Effects - Pedals, Multi-Effects, and Floor Boxes

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'm just curious. If you played an instrument when you were in school (or still do), what was it? Did you enjoy it? Do you still have your old band instrument (whatever it was)?

Me - I started out on clarinet (my brother still has it last time I checked) when I was in junior high school, and quickly switched over to sax. I added guitar, piano and bass while in high school, but it was mainly the reeds that I played in the school bands - concert / orchestral, marching and jazz / stage band.

How about you?

[BG76]

I played guitar in my high school jazz band. I never met a group of people who were less interested in helping students as the teachers in my high school music program. Luckily, most schools are not like that. I went to Berklee and was told that being a member of a HS ensemble helped in the admission process. I'm not sure if that's still true but gigging in a rock band in HS was much more fun and valuable experience.

[BG76]

I played guitar in my high school jazz band. I never met a group of people who were less interested in helping students as the teachers in my high school music program. Luckily, most schools are not like that. I went to Berklee and was told that being a member of a HS ensemble helped in the admission process. I'm not sure if that's still true but gigging in a rock band in HS was much more fun and valuable experience.

[One Man Banned]

I played in high school and college. I took 4 band classes (concert band/cadet orchestra/wind ensemble/music theory) out of a 7 class day plus an after-school band class (marching band in the fall and jazz band in the spring). I played sax, cello, bass and percussion and was the student conductor for the concert band in high school and I went to school for music after high school for two and a half years before dropping out to do my own thing. I took up guitar in my last year in high school.

[One Man Banned]

I played in high school and college. I took 4 band classes (concert band/cadet orchestra/wind ensemble/music theory) out of a 7 class day plus an after-school band class (marching band in the fall and jazz band in the spring). I played sax, cello, bass and percussion and was the student conductor for the concert band in high school and I went to school for music after high school for two and a half years before dropping out to do my own thing. I took up guitar in my last year in high school.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Great - this is exactly the kind of stuff I was interested in reading! Thanks guys - please keep it coming!

[Phil O'Keefe]

Great - this is exactly the kind of stuff I was interested in reading! Thanks guys - please keep it coming!

[jimash]

Well Phil,
I started Guitar lessons when I was 8.
Learned to read and play at the same time, but I was not a good reader of music ever.
In high school, they promised to let me into the music program if I would just show up for school.
I understood that the school band had a couple of guys that could read and play , and so I asked if I could do double Bass.
Teacher says, "Come back tomorrow, I have a bass instrument for you".
Asshole made me play the Sousaphone. I did it for a while.
As you can imagine, my scholastic attendance record was not greatly improved. Fail/

[jimash]

Well Phil,
I started Guitar lessons when I was 8.
Learned to read and play at the same time, but I was not a good reader of music ever.
In high school, they promised to let me into the music program if I would just show up for school.
I understood that the school band had a couple of guys that could read and play , and so I asked if I could do double Bass.
Teacher says, "Come back tomorrow, I have a bass instrument for you".
Asshole made me play the Sousaphone. I did it for a while.
As you can imagine, my scholastic attendance record was not greatly improved. Fail/

[Beasleyboy]

I didn't play in band, but I did volunteer to help out with the middle school band during my senior year for an hour a day. They let me borrow a trombone and I got to learn how to play all year with the kids

[Beasleyboy]

I didn't play in band, but I did volunteer to help out with the middle school band during my senior year for an hour a day. They let me borrow a trombone and I got to learn how to play all year with the kids

[tommyld]

I started trumpet in 4th grade, and in high school, played in the concert band (trumpet) and marching band (trumpet and drums). I sold my trumpet at the end of high school to buy more pedals. I've thought about getting one again to add to some recordings. It did help me to read sheet music, which I continued with classical guitar lessons in high school. Most of which I've since intentionally forgotten.

I also was in the chorus in high school, but starting in 9th grade, Chorus was mandatory (the school switched to block scheduling, and everyone had empty space in their schedules, or otherwise they'd technically "finish" before or half-way through 12th grade. Hence, mandatory Choir).

[tommyld]

I started trumpet in 4th grade, and in high school, played in the concert band (trumpet) and marching band (trumpet and drums). I sold my trumpet at the end of high school to buy more pedals. I've thought about getting one again to add to some recordings. It did help me to read sheet music, which I continued with classical guitar lessons in high school. Most of which I've since intentionally forgotten.

I also was in the chorus in high school, but starting in 9th grade, Chorus was mandatory (the school switched to block scheduling, and everyone had empty space in their schedules, or otherwise they'd technically "finish" before or half-way through 12th grade. Hence, mandatory Choir).

[roquero]

Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

I'm just curious. If you played an instrument when you were in school (or still do), what was it? Did you enjoy it? Do you still have your old band instrument (whatever it was)?

Me - I started out on clarinet (my brother still has it last time I checked) when I was in junior high school, and quickly switched over to sax. I added guitar, piano and bass while in high school, but it was mainly the reeds that I played in the school bands - concert / orchestral, marching and jazz / stage band.

