I CAN PLAY I CAN PLAY!

[Satrevi]

Hehe, now let me explain, before i did piano i did guitar, i got extremely used to keeping my fingernails short. So i start to play my piano a few days ago. I can't play for s**t, now it turns out from playing guitar i developed something really odd psychological. I cannot play piano with long fingernails even though it makes no difference because of how much i used to play guitar!

So yes that is an odd quirk that doesn't make much sense. But i figure we all know how to laugh at ourself here. What are weird things that have to be in place for you guys to make music?  

[Spectrum_Rhapsody]

My flute has this one screw that is stripped and it constantly comes loose. I don't trust Hanson's to set it, because if they set it wrong, I will need a brand new flute. So everytime I put my flute together, I have to adjust the screw with my fingernail every time I get it out to play. And if I'm playing for more than half hour or more, I have to adjust it again, so my flute doesn't sound like s**t. I was handed my friend's clarinet, and I knew the fingerings, but it was slightly familiar to my flute position, so I absent-mindedly checked for the screw that I was so used to adjusting, and stopped myself. I would probably still do that if you handed me a different flute or if the screw ever gets set in mine, but it's been that way for almost two years now, so I doubt I'll ever budge and let someone set the screw, because I really don't trust anybody with my instruments. So because of constantly checking the screw on my flute, I would probably do that with any other instrument that involves being held and having fingerings. sweatdrop  

[Satrevi]

Spectrum_Rhapsody

My flute has this one screw that is stripped and it constantly comes loose. I don't trust Hanson's to set it, because if they set it wrong, I will need a brand new flute. So everytime I put my flute together, I have to adjust the screw with my fingernail every time I get it out to play. And if I'm playing for more than half hour or more, I have to adjust it again, so my flute doesn't sound like s**t. I was handed my friend's clarinet, and I knew the fingerings, but it was slightly familiar to my flute position, so I absent-mindedly checked for the screw that I was so used to adjusting, and stopped myself. I would probably still do that if you handed me a different flute or if the screw ever gets set in mine, but it's been that way for almost two years now, so I doubt I'll ever budge and let someone set the screw, because I really don't trust anybody with my instruments. So because of constantly checking the screw on my flute, I would probably do that with any other instrument that involves being held and having fingerings. sweatdrop

It's amazing the psychological power of habit  

[moosiklady]

Areleklo

Hehe, now let me explain, before i did piano i did guitar, i got extremely used to keeping my fingernails short. So i start to play my piano a few days ago. I can't play for s**t, now it turns out from playing guitar i developed something really odd psychological. I cannot play piano with long fingernails even though it makes no difference because of how much i used to play guitar!

So yes that is an odd quirk that doesn't make much sense. But i figure we all know how to laugh at ourself here. What are weird things that have to be in place for you guys to make music?

You're NOT supposed to have long fingernails on piano - it causes poor hand position. You're definitely better off with short nails - IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE! The reason your hand position is probably better now is that guitar built up your finger strength.  

[Satrevi]

moosiklady

Areleklo

Hehe, now let me explain, before i did piano i did guitar, i got extremely used to keeping my fingernails short. So i start to play my piano a few days ago. I can't play for s**t, now it turns out from playing guitar i developed something really odd psychological. I cannot play piano with long fingernails even though it makes no difference because of how much i used to play guitar!

So yes that is an odd quirk that doesn't make much sense. But i figure we all know how to laugh at ourself here. What are weird things that have to be in place for you guys to make music?

You're NOT supposed to have long fingernails on piano - it causes poor hand position. You're definitely better off with short nails - IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE! The reason your hand position is probably better now is that guitar built up your finger strength.

that the guitar did, pinky strength in particular  

[ShiKu13]

Well, before I played bass, I played piano for. While playing piano, I found that it was easier for me to read notes on the treble clef. When I started playing bass which is played on bass clef, reading notes on the bass clef became so much easier. The only problem was that now I haven't gotten much practice into the treble clef and I kinda suck at it now. sweatdrop
But one thing I did get from playing bass is pinky strength since you have to stretch your fingers ALOT and hold down your pinky VERY firmly to get a nice, clean sound.  

[Satrevi]

ShiKu13

Well, before I played bass, I played piano for. While playing piano, I found that it was easier for me to read notes on the treble clef. When I started playing bass which is played on bass clef, reading notes on the bass clef became so much easier. The only problem was that now I haven't gotten much practice into the treble clef and I kinda suck at it now. sweatdrop
But one thing I did get from playing bass is pinky strength since you have to stretch your fingers ALOT and hold down your pinky VERY firmly to get a nice, clean sound.

lucky, yeah bass would definitely improve pinky strength quicker  

[charliehighland]

What I have come to understand is that the muscle memory developed for a specific instrument can be unlearned, and switching from piano to guitar is a good example for a change that can cause it. I play a mostly piano nowadays, but i try to keep up with some practice on violin/viola, and I find it gets harder as I specialize more with the keys...  

[moosiklady]

I think - if you have the time to keep up both - that if playing multiple instruments they'll help each other. It can be a mental hurdle to switch gears from one to the other, though.

I played piano first (which is probably the best to learn first, as you learn both clefs). Then flute - which really helped my high ledger line notes, then bassoon, which was great for reading tenor clef. Better yet, eventually I got to read tenor clef (yes, there is such a thing - it's for instruments that play a lot across the break between treble and bass clefs) on bassoon, which really solidified my note reading!

I also play guitar; guitar and piano have the most in common - because both develop finger strength and independence.  

[Space_Monkee]

how 'bout this for a quirk. . . I'm left-handed, but I play right-handed.