Musician survey

[toomanyhatz]

So, musicians here - which is probably most of us - please answer the following:

What instrument(s) do you play?

Do you sing?

Do you write songs?

Who taught you how to play?

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

What are your strengths?

Weaknesses?

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

[Bent Fabric]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar, bass, piano (misc keyboard instruments), hand percussion, awful drums

Do you sing?

I do.

Do you write songs?

I do.

Who taught you how to play?

Self-taught.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Yeah. Some periods are leaner than others, for sure.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

Oh, I dunno. I play guitar in an otherwise all female Queen tribute. There's also a loose collective/round table of people I play misc. 60s stuff with (albums sometimes...artists sometimes, Monkees...shit like that). Occasionally reunite with my old band (that I led for 25 years) for secret gigs.

I put a record out last year, will put one out this year. I have a band that does some of those gigs with me, but...honestly, I'm just as happy to show up by myself and entertain the punters.

What are your strengths?

Persistence?

A good ear.

Weaknesses?

Limited vocal range (I was never Freddie Mercury, and I seem to be edging closer to Fred Neil territory with each passing year).

Impatience.

[TG]

So, musicians here - which is probably most of us - please answer the following:

What instrument(s) do you play?
Guitar, bass, keyboards (a bit), mandolin, dulcimer, dobro/lap steel

Do you sing?
Yes

Do you write songs?
Yes

Who taught you how to play?
Mostly self taught

Do you play professionally? Have you?
No.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
At the moment no but was in a couple different bands last year.

What are your strengths?
Good eye, good ear.

Weaknesses?
I must be a pain in the ass because I don’t get many offers.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content.

[bobzilla77]

So, musicians here - which is probably most of us - please answer the following:

What instrument(s) do you play?

Drums

Do you sing?

Yes - in two bands I am the lead singer.

Do you write songs?

Lyrics, mostly Christmas themed parodies of Black Sabbath lyrics.

Who taught you how to play?

Some instruction in school between 4th grade and 12th grade, but mostly learned from records.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

I suppose I have, briefly - I've quit my square job to go on tour with a band at least six times, even though I eventually needed the square job back.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

I am presently a member of at least five bands: The Freeks (heavy psych/ stoner band with ex-Nebula & Fu Manchu members), Jon Wahl & The Amadans (angst-blues trio), Backbiter (hard rock power trio), the Rotters (old punk rockers from Ventura County, est. 1977), and Santa Sabbath (we do Sabbath covers with the lyrics re-written to be about Xmas.) There are other bands where I am "offically the drummer", that don't play often but I could get a phone call at any moment. At present I am preparing to do a one-off gig with LA punk band Legal Weapon.

What are your strengths?

I am a quick study, with good work habits, a wide range of experience and bubbly personality.

Weaknesses?

Drumming - I can go on autopilot at times when I should be watching & listening to the other players more carefully.
Singing - I don't have any stamina. I can sing full on for about an hour a week. My one attempt to tour as a vocalist was shockingly bad.
I should probably be more interested in money. I don't know if other people consider that a weakness.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

Playing good music is probably as close as I'll ever come to feeling the sensation of flight.

[Minnie the Minx]

What instrument(s) do you play?

I've been playing guitar for two and a half years.

Do you sing?

All the time!

Do you write songs?

Yes.

Who taught you how to play?

I self taught for a few months then started to get lessons in a group setting, in a way that was geared towards getting you playing live as quickly as possible regardless of your level of skill and ability and that kick started everything for me. I had sung in bands before but never played an instrument on stage which was a completely different skill set.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

God no. I'm laughing at the thought.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

No, but I am performing my own songs live. More on the band thing further down.

What are your strengths?

I don't feel any need for an audience to "get"my "thing" in order for me to enjoy performing. Because of that, I feel that I'm pretty confident. I like the things I write about. I like having songs that are the result of squeezing out my brain like a wet towel. If I was to say those things in the street I would get gawped at. If I sing it to some seventh chords people go shit, yeah! And every time that happens I feel like I'm walking on air.

