What do you play

[Michael Collier]

So I have noticed something in the ENG world (can't say too much about the naritive film business cause I seem to be an island out here in Alaska)

 

Everybody who has ever held a camera for the news or for doc work seems to play an instrument. It seemed like a small coincidence but now I am starting to think they are connected.

 

Does anyone here play? What instrument? I can attest that I (being so damn non-conformist) chose to play the guitar. I am no hendrix by any means, but it is fun and simple and relaxing.

 

I was wondering if any working professionals in the feature film arena (which those who have read my posts should know I will join your ranks next year, albeit in the independent/student film vein. Think mullen 10 or 15 years ago.) I was wondering when I get out there will I find a lot of musical influence.

 

I also bring this up because as I progress in my music I find that I am applying music theory to film and images. Its a bit abstract but I think I can use some understanding of how a vibration elicits an emotional response to how a visual information can elicit a response. (also great for pacing when prepping shots. When I was much much younger and thought I would make a great editor, I found myself editting to music very often, even if it wasnt in my project tracks just to sort of stay grounded.)

 

So what of it? When I move to california next year will anybody be down to jam a bit?

[Kevin Zanit]

I play the drums, and have played the drums in a band/ in sessions some years ago.

 

I got my start in music videos from drum teching for smaller bands on tour and in studio that got big(er), needed a video, and knew that I did camera work, so they threw me a bone.

 

I was talking to my rep at Hollywood Rentals, and he was telling me how he also does session work as a drummer.

 

I think it?s a creative business, and creative people (musicians and such) tend to lean towards other creative outlets.

 

A director I am currently working with has a background as a successful record producer. He is an excellent director because he has so much experience already as far as getting performances out of performers.

 

Whenever there is some confusion as to the film making process, I can usually bring it back to the recording world for him to relate (there are many similarities).

 

Kevin Zanit

[Alex Haspel]

well, i only know of one colleague that plays an instrument. he's an AC and an amazing jazz bassist.

 

i play the drums since the age of 17, i had one lesson that i found to be rather boring and went autodidact from then. the band i founded with some highschool friends back then does still exist and also still has the occasional gig every now and then. but we have some trouble playing our older songs, it's kind of embarassing, since the lyrics are highly puberty-driven stupid (involving either penises or booze or both)...

 

oh, and i played some other bands over the time, but nothing too longlasting.

 

and i also picked up my guitarist's guitar every now and then and bought my first one shortly after,

but i'm definately better at drums.

[Guest Aaron Farrugia]

hmm interesting

i play organ drums and guitar

i play guitar for a group called the missing few

check it out if u can

www.myspace.com/themissingfew

[Chad Stockfleth]

hehehehe, busted. i've played guitar since 14....originally went to school to be an audio engineer, then decided long days on location would be a lot more fun then long days in the studio, so switched majors.

 

i agree with you, i often find filmwork and music analogous. my dream job would be music video director....unfortunately not many paying gigs of that nature around here.

[John-Erling Holmenes Fredriksen]

Guitar here. I also played the violin as a kid :P

 

My friend and only colleague in our company also play the guitar, in addition to being an excellent furniture-drummer (if you know what I mean).

 

I also know a lot of other filmworkers with a talent for music. I guess a lot of filmworkers are people who like to express themselves in some way.

[Hal Smith]

Does anyone here play? What instrument? I can attest that I (being so damn non-conformist) chose to play the guitar. I am no hendrix by any means, but it is fun and simple and relaxing.

Classical guitar. A bit rusty now but played guitar at church for years at close to professional level. I also noodle a bit on piano and have sung bass with a community choir. Hung out with Paul Butterfield and the Chicago blues scene in the 60's and could fake a pretty good blues guitar.

The connection between film and music is probably a right brain / left brain thing. Both require not only an artistic sensibility but technical proficiency as well. I was playing around creating what would be called music videos now in the early 70's with Ampex industrial video equipment I had been given when I upgraded a studio at The University of the South. Didn't have the sense to realize I was onto something that I could have made a career out of. How quickly we grow old, and so slowly smart.

[Ram Shani]

hi

 

i play a guitar since age 15

[Patrick McGowan]

Drums since age 11. So, 9 years? Maybe. 11-13 probably don't count.

 

There are too many people that think they can play instuments. You need some serious experience to be good.. Maybe 15+ years. (except Tony Royster Jr.)

 

Most people, myself included, are just having fun with it.

[James Steven Beverly]

Guitar and sing. I fool around on the piano and can blow a few notes on the trumpet. I love music. Everything from Mozart and Bach to Kid Rock and Green Day. B)

[David Sweetman]

I mess around on guitar; wouldn't call myself a "musician" perse, though my brother's a bassist so maybe it's in the genes.

 

Everything from Mozart and Bach to Kid Rock and Green Day. B)

I'd have to go everything from Mozart and Bach (and would add Debussy) to The Clash and Dead Kennedys (real punk!) and I can't not mention King Crimson.

