If you could start again ..., ... which instrument(s) would you have picked! Options

[BerkshireMum]

We could only vote for one, so I went for horn. I've always wanted to play an orchestral instrument. I'd still like to learn the piano too though.

[all ears]

Viohazard, commenting that probably everybody else would feel the same way about their main instrument, said he would definitely pick violin, and thought that starting at the age he did was just right.

Although I play so rarely and so badly, I still love the flute. From the beginning, though, I wished it were made of wood (liked the sound of clarinet but wanted a looser sound), even before I knew that flutes were once made of wood. Now my wooden flute is the only one that gets regular playing.

[Pixie*Porsche]

Viohazard, commenting that probably everybody else would feel the same way about their main instrument, said he would definitely pick violin, and thought that starting at the age he did was just right.

Although I play so rarely and so badly, I still love the flute. From the beginning, though, I wished it were made of wood (liked the sound of clarinet but wanted a looser sound), even before I knew that flutes were once made of wood. Now my wooden flute is the only one that gets regular playing.

I actually had this question in mind for those of us who started as children! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Sort of thinking - as a 7 year old did I make an informed decision to play clarinet? Answer was no, not at all! I wanted to play an instrument but my mum and dad didn't have a clue and I wasn't allowed a string instrument or a brass instrument, piano wasn't an option, I had a little keyboard I played on all the time!

So at the time it was between clarinet and flute - I picked clarinet. Later got a piano aged 12 after begging to play for ages and flute was added at about 16. Then, I dabbled with viola but didn't have the time to carry on with it - will go back one day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Rach123]

I voted clarinet because it was my choice to start learning it (almost 8 years ago. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yay.gif))

I would of said other cos saxophone isn't on the list

i've always wanted to play the sax and as you can see from my signature, i'm kind of self teaching myself the soprano sax because i can't find a teacher who will teach me it.

[scotliz]

I would still choose piano. I just don't recall thinking there were other instruments to play when I was young. Goodness knows what we did in music lessons in school! Perhaps we did learn about other instruments but none of them appealed to me but I don't think so!

[soccermom]

I just don't recall thinking there were other instruments to play when I was young.

I was lucky in that I grew up in a house full of a rather eclectic mix of instruments so in theory I knew what was available. But somehow it never translated into practice.

Both my parents played the piano and I don't think I was ever asked whether I wanted to learn. But then nor was I asked whether I wanted to learn to read. It was just something you did.

[kenm]

I have been, and still am, very happy with the horn, and the bass now gets me into orchestras in which most of the players are technically better than me, but I chose viola, because it would have got me into string quartets and (especially) the Mozart quintets. I tried to play it at the age of 22, but by that time my left shoulder and wrist joints had insufficient range for me to wrap round it and leave freedom to do vibrato. I am assuming that if I had started on an upper string at 4, as my daughter did, I would have grown into the right shape.

I actually started on piano, which has been half rewarding and half frustrating. Thanks to initial reluctance to practise, and now its spread over too many musical activities, my technique is just about OK for a few of the great chamber works, mostly by Mozart, but inadequate for Mendelssohn (two great trios), Brahms (quintet; violin and 'cello sonatas) and Ravel (trio).

Of course, all this is hindsight. I had no idea about any of this music when I was young.

[Misterioso]

I would still have picked piano, but I would dearly love to have started another instrument in my teens. Unfortunately funds didn't allow.

I would have liked to do that too, but unfortunately parents didn't allow! So I had to wait until age 29 to add piano, and even later for flute.

I am sure I would have ended up with the same selection of instruments, but maybe started learning them in a different order.

[barry-clari]

I would still have clarinet as first choice, but would have wanted to start piano a lot earlier than I did, ditto 'cello.

[Pixie*Porsche]

I would still have clarinet as first choice, but would have wanted to start piano a lot earlier than I did, ditto 'cello.

How are you getting on with cello? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[barry-clari]

I would still have clarinet as first choice, but would have wanted to start piano a lot earlier than I did, ditto 'cello.

How are you getting on with cello? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Not at all badly thanks, P*P. Would guesstimate that I'm playing at about grade 2 standard, and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with it than of late. Would really like to get down to major 'cello improvement in the first half of next year, once my ATCL clarinet is (fingers crossed) out of the way. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Clarimoo]

I would pick clarinet and piano but I would start sooner.

[Claudia's Mum]

I would have picked recorder if it were on the list so I have gone for clarinet as the closest as I love the sound. Otherwise guitar.

I was told to do violin and piano as a teenager. Piano was fine and suited me even though I was not very good at it. Violin on the other hand was hopeless. I didn't have the good ear you need to be a string player and bad joints don't help either.

[Flossie]

I haven't voted because it won't let me put two instruments. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

My choices would be flute and violin, both of which I currently play. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) These aren't the instrument I started with - I got put on cello at secondary school because that's what they had spaces for (the other options were clairnet, bassoon and cornet), and they tried to tell me that a cello was really just a big violin. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) I would like to have more time for my recorders and would like to dabble with tenor horn, but I'm not sure the latter is an option because I haven't ever successfully got a note out of a brass instrument mouthpiece. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I've tried to teach myself both piano (a cheap digital piano) and guitar because I know it would be useful to be able to play something that can be used for accompanying others, but didn't ever click with either instrument and didn't honestly have any desire to play other than the 'it might be useful'.

[Pixie*Porsche]

I don't know how you can do a poll that lets you choose more than 1 option (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Flossie - I think a lot of people end up playing instruments they don't really want through school music services. For some reason they seem to think "a cello is a big violin" or "we haven't got an oboe, erm, a clarinet is black with silver keywork and has a reed" etc. etc.