Susan's Place Transgender Resources

"We're putting the band back together." Elwood Blues.

It seems there's a lot of musical talent here at Susan's.

So, what instrument(s) do you play?  Do you sing?  Have you ever been in a band or an orchestra?  Have you ever played live on stage?  Have you played solo?  What type of music do you play/sing?  What's your favorite song?  What's your most memorable moment?  Are you actively playing/singing?

If you had to provide your musical resume, what would it look like?

Julie

I can play the piano (my primary instrument), the guitar, viola (in HS) and Clarinet (just enough to get a feel fo the woodwinds although I love the tone).  I inherited my grandfather's German concertina too and I can find my way around on it.

Before puberty I had a soprano voice that people said was exceptional.

I was a music major in high school and was planning on making it my career.  I wrote songs and orchestral music too.  I played numerous times live, on stage, for school concerts.  Never a payin' gig though.

The rotten thing is that I don't own a piano and I rarely get to play anything.  I strongly suspect that when I decided to "be a man" all those years ago I repressed my creativity and lost my music.  I sold my violin and viola a number of years ago because I hadn't touched them for so long and was about to move.  I still play (slowwwly) on the piano if I get my hands on one and would love to get better playing jazz.

I love jazz and orchestral music.  Choral music is also a joy (last Sunday's choral holiday concert was so beautiful it made me cry).  The music is the absolute BEST part of the holidays.

hugs & smiles
helen

Sing and play guitar. I've also played tenor sax, bass clarinet and drums.

Played sax, guitar and drums in a band when I was a teenager. Didn't last long because I was underage and we performed in bars, which was a bureaucratic nightmare for the bandmembers.

Currently sing jazz in a small (13 members) vocal jazz group and would like to get back to playing classical guitar.

Most memorable musical moment was when I agreed to play guitar for a friend's wedding very shortly before the wedding (because the musician they had hired quit with no notice). Spent 72 hours practicing a few Mozart pieces. Performed very nervously (I really don't like playing guitar in front of people) and found out, luckily afterwards, that David Foster had been among the wedding guests. Needless to say no recording contract offer arose out of it ;)

Sang live on stage for the past couple of years and just did my first solo recently. I don't really have any desire to play guitar in front of people. It's kind of my private thing. I will occasionally play for friends, but that's about it.

Dennis

I play cello, upright bass, electric bass.  I doodle on the guitar and piano.  I read music and have an intuitive feel for music as it leaps off the page at me.  Every time I hear a melody, I work out an arrangement in my head for it.  I go to sleep putting instruments and voices to parts in my head nearly every night.  I've been able to draw music from just about any instrument I've picked up.. I just love to play.  I do a bit of home studio hobby sort of stuff but have no recordings that I've kept.  I teach cello and have been thinking of teaching double bass next year.

I love to sing.  I was active in choirs when I was younger.  I had the lead in my high school musical.  I have a long history of directing chamber and vocal groups along with church choirs.  I relied on music scholarships to help pay for college.  My music professors were always trying to convince me to major in music.  But I followed the money and got my degree in electrical engineering.

I sang and played professionally in a band for 8 years.  We played mostly pop stuff and a trunk load of requests.  We were mostly a vocal band.  The year I quit playing professionally to work as an engineer, I took a 50 percent pay cut.  I gave up singing for the most part after my transition. I'll sing a tenor or alto part to harmonize, but I'll never sing lead again.  That is one of the cherished things I have lost.

I currently perform with two symphony orchestras. I am principal cellist in one and second in the other.  My last couple of concerts were sold completely out by the way.  That's a tribute to my groups and directors and not me.  They are wonderful people with great talent.

Memorable moments?  There are too many to write about.

Long time ago... in a galaxy far away... We were just going through our list of songs as we normally did at a wedding dance.  We forgot to exclude one... "If you leave me now." by Chicago.  We recognized its inappropriateness for a wedding immediately and smiled at each other. We mumbled the words a bit in harmony. We cut it short and moved on.  I don't think that anyone really noticed.

My bow left my hand in a quick passage during a concert once... and struck the conductor in the face.  That was fun.  Last year, my instrument popped a string in a concert.  I played the remainder without it.  Fortunately it was one that I could cover with other positions.

Recently at a concert in the central valley, the audience gave us a standing ovation and would not us leave the stage.  You wouldn't think there is that sort of demand for quasi classical / bluegrass music presentations, but these people loved it.  We tried to leave the stage and they started stomping their feet.  That really moved me to tears.

Even though I love music terribly, other than vocal work, I consider myself a pretty average musician.  I love to play and participate in every function or group that will have me.... although I did pass on playing in a ->-bleeped-<- band back in the 80's.  That was a good decision for me even though they did meet with some success and actually made some money.

I love music.  God is in music.

Cindi

Can't sing worth a toot or dance for that matter but played trumpet all my kid years!
can hold the tune in my head cannot project it into the lips or legs.. How awful is that!
I'd be better being the ticket boy or bouncer for your band?