[Kevin Zanit]

Tony Royster Jr. is pretty incredible. I have played for over 13 years, and still have nothing on that kid (well he is like 21 now, but when I was following him, he was like 9 or 10).

[Guest Alexandre Lucena]

The alto saxophone here.

[Dan Dumouchel]

Haha, ya Sax playa... and I used to play Violin and some piano.

[James Steven Beverly]

Tony Royster Jr. is pretty incredible. I have played for over 13 years, and still have nothing on that kid (well he is like 21 now, but when I was following him, he was like 9 or 10).

 

I know what you mean about being awestruck at the talent some people have. I think you can only truly appreciate the depth of that talent if your a musician yourself. I listen to some old BB King or Jimi Hendrex and remember Saliari's line from Amudeus. "He's been touched by the hand of God"

 

Music inspires me. When I'm writing, I can hear the score playing in my head especially with action sequences or love scenes. When I started going to acting workshops in LA, I had a great teacher that taught us to use music to find a way into a charature or scene.

[David Venhaus]

Started playing guitar since I was 9 years old (that makes it over 20 years) but I mainly play electric bass. I also make and play didjeridoo's and hand drums. To a lesser extent, I also play electric laptop slide guitar, classical guitar and piano.

[Eric Maxwell]

I play clarinet, accordian, bagpipes, the didje, frame drums, guitar, bass, and I'm learning the play the flute and mandolin. But, I also love composing and arranging, which is always a plus when one needs soundtrack pieces but has no money.

[Alex Haspel]

well, i only know of one colleague that plays an instrument. he's an AC and an amazing jazz bassist.

 

i play the drums since the age of 17, i had one lesson that i found to be rather boring and went autodidact from then. the band i founded with some highschool friends back then does still exist and also still has the occasional gig every now and then. but we have some trouble playing our older songs, it's kind of embarassing, since the lyrics are highly puberty-driven stupid (involving either penises or booze or both)...

 

oh, and i played some other bands over the time, but nothing too longlasting.

 

and i also picked up my guitarist's guitar every now and then and bought my first one shortly after,

but i'm definately better at drums.

 

a litttle update..

you can now hear the previously mentioned band here: www.myspace.com/deinemutteroida

[Phil Rhodes]

I used to play the Theremin, although they all react so differently that it's hard to play one when you're used to another, and mine broke years ago.

 

Phil

[Daniel Smith]

Guitar and bass. And I'll give a set of drums a whack when given a chance. Practicing vocals.

 

And from my experience, the theory behind film and music are very similar.

[Andy_Alderslade]

Well I have all the musical ability of a hamster in a tumble-drier.

 

I tend to be either very good at things or very bad at things, 'average' is not in my vocabulary.

 

 

Just out of curiosity does anybody manage to play any sport?

[Ian Dudley]

Hi,

 

I've played guitar since high school, so that's 17 years. I guess I could have been a rock star several times over by now if I hadn't been sidetracked by this cinematography thing. Oh, well....

 

Ian

[James Steven Beverly]

Well I have all the musical ability of a hamster in a tumble-drier.

 

A HAMSTER in a TUMBLE-DRIER????!!!!! :blink: Is that like an Engish term or something like Americans use off the hook or so's your mother? :unsure: It DOES conjure up mental images, all be they rather gross, :huh: but I just wanted to understand how the parrellel is drawn between that and music, I'm very confused :(

 

I suppose, hamsters, not having evolved any particularly natural ability to master a musical instrument like say, the violin in the first place would be at a much greater disadvatage after having been tossed into a Maytag for a 30 minutes or so, particularly if the heat were set on high! The increased puffiness in it's fur alone would impede the animal's ability to even SEE the instument, let alone allow it to be tucked up under the hamster's tiny chin, which is really inadiquite under the BEST of circumstanses.

 

I suppose I see what your saying, playing the violin would be all but impossible for a hamster once it had gone though even the fluff cycle, let alone an oboe or tuba and forget about the Piano! Even if it could manage to jump from key to key in some pathetic attempt to peck out a nostalgic little diddy, the dissiness from such an inordinate amount of tumbling would reek havoc on it's paw-eye coordination. Any tune it attempted would be pretty much unrecognisible, what with it stumbling across the keyboard and all.

 

I guess the real moral here is NEVER thrown you hamster into the cotton cycle if you ever expect it to go on tour with the New York Philharmonic as a violinist and I guess that's a lesson we all need to learn at some point in our lives... all of us!

Edited December 11, 2006 by James Steven Beverly

[David Sweetman]

I'm sure a man like Frank Zappa would contend that a hamster in a tumble drier has quite a bit of musical ability, quite a bit indeed.

[James Steven Beverly]

Only as a drummer......Think about it........ :rolleyes: