Question by Kye: How would you convince a member in your band to learn another instrument?
I sing and play guitar in a band, but I also know how to play piano, I going to learn the viola and I want to learn how to play bass guitar.
“Friend #1″ plays the keyboard/piano and the saxophone, but is planning on quitting the saxophone after the school year ends. (F1)
“Friend #2″ plays the cello, but her primary instrument is the piano, and she wants to learn the guitar. (F2)
“Friend #3″ does back up vocals, has no known sense of rhythm. She used to play piano, but quit due to lack of interest. (F3)
“Friend #4″ is going to start taking guitar lessons this summer, however, she also has an amazing sense of rhythm. (F4)
We are trying to arrange more songs for ourselves to play, but the problem is that F1 will not budge. She refuses to play an instrument besides the piano, however, her instrument is not unique among the band. I am worried that the F2 will get sick of constantly being called “the orchestra” (which is partly why I want to learn the viola, so she’s not alone) and will quit, because she is a much better piano player than F1.
Orchestra explanation: we like playing songs with a string section. We already know “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay. (me- vocals and guitar, F1- vocals and piano, F2- cello, F3- vocals and bells, F4- had not joined yet)
I would like to be able to switch up who plays what so fights don’t start. If F1 does not learn new instruments, F2 will be stuck with the cello in every song (which is not good, because not every song has an orchestral string section).
F1 likes being the center of attention, and although she does not have have an impressive singing voice, I have already promised her a “solo song” of her choice, in which she can sing AND play piano. This will be “White Houses” by Vanessa Carlton. I was hoping this would allow her to be open to switching up the instruments if she can have a song to herself to really shine. F2 is better at the piano, and I think that she should be able to play piano in some of the songs we learn.
I’ve tried to convince F1 to learn a new instrument. She says when she plays the sax, she doesn’t feel a true connection with it like she does when she plays piano. She needs to learn a second instrument! She expects all of us to learn the other instruments!
Not all songs have a piano part either, which complicates things, because the song will not have the same effect if we wrote one for it. We want to learn “Misery Business” by Paramore. I can already play the guitar part, which I am totally willing to teach to the other members who learn guitar, but the song has a drumbeat. Duh. Oh, and there’s no piano in that song, but F1 wants to play piano anyways. Hem hem, not just keyboard- I have asked her if she could use a percussion setting so we could have a beat, but she wants to play the guitar part on the piano, and have it sound like a piano. Does that make sense?
Sorry that was so long! Please, I really need help. I don’t know how to convince her. I’ve tried asking her if she was interested in another instrument. She said other instruments fascinate her, the same way they fascinate me, but she doesn’t feel a compulsion to learn them. Example: Stringed orchestral instruments are a must have for her in our songs, however, she wants to sit behind a piano while others give the song its full effect.
MY QUESTIONS:
1. How do you convince a friend to learn a new instrument?
2. Are there any drills you can put someone through to improve their rhythm? F3 needs help with it… We are going to make her play Rock Band, although she hates it already because she’s supposedly really bad at it… But the rest of us enjoy it! Haha
Thanks everyone! So sorry about the length. I’ve kept that bottled up for a while…
Best answer:
Answer by I say this and that
1. How do you convince a friend to learn a new instrument?
tell them all the fun advantages of playing
2. Are there any drills you can put someone through to improve their rhythm?
yes you should visit musical sites that cater to exercises and drills
What do you think? Answer below!