Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Longines]

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

99%+.

I did cello at school, Missus did clarinet, youngest son did drums for a while. Only the eldest son has persevered, he's quite good on the electric guitar.

[Laxie]

Concert Flute for me.  3 years worth in school and no idea where it is now.

Find it at once.

Pretty sure my mom sold it when I moved to Florida.  Now that ya mention it though, did kind of like playing.  Might go get me a flute in the near future.

[RED-DOG]

I'm having a musical discussion.

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

Have you ever bought an instrument, and did you learn to play?

I wonder if there has been any research into this?

Violin, did grade 2. Also bought a guitar about 5 years ago and found it too hard, sold it about a year ago 

What is grade 2 violin Andrew? it sounds fairly advanced.

No its not really. The grading/examination system for all instruments runs from 1 to 8, 8 being the most advanced. So in relative terms I suppose I would be classified as a competent beginner.

The violin is such a beautiful & versatile instrument. How come you didn't keep it up? Don't you enjoy playing?

[RED-DOG]

Concert Flute for me.  3 years worth in school and no idea where it is now.

Find it at once.

Pretty sure my mom sold it when I moved to Florida.  Now that ya mention it though, did kind of like playing.  Might go get me a flute in the near future.

Oh please do. I'd love to think I had got you back into it.

[KarmaDope]

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

99%+.

I did cello at school, Missus did clarinet, youngest son did drums for a while. Only the eldest son has persevered, he's quite good on the electric guitar.

I would say it depends on what you class as "learn how to play them".

Learn how to play a tune or two to liven up a gathering? About 50%

Learn enough to achieve Grade 1 at said instrument? <10% imo.

I meant the middle one, but I wonder how close your estimate is?

[Longines]

I would say it depends on what you class as "learn how to play them".

Learn how to play a tune or two to liven up a gathering? About 50%

Learn enough to achieve Grade 1 at said instrument? <10% imo.

Learning how to play a tune or two well enough that the audience don't want to instantly beat you into a bloody pulp is somewhere between Grade 2 or 3 IMO...

[RED-DOG]

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

99%+.

I did cello at school, Missus did clarinet, youngest son did drums for a while. Only the eldest son has persevered, he's quite good on the electric guitar.

I would say it depends on what you class as "learn how to play them".

Learn how to play a tune or two to liven up a gathering? About 50%

Learn enough to achieve Grade 1 at said instrument? <10% imo.

I meant the middle one, but I wonder how close your estimate is?

Oops. Modified your post instead of quoting, sorry mate.

[RED-DOG]

Concert Flute for me.  3 years worth in school and no idea where it is now.

Find it at once.

Pretty sure my mom sold it when I moved to Florida.  Now that ya mention it though, did kind of like playing.  Might go get me a flute in the near future.

Oh please do. I'd love to think I had got you back into it.

I suppose it's to late to say I'd love to be instrumental in you getting back into it eh?

[Laxie]

Concert Flute for me.  3 years worth in school and no idea where it is now.

Find it at once.

Pretty sure my mom sold it when I moved to Florida.  Now that ya mention it though, did kind of like playing.  Might go get me a flute in the near future.

Oh please do. I'd love to think I had got you back into it.

I suppose it's to late to say I'd love to be instrumental in you getting back into it eh?

No.  I still giggled.  But then I'm easy like that.

[Claw75]

I played cello in middle school.  Packed it up at 13 when I transferred to high school and it was too much of a pain to take it on the bus.

bought myself a flute off ebay about 6 years back and a 'teach yourself to play' book.  Got as far as knocking out a few easy tunes, but then gave up when it got too difficult and required a bit of a practice (after about 2 days)

I pwn the recorder still tho.

[RED-DOG]

I played cello in middle school.  Packed it up at 13 when I transferred to high school and it was too much of a pain to take it on the bus.

bought myself a flute off ebay about 6 years back and a 'teach yourself to play' book.  Got as far as knocking out a few easy tunes, but then gave up when it got too difficult and required a bit of a practice (after about 2 days)

I pwn the recorder still tho.

Bridie used to bring home her recorder, it was a son of a biatch to play.

[Woodsey]

I'm having a musical discussion.

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

Have you ever bought an instrument, and did you learn to play?

I wonder if there has been any research into this?

Violin, did grade 2. Also bought a guitar about 5 years ago and found it too hard, sold it about a year ago 

What is grade 2 violin Andrew? it sounds fairly advanced.

No its not really. The grading/examination system for all instruments runs from 1 to 8, 8 being the most advanced. So in relative terms I suppose I would be classified as a competent beginner.

The violin is such a beautiful & versatile instrument. How come you didn't keep it up? Don't you enjoy playing?

Your right it can be. The problem is until your really shit hot at playing it, it does not sound that great at all. You can be just competent at other instruments and they sound pretty good.

Just didn't play it after I was 13/14 cus I got bored with it and would rather have played sport etc than practice it.

[RED-DOG]

I'm having a musical discussion.

What do you imagine would be the percentage of musical instruments bought by beginners who never go on to learn to play them?

Have you ever bought an instrument, and did you learn to play?

I wonder if there has been any research into this?

Violin, did grade 2. Also bought a guitar about 5 years ago and found it too hard, sold it about a year ago 

What is grade 2 violin Andrew? it sounds fairly advanced.

No its not really. The grading/examination system for all instruments runs from 1 to 8, 8 being the most advanced. So in relative terms I suppose I would be classified as a competent beginner.

The violin is such a beautiful & versatile instrument. How come you didn't keep it up? Don't you enjoy playing?

Your right it can be. The problem is until your really shit hot at playing it, it does not sound that great at all. You can be just competent at other instruments and they sound pretty good.

Just didn't play it after I was 13/14 cus I got bored with it and would rather have played sport etc than practice it.

Good point.

[Laxie]

Always wanted to learn how to play the banjo.  Sound isn't so great but it seems such a fun instrument.    

[cdw1111]

The violin is such a beautiful & versatile instrument. How come you didn't keep it up? Don't you enjoy playing?

If you have time read this article(very long) about one of supposedly best violinist in the world busking in a Washington tube station using his squillion dollar Stadivarius.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html