UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?

Subject: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From:
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 03:57 AM

Reading the favourite instruments and the what guitar threads I thought it would be nice to be completly negative for a change and let fly with our musical UN- favourie instruments.

I think mine must be the piano accordion. It must go back to the days of my sickly youth when I suffered from asthma and my father used to say that my wheezing chest sounded like one. Another reason is that it seems to have to some extent replaced the fiddle in Scotland, and because it always seem to me, that it presented an easy option.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: McMusic
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 05:10 AM

Well, I'd have to say my most un-favorite instrument would be a tossup between the tuba and the trumpet as played by Herb Alpert. I won't say that thre man isn't talented, but I remember when I was in high school back in the 60's--my sister had all of his albums, and day after day my ears were assualted by that blaring horn of his! If I never hear him play again, I'll be happy.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Frank in the swamps
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 05:43 AM

This is really kind of funny. I'm a guitarist, and I'm sick to death of guitarists, everydamnbody seems to play the thing. But what really gets me, is that I know one tuba player and one accordionist, I very rarely get to play with either one of them, but I always have a blast when I do. Least favourite instrument... the organ. But the ubiquitous guitar pickers are a serious blight on the musical landscape.

Frank i.t.s.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 08:28 AM

I am not ubiquitous, I'm Catholic!!!!!!

Mick

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Pete
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 08:34 AM

Once upon a time there was a nightclub that had hired a band for New Years Eve and had every member of the band, for one reason or another, cancel out on him in the week before. Despairing, he called everyone he could find but could only locate a banjo player and an accordion player who would take the gig. They agreed, showed up, and, to everybody's amazement, wowed the crowd. The night club owner offered them the same gig for New Year's Eve of next year at a hefty raise. The banjo player turned to the accordion player and said "We could even leave all our gear."

As a banjo player, I resent the slander. But I agree (so did Gary Larson about accordions) Pete Peterson

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 08:40 AM

Banjo and piano accordian are cheap shots. And, accordingly, I don't mean to squeeze them in here. Now, if I could list least favorite banjo and/or accordian PLAYERS.... (grin)
If you are going to play a LOUD instrument you have to be sensitive to the others you are playing with.
Having said that, I think MY least favorite instrument is the keyboard synthesizer because, regardless of how they are set, they still sound electronic.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Alice
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 10:15 AM

Un-favorite... is this like an un-birthday party, asked Alice?

This thread is begging for links to the internet musical instrument jokes, especially the banjo and bodhran.

I agree with Barbara, I dislike anything played without consideration of the listeners and other players (a major complaint about some bodhran players) and similar to Frank, I have a dislike of the Hammond type organ. I like the sound of the big pipe organs found in churches. The livingroom-type organ sound bugs me for some reason.

I have Tommy Hayes video on how to play the bodhran, bones, and spoons. I like his comments about how the drum used to be played outside, so played loudly, but now that it is inside with other musicians, it should not be struck so loudly. I like the way he blends the sound with the music, but many players I've heard want to show off how loud or fast they can play triplets and knock the edge of the frame in an untimely manner.

Being critical is uncomfortable for me.... have to stop now and talk about something positive.

alice in montana

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Ian Kirk
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 11:19 AM

Being a guitar player my most un-favourite instrument is the guitar as played by John Renbourne, Duck Baker, Charlie Byrd, Albert Lee, Brian May I could go on and on. These guys are so good no matter how much I practice I don't get close.

I also object to those kids you find in music shops barely out of nappies (diapers) who already play better than I do.

Makes you want to put the instrument down and quietly walk away. Though I haven't done so yet - think positive. After all I've only been playing for 20 years in another 20 I guess I may have got the hang of it.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Allan S.
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 11:41 AM

Spoons!!!!! [are these really instruments?] Which seem to clatter on with no ryme or reason. covering over every other instrument at a hoot.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Einnor
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 12:50 PM

Yes Ian, I agree about the frustration of putting up with the little runt that makes us old work horses look bad and I have threatened to put the guitar and mandolin away so as not to have to compete or feel out done, but the cost of professional help to keep my bubble in the middle is far greater than the price paid for the satisfaction of making contact with a beautiful instrument.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Alice
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 03:35 PM

I have to say I have some un-favorite ways some singers use their vocal instrument, such as hanging on the 'r's, especially in a whiny way. I am annoyed by whining, which seems to be popular with young girrrrrrl singer/songwriters right now (hey, I'm a woman, I can get away with that remark, can't I?). Also, letting out alot of air at the beginning of words, like hhhhhhhhI love hhhhhhhyou. And there is more..... sound pushed through the nose, like there is a clothes pin clamped on it, and words broken in the middle because the singer ran out of breath. Alot of these bad habits come from an affected style the singer is trying to imitate.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From:
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 04:02 PM

The Krumhorn is probably the most annoying instrument I have ever heard, if I am remembering the name properly. It looks like a cane.