Quote from: Ricki on December 18, 2006, 08:43:16 PM
Can't sing worth a toot or dance for that matter but played trumpet all my kid years!
can hold the tune in my head cannot project it into the lips or legs.. How awful is that!
I'd be better being the ticket boy or bouncer for your band?

Be a groupie, Ricki. They get to go backstage and mingle with the band. Plus you can wear really tight skirts.

Dennis

QuoteSo, what instrument(s) do you play? 

Drums.

JOKE:
Q: What do you call someone that hangs out with musicians?
A: Drummer

QuoteDo you sing?

Only when I have to...

QuoteHave you ever been in a band or an orchestra?

Several.  The one that finally gigged continuously started out as "Anduril", but our manager convinced us it was too hard to explain to club managers, so we changed it (with his help) to "Messenger".

QuoteHave you ever played live on stage?

Does a club stage count?  If you mean something more concert-y, the answer's still 'yes'.

QuoteHave you played solo?

I hate doing drum solos, but -- yes...

QuoteWhat type of music do you play/sing?

We were a 'top 40 and Nostalgia' band, so we did a wide variety of stuff (including 'Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy'), but we especially liked southern hard rock, intellectual rock, and stuff in odd patterns.

QuoteWhat's your favorite song?

Just ONE?
"Gonna' Get You Anyway"
"Kashmir"
"Subdivisions"
"Gettin' Betta'"
"Don't Tell Me You Love Me"
"Bloodsucking Leeches"
(I'm prob'ly showing my age...)

QuoteWhat's your most memorable moment?

Playing New Years at the Cavanaugh's in Kennewick, Washington.  They put us in the ballroom on a big stage.  The band was firing on all cylinders, and the audience was INTO IT!

Or maybe it was the night the singer sang the entire first verse of "Walk This Way" on helium, cracking up us AND the audience, and damn near passing out on stage from lack of oxygen while we sang the chorus "Walk this way..."

Or maybe it was the night the bass player ripped into "The Sailor's Hornpipe" for his 32-bar lead at the end of "Heart of Rock 'n' Roll", taking the rest of the band by surprise, and cracking EVERYBODY up (the next night one guitar player surprised us with "Woody Woodpecker and the other one did it with "The Flintstones"...)

QuoteAre you actively playing/singing?

No.  Woodshedding one day a week for an hour, keeping the chops alive.

QuoteIf you had to provide your musical resume, what would it look like?

"Promoted mass alcoholism"

Karen

Wow, what a setofquestions.....

Primarily Im a drummer, a very VERY fast one.... I play a 4 piece clasic Slingerland 78 oversized kit on a gibralter rack, Cymbals are all Zildjian A's, A customs, and K customs....

I also play piano (concert, rock, and Jazz) which Im actualy extreemly out of practice on, and the flute (again concert, rock, jazz, and folk)  I can also play just about anything else given to me so long as it dosnt require strings....

I can and do sing backing vocals, but Im haveing lots of fun perfecting my fem singing voice, I can hit all the notes and tones I want but I cant get the volume or projection I want.......... yet.  Practice makes perfect...

Im a fan of all things punk....  bands like Face to Face, Descendants, Bad Religion, No Use For a Name, and the list goes on and on.....

Favriote song....... bad question, dont have one.... and Im not going to list all the ones I REALLY like here... My fingers would get tired...

Currently Im in a band called Still I Stand...they know about my transition ofcorse but dont seem to really respect it which is deffinatly shown in the layout of our Myspace page.... 

I was in my middle schools award winning Jazz band, and in HS played concert piant for many events...

Im planing a move to Denver in Febuary and will allmost imediatly start looking for or putting together another band sence my band mates are content liveing at home with there parrents and makeing next to nothing and NOT TOURING like we should *shrugs*

I do have an actual musical resume but I wont post it here... That would mean digging it up, and its too long anyways........

You guys put me to shame when it comes to instruments.  I would say my best instrument is the piano.  I practice every once in a while, but I seem quite adept at learning new stuff on it.  I used to play the clarinet for 2 years in junior high and other instruments I can play, but not very well are: Guitar, Cello, Harmonica :P.

However, when it comes to singing, I think I do quite well.  I can sing as both male or female (without any special equipment, although female song selections are more limited) and I have been singing since I was a kid, but I really started working on it in junior high and highschool, where I was in a choir for the next 4 years.  I have sang regularly on an amateur basis since then.

Melissa

I think music is the "thing" in my life.. Has been and always will be  :P :P

I used to sing when I was young enough... But then I grow as a man and have no voice anymore   :-\ :-\

Then I played flute couple of years.. That wasn't my instrument so I changed to guitar  8) 8)
I played guitar 80-94, then I was forced to sell my Fender because I needed new summer tiers to my car  ::) ::)

Well 92-97 I worked as a Dj, so I played turntables  ;D ;D ;D
And that time my favorite song was Faithless : Insomniac  ::) ::)

Now I just listen to music.. Sometimes I play guitar, sometimes I have fun with my computer and different music software I have...

My favorite music.. That's hard question.. It depends how do I feel...
But with my son we listen quite much our own Finnish bands :
HIM , Nightwish, Rasmus and of course Lordi..

