My dd bought me a Ukulele for Christmas :) anyone else trying to learn an Instrument

Hi bikergran what a lovely gift . My daughter has a ukulele and has made good progress with knocking out a tune. Good luck with learning, you will have fun.

My granddaughter (8) taught herself to play from an app!

I've bought dh a saxophone and lessons!!

I was interested and bought one, went to lessons, loved the vibe and met some great people in the process. But I couldn't spare the time to practice. An expert (well more of an expert than me) remarked that playing should come as naturally as driving. When I heard that, I knew I could never get there...

Blinko I'm sure it deff wont come naturally to me, lol but will give it a good try.

The tutorials make it look so simple

Good luck to all whos trying anything new.

(I will let you know when I'm on BGT)

Grandma70s sounds like you have a talented gd there

My DD bought me a kalimba (African thumb piano). It came with a tuning hammer, carrying bag and a decorative tassel.
There are plenty of YouTube video tutorials, so I'm going to give it my best shot.

I started to play 3 years ago when I retired. It is quite easy compared to guitar. Lots of great tutorials on YouTube. You will need to practice, but it is quite addictive. There are lots of ukulele groups around, I used to go to 3 locally, all very informal with a mixture of abilities but all very welcoming to all levels of ability. Sadly all groups stopped at first lockdown and have been unable to restart since. Hopefully some time this year they will resume. In the meantime have a look at YouTube, there are loads of songs you can strum along to with just a few chords. Have fun!

Anyone else trying a musical Instrument

Not me, but I did buy 2 drum kits for some kids down the street.
It's pay-back time for their parents who used to play "music" CDs at all hours and full volume in pre-Covid evenings!

Good Health

Have never been musical sadly.

Was given a toy clarinet from Santa when young, with instructions.

I mastered ‘London Bridge’ and can still play it by the numbers....5,6,5,4, 3, 4,5,..2,3,4,...3,4,5,..5,6,5,4,3,4,5,...2,5,3,1,

I think!

?????

Nuffink to play it on now though

?

I taught myself to play the clarinet - tune by tune rather than properly. Like many others, I also taught myself to play the guitar when in my teens.

I got the guitar out a couple of weeks ago, after probably 20 years, to use it for our outdoor carol service. Practice, unfortunately, didn't make up for less flexible joints and freezing cold fingers!

So go for it, anyone who's been given an instrument. Take up the challenge and have fun - which is what it's all about.

I am completely untalented (I discovered) but decided to take up the bagpipes in retirement. To further my musical theory knowledge I went on a six week uke course at the local library, they lent us a uke, but I prefer my pipes, even though they are loud and I am not awfully good, but they suit the fields where I ‘play’ much better than the uke did (I am not allowed to play in the house)

Good luck

My sister took up the Ukelele about 10 years ago and enjoys playing it (she's 78). I've never heard her play, though.
At school I learnt recorder, but kept bursting out laughing and it made a fearful noise!!

I haven’t found anything I can play one handed, any ideas?

I have one - and lots of other instruments too. Learning music can be a real brain booster. Good luck!

One-handed music has been written for the piano, so maybe a keyboard, Blossoming. Many keyboards have programmed in accompaniments/rhythms, so you could play the melody with an appropriate accompaniment.

Glad most of you had/having a go, we could all have hidden talents.

Now when we all get together we need a name for our Band lol

Rockin n Rolling Grans !

Just going to try and tune mine with the digi tuner that came with it.

Thank you for replying septimia. I shall look into that,