Any kind of Hammond organ annoys me. They remind me of funeral parlours. Pipe organs and pump organs are fine.

Some of the sounds that came out of 70's-era synthesizers were most unpleasant, and I understand that they are actually making a comeback.

I don't mind the accordian or melodian or any of the squeezebox family. I have some recordings of Newfoundland musicians who play them in a most lively manner.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: BSeed
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 04:18 PM

My most unfavorite instruments:

a. Anything I'm playing if I'm trying to fake along without knowing the chord changes.

b. Voice, if the singer is trying to sound operatic on a folk ballad.

c. Trumpets (except muted): much too martial sounding.

I think I'll start a new thread: Instruments I'd love to play but probablu will never learn.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 05:06 PM

ANY drums & percussion with folk music!

Singers who don't pronounce their final consonants. Emmylou Harris for one. When I'm trying to follow the story in the song it drives me nuts.

Acoustic guitars amplified by under-the-bridgebone pickups. They NEVER sound acoustic. What a waste. I love to "hear the wood"! There's nothing like the vibrations of an unamplified D-28.

Art

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: McMusic
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 06:49 PM

May I, too, add the accordion? Except in strictly controlled doses and in certain hands. I can take Jackie Daly up to a point. Of them all, I can bear Sharon Shannon the most, but even at that, I wish she played it less and the fiddle more.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Craig
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 10:34 PM

Hammond organs drive me up the walls. I used to sing with a group in the 60's and one of the guys played a rocking melodian. But, you can't beat a good accordian for Cajun music.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: alison
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 11:18 PM

Hi,

One of the blokes in my band has a lovely T shirt with a crest for the Council for the Reformation of Accodian Players. He used to hate the things, probably still does in the wrong hands.

I think I've changed his view slightly...... makes a lot of difference if the instrument is actually in tune and played with respect to the other musos around.... not at full pelt like it often is at sessions.

They refer to mine as alison's musical chest expander.

Slainte

alison

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Nov 98 - 12:15 AM

well, almost anything CAN sound good...or bad.. depending. I love a GOOD Hurdy-Gurdy...but there is this local guy who built his own.....'nuff said...

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Big Mick
Date: 15 Nov 98 - 12:37 AM

I would agree with alison (don't I always, one more attempt at shameless sucking up)about the accordian, or any other instrument for that matter. In the wrong hands, they all sound bad. When the aul man, Seamus (who occasionally plays the accordian for our band, or Jon who plays the 48 button concertina, it is always in balance and fitting with the music. I have had others that I could not say the same about.

Uh, Alison, about that chest expander thing, uh, could we talk in private some where?........****Grin****

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 15 Nov 98 - 12:38 AM

Every instrument seems to rank as both most and least favorite with me. It all depends on the artist and the arrangement. I used to think I disliked accordians until I met Nathan Abshire. Autoharps didn't do much for me until Brian Bowers came along. I've heard rich and wonderful music played on an electrified thumb piano and I've occasionally been horrified at the symphony. Any musical instrument in the right hands and setting can become my favorite *right then*. I try not to have any least favorite since I usually have to eat my thoughts later. (Nasty things those thoughts.)

I respectfully disagree with Art about percussion. The folk music of some cultures consists primarily of drums and percussion and still is wonderful to hear when performed by masters. Of course I could be wrong; Art never used percussion and I never heard him perform a piece I didn't enjoy.

- Mark

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 17 Nov 98 - 11:46 PM

Least favorite musical instrument. The bowed psaltery always sounds like a sonic dental pick to me.

A bag pipe chanter played by it self has a strange gooselike quality that I have trouble tolerating.

