Hello, Musicians!

[Lindz]

I've noticed a lot of musicians on this forum already, so I thought, why not start a thread? Let's talk about everything music. :)

I play the bass clarinet in band at my school, and I play piano. For some reason, however, I have a hard time reading piano music, but I can play basically whatever I hear, in my mind or elsewhere.

(random side note: CURSE YOU, TWILIGHT FOR USING THE CLAIR DE LUNE. IT'S MY FAVORITE CLASSICAL SONG. :mad:)

[Elanor Sarralyn]

(random side note: CURSE YOU, TWILIGHT FOR USING THE CLAIR DE LUNE. IT'S MY FAVORITE CLASSICAL SONG. :mad:)

It ruined it for me, too. :mad:

I play piano, am in loooove with Mozart. ;)

[Andrina]

I know *Bangs Twilight over the head* anyway I play the violin and singing. I play the violin a little. Singing is what I love though. Beethoven is my man but Mozart is aweome too.
@Lindz- Playing by ear is hard, your awesome!

[talesofsomething]

@Andrina--Hey, I play violin too! It's pretty much the only thing I can do, though, and I haven't had lessons in ages...but since my senior exit project revolves around composition, that's gonna change soon!

For everyone else, any other favorite composers/pieces?

[Terry Shayar]

I play piano and drums. Erm, when it comes to classical I only like Chopin... but if you're talking about more modern composers, my favorites would be Uematsu sensei and John Willians.

[talesofsomething]

John Williams FTW! He's only done like, what, every important soundtrack ever?

[Terry Shayar]

EVERY. SINGLE. ONE - I looooove the orchestra arrangements! My brother had like this entire collection of John Williams song covered by the Boston Pops and London Symphonic, and I'd listen to them all the time!

[Andrina]

John Williams Rocks!! I have all his stuff too! It's addictive :)

[AkitoTsubaki]

My exposure to music is summed up pretty well by the fact that I could sing all the verses to Amazing Grace before I could string words together into understandable sentences. I was a year and a half. >>;

Uh, yeah. Music; I dig it.

I've been wanting to pick up violin again (I played for a year or so in fourth grade), but right now I'm just singing. I also need to learn to read music before I think about playing an instrument. ;;

[Crazy Like a Fawkes]

Violinist and wannabe guitarist here! :D

John Williams is amazing. I also really like Phillip Glass.

And about Clair de Lune - yeeeah now there are a ton of fangirls going around thinking they know something about classical music because they have that song on their iPod, right in between "Supermassive Blackhole" and "That Shitty Song Edward Wrote for Bella" :mad:

[Lindz]

Violinist and wannabe guitarist here! :D

John Williams is amazing. I also really like Phillip Glass.

And about Clair de Lune - yeeeah now there are a ton of girls going around thinking they know something about classical music because they have that song on their iPod, right in between "Supermassive Blackhole" and "That Shitty Song Edward Wrote for Bella" :mad:

John Williams and Philip Glass are both sooo amazing. Philip Glass is a favorite for me right now.

I wish I could play violin sooo badly! Guitar too, even. String instruments are hard for me to pick up.

I'm currently really in love with Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu right now. :)

Oh and another side note: It's so cool to see how many musically inclined people are on here :D

[Lance]

Since I am a music major, I obviously have a lot to say, so I'll get right to it. XD

Currently I am studying Vocal Music Education (name pending to be changed to Choral Music Education), though I'm considering switching to Music Business. I'm going into my junior year, and I study voice (obvioulsly) as my main instrument. I am a tenor with some baritone-like qulities to my voice. We have yet to pidgenhole my *true* voice classification, IE Dramatic Tenor, Lyrical Tenor, ect ect. I sing Opera, Art Songs, and Musical Theatre repitoire in study. I aditionally like to sing modern material just for fun. I have been in musicals and operas since I was 14 years old. My favorite role I have played thus far (in music) are Huck Finn in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and the most recent role I did was a Chorus member in a little-known showcase opera called 'Witness' about early twentieth-century KKK members in Vermont and their victims. It was an intense show to say the least, and I was *that actor* that went to far in the church scene and decided to start slamming the floor with a fist. And I'm proud of it. My favorite selections I have sung in my voice studio thus far have been 'O Del Mio Amato Ben' by Steph. Dounaudy, 'Amor ti vieta,' from the opera Fedora, and 'Never Will I Marry' from the musical Greenwillow.