Weaknesses?

I have only been playing for a short time and it shows. I should practice more and I don't. I don't have the patience or dedication to learning lead guitar or how to fingerpick so my repertoire is small. I think constantly about learning different skills, but they slow down the process of writing another song to sing in public where I just strum a lot. So I don't learn them. Part of me is still very wedded to the idea that ability stinks but the other part of me clearly acknowledges that it doesn't, which is why the first time I properly watched Robyn Hitchcock I cried like a big baby.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

Are you sure you want to hear this? I'm at an interesting crossroad. Or maybe it doesn't need to be a crossroad. I basically want to form a band, but the people who I would want to be in a band with me, are either in bands already or too busy. I play a little with a friend who is a local punko legend and she's down for doing some recording soon but she is also forming a new band with people who are actually- you know- very skilled. But as well as this, I want to continue doing solo stuff, and I have lots of opportunities and shows lined up for that and the songs just keep coming. Recently a friend who also does some songwriting teamed up with me for a song I had written and we played at a small sleepy venue on a Sunday afternoon and when we were singing I could see old guys at the bars stopping talking and turning round and listening and I was on cloud fucking nine. I have somewhere in my head I would like to be at, but I need to have a whole set rather than the ten or so I have to perform with any degree of variety. But basically - nothing thrills me more than the sight of musicians in a huddle who all take a step forward at the same time with their guitars going up and down see-saws- like at the start of the London Calling video. It might sound like the most immature and basic thing in the world, but that is magical and enthralling to me and I want to be in the thick of all that, but I just don't know where to start looking. I know everywhere in this town to go for the singer songwriter stuff, but the band stuff..... I can't get a feel of at all here.
But yes, learning to play guitar and then starting to write songs - I don't regret not doing it years ago but...I don't know why the fuck I left it so long.

[ConnyOlivetti]

What instrument(s) do you play?
Keyboard/assorted synths/computor

Do you sing?
Nope!

Do you write songs?
Not really, depends on the definition

Who taught you how to play?
Self tought

Do you play professionally? Have you?
If you mean, getting money for it, nah

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
Nope! Was during 2006-2009

What are your strengths?
Work with my limitations, production, experience (worked with sounds since 1980)

Weaknesses?
Don´t really know what I'm doing in a musical sense, but that could also be my strength

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

[Moleskin]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar, bass, 4 string banjo, kazoo

Do you sing?

Yes

Do you write songs?

Yes

Who taught you how to play?

Self taught.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

No

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

Yes. The Unprepared Jug Band. We play a selection of roots music from the jug, string band and blues repertoire, leavened with some self written material and suitable latter day songs (Bad Moon Rising). Most of our gigs have been at folk festivals, and we have been running for 7 years; this is our 8th.

What are your strengths?

I'm not a lead guitarist, but a steady rhythm player. Playing in the band has improved my playing. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Weaknesses?

On bass I'm a root note plunker, but I am beginning to see how to improve that.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

[Nuts]

So, musicians here - which is probably most of us - please answer the following:

What instrument(s) do you play?
Drums - did play keyboards a little back in the Indie Dance 90s

Do you sing?
I have done - but most wouldn't call it that

Do you write songs?
Not really, when I was messing about with the keyboards I came up with a few things. Still get loads of stuff coming into my head but don't really have the opportunity to put it down anywhere so the ideas just disappear into the ether.

Who taught you how to play?
No one - self taught through adolescent perserverance

Do you play professionally? Have you?
I've made some money from drumming but I won't be retiring anytime soon

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
The Past Tense. Garage psych/mod sort of thing. We're just about to release our fourth long player. Been playing on and off with the other 2 guys for about 30 odd years. Me and the guitarist go back nearly 40 years when we were just a bedroom punk duo and then we played together in The Lost Cherrees in the anarcho punk years where we got to release a few records and an album through Conflict's record label and played with all the punk names of the time. The band are still going - but it's only the bass player so it's not really the same band, bit of a sore point!

