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[doombilly]

or maybe even woodwindy?

So... am contemplating learning to play something I blow into, (having sucked on the guitar for so many years nyuk nyuk).

Having never played anything like this (barring harmonicas)...how likely is it at the ripe old age of well...some of your parents...is it for me to pick up  a blow-y instrument.

My choices from some meager research are:

alto sax
trumpet
c melody sax

Yes i know saxophones are not considered brass instruments.

Also my wifey might be taking up the double bass so we can both have no frets to accurately mark out notes. Because having another thing to fight about is aweseome. heh

So we'll likely be doing progfolkabillytronica music. Maybe I'll sequence the awfullest electronic hand claps as our only drum instrument.

So how hard is it to pick up one of these and play it convincingly.

I can read music (s l o w l y). I've had some training in teh piano, banjo, and been playing the guitar about 15 yrs.

[McTaggart]

Trumpets are always way more fun to listen to that saxophones. Saxophone just sounds embarrassing on every track I hear it on.

[jimbunny]

I think trumpet's known as a hard instrument to play. Brass players use a lot of face muscles, so they generally tire out faster than other instrumentalists. Which makes starting out practicing pretty frustrating, especially if you're trying to learn quickly. Then again, determination goes a long way, and the fact that you're already a musician helps.

That's my two cents. I played trumpet for ten years, though I wasn't always the most diligent student.

[doombilly]

Saxophone just sounds embarrassing on every track I hear it on.

Charlie Parker?
Coltrane?
Boots Randolph? 

[Liz]

Flugelhorn is a ridiculous word.

[Liz]

I did not say it was a bad word, just ridiculous.

[KickThatBathProf]

Play the sackbut

[doombilly]

Play the sackbut

I was going to say something like, "OK what's ya momma's number?" Then
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sackbut ...I googled.

Man, you jus' don't get good Sackbutt anymore. What IS ya momma's number?

[KickThatBathProf]

You would not like to see my mother

[ALoveSupreme]

The sax in most music other than jazz is definitely embarrassing (after playing for more than 10 years, I can guarantee this).  I would recommend a horn for the most satisfaction in the long run.  The sax is probably just as difficult to get your jaw used to as the trumpet of flugel so I would say wing it either way! 

[MadassAlex]

The sax in most music other than jazz is definitely embarrassing

Boogie rock?

[squawk]

As an alto player I'm seconding this 'non-jazz sax sounds sort of ridiculous' thing. EXCEPT in "Sex Bomb" by Flipper. That is some perfect saxophone.

Despite your lack of wind instrument knowledge, brass instruments are pretty straightforward once you learn the basics and develop correct habits. I would suggest French horn because that has the coolest brass sound, but it takes a whole lot of competence to make it sound right. So learn trumpet first I guess?

[J-cob9000]

Not to derail your topic but seeing as I have a music learning question, I think I might just do that.

I'm in no way musical. As far as I know. I might be with some learning. My question, though, is the following: Guitar or Piano? I would like to learn both and possibly more but which do I start with?

[sean]

Guitar would be fun stuffs but a Piano would give you a great musical foundation.

[squawk]

Yeah, if you start with piano then the knowledge you gain from that will help tremendously with learning any other instrument.

[MadassAlex]

I'm not sure what either of you mean by that.

Piano is a great way to learn music theory, but since music theory is universal, any chordal instrument should work fine.

[Spluff]

As above, you will learn the same thing with any instrument, pretty much.

Personally, I'd learn guitar. It's cooler.

[MadassAlex]

Personally, I'd learn guitar. It encourages intervallic thinking rather than alphanumeric thinking in terms of note selection and placement in the harmony, which leads to a more flexible approach.

Elaborate'd.

That said, the most major difference between a guitar and a piano is how differently you'll perceive patterns. Although learning guitar gives you a hand in working out other stringed instruments.

[ALoveSupreme]

I would suggest French horn because that has the coolest brass sound, but it takes a whole lot of competence to make it sound right. So learn trumpet first I guess?

Maybe the mellophone would be a good suggestion?  it has the tone of a french horn but with the feel of a trumpet (minus being larger and heavier).  i started learning it recently after a couple years of the cornet/trumpet and it's been a moderately simple switch, so I doubt there's much difference between the two.

[suitupletsgo]

someone buy me a euphonium so I can start playing again.

please?

