I love music. I love listening to it, and I loved playing it. I first joined my school band at 11, and played all the way up through graduation. I was an enormous band geek, and proud of it. I played trombone at school and, at home, just for the fun of it, I taught myself to play bass guitar. I kind of taught myself how to play the keyboard, but not really, since the only song I really know is “Greensleeves.” I'd love to be able to play a lot of things properly – especially these particular 7 instruments I'd love to learn.
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French Horn
I've been in love with the French horn since middle school concert band – and for once it's not because I love all things French by default. When played well, this is probably the loveliest horn ever in the world. It's clear and clean and music, and I think it needs to be featured more everywhere because it has the power to move you to tears.
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Acoustic Guitar
The acoustic guitar can also move me to tears. I love so many acoustic songs, and I love hearing this guitar when someone who really knows what they're doing is playing it. I'm not much interested in other types of guitar, beyond my trusty bass (I named him Endymion when I got him – height of my John Keats phase, doncha know), but I'd love to learn how to play this one well.
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Violin
Oh man, I love the violin. This is in spite of the fact that I once dated someone who claimed to play it, bragged about it, snotted about it, snarked about it, but never actually played it in front of me (and who was also a horrible person in general, but that's another post). Anyway, a well played violin can pluck at the heart strings, no question, and I would love being able to do that.
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Cello
This is in line with the violin. I have a general passion for stringed instruments anyway, but I love the richness of the cello. I also love the way you have to play it, because it looks like such a comfortable sprawl!
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Drums
My dad is the world's best drummer, no lie. I can listen to him play anything – and he can play anything, even songs he's never heard before, if he listens to the beat for maybe two seconds. He's highly improvisational and awesome. Throughout my childhood, he tried several times to teach me but it just didn't happen. I don't think I'll ever be able to master the intricacies of good drumming, but I'll probably keep trying.
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If you have a harem of 40 women, you never get to know any of them very well.
Saxophone
The sax is such a lovely, moody, bluesy instrument. I'll confess that, when I was in high school band, there were … not a lot of stellar saxophonists, but I've heard enough since to know how really phenomenal the sax can be if it's played by someone who really loves it. I would love to take a shot; I would totally rock out some blues.
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Piano
I would really love to learn the piano properly. I can play the keyboard pretty well, but that's all improvisational as well – I have no clue what notes I'm playing, I just know how to keep from going too sharp or too flat. The piano obviously has so much potential, though; there are so many different ways you can completely own it. I'd love to be able to do more than pick out the melody to “Greensleeves.”
In the meantime, it's just me and my bass. I don't play my trombone anymore; I don't actually even know where my two are buried. Tell me, though, are there any instruments you'd love to be able to play?
Top Photo Credit: amanda p. wu
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