The Mussel-Westphaw saw in any hands but Art's can be thought provoking . But the Bowed Psaltery is the ultimate ear reamer, Wow nearly a palindrome.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Ritchie
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 07:59 AM

My least favourite instrument is self indulgence....rock guitarists have it...so do jazz players in abundance on all kinds of instruments...unaccompanied folk singers seem to have hidden depths of the stuff...oh yes and a lot of these acapello groups ie the King singers are born with it...apart from that the synthesizer gets up my nose especially when used to cover 'Hits' and last but not least... the ukelelee banjo thing played faster than the speed of light...especially when the player starts tap dancing at the same time.

love and happiness

Ritchie

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Bert
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 09:06 AM

Alice has mentioned singers so I will have to add 'choirs' especially when they try to sing folk songs.
I went to an Eisteddfod in Llangollen one time and most of the acts were choirs. It was a dreadful experience.

I should add, as well, symphony orchestras when they try to play dance music. There's nothing worse than listening to dance music when you can't get up and dance. Sorry there is, it's listening to dance music when they mess up the rhythm so you couldn't dance to it, even if you were allowed.

Bert

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Animaterra
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 01:19 PM

Oh, Bert- you cut me to the quick! A *good* choir is a joy to the ears for me! True, there are a lot of groups that get all soupy-schmaltzy or make no attempt to blend or work on good vocal quality, breathing, phrasing, etc, but there is a place for them. But most folk music is not the place, I agree- give me a few good voices (not operatic!) and some fine instruments (any of the above-mentioned, played well, will do- with the possible exception of the Hammond organ!). Whiny singers (both in content and vocal tone), poorly played instruments, and bad attitude- those are my least favorite instruments!

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Bert
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 01:41 PM

Animaterra,

I didn't mean to say that all choirs are bad, I've enjoyed many a "Sweet Adelines" concert. They seem to know instinctively what will sound good in a group. What I'm talking about are the many overproduced versions of "Early one Morning" or "The Mermaid" etc..

Bert.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Bob Landry
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 04:41 PM

I have no problem with any kind of instrument ... I really like the spoons. I have a hard time with overkill, such as heavily distorted electric guitars accompanying angry, screaming Gen-Xers tonelessly belting out their messages of doom. (I have been told that it's an art form and therefore I should get off my snobbish high horse.) I barely refrained from chastising a friend of mine who amplified his dobro, lost his rhythm as the rum took control and led the rest of us into several train wrecks. (Unamplified and unlubricated, he's really pretty good.) The last one would be classically-trained violinists turning lively jigs and reels into stilted productions that lack the natural drive of a good fiddler. (I was disappointed when the local symphony orchestra, which I usually enjoy thoroughly, showcased a celtic program a few years ago.)

Bob

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 08:00 PM

I once listened to an operatic tenor loosen up to Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker's "Up Where We Belong". Talk about pretentious. On lighter note, My daughter, Rebekkah, was doing props and wigs for a production of "Carmen" in Syracuse, NY, near our home. The theatre is her life and world and she takes it very seriously as it is her major at SUNY Oswego. She said " Suddenly the stage manager rushed into the prop room followed by actors and stage apes. The stage manager turned on the house sound and said "Its Starting!" Just as the March of the Toreodors began. Suddenly the entire company of the opers started singing " Toreodore, Don't spit on the floor, Use the Cuspidore, Thats what its floor!" She said " Dad, it was then I knew I had found my home."

I , who a too highly refined sense of the ridiculous to apreciate opera, had to agree with her.

Don Meixner

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: takeo
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 09:18 PM

i dont like ... synthesized hand crap.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Paula Chavez
Date: 18 Nov 98 - 09:32 PM

Well, in the matter of the right material in the wrong hands...

I once attended a wedding where the singer - who performed fairly decent "lounge" music, i.e. Mack the Knife - embarassed himself and most of the guests by attempting a cover of Proud Mary. It was so ludicrous as to be surreal, kind of like Pat Boone doing heavy metal. (Yes, I know Mr. White Bucks actually put out such a recording and garnered an impressive amount of airplay, too, but that doesn't mean he won't have to answer to a Higher Authority for it someday.)

As for instruments, the tedious overuse of drum machines sometimes gets to me. And groups who all want to sound like Enya (not that I don't, mind you).

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Alice
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 12:09 AM

Paula! drum machines ... how could I have forgotten that

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Earl
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 12:10 AM

I think it is a poor workman who blames his tools. In the right hands I could enjoy almost every instrument mentioned. However, I have no use at all for drum machines or synthesisers especially when they try to sound like acoustic instruments.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Alice
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 12:12 AM

Peruvian music on pan-pipes, I like.