What are your strengths?
I'm not content to keep things straight and boring, can't stand ploddy weak drumming so try to fill things up with rolls etc.

Weaknesses?
I'm not content to keep things straight and boring, can't stand ploddy weak drumming so try to fill things up with rolls etc.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content
My dream was always to be a full time professional musician but once I got married I came to the realisation that it wasn't going to happen. Once we had kids I did actually get to fulfill part of my dream as the Cherrees got back together and we did a short tour of Italy. It was then I realised that it wasn't for me, not by then. I still love playing the drums but the last 10-15 years it seems to have got so hard to get decent gigs. It's all about the money now. Back in the punk days you could just walk into a pub, book a night, turn up and play, now it's all about how many people will you be bringing, a forfeit if you don't bring enough etc etc. It just starts to become more hassle than it's worth. I don't think I'll ever stop but I'd like to find another band where someone else could do all the donkey work and I could just turn up and play! One thing I'm always proud of telling people is that we managed to get over to the US and we played at CBGB's before it shut down.

[Osgood]

What instrument(s) do you play?
Guitar, some failed attempts at keyboards, reasonable harp (the one you play with your mouth, not the one you play with your fingers)

Do you sing?
Yep

Do you write songs?
I used to, but I realized I'm pisspoor at writing lyrics.

Who taught you how to play?
Self-taught

Do you play professionally? Have you?
Nope

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
Not currently. I was with some continuity around 2000-2007 (The Stock Options Band). I played rythm guitar (occasional lead) and was the lead singer. We did covers, CCR, Stones, Rod Steward, REM ... the usual suspects. Played in some pubs, some gigs I still consider high points in my life, really had a great time.

What are your strengths?
Confident singer, good ear, can do harmonies, good at memorizing arrangements (or at least better than my ex-bandmates)

Weaknesses?
I can do some reasonable soloing but never at high speed. Playing live I have to control my trend to overdeliver, and to accelerate the tempo.

[Deebank]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar, bass, kbds, DAW (Reason) - none of them with much skill.

Do you sing?
I can but haven’t - I find singing and playing at the same time very tricky.

Do you write songs?
I have done but I’m more of a collaborator / contributor.

Who taught you how to play?
Self taught

Do you play professionally? Have you?
I have earned very small amounts from gigs.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
No. I rehearsed briefly with a singer/ songwriter dude in Devon but last proper band was in Brighton 4 years ago.

What are your strengths?
I’m good at coming up with interesting bits or hooks.

Weaknesses?
Too numerous - many many limitations.

[Deebank]

Just remembered, last year I was due to play ‘Mo Tucker’ drums at a couple of events during Julian Cope’s SydArthur festival. It would have included a gig where the band (myself, my mate Neil and some of his / Cope’s pals) would play covers of Love and early Floyd/Barratt tunes. Sadly JC decided the event was to be on line.

I was set to play one of JC’s big painted drums while hiding in a hedge up on the MarlboroughDowns. The idea was to invoke the ghosts of a civil war battle that took place there. He found out the good guys (Parliamentarians) lost, so he cancelled that one too.

All in all it’s probably just as well. I’ve never played drums and was shitting bricks!
Might have been fun though.

[harvey k-tel]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Drums and guitar, but I'm losing my touch on guitar - haven't played it much over the past few years and find it more and more difficult to get into. The onset of what seems to be arthritis in my pinkie fingers isn't helping much, either.

Do you sing?

Yes, mostly backups.

Do you write songs?

I haven't written a decent song in over 15 years probably.

Who taught you how to play?

I'm self-taught, but have a couple of long-time drummer friends whom I consider mentors.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Not professionally in the "quit your day job" sense, but I've been paid for gigs.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

I've been playing drums in The Dickens for more than 15 years now. I feel very lucky, because our fearless leader, Paul Emery, writes fantastic songs and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. We're currently working on a 'rock opera' which we shall be bringing to the stage for a (one-off?) performance in early April. After that happens I have no idea what's in store - whether we'll record it, or perform it more, or anything, really. We did a short version of it a year ago, and it was really well received, so I'm very much looking forward to it, even though it's not finished yet, and it will be a real slog to get it all together with the various other performers who aren't otherwise in the band.

