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[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Hai I play dedicatedly the Violin.
Do you play any instruments yourself?
(Guitar Hero type games and Zelda games do not count sadly).

That's the jist of my post.

[Elomin Sha]

I used to play the trumpet and piano.

[Darkobra]

Diploma in music and I was a grade 8 drummer. I say WAS because my health problems have severely taken me out of practice and I'm not as good as I once was. Been doing half an hour every night the past week to try to get it back.

I used to play the guitar but I slaved over the guitar to get good while drums just come natural to me. That and EVERYONE'S a guitarist. Everyone needs a drummer!

[Jamfalcon]

When I was much younger I took guitar lessons for a couple of years (well, ukulele to start off with). I never really cared for it much, and quit playing when I was 12 or so. Last year I tried picking it up again. I can play semi-competently, although my guitar is in terrible condition and hasn't had new strings in as long as I can remember.

Also, I would like to refute your statement that Guitar Hero type games don't count. Rock Band 3 has its "Pro" instruments, and thanks to them I can actually play a simple keyboard stuff with some degree of skill. I also recently got the pro guitar, and I've been surprised at how accurate it is to the real thing. I've even tried playing along with the game's tracks with my real guitar, and I've done better than I ever did with sheet music. I play an awesome Rock Lobster now.

[Deedles]

I sing, played trumpet when I was younger, also played bass for a couple of years and am trying to get started on really learning how to play a guitar.

[Dominic Appleguard]

I...am trying to get started on really learning how to play a guitar.

So, any day now?

[Deedles]

Yeah, get back to me in about a decade, I should be done by then.

[LogicSword]

I used to play Trumpet, still can to a degree. Hoping to pick it up again when I move out of my Uni halls.

Also, my hair keeps getting to me and trying to persuade me to pick up the guitar.

[tamaness]

Yeah, I keep on saying I'm going to start playing Trombone again. I'm horribly out of practice, and every time I try, I'm instantly demotivated. In addition, my instrument needs some major tune-up work (good deep cleaning, roll out dents, repair slide lock).

[gcninja]

Is the trumpet the new Recorder? I used to play when I was a kid. Then stopped. Tried guitar for a bit, said fuck it. Nothing now. Wanna try something new, just not sure what.

[LogicSword]

Yeah, I keep on saying I'm going to start playing Trombone again. I'm horribly out of practice, and every time I try, I'm instantly demotivated. In addition, my instrument needs some major tune-up work (good deep cleaning, roll out dents, repair slide lock).

I half wished I'd picked up the trombone instead of the trumpet, just because it's an awesome instrument. Can't really change now, seeing as it's a completely different mouthpiece and so would just confuse me.

[Tapir12]

I play the piano, though now just because I enjoy it. My piano lives 100km away from me though, so I only get to visit it every once and a while. I have to make due with a keyboard the rest of the time.

I used to play drums in the school band, but it was the school band... so we sucked.

[Fezzul]

I play guitar to what I'm told is a very high standard. I don't know exactly how high, because in my younger and more vulnerable years I decided that actually studying music would take the fun out of it. So I fucked around with the guitar, took lessons and then gave it up, and then took it up again after two years and taught myself to fuck around properly. That and I was unemployed, so I had a lot of free time to play. I play electric and acoustic rhythm, lead and slide, mostly blues and rock, with some jazz, folk and other stuff thrown in.

When I play now, it tends to impress, which is kinda cool, given how long I sucked and wished I was good. And Darkobra you are oh so right, I generally avoid telling people I play the guitar unless I have one nearby, because otherwise they tend to assume I'm a another three-chord wonder. I am also looking for a drummer to play with.

In addition to this, I taught myself to play the banjo, but I wasn't able to bring it with me to America, so I'm a bit out of practice with it. Only way I've been able to practice is with fingerpicks on a re-tuned guitar.

Also, since coming to drama school I've had regular singing lessons, and at my last assessment I got a B, which means I have a good voice, but need to work on consistency. I'm (apparently) a high range bass baritone.

[Dutch guy]

Has an intro course on the violin when I was a kid. Even though I showed talent and really liked it, my parents unfortunately couldn't afford to get me proper lessons to continue.

