OT: Ping squeezebox players?

But (potentially) asking in the wrong group!

Sorry guys.

Cheers, T i m

This brings to mind the often-quoted but impossible to attribute: "A gentleman is someone who knows how to play the accordion but doesn't."

Or: "I'm sorry Mr. Smith", says the doctor, but you've only six months to live. I suggest you stay with someone who is learning to play the accordion. You Won't live any longer, but it will seem like an eternity."

Good luck!

Suggest that she joins an amateur orchestra or choir. This would provide social contact as well as an incentive to work at the music. The oboe or tenor sax would be useful, and if you can play one sax you can play them all - they're designed like that.

There are orchestral piano requirements which don't require the spectactular skills of a soloist in a concerto - but they are nevertheless fairly demanding - particularly since many very competent amateur pianists have no idea of how to play in an orchestra (i.e. they've never worked with a conductor ....)

What part of the country is she in? Are there reasonably-sized towns nearby?

Hehe ... same with the bagpipes then. ;-)

Luckily, daughter dislikes 'bad sounds' from any instrument as much as most and so I'm hoping any we do hear would be short lived. ;-)

We did similar with the tenor sax (bought a second hand one as a sort of surprise xmyth present / experiment). She'd never played one before and said she wasn't sure if she could ... 10 mins practice in her bedroom later and it seemed she could get a fairly pleasant tune out of it. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Whilst I would agree with you 100%, I'm not sure she would be up for that and hence why I was looking for something she could play much more informally Graham. ;-(

Agreed. I think she would like the social contact things#, just not sure she has the commitment or interest or time for such (knowing her and being honest etc).

After grade 5 in recorder her recorder teacher suggested the oboe because it 'wasn't easy'. She also got to grade 5 on that but it's not really a flexible instrument that you would typically find in a band that plays the sort of music she would typically listen to or want to play herself.

I believe the fingering is different to both the recorder(s) and oboe but that didn't appear to be something that phased her for long. ;-)

She has played in a classical type 'group' (piano / recorder / oboe, with conductor) and in a rock type 'band' (bass) without and seems to cope either way.

Well, 'London' is pretty close (and pretty big ) but as I say, I'm not sure she is in the right place in her own life to commit to something like that.

This is why I was thinking squeezebox ... possibly a concertina, because it's small, could be stored and picked up easily and would provide casual / social entertainment and learning a 'different' instrument etc.

Cheers, T i m

Hi all,

I'm asking here because I am aware we are a diverse bunch of practical people. ;-)

Just a background question really to anyone who plays or has had reasonable contact with a squeezebox of some sort (concertina or accordion etc).

The thought is to get something for daughter (27), who is a pretty good multi-instrumentalist (recorder, piano, oboe, tenor sax, acoustic / bass guitar etc) but who doesn't seem to be doing much atm but we would like her to hear her playing something, not only because we like to hear her playing but for her to 'keep her hand in' plus to have yet another string to her (musical) bow. ;-)

Now, we don't want to spend too much on this and I'm aware quality instruments don't usually come cheap so I'm open to all / any advice re which instrument type / make / spec that might fit the bill please?

I don't think we are looking at a full size piano accordion, simply because of the size (more for storage than her ability to manage it physically ... and cost (especially new)) but something that you could play both the melody and bass on and would allow her to just play something by herself that would be 'musical'?

I'm thinking the sort of thing that on it's own would be sufficient to get people singing along around a campfire etc, like an acoustic guitar etc. ;-)

New if not too expensive if that was the best way to go, second hand if that wasn't likely to cost fortunes to get repaired, maintained or tuned but got us a better 'quality' instrument.

Cheers, T i m

Since she can play guitar I would look into a Ukulele. They are great fun, 4 strings instead of 6 and really rather more interesting to a musician than you might think.

Gareth.

In message , Gareth Magennis writes

She is ahead of you there Gareth as she was given a Uke by my Dad quite a while ago and his 'second' one before he died.

No, agreed ... and as a kid I heard one being played quite regularly as Dad had the urge to play a few numbers (mostly George Formby era numbers and various sea shanty's etc).

He also had a Ukulele Banjo (I think that was his preferred version) that I remember having a bit more 'punch'.

He could also play a fair tune on an ocarina, recorder (mostly treble and bass) and penny whistle. ;-)

Daughter managed to teach her ex to play the Uke to a basic level and I have a recording of them doing a little duet somewhere. ;-)

I think Dad has his with him when he was at sea as it was easy to stow and carry. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

Mum and Dad (a long term Uke player) have been to a couple of their gigs and bought the CD's etc.

They used to say it was very entertaining, good music and fun. ;-)

Cheers, T i m