Lordi won the European Song Content last spring with this Monster Rock song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6VzdtmrP6Y
Last summer we did a 1000 km summer trip with car
and only 1 h we listen other band than Lordi  :P :P

Cool question!

I've been trying to make music as long as I can remember.  My counselor told me recently that making music is a strong need in my life.  I actually went through college on a clarinet scholarship.  Though I still can play it,  my main interest has always been guitar. 

At this point my guitar collection numbers 11.  I like to play acoustic best, my Martin being my #1.  But I also have a couple of Strats that I sometimes play.  I also play a variety of other stringed stuff like mandolin and uke, as well as a bit of keyboards.  I manage to play once or twice a week somewhere, with or without a band.  My voice is on the high side, and though I have never been confused with Julio, people do not leave when I sing.

I have a small recording studio in my house and if I would get off of Susan's I would get back to a project I'm working on.  So far I've done 6 CD's (one of those is my music) with another in the works.

I also love to write music, some of which has a spiritual nature to it.  I've been fortunate to publish four songs so far and I won a runner up in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest.  That was really cool and I got a check from Yoko Ono.

I think my most memorable moment of performing was having NGW staff play one of my songs with me in Nashville.

As for style, I like classic rock sound, sometimes fused with a country feel.  But always some beat to it.  But I appreciate any style as long as it is done well.

Melodiously,
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi

Let's put a band together.... we can call it "Bender"

Cindi

Hi everyone,

I play guitar and have played in bands since I was 14. I have not been in a band for a few years now and not really sure if that's something I will do again or not. My illness makes if difficult to play for long periods.


(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Felizabeth-alive.com%2Felizabeth035.jpg&hash=4ec9d463d5f385d53687812b55a4f7204bd7b7b4)

Love always,
Elizabeth

I used to play the trumpet in a church band and I started to learn how to play the guitar but I didn't keep at it for long. I don't like singing and I haven't played any instrument for several months now.

Well I used to play the Saxophone when I was youger. I was good back then but I would have to practice up to be any ise now. I did a bit of singing but I was not that good.

Alice

Okay i decided, i'm going to be Lynner's groupie if she'll have me!
:eusa_pray:
ricki

Can I be your groupie Ricki?  ;)

Can groupies have groupies?

Cindi

Time to start my solo carrer heheheh,  Im going to have to form a new band in Denver sence Im leaving SIS in El Paso.........

How about the Linner Edge for its name?   I have plenty of music and Im pretty sure with partial ownership of the music from my former band I can work out a deal to keep/play some of the songs I really liked...

(For those interested you can listen to my current band at myspace.com/stillistand  (Yes it shows me in guy mode... no I dont appreciate it but I didnt design the site and they dont care... no comments on that please)

Quote from: Yorick on December 19, 2006, 07:32:21 PM
I used to play the trumpet in a church band and I started to learn how to play the guitar but I didn't keep at it for long. I don't like singing and I haven't played any instrument for several months now.

That's the thing.  If you don't practice, you forget.

...and who is this little furry fellow down here?

Quote(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.outminds.com%2Fimages%2Fth%2F16574_d.jpg&hash=f3b175509977ffca043640a6c916d08a6b366bcc)

what a cutie!  adorable!


tinkerbell :icon_chick:

Quote from: LynnER on December 20, 2006, 09:01:26 PM
Time to start my solo carrer heheheh,  Im going to have to form a new band in Denver sence Im leaving SIS in El Paso.........

How about the Linner Edge for its name?   I have plenty of music and Im pretty sure with partial ownership of the music from my former band I can work out a deal to keep/play some of the songs I really liked...

(For those interested you can listen to my current band at myspace.com/stillistand  (Yes it shows me in guy mode... no I dont appreciate it but I didnt design the site and they dont care... no comments on that please)

Okay... no comments.

Lynn, we need a correct URL. The one you mention leads to some other wierdo who is too private to let the freakshow in.

Cindi

I play the radio and a CD player.
;D ;D
Jillieann/JR

Quote from: Jillieann/JR on December 21, 2006, 05:22:19 AM
I play the radio and a CD player.
;D ;D
Jillieann/JR

LOL :D ;D....that was hilarious, Jillieann!  You're too funny!

tinkerbell :icon_chick:

Or Linear Edge......
Hmmmm i may be onto something!
Make a song for me please.. please something with lots of passion, earth, frustration---something that rocks but SCREAMS!!!!!!!!!!
yes Cindy groupies can have groupies.. We'll have our first meeting over drinks you name the place I'll buy the booze!
Luv to younze alll! (younze is a definate pittsburgh word)
Ricki

Since Lynn seems to be our resident rock star and Cindi suggested Bender for the band name what about Lyne (pronounced 'line') Benders.  Certainly none of us walk a straight line  ;)

All I can offer is the vocals.  From 2nd to 6th grade I was in the church choir.  I sang soprano.  If you heard my natural voice you'd know that voice is long gone.  But I can still sing, but it would be more bass than anything.  And no, I couldn't get that voice changer to work at all (probably defective).  So all I have left is my real voice.

