Ask Lemmy

Group/session/live bassist of over 30+ years as well as having been a studio songwriter that’s worked with orchestras.

I used to play viola from 5th grade until 12th. Not gonna say I was first row material, but I wasn't terrible either. Stopped a few years later because I lost the instrument in a move and didn't get another because I had kinda lost interest after losing mine.

I also bought an acoustic guitar last spring but so far I haven't gotten far with it. It's definitely a lot harder than viola, IMO. And a lot more painful on my fret/string/whatever holding down hand.

I can play quite a few. High proficiency at saxophone and clarinet. But i can pick up almost anything and do something with it. I can play a lot of stuff by ear, so lock me in a room for a day with almost any instrument I'd have a decent ability with it and a few songs for you.

That's one of those things I'd do if I won the lotto, buy as many instruments as I could and build a music room, and recording studio, invite local bands and kids to record there for free.

I've played various instruments over the years, but guitar is the only one I still pick up sometimes. I am basically an advanced beginner.

Meanwhile, I have recently taken up the recorder, tin whistle, and ocarina. I'm very much a beginner, but having a blast. My wife and a friend are also learning. We're working on various baroque and early classical pieces.

Guitar. I played as a teenager, but wasn't very good, and quit around 20. I loved music, though, and got a degree in Music History, and then had a first career in the classical/Jazz record biz.

40 years after quitting the guitar, I took it up again during Covid. during Covid, but seriously this time. When I was a kid, I was struggling with learning it myself, even though I had good musical aptitude. Guitar is a hard instrument.

But after having learned the basics decades ago, a solid education in Music Theory, lots of experience in the music world with professional musicians, and a LOT of YouTube videos, I took to it pretty fast. I'm playing electric lead stuff and acoustic finger picking, and I'm now at a solid intermediate level, and having a blast.

YouTube was the main difference between self-learning now, and in the past. The best teachers in the world are on YouTube, and it's basically all free.

My only regret is having quit in the first place, and losing 40 years of progress.

Guitar. Been playing for close to 35 years now, and I'm half decent. I also play bass, but I consider myself a beginner.

And I was pretty good at trumpet when I was a kid, but I haven't played since I was 16.

I bet if I had a recorder, I could still rip a mean hot cross bunz.

I'm a serious skin flutist. I play mine like a seasoned master of the highest order.

I played violin for about 10 years. I was able to play Vivaldi's Four Seasons and similar before I put the bow down

I can play the piano decently well. Back in high school, I played clarinet and oboe, but I'm out of practice now

I'm good enough at guitar to do it professionally. Not my only job but part of my income is playing as a hired gun for local acts and artists touring the region. I play mostly country, a lot of chicken-pickin, bending style telecaster stuff. Been at it over 25 years.

Modular synths for me. I built a "Synthcase" out of an old antique suitcase in 2025. Now I'm learning to tease signal from noise. 

Vocal Cords, expert

Woodwinds: (Flute, Bass Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Saxophone, Bari-Sax, Pan Pipes) Journeyman to Expert

Strings: (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass) Journeyman

Brass: (Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Tuba, Sousaphone, Cornet, Bugle) Apprentice to Journeyman

Percussion: Apprentice

Piano: Beginner, though I took lessons when I was 3-6, and I can sit and make it sound good, just can't play sheet music with one.

Guitar: Bass and Rhythm guitar: Apprentice. Can't do lead, chords mess with my fingers.

I've been playing instruments and singing my whole life.

Oh, technically I can play a recorder, but I hate that thing.

I can also "play" a didgeridoo, as in get consistent sound out of the thing. If there is more of a mastery than that, I don't know.

Vocal Chords: Expert

Ocarina: Pretty good.

Harmonica: Decent.

Piano: Amateur.

Guitar: I can pluck strings and make it go "twang!"

Honorable mention to the mouth harp; I am not sure how you can be good or bad at it.

