...and I've always thought how cool it would be and how I'm just hanging out on the wrong side of the tracks, apparently...lol...at least for getting a free fiddle. Well, these days I have no time to play any of my instruments, and they sit or hang dusty, and unused, and even out of tune. Lots of times I plass by them and tune them up, just because it is mean to an instrument to let it sit out of tune...lol. I'm not into sitting by witnessing cruelty to musical instruments or anybody else.
But anyway...I used to want one of those African drums...the djembe type drums that sound so cool and are so expensive. Then the other day grandson walks in the door carrying two of the drums. I'm like...wow...where in the world have you been??? The bigger one is in great shape; the smaller one has a rip going straight through the middle of the head. I'm figuring duct tape oughta take care of that...at least for now. Someone gave those to grandson because they were moving and didn't wanna haul them around. So...I wish I had time to fiddle with those drums, or even more time to try to learn some actual patterns commonly played on them...but...unfortunately...I have no time or chance to mess with instruments.
So it's weird, isn't it, the mistiming of the whole thing...lol. Now I have their beauty to look at and once in a while pass by and tap on one or the other...plus I have a toy djembe drum with plastic instead of wood at the bottom, which I had bought for grandson when he took a music class as a preschooler...he gave it back a few years later. So now I have two real drums and a toy one that doesn't sound bad really either.
Then I've got 3 fiddles and a viola and down to 4 guitars and one banjo...not to mention one cheapo C-tuned harmonica that I can't play worth a hoot...all sitting here...silent...lol. But here they are all together with me. So...it's nice...I wish I could play them....lol.
Too bad you don’t live near me, Peggy! Our senior center has an “African drumming circle” that meets once a week… (it has a BG jam too, and a singing folksongs jam with guitars and singers…)
I am definitely gonna go there after I retire (meeting times are like Thursdays at 3:00, etc.) :-/
Pegs I have all manner of instruments in my studio downstairs - horns, strings, banjos, concertinas, even a set of bagpipes. I make an effort to play them all at least 1X a month. My policy is always if they dont get played they get sold or given away. Its a crime to have instruments just sit and gather dust.
I agree with you it's just not nice to let good instruments sit by without playing. I would play mine if I could...no time, no chance for doing anything like that. Trust me, it's killing me. I hang onto them for hope that at some point in caring for it gets to where I can play some music again.
We have given away 5 fiddles, 8 bows, and 4 mandolins over the last few years - to a music store that is connected with a state / county organization that will make sure that students (HS) will receive an instrument when they are available - if they want to learn to play. And the music store provides lessons.
They are great. Some of the students they have taught are exceptional.
Yes!!!!!!!!!!
quote:
Originally posted by tonyelderWe have given away 5 fiddles, 8 bows, and 4 mandolins over the last few years - to a music store that is connected with a state / county organization that will make sure that students (HS) will receive an instrument when they are available - if they want to learn to play. And the music store provides lessons.
They are great. Some of the students they have taught are exceptional.
Yes!!!!!!!!!!
I might add - I'm pushing 74. Why do I need this many instruments?
Selling them - is not as nearly as good for my "soul" as thinking about the joy someone might get from having an instrument - when they want to play. I wish they were better quality than what they are - but they do meet a need. I am thankful ...and I smile for what we have been able to do. Thank you Lord,
I'd like to add that the music store makes sure that the instruments are set up as best as they can - regardless of what the quality might be. Good folks. Music Store at Mountain View, Arkansas - Scott and Shea Poole. Beautiful people! Proud to know them.
Edited by - tonyelder on 06/15/2025 21:59:31
I've given away guitars and a cello myself. But I like the 4 guitars I have now. I'd hate to give up all my lonely, dusty instruments because of hubby's illness, then one day we will be financially wiped out from dealing with this, and I'd have no instruments and probably no hope of ever being able to buy more.
I got really motivated and got that djembe drum out and tuned up my fiddle and got the banjo ready...was gonna sing and play Glory, Glory...or Since I Laid my Burden Down, or whatever you wanna call it. Chaos...the house turned to chaos...lol...it's not funny, really. Now it's chaos, is all I can say. It was a mistake to try to focus on something. At least Studio One hadn't cut me off again yet though, I did get on there.
My plan was to play djembe drum and sing the first time through, add guitar picking and sing second time through, add fiddling and sing third time through...add banjo and sing last couple of times, only last time, as the first time, just singin' and djembe drum. By that time the entire groundhog choir would've joined in. But...didn't happen. Don't know when it ever can.
That was the groundhog plan though, typical groundhog plan for a multi-track recording. Just couldn't do it . Now I've got a lot to do just because I tried. I tried to make music but all I made was a very tough day ahead. Maybe somehow it'll work out next time.
Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 06/16/2025 08:22:42
Well I'm tired of waiting to put my ideas as they rot inside my head into practice...lol...so I just found a few minutes today and did some sangin' with one of the drums. I had more than one drum part going on the recording, but it was so awful I deleted them out and just left the one, which isn't great...lol. But here's the groundhog choir doing a quick Glory, Glory, H. S. I. L. M. B. D. I'd love to play it on my new little guitar...since there's no fiddle or strings of any kind I figured I really oughta share it somewhere other than the sound off forum...so...here it is. Studio One hasn't kicked me back outta there again yet...lol.
youtu.be/8tIOuK3Ojdc?si=ROQXMkPXe6wBF8Sd
Sounds so cool, Peggy! 