What are your strengths?

I'm a quick study, can keep a steady tempo, and don't have many timing issues.

Weaknesses?

I'm not terribly inventive, but I lay that at being in service to the song. I'm trying to be more Jim Gordon (minus the schizoid murdery bits) and less Keith Moon.

Please expound, elaborate, etc., to your heart's content

I've been musically and rhythmically obsessed for as long as I can remember. My favourite thing to do when I was small was to lay my dad's nylon-string guitar on the floor and bash away at the strings like bongos - I thought it was a fantastic noise, and I enjoyed treating my parents' friends to impromptu 'performances' whenever I could. I eventually learned to play the thing 'properly' by jamming with my childhood friend in his basement - his dad taught us a few chords and how to tune a guitar and we wrote some ridiculous songs like "Don't Shit Your Pants" and "Your Pearls Or Your Life". I played on-and-off with friends through highschool but didn't ever play live until my early 20's when I was in a short-lived cover band that did Pixies, Teenage Fanclub, and Nirvana tunes amongst others. After that I moved to Toronto full-time and joined my first 'real band', called 'Smallmouth' and we released a couple of long-players (on cassette and cd) and a split 7-inch and toured around the eastern and mid-western states, as well as eastern Canada a few times. We were never really successful outside of our hometown scene, though, but it was a lot of fun. During my time in Smallmouth, I started playing drums in a band called 'Satan's Arch Enemy G.O.D' with my pal Bernie and a couple other guys. Bernie's a great rock'n'roll songwriter, and I learned my drumming chops playing with him, as he was very good at expressing what he wanted us guys to do and wasn't afraid to make us practice until we nailed our parts. The band was still sloppy as all hell, but it was a really good kind of sloppy. He moved out west for love in '99 and I joined the Dickens shortly after.

[mission]

What instrument(s) do you play?

I used to play the drums.

Do you sing?

Yes.

Do you write songs?

I have done. When I drank. And was in a band, which kind of went hand in hand. I can't play any melody producing instruments well enough to write a tune, so I used to sing them.

Who taught you how to play?

Me.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

I have been paid and paid quite well to get hammered, smash the shit out of my drumkit and berate the audience.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

No. I was last in a band 13 years ago when my eldest son was 2. The guilt at leaving my wife to him and his younger brother two, three or four nights a week was too much to bear. Plus I had given up the drink and discovered that standing around with smelly drunks wasn''t really my glass of tea.

What are your strengths?

Good sense of how to carry a song's mood and feel.

Weaknesses?

Shit drummer. Fundamentally not technically sound enough to do what was really needed in all circumstances.


I sometimes miss the two or three minutes a practice/jam that sometimes happened, when the tune played the band, but bands are a young person's game. I went to see one of my old bands play the other night and it was like watching my dad dance around in his undies. Old, fat guys doing the work of the lithe and young.

[Fonz]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar, bass, drums


Do you sing?

Not really


Do you write songs?

I write/compose/ improvise/record my own stuff, but I don’t do lyrics


Who taught you how to play?

Self-taught, with the help of mags, vids, dvds, and YT


Do you play professionally? Have you?

Have been paid in some of the bands- weddings, parties etc. Mainly played charity gigs though. Some big, some small.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

Had to give up live performing. Tinnitus. Bane of my life.


What are your strengths?

I ploughed on through all the duff notes-and made them work!


Weaknesses?

I find it difficult to finish a project- I move on to the next as inspiration hits.
The self-imposed requirement to ‘be original’ is a hindrance. We’re all products of our influences, and true originality is elusive.

[sloopjohnc]

I wasn't going to really respond to this, but what the hey?

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar and harmonica.

Do you sing?

