Does your instrument have a personality? Options

[LearnerFlute]

Hello,

I was wondering whether or not you think musical instruments have a personality? Also whether people have to have a certain type of personality to play their instrument?

I was curious because I know a number of people like myself who like flute and violin. In my mind they are similar and sound nice. However my flute teacher hates string instruments (he is a saxaphone, clarinet, piano and flute teacher) and my violin teacher said flutes are shrill and she hates them! She teaches violin and viola. She has a piano.

It suprised me because I thought all musical people liked all instruments.

Learnerflute xx

[katemorrisviolin]

I have an aversion to trombones. Can't explain it!
Violin and recorder I've noticed go together often, but maybe that's because I'm looking out for likeminded people.
A very musically talented friend who is a brass peri and runs jazz bands, doing all their arrangements etc., has a strong aversion to strings.
I think it's certainly not the case that musical people like all kinds of sound. I think it makes you more sensitive, actually, to your likes and dislikes.

[Splog]

I have an aversion to trombones. Can't explain it!

The trombone is the instrument you get stuck with if your embouchre is too big to play a flute or a trumpet. Over the years you grow to love it, and take heart in the fact that you will never need collagen injections, although you do end up with one arm longer than the other. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[Arundodonuts]

I was wondering whether or not you think musical instruments have a personality?

In so much as they have characteristic sounds which possibly lend themselves to certain moods.

Also whether people have to have a certain type of personality to play their instrument?

Well I would say my two favourite instruments are oboe and viola. Rather different tonal qualities and range but both have a certain tendency towards melancholy. Which, by and large, I don't - though I do lean towards "thoughtful" music.

I was curious because I know a number of people like myself who like flute and violin. In my mind they are similar and sound nice. However my flute teacher hates string instruments (he is a saxaphone, clarinet, piano and flute teacher) and my violin teacher said flutes are shrill and she hates them! She teaches violin and viola. She has a piano.

I think hatred is a strong word but I'm sure everyone has preferences. Although I consider myself well and truly converted to winds these days I still consider the string quartet to be the ultimate ensemble.

Oh wait. I HATE the Ondes Martenot. Stupid device.

[lottie]

Without causing any offence to anyone I hope and avoiding the 'hate' word I have to admit I really dislike brass instruments of any kind. Hmmm. With the ONE exception of the high trumpets used in Baroque concertos but to me they don't really sound like brass instruments but more like wind.

My instruments have personality but I'm the sort of person who thinks a pencil has personality. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) With my instruments it is tied in with the sound. I think they're both lying in their cases hating ME just now because I don't have time to play at the moment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I'm drawn to all Baroque instruments though because it's my favourite era and I like the 'nutty' sound. My own violin and viola are not Baroque instruments although I wish they were.. it's complicated.

I think if I had to pin down a favourite in terms of personality it would be the piano.

[corenfa]

Liking or not liking something is a personal preference and nobody can hold that against you, I think! i used to be a horn player and I feel absolutely no offence towards or from people who don't like the sound of it. I'm not partial to string quartets, nor instruments that sound shrill (high strings, flutes, trumpets, high voice when sung a certain way). I'm a pianist now and I know at least one person who thinks pianos sound jangly, bless him (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I often accuse my piano of having a personality but that is usually when it is refusing to play what I intended (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) What was that they said about bad workmen and tools...

[VH2]

Does your instrument have a personality?

I am not sure. I'll just go and ask her. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tenor Viol]

I was wondering whether or not you think musical instruments have a personality?

In so much as they have characteristic sounds which possibly lend themselves to certain moods.

Also whether people have to have a certain type of personality to play their instrument?

Well I would say my two favourite instruments are oboe and viola. Rather different tonal qualities and range but both have a certain tendency towards melancholy. Which, by and large, I don't - though I do lean towards "thoughtful" music.

I was curious because I know a number of people like myself who like flute and violin. In my mind they are similar and sound nice. However my flute teacher hates string instruments (he is a saxaphone, clarinet, piano and flute teacher) and my violin teacher said flutes are shrill and she hates them! She teaches violin and viola. She has a piano.

I think hatred is a strong word but I'm sure everyone has preferences. Although I consider myself well and truly converted to winds these days I still consider the string quartet to be the ultimate ensemble.

Oh wait. I HATE the Ondes Martenot. Stupid device.

Try a good viol consort - e.g. Byrd, Lawes or Jenkins.

[Hubicka]

I'm in a conservatoire and we can always tell what people play here without having to ask, and are correct 90% of the time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[sabbyviolin]

I love string instruments!

woodwinds not that much

[barry-clari]

woodwinds not that much

All of them? But they're all so different....

[Fran*Piano]

I have a bizarre aversion to trombones, too! My grandad used to play (I use the term lightly! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) trombone when I was very small and my parents tell me I was terrified of it as a baby, so might have something to do with that!

[katemorrisviolin]

I'm in a conservatoire and we can always tell what people play here without having to ask, and are correct 90% of the time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

That's extraordinary! Please explain???

[Lemontree]

Nope, just a heap of silver until I give it life.

I can't stand violin. It hurts my ears. I guess, it's the frequency / vibration directly at my ear. Had to quit.

[GMc]

My violin hurt my ears a lot too when I was 7 so I gave up and changed to cello - phew for my ears and for the cat's. I can still get a twinge or two in professional concerts now and then but nothing like so bad. Now I have to sit though Suzuki concerts I hear a lot of learner violins - some hurt and some don't. Mostly to do with the player but also the instrument - just teacher tuning some of them makes me cringe. Oboe often gives me the shudders in a bad way but occasionally I warm to it if it is in highly skilled hands.

Personality of current instruments;

French chic and beauty with a touch of the supercilious and capricious - concert grand harp
Solid and reliable - grand piano
Modern, arty and out there - lever harp in botanic green carbon fibre
Refined elegance - cello