How about you?

I don't know if this counts, but my best friend and I took a guitar class in High School. We already knew how to play, but we wanted to learn more.

Unfortunately, the class was just a basic beginner's class teaching stuff we already knew. So we quickly tired of it.

There was one kid who sat in front of us. The only riff he knew how to play was the riff from "Smoke On The Water". He played it every day. My friend and I got so fed up hearing that riff, that we tied him to his chair. He stopped playing it after that!

The teacher of the class was the Band Director at our High School. He could see that we were bored, so he challenged us to take a Music Theory class that he taught.

My friend and I did not read music at that time. Besides, we thought music theory was only for band geeks. All the people taking the class were kids who had been playing instruments most of their lives, and who already knew how to read music.

We ended up signing up for Music Theory. It was the hardest, but most rewarding class that I ever took in school. It taught me about harmony, melody and rhythm, and has been essential in making me a good songwriter. I had to work twice as hard as the rest of the class to catch up with them, so I burned the midnight oil at home studying the text. I didn't do that for any of my other classes, but I ended up on the honor roll anyway, on the strength of my good memory.

But I enjoyed the hard work. For our final exam, we had to write out a horn chart. I played all the parts on my piece of shit acoustic guitar at home, and notated it on music paper. I was arranging parts for instruments that I had never played.

It must have been good, because I got an "A" in that class.

I wonder to this day what my horn arrangement sounded like when it was actually played by a real horn section!

[roquero]

Originally Posted by Phil O'Keefe

I'm just curious. If you played an instrument when you were in school (or still do), what was it? Did you enjoy it? Do you still have your old band instrument (whatever it was)?

Me - I started out on clarinet (my brother still has it last time I checked) when I was in junior high school, and quickly switched over to sax. I added guitar, piano and bass while in high school, but it was mainly the reeds that I played in the school bands - concert / orchestral, marching and jazz / stage band.

How about you?

I don't know if this counts, but my best friend and I took a guitar class in High School. We already knew how to play, but we wanted to learn more.

Unfortunately, the class was just a basic beginner's class teaching stuff we already knew. So we quickly tired of it.

There was one kid who sat in front of us. The only riff he knew how to play was the riff from "Smoke On The Water". He played it every day. My friend and I got so fed up hearing that riff, that we tied him to his chair. He stopped playing it after that!

The teacher of the class was the Band Director at our High School. He could see that we were bored, so he challenged us to take a Music Theory class that he taught.

My friend and I did not read music at that time. Besides, we thought music theory was only for band geeks. All the people taking the class were kids who had been playing instruments most of their lives, and who already knew how to read music.

We ended up signing up for Music Theory. It was the hardest, but most rewarding class that I ever took in school. It taught me about harmony, melody and rhythm, and has been essential in making me a good songwriter. I had to work twice as hard as the rest of the class to catch up with them, so I burned the midnight oil at home studying the text. I didn't do that for any of my other classes, but I ended up on the honor roll anyway, on the strength of my good memory.

But I enjoyed the hard work. For our final exam, we had to write out a horn chart. I played all the parts on my piece of shit acoustic guitar at home, and notated it on music paper. I was arranging parts for instruments that I had never played.

It must have been good, because I got an "A" in that class.

I wonder to this day what my horn arrangement sounded like when it was actually played by a real horn section!

[IRG]

I played trombone in high school band. I really didn't like it, especially marching band for the football team, when it was 20 degrees outside. I wanted to be with my friends in the stand, acting like dorks trying to pick up chicks.

I did play in a youth orchestra for many years, first playing violin (which I didn't really like at the time, but good training looking back) then switched to string bass, and enjoyed that a lot.

I'd like to learn the cello someday, I bet it wouldn't be that hard to pick up after playing violin and bass.

[IRG]

I played trombone in high school band. I really didn't like it, especially marching band for the football team, when it was 20 degrees outside. I wanted to be with my friends in the stand, acting like dorks trying to pick up chicks.

I did play in a youth orchestra for many years, first playing violin (which I didn't really like at the time, but good training looking back) then switched to string bass, and enjoyed that a lot.

I'd like to learn the cello someday, I bet it wouldn't be that hard to pick up after playing violin and bass.

[npfrs]

I played drums/percussion. One time, in high school, the band played Bohemian Rhapsody and I ad-libbed a drum solo; the band-leader was unimpressed.

[npfrs]

I played drums/percussion. One time, in high school, the band played Bohemian Rhapsody and I ad-libbed a drum solo; the band-leader was unimpressed.

[erksin]

Played violin in 5th grade emsemble but had to quit because they made me play righty and I couldn't deal so I quit.

Played clarinet in freshman year of HS and was in the orchestra, but hated it and so I quit that too.

Played guitar in Jazz and Pep bands in Soph-Senior years of HS and got blow jobs from cheerleaders. I stuck with guitar.