[doombilly]

Re: sax in non jazz music.
Um Every Roxy Music album?
edit-
Also If what you want to learn is music theory and composition then I would choose the piano.

If you want more immediate gratification I would choose the guitar.

The piano teaches you how to separate your two hands into two often independent melodic and often harmonic entities. For the most part the guitar teaches your hands more to work in concert (pardon the pun) to produce more of a homophonic device. While obviously you can pick out single notes on the gtr, unless you are playing open notes only it takes two hands working together to make one note (or chord). Whereas the piano you can play with one hand. Or two. Harmony and melody can be played simultaneously. Two independent melodies can be played simultaneously. Two different chord progressions can be played simultaneously. Obviously some players branch outside of this box with the guitar, but on the whole they are phemons.

Of course you can do hammers, pull-offs, and slides with your left (or fretting) hand while doing something somewhat different with your other hand. But I think for the most part you can do a lot more polyphonic idioms with a piano on a more basic, beginner level, out of the box.

Me, I dig the tactile feel of the strings. So I almost never play my piano, keyboards, synthesizers etc...

[ViolentDove]

Doombilly, I'd reccomend trumpet or even trombone. I've played trumpet for around fifteen years now, so I guess I might be a bit biased. Learning trumpet isn't as straightforward as guitar or piano. You cannot see the sound/note/position you're trying to make, as it's a combination of fingering and embouchure, so it's harder to play something simple that sounds good if you've only been playing for a little while. You will definitely need professional lessons, as well, at least for a little while. If you don't get into good habits with your embouchure, you can end up damaging your face muscles and such.

Also, trumpets/trombones have access to a wider range of tones than sax/woodwinds, because of various mutes, and other techniques like playing flutter-tongue or open lipped.

Trombone might be slightly more intuitive for some people because of the slide, and has a beautiful fat sound that I don't hear enough of outside of jazz.   

Edit: Keep in mind with trumpets that you can get B-flat horns or C horns. The B-flat is the most common, but the C horn might be easier if you're not up for transposing.

Also, maybe ask around your friends and see if anyone has a horn from their high-school band days that they have lying around in a closet somewhere gathering dust. I've used this approach over the years to borrow instruments to see if I'm any good at learning on them before buying one... so far I've scrounged a flute, clarinet, and violin.

[kaseysaidmaybetomorrow]

French Horn, please.

Usually plays counter-melody/harmony parts, but can be a really gorgeous instrument on its own or in a small group (such as with a double bass).
I will say though, I have read that it is one of the most challenging instruments to learn and learn well (American School of Music)

[IronOxide]

Horn is a little difficult to pick up, and not too great as a solo instrument, so I would recommend picking up a flugelhorn, coronet, or trumpet, if you want to pick up brass, I would have a  fair amount of advice for you and a couple of good warmup routines. The most important thing to remember when picking up a brass instrument is that a slow warmup is useful, and when practicing to spend the same amount of time not playing as playing, meaning your chops last longer.

If you choose to play a woodwind, then blow it out your ass.

[doombilly]

If you choose to play a woodwind, then blow it out your ass.

I seriously LOL'd loud enough to scare the dogs.

[MrMonk]

Though brass instruments are pretty good, too.   I played baritone and tuba in high school and college.  But once you've learned one instrument well, with good technique, you can play most of the others without shaming yourself. 

I'll go along with some of the other posters and suggest that you start with a trumpet or cornet.  Something in the alto range might also be good, but a suitable instrument might be harder to find than a trumpet.

[doombilly]

Well we will have to see what 2009 has in store for illicitizen. Changed a song into 12/8 time last night. Time to drop the drummer and stick with the sequenced rhythms -and buy some more crazy instruments. I can get a horn for about $200, I guess you buy the mouthpieces separately? So, maybe in a few months. You guys have any advice on brands of trumpets NOT to buy?

[IronOxide]

Not a Schiller, not a Tristar, probably not a Blessing, but it depends on what you can find.

But honestly, there is a tits-off insane price at wwbw on this Besson, and while they are very much a euphonium maker, I imagine they could not fuck it up too badly, and wwbw has a rather liberal return policy, so if you were looking at dropping a couple hundo, I would call this a good find.

If you're looking for a better deal though, you're going to have to take what you can get.