Pop top 40 hits on pan-pipes, no.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 02:31 AM

What is that awful thing that Kenny G plays - soprano sax? Or is it something electronic? There's an electronic instrument I really hate that sounds and works kind of like a soprano saxophone - John McCutcheon shouldn't have used it on a couple of CD's he recorded that could have been really good.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: McMusic
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 08:59 PM

Paula, Had a very similar experience several years ago in a bar. They had this piano player/singer. Not sure if you remember the old TV show "The Dukes of Hazard", but someone requested he sing the theme to that show. Try to imagine, if you will, "Just Good Ol' Boys," played on the piano and sung by the quintessential lounge lizard! It was hellish! I still have nightmares about it.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: hank
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 09:32 AM

Drummers who sound like a drum machine. Which in my expirence is most of them.

You can make music with a drum, but mostly they are used just to force the rest of the band to stay on beat (you kinda wonder about the rest of the band) There is a difference between playing the right notes, and making music. The latter doesn't nessicarly involve the right notes! I'd rather hear a real musician play flat, then hear anyone play exactly the right notes as written without feeling. Drum machines have no feeling, and most drummers immitate the lack of feeling.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Earl
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 09:34 AM

I hate the sound of fretless electic bass used in a lot of singer/songwriter recordings. It's sort of a low groaning sound. Maybe not inappropriate but it really doesn't help matters.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Alice
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 10:10 AM

Do the drummers out there feel like they're taking a beating?

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Bert
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 01:51 PM

Another one I really hate is the 'Hog Guitar'. It looks just like an ordinary guitar but has this exraordinary ability to jump in and hog someone else's turn at a singalong.
Three or four of these can destroy any folk gathering.
Of course no Mudcateer would own one.

Bert.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Doctor John
Date: 22 Nov 98 - 10:18 AM

Saxes. Look ugly, sound ugly, are ugly. And pianos etc on folk recordings (OK on jazz)

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: John Rodman
Date: 22 Nov 98 - 01:21 PM

The swinette.......

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Dan Keding
Date: 23 Nov 98 - 09:29 AM

The autoharp. I have no idea why but its so. In the hands of Brian Bowers its magic, most others its noise. Dan

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: hank
Date: 24 Nov 98 - 09:20 AM

well Alice, drummers are taking a beating because the drum is a dective insterment. It looks easy enough, if you have a sense of rythm you think you can learn it in a few hours. It seems that most people pick it up, and beat our the rythem, and thats it. Drums played that way are not insterments, and those drummers are not musicians. The drum itself is a musical insterment, but you need to practice to get it that way, in fact a drummer probably has to practice more then other musicians because the drum has a peirceing sound that is heard all the time, but doesn't have a large range compared to the other insterments. Therefore to produce a nice sound you need to spend more time. With a fiddle you need to spend a lot of time before you can produce notes, by that time you know the instermetn, and hopefully can play a little music.

While watching my sister in marching band a few years back I heard someone playing the drums, just a standard drummer with no feeling. After he was done Josh (nephew to Bob Dylan) took the same drums, played the same rythem, but there was a difference. Josh was playing music, the other kid was beating a drum. You really need to hear the difference one.

I don't like the drums because nobody plays them. Much the same as Mark Twain said that nobody read huckelberry finn. Of course people read the words, but not the book. People beat a drum, but most don't play it.

You can treat ANY insterment like I'm accusing drummers of doing. You can play anything with the perfect notes, cords, and rythem. Next time your at a Jam session though, listen. You will probably notice that the best players, the ones you could listen to for hours are making more mistakes, then others. The difference is in the feeling, you don't need the right notes to play music. The best players know something that I can't explain, but I'd rather listen to them, and emulate them, then someone who plays like a computer.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: wlisk
Date: 24 Nov 98 - 09:45 AM

It has to be the saw. Have only heard it played a few times, and I don't think talent has any thing to do with the awful, synthetic sound they make! Talk about a jam buster.

Subject: RE: UN- Favourite Insruments. What are Yours?
From: Tinwhistler
Date: 24 Nov 98 - 10:41 PM

Scratch (as in Rap Music) is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. And those awful mall organs with the synthesized chord/percussion combos--yeesh!

Otherwise--I agree with most everyone else--any instrument well played has its appeal in the right circumstances.