All musicians who would like to exchange tips or give music recommendations are welcome here. And please post what instrument you play and how long you have played it.

I have played piano for around 4 1/2 to 5 years, and flute for around 3 1/2 years. I also sing...I've been singing before I can remember, but just recently I've really started to enjoy it. I love music, and I plan on making a career of it.

I've played percussion seriously for 4-5 years. I didn't take it so seriously in elementary school and took a break. I played Mallets for the longest time (xylophone for example), but my main instrument is Timpani (also known as kettle drums), and my percussion teacher is working with me on snare rudiments right now. I'm going to college next year to train for music teaching.

Fate of the Gods is a fun piece to throw out there. I loved it when I was younger. Also a nice mellow piece that I really love is American Elegy. I like the sound of brass, more so trumpets (GOOD trumpets). I know there was brass stuff for Fate of the Gods, but I loved it for the percussion and how it mixed in. It was fun to run around. American Elegy has a nice trumpet solo part way through it.

Oh and Carmina Burana. I have actually played Timpani for it, and in the distant past some mallet stuff in a special ensemble arrangement of it. Carmina is CRAZY but so much fun!

I'm playing guitar for 4 months now
(I suck ^-^)
I want to play drums and bass too, but my mom wants me to learn to play guitar first.

I've been playing guitar for about 3 years and bass for maybe half.
And piano for 10. XP

I've been playing guitar for a year and a half, and I played trumpet in elementary school >.<

I also really want to learn how to play the violin and the drums.

So, what pieces are you currently learning?

Right now, I'm playing Beethoven's Pathetique. My teacher says that it's too easy for me, but it will build up my endurance since it's such a long piece. I'm also using Anthony Burger arrangments to start learning improvisation.

On my flute I'm mainly working on tone, getting better with double tonguing, and the dreaded scales and long tones. >.>
But it's still fun! ;3

When vacation is over I think my teacher will be handing out Riverdance. I asked if I could play Mallets for it instead of Timpani like normal, for the mallet part is kinda basic but also interesting. Otherwise I'm not working on much currently. For my college solo I was working on a Bach Concerto for the longest time but that's FINALLY done with.

I've played violin for over 6 years now.
In the younger years I wasn't as interested in it but I love it.
Some of my favorite pieces to play are Amadeus which is Symphony no. 25 by Mozart. It's also in the movie: Amadeus which is about Mozart.xD

Danse infernale is good too. We're playing those 2 pieces right now in my orchestra.

Danse Macabre and Hungarian Dance No.7 I think, are also 2 of my faves. I don't know what tips I have.xD Other than practice.:3

I am finally learning vibrato. It's actually hard at first.

My twin sister plays the violin. This is her fourth year since she started in 6th grade. And violin vibrato does look hard. My sister is learning it too. She seems to be doing well....she need to practice more though. xP

But if you think violin vibrato is hard, try doing it with your diaphragm! (flute)
But I don't think I could learn vibrato on a stringed instrument...at least while playing the note in tune and on pitch.

I've been playing electric guitar for about 2 years. :P

Where can I buy an electric guitar with 24+ frets and a killswitch(preferably a button killswitch)???

And where can I get a sweet furry coat for a guitar/bass like ZZ-Top??? 8)

I play violin and I love to sing.<33333
I've been playing the violin for about 5-6 years now.
For those who play, I just incourage practicing alot and daily.Also, if you are a beginner, pay attention well to your instructor and llearn lebrato(sp?).
For singers, I'd say if your passion really is singin, I'd say get a voice instructor, even if you think your voice is perfect.But, if you are one who hopes to have a career off of it do get one and practice daily and maybbe as well as practicing in front of audiences.Just incase for one day you are famous and you are singing in front of a crowd of like 500,000 people. :3
Oh!And dont get nervous!Just do your best of your ability!^_^

I'm a voice major (sophomore), but I played flute for 7 years, I played mellophone for two years in our high school marching band, and I played trombone for one semester in our jazz band. X-D It was church music that first got me interested in singing, and then I joined choir and I was all in.

I have lots of favorite pieces, from all of those eras of my musical life, but I won't name them all here--it might take the rest of the night. I love choral works, particularly "Sleep" by Eric Whitacre (yeah, the guy who wrote "Cloudburst") and "O Magnum Mysterium" by Morten Lauridsen. For band works, I'd have to say that "October" (also by Eric Whitacre--are you seeing a trend? 'Cause I am!! X-D I'm a dork) is my favorite. Another is "A Movement for Rosa" by Mark Camphouse, and there's also "Their Blossoms Down" by Samuel Hazo. Now, I played in a youth orchestra in my stint on flute, and my favorite piece that we played (or tried to play) was "Night on Bald Mountain" by Nicolay Rimsky-Korsakov. That piece was freakishly hard.