Additionally, I play the piano. My history with this instrument is checkered, but also ironically stable. I started playing at the age of 10 or so when my sister began to teach me what little she knew. Then, I played around for a few years until eventually I started to teach myself some. This was mostly fueled by a newfound passion for the music from Final Fantasy and the scores I was downloading back then. My mother then forced me into piano lessons, against my will (which I am so thankful for now today), and I took lessons for four or so years when my piano teacher moved away. By this point, I had absorbed it so much that I was already playing some great classics and also playing Final Fantasy piano collection music fairly well. I took for a few lessons from a new teacher from a university, but it wasn't a good fit, and I was VERY busy by highschool-standards, so I quit taking. But I never quit playing. You see, one of my greatest hobbies and passions is improvisational piano playing. I just love to sit down and let my frustrations out, or play a nice tune when I feel great, or when I'm feeling creative, invent an operetta scene or musical number or just a song (in my head, never seem to write it down) in 10 minutes. Then I usually go about my day. I also still enjoy sight reading. I play Final Fantasy, other "classical" music (which is a HUGE misnomer, by the way, I should be slapped -- but it's the easiest broad term so I put it in quotations), and contemporary music as well. I love the piano. I took my two semesters of required piano when I got to college, and finished them, taking one more semester before my class load started to become to large. But I still play everyday. I'm kind of spoiled, actually, when it comes to pianos. No matter where I go usually there is a Steinway. My school is an all-Steinway piano school, so when I go to the practice room a decent piano is waiting for me (upright, but still). At home (my hometown, not where I live in the city) we have a grand Steinway, and my grandmother also has one. So I usually have access to one (which I love).

Additionally, I like to song write (though mostly now I just improvise). I have aspirations to write songs, musicals, operas, you name it. I also have a passion for choral music. I love it. I've composed mostly choral pieces to this day, but I do plan to branch out. I've tried writing songs, but it's difficult sometimes. My main problem is that I can't discipline myself to write lyrics. I have the hardest time with lyrics. I have this great desire to write a song based on "Home," but the words just won't come to me, other than my current chorus, "I'm coming Home..." Which is a start, but not a song. XD

I have a great need for a lyricist/librettist, so if any writers are interested, let me know. XD

ANYWAY. I'm glad I could share some of my musical passions with you. I have a love for music that really goes beyond conventional music-loving. I don't pin myself down to one genre of music, and I'm always open to discovering new music, as long as its good. I don't qualify Arnold Shoenburg, Miley Cirus/Jonas Brothers, or Robert Shaw as good music.

Here are some of my favorite composers and pieces ever:

William Walton - The Coronation Te Deum for Elizabeth. This work. Is. Beautiful.

Johannes Brahms - His requiem, also the song "Die Machnacht," and his love song waltzes.

Mozart - Requiem (I love these)! Also, Marriage of Figaro is awesome. So is Cosi fan Tutti.

Eric Whitacre - Anything this man writes is a stroke of genius. Lux Aureminique (sp?), a Boy and a Girl, i thank You God for most this Amazing Day, Hebrew Love Songs, This Marriage... I'll stop now before I squee an explosion.

Verdi - Operas. Requiem. Love.

Wagner - Just for the fact that he went out on a limb and made the biggest grande opera EVER (Ring cycle in 4 4 hour parts) and basically won the award for most acid-induced story EVER.

Faure - Cantique de Jean Racine. Also, this man wrote some brilliant art songs, AND a Requiem. So I'm a sucker for it. XD

Chopin - I go back and forth on this one. I love Prelude in e minor until the end, but sometimes his music gets old. But I don't know what it is about it, but something allures me to this guy sometimes.