I'd be best used as backup vocals and band manager.  Maybe I could be the mixer chick cuz I have a great ear for music.

Julie

How about:
Bender Engender

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi

Kristi and julie are thinking alike! Are Sirens going off somewhere!  :icon_yes:  :icon_woowoo::icon_woowoo:
you guys, I love it!
Ricki

Quote from: Julie Marie on December 18, 2006, 01:28:24 PM
"We're putting the band back together." Elwood Blues.

It seems there's a lot of musical talent here at Susan's.

So, what instrument(s) do you play?  Do you sing?  Have you ever been in a band or an orchestra?  Have you ever played live on stage?  Have you played solo?  What type of music do you play/sing?  What's your favorite song?  What's your most memorable moment?  Are you actively playing/singing?

If you had to provide your musical resume, what would it look like?

Julie

Instruments: Rhythm guitar and Bodhran (trad. Irish drum)

Sing:  Tennor, though I have been known to grovel with the basses.

Stage:  Not per se.  I have done a couple Irish music gigs.  I have been a liturgical musician for 32 years.  Maybe 12 years as director.  Not afraid to go solo.

Music:  Traditional Irish and Country.

Favorite song:  Tough one.  I would have to say The Foggy Dew, which deals with the Easter Rebellion.  (No one here is surprised by this, is there?)  On the country side, I would have to say The River by Garth Brooks.

Memorable Moment:  Easy.  I had a chance to jam with Marty Haugen for an hour+ after a workshop he did.  Marty writes absolutely wonderful liturgical music that incorporates a wide variety of instruments.  (No, it's not traditional organ music!  Yuck!)

Resume:  It's listed above.

On band names--

I declare we're in brainstorming mode and anything, no matter how dumb, can be tossed to see if it sticks...

For an all t-girl band - "Transistor" -- spelled just that way, with no hints.  I want the audience to figure it out on their own >:D

Karen

I'm a bit late getting to this thread but I am a very active performing musician.  I am a lead guitarist and I play with a
blues and country rock band.  I also make guest performances with other area bands and I play bass in a heavy metal
band.  I perform two to three nights a week.  My primary style is blues but I am equally comfortable play jazz, metal,
or classic rock.  I do a bit of background vocals but no leads yet, though I am being encouraged to do so.  My favorite
song to play and something of a signature tune for me is "Little Wing" by Hendrix.

Dawn

Of course. That's common sense.  :laugh:

I play a ton of instruments, but the only two worthy of noting are bassoon and saxophone, because I don't really care about the others. I want to play oboe someday though! and that would probably join those both, because it's so awesome.

Currently I just play in my school's band, which is pretty boring. I really want to play in an orchestra or a jazz band... or both, if possible. ;D

QuoteSo, what instrument(s) do you play?  Do you sing?  Have you ever been in a band or an orchestra?  Have you ever played live on stage?

I play acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, uke, dulcimer, a little piano, some singing... I'm a full time musician, various styles including Appalachian, Celtic, blues, klezmer, Scandinavian... would love to play in a T-band!

I've had many wonderful musical experiences, perhaps the most memorable moment as pertains to this board was performing a few songs at a trans event in Washington DC before Leslie Feinberg spoke!

zythyra

Quote from: Victoria on January 01, 2007, 02:36:07 AM
Of course. That's common sense.  :laugh:

I play a ton of instruments, but the only two worthy of noting are bassoon and saxophone, because I don't really care about the others. I want to play oboe someday though! and that would probably join those both, because it's so awesome.

Currently I just play in my school's band, which is pretty boring. I really want to play in an orchestra or a jazz band... or both, if possible. ;D

Hey... Is the saxophone a difficult instrument..
I once tried a flute, but it wasn't the thing for me.
I've played guitar also in a small jazz band and the sax is soooooooooooo great  8) 8)

I am a singer, I play loose drums (used to be able to play a full kit ok) and any other rythym instruments like that...I also write songs.

Music has always been a great source of joy in my life. I've played drums a little and still have a set in my music room. I also worked for a major record distribution company in SF for 10 years in the 1970's & 1980's as a marketing and promotion manager. So I met many musician's and lived the musician's life vicariously through them.

As a child, what I loved was to sing. But I was told a boy can't sing with the emotions and feelings that I expressed. So eventually I stopped singing because of the berating.

But now that I am clear who I am, I am SINGING AGAIN! I'm even taking voice lessons from a 33 year veteran of the Broadway Stage and Opera. And what joy and fun I am having! My teacher says I have a two octave range from a low G to a high G sharp, fine pitch and vibrato. So he says I can sing just about anything. I'm not sure I believe that yet. But I do know that a big hole in my soul is now being fed.

I have never played in a band. But I am currently putting together three songs to perform on stage. I have done public speaking on stage so I'm not all that intimidated by the stage.

My favorite song of all time is Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". I tear up each time I sing it or hear it. But all told I love to sing Blues, Jazz and Pop. My repetoire runs from Stormy Monday to Brown Eyed Girl to Dizzie Miss Lizzie.

So I hope I passed the audition!

