How many here are Musicians?

[km5gn]

I remember the day I bought my first Klipsch Speakers (Quartets, sometime in 1986 or 87). I walked into the store with my wife and some of her favorite music, in an attempt to convince her that they were worth the money (we didn't have much!).

I told the salesperson that we wanted to listen to some Klipsch speakers, and as he walked us back to the Klipsch room, he asked "What Instrument do you play?" I questioned why he assumed that I was a musician, and his reply that almost all of their customers than came in looking for Klipsch were musicians.

Then I think back to college and I don't remember being exposed to anything BUT Klipsch among my different music teachers. Heresy's were about all anyone could afford.

So, I'll start.. I play a little of most string instruments, having attempted to make a living as a luthier at one time, but for the most part, I'm a drummer. Don't play that rock-n-roll stuff much anymore - my drumming these days is limited to playing drums in a bag pipe band.

Steve

[dp1954]

I've played guitar now for 35 years. Started very young. Used to play bass guitar in a bluegrass band.. that was fun!.. Played drums in RR bands for about 10 years in my later teens and 20's.

Dave

[Klipsched with Yamahas]

Does 40 years playing "air guitar" count?[]

Actually, I did play around w/chords and some simple music like the Eagles, James Taylor, etc. when I was a teenager. Never developed the PATIENCE.

[Fish]

I've played the guitar/bass for years off and on,as a hobby,not really a musician since I've never made any money at it.

[RFP]

I play nothing, but I had the good fortune to marry a dynamite pianist!

Rob

[BillH2121]

I don't consider myself a musician anymore, primarily because I haven't played in approx 20 years. For approximately 16 years, I was a professional musician and teacher. I have two degrees in music education and was a doctoral student in music education/performance. I played drums in jazz and rock and roll bands, percussion and trumpet in symphonic bands and orchestras, and piano to satisfy the requirements of music school and entertain myself around the house. I now only experience music through this great hobby we all share.

[pmsummer]

I've been told for YEARS that I play great stereo. []

[Marvel]

Guitar and lap steel for too many years - even get paid for it sometimes, but mostly for my own amazement.

Started in the early '60s

[oldtimer]

Put me in the ranks of former musician, degree and all. But I think once a musician, always a musician, it never really leaves you, and all it takes is practice to regain some chops. Percussionist, and proud of it.

[GWSmith]

Hello everyone... Most know me as NEW here and owning the pair of 1968 Klipschorns in storage about to be fitted with new caps on the xovers and SOON up and running for the first time in my new home [

I have been a professional rock musician starting back in 1977. Never piano lessons in the early days, but on organ for 8 years starting in 1963 ! Too much to tell here, but I am in a modern/80ies all original pop-rock band right now (yeah, at 54 years old !!) as a multi keyboardist/synthesist. I have a vintage collection of analog synthesizers in my keyboard studio including Moog, and Arp to name a few, I have ALWAYS loved to program these things since the early days. Many of them I bought brand new in the day for the BIG $$$$

Also in residence here, some state of the art digital keyboards that I play live with now. Love Jazz and Blues also, but I am not a player, just a listener. Recently finished up a 3.5 year `tour' with a Neil Diamond showband. Eight of us in that group, with two of us on multi keys doing all the orchestral arrangements etc. Lots of work, but very full and fat sound live !! I really worked hard on getting the most realist instruments of the orchestra out of my gear, as the factory programs are only a small sample or taste if you will to what can really be done if you are willing to put the time and effort into them and must say, it really showed in the performances.

The kicker is, look closely at my avatar and you can see what my day job is and has been for 18 years.

I was VERY interested in that thread about hearing and the loss of it. I have kept earplugs on my person daily since around 1974 when I had a noisey factory job. I use them constantly as always at every rehearsal - gig and organ tuning. I did take that hearing test that was posted and without jazzing up the volume and through my TWEETERLESS computer speakers could still hear 12K which makes me happy. I run all my audio gear FLAT and don't feel the need to add ANY treble.

Ok, enough rambling. Great to see others getting into this topic.

Regards,

Gary

[LarryC]

I got intensely interested in classical music when I heard it for the first time in the 10th grade (we never heard it at home before then), started violin lessons shortly after and played in school orchestras, gave it up in college because of an intense curriculum, but continued to develop interest and knowledge of the classical literature. I took after-hours music theory lessons and classes about 20 years ago, and began private lessons in theory and composition in earnest right after I retired 5 years ago. My music teacher is a budding but accomplished composer.

I steadily built up the hi-fi and LP and CD collections over the past 25-30 years, with some LPs going back longer than that, and got into serious hi-fi upgrading about 15 years ago. So, I've never been a performing musician but do careful listening.