Loesser - Composer of the musicals/operas like The Most Happy Fella. This guy is brilliant.

Stephen-Freaking-Sondheim - I have no words other than I bow to this man. COMPANY IS THE GREATEST MUSICAL EVER. END OF STORY. Also, he wrote Sweeny Todd. But I don't think that's his greatest achievement, by ANY means. Little Night Music is also up there on the list of MADE OF WIN. Into the Woods is cute.

John Williams - One of the greatest musical scores from a movie is "Star Wars Episode IV." This music is SO GOOD and is heavily inspired by Stravinsky, who is also made of more win than I can say here. JWilliams is infamous for being a "copycat" of music sometimes, but I don't care. What he does is modern and appealing.

Howard Shore - LOTR. God music. Nuff said.

As for "contemporary artists," here are some of my favorites/songs/why...

Aqualung - I love him. So so much. His album "Memory Man" is possibly the greatest album ever AND the most underrated. Also he is funny as hell.

Andrew Bird - Win. He writes the most original music out there. Period. If he could just come over and play his violin for me... I would die and go to heaven. He's that good. His newest album, Noble Beast is WONDERFUL and intricate, and Mysterious Production of Eggs is the most MAGICAL album ever. His song "Armchairs" is probably the most identifiable song in the history of ever.

The Format - Even though they're broken up, I still love all the stuff they did. (fun album 8/25/09 FTW!) "As Work Permits" is wonderful.

the hereafter - Um. If you don't know them PLEASE check them out. They're a band that is not well known, but their music is so catchy and brilliant.

Regina Spektor - Originality is key here. "Soviet Kitsch" is probably one of her best albums. So good. Her newest album "Far" is also very good, although she has become more "mainstream" of late. Dance Anthem of the 80s.... yes please.

The Decemberists - Wonderful Group. Should receive an award for The Hazards of Love. This story (rock opera-concept album) is seriously so twisted and amazing that I can't contain myself sometimes... *sigh*

These are just some of my favorites. I thought I'd share... there's more, but my brain is shutting down.

Anyway, that's that. Anyone interested in writing songs/lyrics/librettos with me give me a holler, please. ^_^

MUSIC = LOVE

[Terry Shayar]

WHOA. I can definitely see your passion for music is very strong, Lance. It must be awesome to be so committed to something. Unlike me - I can never stay 100% committed to something... sigh. Probably that's why I have sucha screwed up activities record in school now. But I digress(again)

Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, John Williams - they all excellent of course, but my all time favorite genre of music would have to be rock. Classic rock and alternative rock would be my favorite genres. i.e I love stuff by Aerosmith, Muse, Coldplay, Metallica, Queen, and many more. My favorite songs would most probably be erm,

Muse - Citizen Erased, Hyper Music/Hyper Chondraic Music, Hysteria, New Born, Falling Down, Falling Away With You, Unintended(live HAARP), Space Dementia, Supermassive Black Hole, Knights of Cydonia, Invincible, Butterflies and Hurricanes

(NOTE: I happen to have fallen in love with Muse long before I even touched a Twilight book. It disgusts me that so many girls who claim they are Muse fans actually listen to the band because of SM. That's really sad.)

Aerosmith - Dream On, Back In The Saddle, Don't Wanna Miss A Thing, lots more I can't remember the titles of

Metallica - Nothing Else Matters, Orion, One, Enter Sandman, Master of Puppets

Coldplay - Viva La Vida, Yellow, Clocks, Lovers In Japan, Shiver

J-rock: Vanilla by Gackt, most songs by L'Arc En Ciel, Aucifer, quite a few more songs by SID.

Man ~ (: I loooooove music.