Yes, to various degrees of criticism and accolades. When I was in high school, my brother and I formed a band with three friends of mine. I was the worst guitar player and least afraid to get up and sing. Our bassist, Dave, was a much better singer and actually went on to play bass and sing lead vocals in professional and semi-pro bands in LA.

Do you write songs?

I do. I find it kinda funny when I play them for people and they're, more often than not, surprised that they're pretty good. My guitar teacher thinks I should do something with them - recording or selling, but that would require effort.

I actually share my lyrics and songs with Spen/Molony Joy through Facebook and other places. He's been very supportive of the stuff I've shared with him. My guitar teacher likes my stuff too. He kinda serves as song doctor when I'm stuck for a chorus or bridge sometimes. I think writing for a living is an asset with songwriting. With songs, like writing, sometimes you bury the lead and what you think was the chorus is really better served as a verse and vice versa. You have to look at objectively.

We opened for the Flamin' Groovies at a small club in Palo Alto called the Keystone Palo Alto. Cyril Jordan came up to us after and asked who wrote the "Girl in the Record Shop" song. I said I did and he said he liked it and to keep plugging. That was like Tim Hardaway saying he liked my crossover move.

Who taught you how to play?

I started taking lessons when I was 15 at Gelb Music in Redwood City. I picked up the guitar again about 10 or so years ago when I got tired of chasing 20 year olds on the basketball court and couldn't keep up. I like the discipline of having to prove myself each week and having a goal and that's why I still go to lessons. I think it's the athlete in me that keeps me disciplined.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Our band played Stanford frat parties and got some club gigs. That was for about a year until everyone went their separate ways.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

No.

What are your strengths?

Enthusiasm and a pretty good ear for melody and a hook. I try to keep stuff simple.

Weaknesses?

[pcqgod]

What instrument(s) do you play?

drums, piano/keyboards/guitar (badly)

Do you sing?

No.

Do you write songs?

I did when I was active as an amateur musician.

Who taught you how to play?

I did take formal piano lessons for a while when i was young and was in junior high/high school band as a percussionist.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

No.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

Haven't played in a band for 20 years.

What are your strengths?

Arrangements.

Weaknesses?

Laziness.

[toomanyhatz]

OK, I guess I'll answer my own survey now.

What instrument(s) do you play?

Guitar and bass about equally well. Anything with strings (if it doesn't require bowing, anyway) I can fake reasonably well - I'd say mandolin and ukulele are the ones I have the most skill on aside from my main instruments. In a pinch I can play a bit of percussion, keyboards, or tin whistle/recorder, but not very skillfully. If skill is needed, I'll call in the pros.

Do you sing?

Yeah, sorta. I'm probably a secondary lead singer at best, though my voice does have a certain charm in some situations.

Do you write songs?

Yes.

Who taught you how to play?

My JHS guitar teacher Mr. Abe (pronounced AH-bey) got me started, then I did the rest myself. Bass I'm completely self-taught.

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Yes, but never for my main living. It's supplemented my income at times, including pretty steadily for the past five years or so.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

House band at a local (-ish) pub. Mostly trad. Irish with some trad. American and the occasional rock cover. I will probably put together a band to do my original songs, but haven't yet.

What are your strengths?

Lots. The top five:

1) Pretty close to zero stage fright. You can put me in front of 50,000 people and ask me to do an original song - not that that's likely to happen - and I could do it without freaking out. I don't tend to get performance nerves, and that's always been the case. Not sure where that comes from - my parents were both actors, though I kind of feel like I was born with it - but it's nothing I had to learn/talk myself into. I've always had it.

2) I think I might actually refer to myself as a strong lyricist. At very least, that's where the inspiration to write songs - and maybe even my desire to play music in the first place - comes from.

3) I may not be great at any one thing, but I do a lot of different things reasonably well.

4) Whatever skills I have, they're uniquely mine. For example, there are TONS of bass players with better chops than mine, but I can't think of anyone who has a style quite like mine.

5) I'm pretty low ego when it comes to playing nicely with others. I'd rather serve the overall song than show off my great chops (which I don't have anyway, so that helps )

Weaknesses?