I play guitar. I have 15 now I think. I'm reasonably good, but every time you think you are good there is someone who is somehow 1000 fold better. I am not one to care to much about shredding ability. I'm more of a songwriter and entertainer.

I also play bass, harmonica, piano, jaw harp, but I suck big time at drums. I also have a stylophone that I play with for fun and write little melodies.

I spent a couple decades as a professional musician, and so I learned my way around a lot of instruments. I’d say bass is my best though - it’s absolutely my favorite. I’m not Thundercat but I’ll lay down rock grooves for you all week long.

I play drums mostly as a way to exercise. I like to think I'm decent, but nowhere near good enough to play for people.

Can play most brass instruments its just been a very long time since I've picked most of them up. Usually just Trombone when I get the fancy since I still have mine from high-school

I can play some Zelda songs on the piano, not very well, but I enjoy it

Viola, with proficiency somewhere between beginner and just plain bad. But it's still fun (for a given value of"fun").

I play and teach bass for a living. Been playing for over 12 years and making my own tunes on the side.

I'm decent at mayonnaise.

I play the cello decently well, I have played on and off for 8 years.

I started with guitar, then bass, then piano.

Guitar over only really played for fun with other people. I've played bass in 3 bands, 2 of those publicly. Piano I've played solo at recitals and publicly a few times as part of an ensemble group. Guitar and bass were self taught, so I plateaued early on, but I take piano lessons now. I also have a sampler/drum machine I play around with and use to make backing tracks to practice the other instruments.

I'm not very good at any of them in my own opinion, but it doesn't take much to have fun. I think it's harder to be good alone than playing with other people, though as an introvert, it's hard to get over the initial hump of getting together with people.

I play every instrument but very badly

Irish Penny Whistle. I can play slow things.

Cornet and Trumpet. I can play fairly advanced stuff but I don’t have the embouchure and can only keep it up for a few minutes.

Guitar: strumming and some finger picking. Took this up again during covid as I wanted to sing and play, which I can do now.

Piano: also from COVID. Slowly working through Alfreds but it’s fun so I don’t mind.

i have a xaphoon

At 9 I played violin.

I played guitar for 20 years (started at 10) in a somewhat successful few metal/hardcore/screamo bands.

I sang with some of the bands. I picked up bass and piano along the way. Can kinda play drums. Basic beats and understand most of the connections.

If I was to do it all again I would play bass. Probably the most intuitive for me. But it's hard to say that the others didn't lead to bass just seeming natural. But it was fun.

I started learning violin almost 3 years ago. I take lessons. I still suck a lot but I keep going because I do enjoy learning, even if it's often frustrating. I have absolutely no musical background and was actively encouraged not to pursue an instrument when I was young because of the expense, so I guess it's also a way to reclaim my childhood.

I learned music on saxophone, I have both an alto and tenor stashed in my house. I haven't been able to play due to no community bands in my area. Thankfully it's almost like riding a bike, including my talent for playing by ear.

I've also dabbled in a few other instruments, most notably guitar (in high school) where I eventually was able to play most of One by Metallica. The only thing stopping me was that the guitar only had 22 frets, and that song required 24 with standard tuning.

I'm also an amateur with Hurdy Gurdy, which is a European folk instrument. I've been fascinated by them since I was a teenager, and got a kit a couple years ago. Unfortunately I haven't had time to play it this past year

Proficient at mayonnaise and okay at the gun.

Piano Flute Saxophones Bassoon Melodic percussion

Strongest on piano. I have dabbled a bit with accordion since a relative has one, beautiful instrument.

I play all the rock instruments and then some. I never got along with fretless strings or horns, because they require much more practice.

My main interests are in theory, composing and synthesizers, so I like instruments that are playable from a logic approach rather than muscle memory.

I'm still pretty technically decent with guitars and the djembe. Maybe blues harp too.

If I were to join a band, it'd probably be on bass though.