EDIT: I think learning to play an instrument made me get closer to and more analytical about sounds and music. The violin is a real challenge, since it requires working at getting notes and pitches exactly right (no keys or frets) and requires great coordination between the left hand (fingering the notes) and the right (handling the bow and articulating the notes). I believe that helps develop the ear for sound generally as well as for music.

Larry

[km5gn]

I agree with oldtimer. Once a musician, always a musician. In fact, I quit playing when my daughter was born in 1980, foolishly thinking that I couldn't continue to play and be a good dad. Sold everything I had except a marimba that I'd promised never to sell.

After my daughter went off to college, and we were empty nester's, I started playing again, and then discovered scottish drumming. It took a while to get the chops back and learn a new style of drumming, but the appreciation and understanding of music never went away, which brings us back to Klipsch - by far the most musical speakers I've ever heard. From my old Quartets to my 'new to me' Klipschorns.

Steve

[kdcarroll]

I guess I qualify: I'm one of those "learned" professional players and teachers with more degrees than a thermometer. I'm a saxophonist, my wife is a saxophonist, my Dad is a saxophonist, and his Dad was a saxophonist. My brother was the rebel - he plays trumpet. My day job is as Director of Bands for a state university.

I don't see a love for outstanding sound reproduction as an extension of my 'day job'; rather, a beautiful hobby that doesn't require goofy clothes or that I look like I'm participating in a hobby. It has always just been about the music.

Growing up, we didn't have a television (by choice - Dad thought music was enough), just a gigantic record collection, and my Dad's bands rehearsing in the living room. My earliest memories are of my Dad explaining to me the wonder of Stan Getz and Paul Desmond. When I started listening to 'Trane and Bird, he thought I was going through my rebellious phase. He'd politely leave the room when, coming home during college, we'd listen to Dolphy, Coleman, Kirk, Rollins and others. When I was a senior in high school, I sat on the piano bench next to Stan Kenton during a rehearsal (way cool!!!). A few years later, I started skipping classes to take pick-up work with "names". My last recording was with Lou Marini.

Believe it or not, I really can't imagine life without music. Why would you want to? I am a firm believer in the fact that you don't have to play an instrument to be a musician. This really is a Western cultural idea - in non-Western countries, there is no such thing as "professional musician". It is assumed that all are musicians (and many are!). It should be obvious, even by this thread, that there are a lot of musicians who "play the stereo". It's all about the music - makes no difference how you interact or communicate - only that you do!

My best! K

[ben.]

Started on clarinet at age 9. I wanted to play sax because of Clarence Clemons, but there was already a nice clarinet in the family and we were pretty broke. Bought a Depression era Selmer Paris Pea Shooter tenor sax in middle school with my own savings - still comfortable with any single reed instrument. I picked up electric then upright bass in HS. No string program in my school, so just took lessons - this in order to get into a particular college. I play guitar as well now. I dabble with drums and to an even lesser extent keys - I know where the notes are and when to play what but two hands at once is not the easiest thing without significant practice. Comping is OK but scalar things are another story. I had some very useful composition training by a modernist (he was a real dick but tought me a lot) in college as well.

I've lucked into some fantastic instruments over the years - my favorite at the moment is a very early Slingerland Radio King drum set with '67 Ludwig Supraphonic snare.

[bodcaw boy]

i hang around with musicians....

have a blessed day,

roy delgado

[Travis In Austin]

Nadda, nothing. I wish I did, but my parents had no musical background so I did not get much push in that direction. I wanted to know more about music theory and so LarryC let me borrown a cool set of tapes that are doing just that.

Travis

[jheis]

Me either.

Wanted to learn sax, but got stuck with a clarinet instead. Back in the early 60's public school music instruction sucked (who really wanted to know how to play "Pomp and Circumstance"). Although, I guess it was better than the near total lack of music instruction available to today's students.

Anyway, I really sucked on the clarinet and that ended it for me.

Love music though - even though I can't play a lick.

James

[oldbuckster]

ME, does the VOLUME control on my receiver make me a musician?????? Then I am one..............tried BASS Guitar, but found I played the STEREO better.................................

[DrWho]

My mom was a piano major in college and both my parents are avid singers. So of course I grew up learning the piano and can still play a few tunes and given enough time figure out most any piece. But in middleschool I took on the viola and have been playing off and on. I'm in the middle of turning my viola into an electric instrument in hopes that it'll keep me entertained enough to start practicing again.

Oh, I also play the mixing console...

Compared to the other audio forums I've browsed on the internet, I would wager that the klipsch forums has the highest percentage of musicians. I think it has a lot to do with horns and their ability to recreate dynamics, which in my opinion is one of the most critical aspects of achieving that "live" sound.

[jacksonbart]

I play the triangle, just can't seem to find where I left it.