All Smiles,

Gwen  ;)

Gwen, that is a fabulous range!  I am envious.  I have a very hard time going that high.  I have to play games with sort of a falsetto (but it isn't, quite) to get up there.  I really need a mic to get up above an E#  It sounds like you indeed, can sing just about anything you want.  I bet you are just loving it!  Hey... did you see that Art Garfunkle has a new recording available?  He and Paul Simon were splitting up just as I became an interested teenager.  But I always loved Art's clear high voice.  It was so perfect.

I've got no problems on the low notes though... I can hit a low C effortlessly.  Sometimes, I really wonder how I ever get my voice to work for me in normal conversation.... Hey... I posted that around here some where.

And on the local front... Cindi is still waiting for her contrabass which should be coming in February.  Her cello replacement is still on order from Romania.  Who knows when that will come.

Cindi

Cindi, thanks for the nice compliment. I really hadn't sang at all before. So I had no idea what was good, bad or indifferent about ranges etc. I just knew I needed to. When my teacher first told me a couple weeks ago that I had a two octave range I wasn't sure if he was just stroking me to keep me taking lessons. Yes I'm LOVING it. I want to do nothing but sing and music right now. However, responsibilities dictate differently.

I had not seen that Art Garfinkle has a new recording. I'll have to check it out. I'm going to date myself, but I DID grow up on Simon and Garfinkle. Their harmony's are still some of the prettiest ever. Simon, as great of a song writer as he is, just can't carry it without Art.

A low C and effortlessly, now I'm jealous. I couldn't get close to that note.

Gwen  ;D

Quote from: Julie Marie on December 18, 2006, 01:28:24 PM

So, what instrument(s) do you play?  Do you sing?  Have you ever been in a band or an orchestra?  Have you ever played live on stage?  Have you played solo?  What type of music do you play/sing?  What's your favorite song?  What's your most memorable moment?  Are you actively playing/singing?

If you had to provide your musical resume, what would it look like?

Julie

I play guitar and program the computer.  I try not to sing.  I did have a small little band but we were very amateur and only got a few songs together.

I did a lot of open-mic readings back in college, which was a lot of fun; but I did play (bass) guitar on stage once.  It was a tragedy because the guys were playing somethings I really didn't care for. 

I play classical and metal and program electronic nonsense.  I do have like an ep-s length of electronic stuff that all kinds of sucks.  I also have written a half-dozen really short (3-6 minute) string quartet-things, but that's all midi and never been played by real people.

I've been trying to focus on writing words more lately than music, but I do want to do some post-rockish kind of stuff (Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, esmarine, Silver Mt. Zion and so on). 

d/b

I'm more of a drawing person than a musical one, although I can whistle and I have played the tamborine a couple of times. 

Hmmm, (Hrrr?) I missed this post going around.  I wanted the drums in school, but they were taken.  You know the educational theory:  "We'll let you play what fits our orchestra plan, not yours!" so I got handed the Coronet (4 valve trumpet).  That lasted one year, or less, then I let someone else graciously agree to fulfill the band seating chart, or maybe the director made the choice, I don't remember.  If he did, I concur with it. 

In my teens I bought my own drums and went at it without benefit of the formal education.  I was thrashing away at the drum set one afternoon when  a knock came upon my apartment door.  Expecting an irate neighbor, it turned out to be a guy visiting his girl friend that heard my efforts.  We struck up a friendship and he turned out to playing drums full time locally with a lounge duo.  We hung out quite a bit.  I sat in at times at his club and at various jam sessions.  He was the nicest person I have ever met, and, extremely rare in a drummer, very modest and a gentleman.  I dated his sister for a time, but another story.  I went on to play in several country bands (this is Kansas) for about ten or twelve years.  I met my SO through one of the bands.  Family and job pressures, and the incursion of the dreaded disk jockeys in clubs putting real musicians out of work caused me to hang up the sticks.  Later on I lost a strategic finger-tip, and I sold the kit.  Oh, well.

I never played in natural dress.  I wonder how that would have effected my playing.  Probably, it would have resulted in improved running abilities in heels!  >:D

Susan Kay

I played the clarinet for a few years when I was little but now I just sing. I started in 5th grade and sang straight though to the early 90s, about 15 years in that stretch. (I also sang in the church choir in 3rd grade.) Then a few years later I sang for a year with a community choir. It was all either concerts or masses, so in that respect I've done a lot of live music. I took voice class for two years in high school and we had to do a few recitals a year, so does that count as doing solos?

My most memorable moment would have to be my senior year. The Select Choir went to a competition, and we were required to do one Bach chorale that had been picked ahead of time plus two pieces of our own choosing. We did the chorale first to get it out of the way. We scored 98 out of 100, and we lost both points on the chorale. We actually did two perfect pieces at NYSSMA competition. That's a moment I could relive forever.

I'm not singing right now because I don't know of any choirs right now that I want to join and can get to. My musical resume would have to include one year of Junior High Area All County, three years of Senior High Area All County, and two years of Senior High Area All State. And I'll cheat and include the A- (92) I got at NYSSMA solo competition.

