Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it?

Posted by mpk on Thursday August 06, 2009 @07:48PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Most of the coders I've met either play an instrument or wish they could play one.

I play the violin, but not at concert solo level. So I just play for my own enjoyment (digging into classical, modern and folk).

On the coder side I've run into people who do drums, piano, flute, etc over the last several years. Playing music or just wishing to play music is a consistent thread here.

I'm just wondering - what are you guys/girls playing?

( 20 comments | 9 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by brk on Thursday August 06, 2009 @09:39PM (#746841)

I don't play any instrument, but wish I could/intend to try to learn something.

I do however do custom guitar pedal effects and mods, and have done some various bits of studio hacking/engineering work (when I still lived in Detroit I helped a well known artist get his first PC-based/digital mixing board up and running).

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by vabmit on Friday August 07, 2009 @01:10PM (#748004)

I taught myself acoustic guitar. First, I learned from books and websites. Then when YouTube came out, I found a lot of very good "How to Play Song X" videos on it. I really enjoyed learning to play. Spending 5-10 hours a week away from my computer, and not looking at a screen for most of that time, significantly boosted my productivity and improved my morale. I was pretty burned out and looking for something to do besides computer work, and reading about computers, when I started picking it up. I haven't played in a few years, though. As I got older, I kinda lost interest in music (both listening to and playing).

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by mixmax on Thursday August 06, 2009 @08:28PM (#746748)

I used to play saxophone - but I sucked. I also play a teeny little bit of piano.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by cperciva on Thursday August 06, 2009 @09:21PM (#746815)

Violin. I could have gone professional, but decided that I'd enjoy it more if I kept music as a hobby, and that computing/mathematics paid better for less work anyway.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by actually on Thursday August 06, 2009 @08:20PM (#746744)

The AXiS49. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9-OSCl7kOc

It's like cheating at music.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by TallGuyShort on Thursday August 06, 2009 @08:55PM (#746787)

Piano - I really like how versatile and consistent it is. If I were to learn another instrument, it'd definitely be guitar.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by icey on Thursday August 06, 2009 @08:07PM (#746731)

I play guitar very poorly. When I'm stuck on a problem I'll run scales for awhile until the answer hits me.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by ScottWhigham on Thursday August 06, 2009 @08:39PM (#746766)

Guitar - jazz and blues. I used to play pro and then "found" computers :)

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by simplify on Thursday August 06, 2009 @10:30PM (#746890)

Awesome. If you don't mind, do you have any music links of you playing I can listen to?

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by ScottWhigham on Saturday August 08, 2009 @12:27PM (#749446)

I don't have but 1 or 2 songs today online and those are not ones I'm too proud of lol. I did just buy a new Eric Johnson Fender Strat and have started getting back into practicing though :)

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by nuweborder on Friday August 14, 2009 @09:18AM (#762923)

I dont play music, but I love to listen to it. HipHop, R&B, Pop, Jazz, Classical, Blues, Rock, everything. I too have noticed that playing music is a consistent trend for many.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by humbledrone on Friday August 07, 2009 @02:06AM (#747120)

Electronic drums, banjo, guitar, piano, trumpet -- in order of increasing skill (not that it increases to any significant level).

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by stonemetal on Thursday August 06, 2009 @09:27PM (#746822)

piano and saxophone(not at the same time :) ) Though recently I have been thinking of taking up bass guitar.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by paul9290 on Thursday August 06, 2009 @11:01PM (#746918)

Play piano and guitar; try to sing too as I write music and someone needs to sing it.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by bdmac97 on Thursday August 06, 2009 @11:26PM (#746939)

Expert Rockband drums... that counts right?

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by wooby on Friday August 07, 2009 @03:56AM (#747243)

Me too. And absolutely it counts; VB programmers are still programmers aren't they?

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by weaksauce on Friday August 07, 2009 @12:28AM (#746997)

I play the guitar.

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by alanthonyc on Thursday August 06, 2009 @10:02PM (#746861)

piano, guitar...not well

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by apu on Saturday August 08, 2009 @02:42PM (#749644)

Clarinet

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Re:Ask HN: If you play an instrument, which is it? by cmos on Thursday August 06, 2009 @10:35PM (#746895)

guitar hero!

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