Lots. The top five:

1) Writing melodies is a challenge for me. I wish it came naturally. It has at times, but I generally have to play around with a song a lot before I can make it work. I have notebooks full of lyrics, and I can come up with chord structure pretty well. But finding a melody that works is the hardest part. I've left many's the song in an unfinished state because I could never do this to my satisfaction.

2) I am TERRIBLE at promoting my own abilities. I honestly feel like I have "something to say." But to actually get it to the people who want to hear it - I just have no clue.

3) I'm limited to rhythm guitar. Give or take a sloppy quick break (think Dylan at the beginning of "Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat"), I'm a pretty hopeless lead player.

4) While I can do a good sloppy "Keith Richards" type bg vocal, generally speaking, I'm in over my head trying to do intricate harmonies. It's frustrating 'cause I love them, and have great respect for folks who can do it. But choral stuff is generally beyond me.

5) I am pretty much the worst recording engineer of all-time. I don't know why I can't figure it out. But I will inevitably punch holes in tracks, put effects I don't want on tracks and then find myself unable to remove them, etc. It's really held me back from getting more stuff "out to the public."

[Tactful Cactus]

What instrument(s) do you play?
Guitar and piano/keyboard. I've owned pedal steel, mandolin, cello, uke and could play at different levels.

Do you sing?
Poorly. I think playing instruments has given me some relatively good pitching for my voice, but my singing voice is very weak and limited. I'd love to have a great voice, who wouldn't

Do you write songs?
No, I've tried but I get bored of my own creations very quickly. I get more enjoyment out of playing someone elses great music than my own bad music.

Who taught you how to play?
Local rock guy in my old hometown when I was 13. I taught myself piano.

Do you play professionally? Have you?
Never. Have played lived a couple of times with friends who had bigger ambitions than me. I rehearsed for a few bands but I never had the dedication.

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.
I think about it all the time but I never go through with it.

What are your strengths?
Good ear. Never learned musical notation so I've developed an ear out of necessity. When I was in my 20's I could play a few minutes of Rhapsody in Blue which took my hours to deconstruct and learn. I was quite proud of that. I've forgotten how to play it now but I know if I tried the muscle memory would slowly come back.

Weaknesses?
Soloing on piano, can't do it. Rhythm guitar or heavy strumming, not good. My general timing is probably poor because I don't play with other people.

[Snarfyguy]

Who taught you how to play?



The rest of it I picked up on my own.

[take5_d_shorterer]

What instrument(s) do you play?

Do you sing?

Do you write songs?

Who taught you how to play?

Do you play professionally? Have you?

Are you currently in a band? Tell us about it.

What are your strengths?

Weaknesses?

Every year I find new weaknesses. This doesn't mean that new deficiencies appear. It means that you recognize entire areas that you should have paid attention to but didn't because of a fundamental lack of understanding.

Queen Victoria supposed said that her cabinet was filled with men who could convince her how clever they were. Disraeli was the only one who could convince her how clever she was.

That is most important goal you have as a collaborate musician: you are supposed to make other people sound better than they really are.

Unless you're not dealing just with music but with, let's say, poltergeists.

Bob Dylan: Miles Davis was booed. Hank Williams was booed. Stravinsky was booed. You're nobody if you don't
get booed sometime.

Robert Hilburn: Does that affect you as an artist? Does it make you either ease up or dig in?

Bob Dylan: It depends on what kind of artist you are. There are superficial artists, natural artists and
supernatural artists.

Robert Hilburn: How do you define them?

Bob Dylan: A natural artist is someone who just takes what talent they have and displays it night after night
on stage, doing the best they can within limits. A superficial artist is someone who shouldn't be up there in the
first place because they've really got nothing to tell you.

Robert Hilburn: And the supernatural?

Bob Dylan: That's someone who goes deep, and the deeper they go, the more buried gods they'll find.


--Bob Dylan, 16 September 2001, Robert Hilburn interview for the Los Angeles Times