Quote from: Gwen C on February 08, 2007, 07:47:18 AM
My teacher says I have a two octave range from a low G to a high G sharp, fine pitch and vibrato. So he says I can sing just about anything. I'm not sure I believe that yet.

Ok, I wasn't 100% sure of my range when this was originally posted, but I just tested it with my piano.  I'm not sure what is considered high or low, but I can sing from the 2 A's below middle C up to 2 C's above middle C effectively resulting in a little more than a 3-octave range.  Yes, that is with vibrato.  Sometimes it's difficult to tell where my break is when it turns falsetto, especially if I'm in a room with a lot of moisture.  I honestly don't know if it is natural or a result of female voice training, but it did get confusing.  In junior high and highschool, I sang bass.  In college with private lessons, a voice teacher found I was more naturally tenor, but I can also sing alto parts (as female).  So now, did a big vocal range help with aquiring a good female voice or did female voice training help me get a wider range?  I know I could easily do 2 octaves in highschool, but I didn't realize it was anything special until you posted that.  I'm not trying to brag or anything, I don't know why I have such a wide range.  Perhaps it has something to do with being IS.  Now I'm wondering how much value my female voice tips really were. ???  If it was because I had a big vocal range, I don't want to frustrate people.  Oh well.

Melissa

Quote from: Melissa on March 05, 2007, 11:23:49 PM

Ok, I wasn't 100% sure of my range when this was originally posted, but I just tested it with my piano.  I'm not sure what is considered high or low, but I can sing from the 2 A's below middle C up to 2 C's above middle C effectively resulting in a little more than a 3-octave range. 

Melissa, that's amazing.  If I remember correctly I think Julie Andrews has about a 3 octave range. 

As for my musical talent, I have none.  I've tried piano and trumpet with lessons but my hands are too small for the piano.  I also tried to learn guitar on my own but again, small hands and the guitar was an old one with a thick neck.  I would love to try banjo but it would probably be a waste of time and money as arthritis is starting to creep in.

Now when it comes to singing, well let's just be kind and say that if I try to sing small children cry, cats head for the next county and dogs either howl or put their paws over their ears.  ;)

Bev

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on March 06, 2007, 09:57:37 AM
Melissa, that's amazing.  If I remember correctly I think Julie Andrews has about a 3 octave range. 

Thanks.  The problem is a lot of that is in a male range.  :(

Melissa

LOL  It's still amazing.  A couple of years ago, our new musical director at church asked one of the congregation if she sang soprano or alto.  The answer she got back was baritone.  Needless to say the musical director was a little confused until the person she was talking to explained she used to sing in the Atlanta Boys Choir.

Quote from: Melissa on March 06, 2007, 10:05:26 AM

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on March 06, 2007, 09:57:37 AM
Melissa, that's amazing.  If I remember correctly I think Julie Andrews has about a 3 octave range. 

Thanks.  The problem is a lot of that is in a male range.  :(

Melissa

That's a great range, hot chick!

"Mama sang bass, Mama sang tenor"



(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi

Took violin lessons for a year. Piano lessons for 3 years. Trumpet for 1 year. And when I was about 23 I started playing on a drum kit and love it.

Just an amateur hobbyist though. But I have played drums and kept the beat for some real musicians and it's such a cool feeling. It's like you're all in synch and you got this unspoken connection going. It was a thrill the few times I've done it. Kinda gave me a high.

I play the piano and the cello.

To me music is the most spiritual, holy thing to me, i can play or listen to music and be totally at peace.  I play the violin a bit (I'm still learning) and i can pittle around on a guitar, and I played flute in middle school.  Right now i'm just focusing on playing the violin until i have a certain level of proficiency.  Then i might really put a try fourth for the guitar, or maybe try a cello or something.....I'm a fan of strings.

I have always hated my voice so i don't sing at all.  I don't think i will ever get to a point where i am happy singing.  i think i will just stick to stringed instruments, maybe relearning flute for the heck of it.

to me those instruments are never outdated....the violin...flute...horns and strings never die

Wow!  I'm impressed with all of the talent here.

We had a band of self-identified trans-folx  play at the Pridefest in PDX last summer. They were pretty good, covered some rock stuff.

I was in a garage band twenty-some years ago. We covered Bon Jovi, Journey, some Led Zep.
Some people might not consider that talent?   :laugh:   I was the vocalist, because I have no "real" musical talent. I tried to cover Ann Wilson too. That was just stupid.

Now I occasionally do the karaoke thang -- I like to cover Melissa E. The last thing I did was some Nirvana -- that was a hoot.

you sang led zepplin....good taste thundra

Quoteyou sang led zepplin....good taste thundra

Stairway to heaven.  Whole Lotta Love. I'm a child of the seventies. I was raised on R'n R.

Y'know, I should try to do Whole Lotta Love at karaoke!  If I was packing, it would give a whole new meaning to, "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love!"  LOL

I can do a pretty fair Grace Slick cover too.

My sister had the real voice in the family though -- a trained voice. She taught me how to sing harmony when I was, hmm?  About six or seven, I think?  From her I got The Carpenter's, the Beatles, and the Bee Gee's. From my brother I got Zep, Black Sabbath, and Iron Butterfly.