[LilianG]

I play piano, bass and guitar and sing and write songs :P I'm in a band also. My little sister plays violin which I'm very jealous about, I've always wanted to play violin :)

Twilight ruined Claire de lune for me also :( And I don't like the new Muse fans who only like them because of twilight :(

I really like Mozart, Beethoven and John Williams, but I mostly like rock. And I find "older" music to be much better than the new :)

[Lindz]

Wow, Lance, you've completely blown me away! I was considering majoring in music for a while but I don't think I'm familiar enough with the piano to do so. Sure, I can play whatever I think of, but for some reason when I try to read music I just can't. I had piano lessons for a few years, but my teacher sucked and we really never got anywhere. I've been teaching myself for about 7 years, just playing this & that. I CAN read bass clarinet/clarinet sheet music well, though. Strange..

[Lance]

@Lillian, see what's funny is: I find newer music better. Always. I like listening to new music (in the contemporary world -- rock and such). There's something so refreshing about it. I'm constantly discovering new music and artists and I love it. This is probably why I'll go into the music business. I listen to older tunes occasionally... but for the most part I'm into what's new. HOWEVER, in "classical" music, I prefer the older stuff.. Bach for instance. I'm really weird like that.

I've never really been into classic rock... though I do like me some Queen and random stuff from the 80's. Jazz is always fun.

[LilianG]

@Lance: You can't argue with music taste :D Tho I do like new indie bands etc. but the "mass music" is just not my taste :)

[Terry Shayar]

What do you mean by "mass music", Lindz? Never heard of the term before O.o

[Andrina]

Wow Lance! You have awesome music taste. I loved the piano but did not show a real gift for it. I am much better on the violin (though still not great)

[LilianG]

Oh, I'm not sure if it is a real term, Terry Shayar *blushes* I meant this music that comes from the radio all the time and that all the teenagers love and drool after :) I'm really sorry for my bad english :S

[Terry Shayar]

Ah. I'd just call that pop. The stuff I like are usually not as mainstream, but I think I have some friends who call it pop-rock. Like, currently I'm listening to Franz Ferdinand? Their stuff are kind of indie rock/pop. Slightly progressive in my opinion. Take Me Out is awesome.

Don't sweat it about the English. We're an international community here, so we all definitely give each other a lot of allowances when it comes to language. 'Sides, no where in our rules does it state that we'd eat you up for poor English. For good examples of that, please refer to the TWELVE YEAR OLD FANGIRL! RAWR! thread. Teehee.

Anyone here can recommend some good alt/indie/new progressive rock? I mostly listen to Muse, Coldplay, Electrico(which is local here), The Script, Franz Ferdinand (which is new), and probably a few more bands that I don't even really remember the names of, just the sound of their music. I like stuff with good, interesting riffs. *hopeful look* I need to set up my mugging playlist soon so I can turn the engines on for my major exams.

[SpirkTrekker42]

I've played the piano since age six, and it's one of my passions. I learned how to play the classics (Brahms and Debussy are some of my favorites) but now I really enjoy picking out movie themes by ear. Well, I have to listen to them a lot first, but it's not too hard to get the basics. Star Trek soundtracks are full of beautiful, unique themes. I love Jerry Goldsmith's TMP main theme as well as Ilia's theme and I managed to pick them out. I also picked out Giacchino's nutrek main theme. I really want more of the Trek soundtracks - I can never get enough. :o

[Crazy Like a Fawkes]

@Terry - I love Franz Ferdinand! I saw them in concert a few months ago and they were brilliant. :D
If you are looking for some alternative bands I have like a bazillion that I could recommend. I hope you like at least a few of these ^.^

Radiohead - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBH97ma9YiI
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RByvzmmEFiQ
The Shins - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11Kr1-q-pA
Keane - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm-KFVp4NmQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maKVPe677Jc
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQGu5NAwchg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO5iOxKhfs0
The Arcade Fire - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zdNdjF-htY
Tegan and Sara - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8KAU9vWGgc and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74ezTBSuKy0
Beirut - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCkT4K-hppE
And also David Bowie, even though he isn't indie rock. He is basically fabulous though, so I had to throw him in there - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq3EZhT3G7U

[Lindz]