You seem to be a drumming natural.
PS You got a bluebird too, just like in the last Sound Off I watched...was that farmerjones...:-)
Edited by - NCnotes on 06/27/2025 12:04:23
If I've never truly cottoned to one of my instruments or if I get a new instrument that supersedes another I own, I can part with the old instrument without getting too teary over it. To be sure, though, I still own a veritable closet-full of musical instruments...and a special room in the garage where I have my very old, very excellent Mason & Hamlin upright piano.
Thanks, NC. I don't know about drumming natural...lol...my left hand doesn't seem to get into the idea...it was fun trying though.
Ed, I agree all the instruments are equally as important in our lives. These drums grandson dragged in the other day are in pretty rough shape...I'm tellin' ya. If I ever feel like I'm really learning to play them and how to incorporate them into something I like to play, I'll probably try to buy some that are in decent shape. It's nice having these old banged up, beat up things though, one of them has a piece of duct tape going across a rip in the goat skin. I didn't get the time to play that one in this recording...its sounds pretty weird...very thuddy...of course, loving clawhammer as I do, I see a place for thuddiness in a rhythm...lol.
It's fun trying to play these...I did intend to put a lot of verses and include other instruments along the way, but this was all the time I could stretch out for myself. And it made the rest of my day so much more difficult. Not sure I can continue to spend time and focus recording, the way things are going here. it's been a hard day, long day...I think recording was not a smart thing to do.
Edited by - groundhogpeggy on 06/27/2025 14:29:44
My experience with those drums is that that can need tensioning, adjusting of the ropes. It is a tedious task if you don't know what you're doing. Also, high humidity will make the head slack and some dry heat, like a hand held hair dryer, will tighten them up.
But to be honest, the one you start with sounds plenty taut. Those Djembe drums can make a lot of different sounds.
Edited by - ChickenMan on 06/27/2025 20:30:05
I don't know anything about them and really have no time to try to figure it all out. I figure if I do catch on to the rhythms, fat chance, but IF I ever do...I think I'll just buy synthetic for the ease of upkeep and not try to get into to messin' with the ropes or goats. That's so weird...I just thought about it now, they have a guitar picking festival in Kentucky called "Goat Ropin'," has nothing to do with ropes or goats, unless one sees guitar strings as ropes and banjo heads a ropes, maybe? Lol...I never thought of it that way before, seemed like it was just a crazy name for a guitar pickin' festival.
I think I have a high degree of self discipline. My wife thinks I an obsessed.
After morning chores I play guitar for 2 or 3 hours. It is necessary in order to play lots of tunes from memory. Between 5:30 and 8:00 P:M: I practice fiddle. Exercises and tunes. Earlier in the afternoon I try to remember to play my Stelling banjo for a couple of hours.
At 8:00 in the evening, I watch TV. While watching TV I browse tunes and when I have a question, I get the answers from the book "Edly's Music Theory for Practical People".
That is a great tutorial that does not make learning music theory harder than it really is.
By now you have probably guessed that I am retired and too old for extracurricular activities. Fiddling has been educational. I have learned owning three very good fiddles did not improve my fiddling. Same thing with 3 guitars. Billy String's career is not in jeopardy. All this playing may end up with good results. When I 'kick the bucket" and end up in what is called "Hell", I can probably play my fiddle and get ejected.
It’s like you’re in music school, Dick! Sounds like a good retirement to me :-)
@ Dick Hauser "By now you have probably guessed that I am retired and too old for extracurricular activities"....
You can't be all that bad if you can still lift a Stelling banjo. ;0)
Good for you, Dick! I'm sure you sound great on all your instruments! That practice has gotta be taking effect...maybe you don't see it, but it's there. We don't see our own progress, most of the time.
I would love to be playing and practicing and doing a lot of other things I like to do or really just need to do, but it's impossible while taking care of my favorite person, who is in a big struggle...and we're in it together...the way we've handled so many trials over these past 50 years. Now the brakes have slammed to a screeching halt on everything, and each hour of every day is fear and difficulty. I can't play any instruments...or rarely...at times I grab one and try for a few minutes but a lot of bad stuff happens when I try that.
Anyway, Dick, I know you were speaking in jest, but I'll tell ya, I grew up fearing Hell to the very core of my being. It really messed me up with a lot of anxiety and probably just unhealthy feelings about myself. I knew it wasn't possible, logically, but when they drill it into your brain with fervor for all your youth, it's just there. Finally, at about the age of 68 or so, I finally logically reconciled with myself that there is no hell. I mean...I wish there was, because I can name a few that would leave the world a better place if they would just go there...lol...but the only justice served is what we tap into by observation, empathy, caring for our future, and making laws we all agree to observe. That's it. Ain't no big punisher in the universe. That's my feeling anyway, and I wish I could have come to that sooner in my life...I would have done a lot less torturing of myself and probably would have had the presence of mind to do more good and stop being so timid. Anyway, there's my two cents...always free...lol...although probably not worth the money.