I wish I'd learned how to play an instrument like all the people who posted here. I envy you all.

Quote from: Thundra on March 27, 2007, 11:14:44 PM

Quoteyou sang led zepplin....good taste thundra

Stairway to heaven.  Whole Lotta Love. I'm a child of the seventies. I was raised on R'n R.

Y'know, I should try to do Whole Lotta Love at karaoke!  If I was packing, it would give a whole new meaning to, "I'm gonna give you every inch of my love!"  LOL

I can do a pretty fair Grace Slick cover too.

My sister had the real voice in the family though -- a trained voice. She taught me how to sing harmony when I was, hmm?  About six or seven, I think?  From her I got The Carpenter's, the Beatles, and the Bee Gee's. From my brother I got Zep, Black Sabbath, and Iron Butterfly.

I wish I'd learned how to play an instrument like all the people who posted here. I envy you all.

dont envy.....learn....im in the middle of learning how to play my violin....and i probably always will be because it is always a learning experience, thus fun.

you have wonderfull music taste though

I sing.  Mostly black metal, which is a lot of terrifying yelling and howling and dark expression, so the fact that I used to have a male voice really helps my range in that regard (it REALLY freaks people out sometimes).  I'm currently trying to train it higher still.

~ Blair

that would be interesting to hear


ooooo, imagine playing metal with a violin

Quote from: AnomieAssassin on March 29, 2007, 12:29:18 AM

Quote from: Rachel on March 27, 2007, 04:49:32 PM
to me those instruments are never outdated....the violin...flute...horns and strings never die

They may never die, perhaps, but I think that they have been relegated to the back burner and forced into sporadic and supporting roles.

bah, violin supports nothing, it can play and sing by itself

sorry, im a bit bias

music is such a spiritual thing, the instrument matters not, i just personally love the violin

My favorite brand of metal, which is symphonic metal (sometimes called goth metal), often uses a full range of classical instruments to harmonize with modern instrument sets.  I believe that the more tone colors successfully woven into a song, the better.  It's far more rich, and much more beautiful, in general.

I personally believe it's the future of music.  We pretty much have the technology now to make anything possible, musically.

~ Blair

thats what im talking about blair, and that is the kind of music i would love to play.

btw, violins sound really good clean, with reverb....or even distortion (omg) really good

i used to play the guitar...i still get the urge to pick it up but my niece has got a loan of it.. i used to write my own stuff which got some decent feedback. it didn't sound like anything i'd ever heard before. mostly accoustic with a tendency to be in minor keys stuff that would attack the creator, (great spirit), trannie songs. i recorded some of them and my girlfriend has the cd. i can also play tunes by flicking my nails off my teeth.

flicking nails off teeth?  that sounds pretty interesting

Percussion 13 years..

nice zack, all types or specific drums?

Im a drumer but ain't no musician. :D

i wanna learn how to play a pipe organ, among other things

I'm learning to play the bassoon.  :)

interesting, that instrument has a very deep cool sound

Mine is staring at people playing instruments in a way that makes it look like I actually know what they're doing - i tell you its a talent and a half

i play the piano and the clarinet.

Quote from: Yvonne on April 14, 2007, 10:12:22 PM
I'm learning to play the bassoon.  :)

Bassoons are amazing.

Of course I'd say that. :P

I was in a band, it was the only band ever split apart because we all got mumps before our first gig. We shared a bottle of tequila before hand. I played the harmonica, maracas, jew's harp and lead singing. It was skiffle-punk music. We described it as sounding like a one man band falling down the stairs.

Quote from: Pica Pica on June 01, 2007, 05:49:33 PM
I was in a band, it was the only band ever split apart because we all got mumps before our first gig. We shared a bottle of tequila before hand. I played the harmonica, maracas, jew's harp and lead singing. It was skiffle-punk music. We described it as sounding like a one man band falling down the stairs.

interesting idea

I started learning the piano about three years ago. I've always liked music (much more than anyone else in the family) though apart from playing the record in school I've never played an instrument. I haven't bothered with exams (too much like hard work) but I reckon I'm probably about grade three by now.

I have a digital piano so I can play at all hours of the day and night with the headphones without bothering the neighbors. Sometimes if I wake up in the night I'll play a little before trying to get back to sleep. I find playing is very therapeutic and it gives me a great sense of satisfaction when after loads of practicing I can actually play a piece.

Quote from: Fiona on June 08, 2007, 03:52:13 PM
I started learning the piano about three years ago. I've always liked music (much more than anyone else in the family) though apart from playing the record in school I've never played an instrument. I haven't bothered with exams (too much like hard work) but I reckon I'm probably about grade three by now.

I have a digital piano so I can play at all hours of the day and night with the headphones without bothering the neighbors. Sometimes if I wake up in the night I'll play a little before trying to get back to sleep. I find playing is very therapeutic and it gives me a great sense of satisfaction when after loads of practicing I can actually play a piece.

playing is the same for me

Quote from: Rachel on June 01, 2007, 07:32:42 PM

Quote from: Pica Pica on June 01, 2007, 05:49:33 PM
I was in a band, it was the only band ever split apart because we all got mumps before our first gig. We shared a bottle of tequila before hand. I played the harmonica, maracas, jew's harp and lead singing. It was skiffle-punk music. We described it as sounding like a one man band falling down the stairs.

interesting idea

Yeah, the link was the DIY amateurish sort of angle that they both shared. 

I remembered this thread and I decided to resurrect it rather than start a new one.  I'm taking up a new instrument to see if an old dog can indeed learn new tricks.  Of all things, I'm going to try and learn to play the tin whistle (pennywhistle).  If you aren't familiar with this, listen to the theme song from Titanic (not the Celine Dion song) and it's the high pitched flute like instrument you hear.  Anyway, it should be interesting.

Beverly

So, what instrument(s) do you play?
I played viola for 8 years and dabbled with the piano. I want to learn to play the drums though.

Do you sing?
Hmnn.... That's an interesting question. I do sing, but whether or not it's good is up to the listener. I did sing for a benefit concert for the Worldwide Orphans Foundation though.

Have you ever been in a band or an orchestra?
Yes.

Have you ever played live on stage?
As opposed to playing dead on stage? Yes I have played live on stage.

Have you played solo?
No. Only section solos...:P

What type of music do you play/sing?
Orchestra and choral.

What's your favorite song?
BAH! I don't know.

What's your most memorable moment?
The worst concert competition of my life. I mean really... It was horrible.

Are you actively playing/singing?
Not really.

If you had to provide your musical resume, what would it look like?
Lazy viola student.

Quote from: Melissa on December 19, 2006, 03:09:46 PMHowever, when it comes to singing, I think I do quite well.  I can sing as both male or female (without any special equipment, although female song selections are more limited) and I have been singing since I was a kid, but I really started working on it in junior high and highschool, where I was in a choir for the next 4 years.  I have sang regularly on an amateur basis since then.

Oh geez, wow! :o  I posted this last December, but things have changed a bunch since then.  I really can't sing as male anymore, which is fine with me.Based on how my voice is now, I would say that when I posted the above, my voice sounded female, but wasn't very good (compared to a GG).  I have been rehearsing for the last 2 months for my musical and in that time, I figured out how to change my technique to make my voice come out as female and it has improved SO much. 

I guess I would describe the technique as a breathy modified loose falsetto (if that makes any sense). I would say the main different is how you breathe out.  While a male singing voice is forced out, the female voice is gently breathed out.  A good analogy would be how air is forced through a trumpet (or even a saxophone) versus being just breathed out over the mouth piece of a flute.  Both are metal instruments which can play very loudly and carry far, but the techniques and resulting sounds are very different.  In fact, now that I think about it, that's an excellent analogy!  I do use some visualization techniques that help, like I picture a bunch of hot air going vertically upwards through my chest which assists with singing in a more flute-like way.  Singing this new way allows me to actually hit higher notes than I even can in falsetto.

Now I have adopted that technique so much, that I kind of forgot how to sing as male, since even on my lower notes (which really aren't all that low), it still comes out as female and any lower than that and my voice just kind of dies out.  Perhaps I just am not trying the old way (but still capable of it) because I don't want to remember it and possibly lose any progress I've achieved.  I was doing warm-ups a few days ago and they kept going lower and lower (which I've usually had no trouble doing), but I was quite surprised when my voice bottomed out around the same time the other women's voices did too.  I've also notice my range has increased by a couple of notes, because I am now able to consistently hit notes I was having trouble with a couple months ago.  I think the musical director, who helped us develop better techniques, was a large contributing factor to this.  In fact, I now sing in a full alto range, whereas before I was a note or 2 short of the high end.  My voice improved so much in a short time, that I actually felt comfortable doing a small solo part, which helped build my confidence (which was probably THE biggest of my hurdles) about how my voice sounded.  Also, I had to figure out how to project my voice while still sounding female, so I'm also singing much louder than before (which I believe is a primary reason I didn't get the part of one of the more major characters).

Unfortunately, I think after the musical is over, I will need to keep singing so I don't lose my technique and somehow revert to the old way of singing (which is actually one of my fears).  My singing voice continues to improve as I continue practicing and figuring out what sounds good and what doesn't.  I may sign up for some singing lessons now that I have proved to myself that I actually can still pass for a GG even while singing.  Initially I was afraid that in order to take singing lessons, I would have to out myself or find a specialized teacher before this, but the technique ended up being the same as it is for other women.  I definitely want to continue singing and working on my voice.  Before I got my voice to this point though (which I didn't think was actually possible at the time), I felt that when I transitioned, I had given up ever being able to sing well as part of a group, which was the only thing I missed about being able to do as male. :'(  However, I know I can still continue this as female, although I have work to do to get my voice up to the same quality as female (which I can do inconsistently).  That is why I am SO proud of what I have achieved.  Compared to a lot of the other GGs, I would say my say my voice STILL needs a lot of work.  I would describe it as "ok", but not necessarily above average for a woman.  However, Rome wasn't built in a day, so as long as I continue to work on my technique, then it should continue to improve. :)