...I really enjoy picking out movie themes by ear. Well, I have to listen to them a lot first, but it's not too hard to get the basics. Star Trek soundtracks are full of beautiful, unique themes. I love Jerry Goldsmith's TMP main theme as well as Ilia's theme and I managed to pick them out. I also picked out Giacchino's nutrek main theme. I really want more of the Trek soundtracks - I can never get enough. :o


Oh my god, me too!! To all of that! Although I consider Ilia's theme Kirk and Spock's theme. I can play pretty much all of "Hella Bar Talk" from ST:XI by ear. Giacchino is amazing, ain't he? Goldsmith too. :) I have a CD called "The Ultimate Star Trek (http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Star-Trek-Compilation/dp/B00004ZEJG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1248154827&sr=1-3)" with a bunch of beautiful Star Trek themes on it. I've been listening to it for so many years. I love it all. <3

[Lindz]

This may seem random but is anyone else totally in love with swing/big band/jazz?!? I can't get enough of it at the moment.

[writerserenyty]

Clarinet, ftw! I looove playing it. I'm a huge fan of a LOT of music; I listen to a lot of classical music (Gustav Holst is my favorite, but I love clarinet solos and romantic/classical era music), alternative/indie rock (I'm seeing The Dead Weather live on Monday, and Arctic Monkeys in September). My favorite band is The New Pornographers; they're alternative, with some power pop, and all sorts of awesomeness.

IF YOU WANT GOOD ALT/INDIE, LISTEN TO THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS. Pure win. Also, Crazy Like a Fawkes rocks for the recs of The Shins (great band) and Radiohead. I'd also recommend ELO (Electric Light Orchestra); BEST classic rock group ever.

I also love Japanese Pop music; my favorites include Morning Musume, Melon Kinenbi, Aya Matsuura, AKB48 and others. The girl in my avatar is actually Yoshizawa Hitomi from Morning Musume and now rocks it in the rock/pop duo Hangry and Angry. She is also my future wife, but she doesn't know it yet.

[Crazy Like a Fawkes]

AHH! I lovelovelove The New Pornographers. How did I forget to suggest them?

Holst is also pretty amazing.

You know who I am really liking right now? Tchaikovsky. I have no idea why but I haven't been able to stop listening to Marche Slave and The Nutcracker the past few days, even though the latter is very much out of season.

[SpirkTrekker42]

Oh my god, me too!! To all of that! Although I consider Ilia's theme Kirk and Spock's theme.

Secretly, I do think that! :o Basically, it's not that much of a stretch due to all those not-so-subtle Decker/Ilia parallels to K/S. ;) It's just one of those achingly beautiful themes that just makes me want to float off into space somewhere... It's perfect for K/S. I really wish they would revive it for one of the Trek sequels.

[rexchanna]

Hi! I play the piano, and sometimes the guitar, and mostly not anything popular or even recognizeable to most people.

[Terry Shayar]

@Lindz: I go more for fusion jazz, like erm, Tokyo Jihen from Japan, SID from Japan; it's jazz-rock. I like big band jazz, if done right. I'm extremely particular when it comes to jazz.

@CrazyLikeFawkes: Oooooooooooooooh thank you! So many nice songs to listen to now!

And erm, I think I've probably been advertising for it a million times, but has anyone heard United States of Eurasia by Muse yet? GO LISTEN TO IT NAO!!!!

I think it's their most progressive song to date, but I haven't really heard their other songs on the album since it's not out yet. Freaking awesomeness. *infatuated look* I seriously can't get enough of Muse... Does anyone have more of their B-sides to offer? I only have the stuff in Hullabaloo and some of their other later stuff, but I really want moar!

[nofuturenopast]

I'm really impressed by the number of musically inclined people here xD

I played the trombone and some auxiliary percussion in school, but I play guitar and bass and sometimes set as well. Mostly guitar now though since I travel so much.
I tried teaching myself sitar for three months and failed :(
I love music. I'm into pretty much anything but country and most rap. Recently been listening to culture-specific stuff (I love Spanish music so much sometimes)

[Terry Shayar]

Celtic music! Anyone here listens to Celtic music?