Played some Djembé after that, to a reasonable intermediate degree, but didn't really feel like continuing.

Right now I really WANT to play some sort of instrument, but have no idea how to start with it or the funds to buy an instrument. (i've thought about guitar, but I don't want to be a 3-chord loser so would need lessons, and I've got no idea where to get them.) I've been thinking about maybe buying an ocarina (the simple straight type from for instance Mountainsocarina.com. The Zelda/sweet potato kind is a lot harder to learn and much more expensive)

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

To add on my OP where I didn't want to see as a big epeen waver douche bag making a thread to glorify thyself;

I've been playing the violin for 15 years. When people learn that they expect me to be an amazing violinist. I don't know what I am as the only person to comment on me positively was my mum who has to be lovingly biased. I've only studied Grade 1 as I wanted at least one grade under my belt. I also wanted to play the music I wanted and didn't want to waste my time studying music I had to study. I also found performing scary.

I can do verbrato (that shakey sound. The wanky movement of the left hand on the finger board. Oddly I can do verbrato with my voice) but only play in normal position (the fingering you're taught at a basic level). If I go up the finger board it's for informal playing/improvisation.

I like playing Irish, Welsh, Scottish, REALLY OLD ENGLISH, Russian, Latino, Bosnian, Jewish, Arabian and perhaps Jazz. I also like trying to play along to music I like by ear. Currently I'm trying to play along to Nightwish. Trying to learn Storytime but it goes too fast and there's a lot going on.

I'm a beginner Saxaphonist but stopped playing because I hated my teacher (patronising bitch) and I enjoyed the Violin a lot more. Also, the thingy that covers a hole that allows you to make any sound at all is warped somehow and I haven't told my parents yet.

A piano exists in my house which I can play unseriously.

I would like to learn the Bass but I don't know if I could be arsed. I could probably do the same thing as the bass on my violin just in a higher key.

[Tim]

I play guitar (but you guys know that). I'm also a moderately capable drummer. Nothing special on that front.

And I'm the best Guitar Hero player I've ever met. This is not an idle boast. (I hate Rock Band's guitar controllers, though. Those square frets... Ugh.)

[Metcarfre]

In the past I played the piano and did voice, and also the clarinet, saxophone, and guitar non-concurrently. Now I am a volunteer sound tech for my church and help with other events. People tell me I have a pretty good ear for it. I tell them the hardest thing is getting electric guitars to sound good.

[JustAName]

Clarinet, so also sort of tenor sax. Haven't for a while, though. Makes me sad.

[SecretsOfMoon]

I play guitar, bass, and occasionally drums. I've also been thinking about learning piano/keyboard, but currently it's rather low in priority.

[General Michi]

I play guitar and a smidgen of piano. I would love to play drums and get better at piano but time + money = things I don't have

[Tapir12]

For what it's worth, I can also say that I own a berminbau, but it's broken and I could never play it properly anyways.

Where does everyone usually get sheet music? I download most of mine. Usually fan transcriptions.

[Fezzul]

I can barely read sheet music, I read tab, play by ear or watch the original artist play it.

I intend to learn sheet music, it's item number 36 on my list...

[Tapir12]

For guitar I think that is more common. I tried to teach music reading one time to a guy who had taught himself the keyboard entirely by ear. It was quite fascinating how he did it.

Me, I'm totally lost without sheet music. I can pick out a simple melody maybe, but that's about it. I even need sheet music to play songs I've played a thousand times before.

[Elomin Sha]

There was a time I could play 'What to do with the drunken sailor' off by heart.

[Psyclone]

I took piano when I was younger and I technically live next door to a piano teacher, so I could easily take it up again, but mostly I just sing. Like, for realz choir international tours sing (epeen alert, but most of the time people say, "oh, that's cool, I'm in my high school choir/I like singing too").

I'm a total choral music snob (which is why Estonia is the best country ever, by the way), but I did do a lot of musical theatre in elementary school and I'm a sucker for showtunes. I did play the trombone briefly in grade 5, but I was absolutely horrible at it so I stopped.