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BMI S-12 8&5, Nashville 112, Boss SE-50, Stewart PA200, two BW 1203-4's

And fiddle too. The difference between a violin and a fiddle is that nobody cares if you pour beer in a fiddle . .

You are correct....since the early 1800's the violin was considered the most difficult instrument to play.
This has never changed as far as I know of.
People say that the lapsteel is a converted violin....But not everybody agrees.

Ron

Next to that, I would say the spoons and the juice harp. How anything that seems so simple evades my abilities escapes me.

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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum

Actually, I am beginning to think it is harder than pedal steel guitar. (I'm trying to learn to play fiddle, in case you didn't draw that conclusion from my comment!)

quote:

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Harps have lots of strings, and a few pedals, but they don't have the intonation problems of fretless strings and steel.

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And why would that be.....?

I'd think a few of the baroque instruments would qualify,

French Horn from my high school band days was the hardest to find players for.

Bassoons fascinate me.

Also the Digeridoo (sp) I hear tell requires double breathing.

Highland Bagpipes have a reputation for being pretty tough.

Like a fiddle, or I guess a psg, until you learn how to play it, you're playing only for yourself.

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 15 January 2005 at 12:04 PM.]

Double reeds, particularly the contrabassoon are also deserving of a healthy respect.

The thing about the PSG is that you don't have to be all that good to sound real good if you understand the basics - Jerry Garcia said that he quit playing the steel because he felt like a fraud, but "Teach Your Children" introduced the instrument to millions of younger folk and he established a classic sound doing it.

To be a great steel player, well that's something for sure and possibly even harder than being a great french horn player to boot. A good french horn SECTION, now that's what I want to hear.

I notice nobody yet has mentioned the Koto, an instrument that's a lot closer to PSG than most folks realize. There are also several other south asian instruments worthy of note, such as the kamancheh, santur and of course the sitar. Just the historical and repertory knowledge expected of a beginning player in the south asians disciplines (oh yes and did I mention that they can easily have over twenty notes to the octave?) is pretty humbling for those of us of western musical persuasions.
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Dave Grafe - email: dg@pdxaudio.com
Production
Pickin', etc.

1978 ShoBud Pro I E9, 1960 Les Paul (SG) Deluxe, 1963 Precision Bass, 1954 Gibson LGO, 1897 Washburn Hawaiian Steel Conversion

[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 15 January 2005 at 01:03 PM.]

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com

The easiest instrument in the world can be the hardest to play, and vice versa. YMMV

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

I agree with Winnie. The uilleann pipes (uilleann is Irish for elbow) are really a bear to play. I wrestled with a set once, and felt like I couldn't tell my fingers from my elbow, and when the pipes finally made a sound, they were shreiking for me to stop.

There's also the Sarod. With no frets and 25 strings, that would probably be a challenge,too.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 16 January 2005 at 06:17 AM.]

But.... and here is tthe BIG trick.

The GOOD players, can continuously keep air presure on the instrument with their mouths WHILE inhaling through their nose regularly.

So the notes have been known to sustain for an hour or more without breaking....

Dizzy Gilespie studied this technique for his trumpet playing for years.

That rhythmic sound on Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport, was simply a sheet of masonite flexed back and forthy from left to right warped states.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 16 January 2005 at 10:46 AM.]

Breathing technique may be difficult on a didgeridoo. But they only play one note. Possibly they can get one or two overtones, like a valve-less trumpet, but I don't remember ever hearing that. Harold Smith plays didge on some songs in my blues band. He warbles and adds some percussion effects with his free hands, but I don't know that he ever gets off the one note. He has several with different notes to match the tonic of the key we are playing in. He also has several conch shells for different keys, and I have heard him hit a higher overtone with those.

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 16 January 2005 at 11:06 AM.]

Also Tympani, which is what my father played at the University in Corvallis in the 50s was interesting. I think it rounds out the pedal pitch changing instruments. The Koto, or whatever it is is changed by hand.

The Digeridoo got my attention in the movie "Last Wave". It was probably played by the instrumental equivalent of Robert Ran... or rather a player possibly not representing the classical application, but it sure had an interesting sound.

Nobody mentioned the huge Tibetan Horns, but I think the hard part is living the life they require of you for enough years til they let you get your hands on one of those puppies.

From what they tell me, if you get to where they are set up, and blow a wrong riff echoing down the valley, the denizens thereof trek to the mountain and dismember the offending player, and make a skull drum out of him (or her I spose).

Kind of like if you play a gig in Canada and don't play any "Steve Earle".

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 16 January 2005 at 01:39 PM.]

*Right Hand - Riffs, segments, chord melody, effects switching, real time drawbar and preset movements.

*Left Hand - 9th/13th Chords, 4 changes per measure.
Real time drawbar and preset movements, Leslie switch.
Jump to the upper manual for “block chord” melody.

*Left Foot - Walking Bass Eighth Notes on a 2-octave pedal board.
(with the proper shoes, one can heel-and-toe bass runs, heel-natural, toe-accidental)

*Right Foot - Volume Pedal, Upper Octave Bass Pedals.

There are some excellent jazz/theatre organists around who don’t get much attention. (Because) We can all sound great now due to popular innovations, (like sequencers) that allow us to “cheat”. Today, few are known to play jazz gigs the old fashioned way, utilizing bass pedals and split manuals.

Hmmm . . . . .
This reminds me of another instrument that requires the technical use of all 4 limbs.
Now, if only I could rock from A to B pedal without touching LKR.

JW

On top of a massive amount of sounds available each with a some what different touch, it also adds the wealth of STYLES needed to play for examnple a classic silent movie, or the prelude for one.

All styles of that day and before needed, Classical to Hawaiian, Cowboy to Blues, Jazz to Chinese,
and then"effects".

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"It's gettin' hard to find a place to play my guitar,
And they're tryin' to put an end to guys like me"

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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com