I've been playing guitar for 2 years, and would recommend other guitarists, bassists, or drummers to check out this site as a reference for looking up musicians who had a great impact. http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/page...uitar-all.html
It's just a bunch of lists that follow a criteria to rank the greatest musicians. It helped me find different genres and also helped me improve my skills by practicing music by the professionals.

I played flute for 2 1/2 years before my director convinced me to switch to oboe (now playing for a little bit over a year). Now I hardly ever take out my flute, and as a result my former glory as first chair is gone. T_T

My favorite instrumental songs would have to be Lord of the Rings and Dorian Rhapsody. FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN.

And if there's good trumpet players in your band, Star Wars will actually sound pretty decent (I would love that piece if our trumpets could learn how to play 'Ominously' for the Darth Vader theme...)

I play the alto saxophone and have for almost four years. I tried piano and flute before that and it just didn`t work out for me. I don't plan on doing anything serious with it, it's just for fun. Since i`m a freshman in high school (almost a sophmore) and have three years left, that might change. Seeing as how I don't really practice on my own time, it`ll be a while before I get superly amazing. xD

I've played the piano for a few years (3-4). I'm not a beginner, but I still suck...all I can do is practice more but I don't have time..;_:

Well..
I play a bit of guitar, but I am not too good at it.
I've been playing for two years.
I need to practice. Every time I want to practice, I goof off.
I always forget to tune my guitar.
xD
Bleh...
I's a pain really.
>_<

@Kara: Stupid directors. I hope you pick up your flute again. It's such a beautiful instrument.

@Sir Moofins: Playing for fun is great too! Music is beneficial to everyone whether it's going to be a career or a hobby. Maybe you should give piano another shot. Anyone can play the piano and it's always a good instrument to know even if it's just a little on the side. I hope you get superly amazing on the alto saxophone! >__<

@suppie: I know how you feel. It can be so hard to just find time to practice, but if you have an extra five or ten minutes (which most people do), then you can practice that much everyday. The key is practicing everyday not just three hours on one day. I'm talking to myself as well. I really need to practice more. This year I didn't spend my time very wisely, but for the 10th grade I'm going to make sure I get my school work done early and practice two hours each for my flute and piano. I might be getting a new piano teacher, so she/he will probably push me pretty hard.
Oh, and don't just practice to practice. Make sure when you play something you are playing it right. Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect! ^^

@Kevin: heh...I know it's hard to focus while practicing, whether it's something shiny or we just don't feel like it, but just try to focus a little more and you'll notice a difference in your practicing. I don't know how you would forget to tune your guitar. I wouldn't be able to practice on a guitar that wasn't tuned. It's not too hard to tune one. I don't play (I just know a few basic chords), but I have tuned my older sister's guitar before. It takes a while for me between the piano and the tuner, but you should be able to do it without too much hassle, since you are familiar with your instrument. :3

I used to do trombone in middle and high school, but now it sits in my closet collecting dust. >.> I really want to play again, but I'm pretty tired of playing classical music, I suck at Jazz, and there's no marching bands around.

The best song I've ever played though is the overture to Il Guarany, closely seconded by Danse Bacchanale. And then, of course, there's the marching shows. I'm glad that 3 of my 4 shows were awesome.

I want to pick up the bass guitar for the hell of it, but I don't have the room for one. D:

I'm mostly a singer, but I'm currently trying to teach myself ocarina... I wish I could find a guidebook on it.

I also am trying to learn harmonica and guitar. I'm actually getting pretty good at harmonica. ^^

I've played various percussion instruments for around five years, I've recently started learning the bodhran (Irish frame drum) and I'm currently working on piano and guitar. I also have some of my own compositions which can be heard in the link in my siggy.

Hi! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! ^^ I started playing the snare drum almost three years ago, and continued with it in the school band playing bass and cymbals, and percussion. In the Summer of I think 2006? I started to take drum lessons from an awesome teacher, and I still do. Then, last year, the school I learn at started a Percussion Ensemble. I play their now. ^^ So I guess you can say I`ve playing for three years? Yup. Drums and Percussion. ^^ =]]

I've been playing guitar for 6 years now. Since I was 9 really... I play acoustically, and just recently got an electric. Very very fun :D

I started a band a few weeks ago. We're called the autumn leaflets if you want to check us out. [myspace/yahoo][/b]

I've been playing Bass for a little over half a year. I know a tiny bit of guitar but only about 5 songs XP I've got a really good music teacher at school who shows me some things on the bass but I mostly just work things out by myself.

The only problem is I don't actually own a bass (I will do soon though) so I just use the school one. It's a good bass (Blue Fender P bass) but it's annoying because other people mess around with it and twiddle with the tuning. I have to tune it every time I use it which is irritating.