USA Fender Jazz Bass. Practiced my butt off and was able to play with my church's worship band three times which was an incredible experience. Don't get asked much to play as I am three times the age of the regular worship band.

Bought a chromatic tuner and can now jam with Chris Tomlim, Eric Clapton and anybody else on CD. Retirement plans (coming summer '07) include experimenting with Apple Garage Band and some interfacing gear. I'll be moving so maybe there will be a worship team in desparate need of a slightly long in the tooth bass player that is totally in love with Rock 'n Roll.

I look upon my musical experience as brief moments of incredible joy with large tracts of wasted opportunity. I hope to finish better than that.

[My Dream]

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