Advantages: Good tuba muisc
Disadvantages: None

...The tuba has generally been ignored as a solo instrument, and although it enjoyed some success in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and the operas of Wagner, it didnt really emerge as a solo instrument until the 20th century. However, recently the tuba's potential as a soloist has been realised through the children's tale, Tubby the Tuba, where the whole point of the story is to highlight the fact that most peoploe would not think the tuba of being capable in taking a soloistic role, but the fact that it can take this role, and take it extremely successfully is shown here in this CD with these four Tuba Concerti, that were all written in the years after Tubby the Tuba. The first Tuba Concerto on the CD is Tuba Concerto (1978) by Edward Gregson. 1 - Allegro deciso 2 - Lento e mesto 3 - Allegro giocoso This concerto begins... Read review

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Advantages: Some INCREDIBLEY catchy tracks and very funny vocals
Disadvantages: Whiney voices and some bellow par tracks

...of saying goodbye! So all in all, I really like this album. While The Vandals last album (“Look What I Almost Stepped In”) was quickly relegated to my listen-every-once-in-a-while pile, I listen to this album all the time. The Vandals do ”feel good” punk meaning that you can’t help but smile and sing-along to a lot of the tracks on the album. This album features some true classics like “F’d Up Girl” and “My Girlfriend’s Dead” but also some also-rans which although good, are the same kind of thing a million and one other punk bands do. Where The Vandals succeed are on the humorous lyrics and merging unusual musical styles and instruments (including the Tuba!). The fail when they try to be a ‘proper’ punk band and stop concentrating on the thing they are good at... Read review

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Advantages: very informative, fun to use, very educational
Disadvantages: hard to find in stores, can only be used on a Mac

...Its fall and my K-5 elementary students have returned to there favorite spots on the risers in my music room. It is always energizing to see there enthusiasm and excitement about school starting, getting there instruments in beginning band and coming back to music class. I especially get a kick out of the kindergarten students who are in "wide eyed wonder" over all the changes they are experiencing. I began the year teaching the students about the different families of instruments and after digging through my dusty files, I found a real treasure! Microsoft created a CD called "Microsoft's Musical Instruments" about 12 years ago. It is one of the best programs I have found for introducing the various families of instruments and learning about instruments from other countries. It only works on the Macintosh computer and I am not sure... Read review

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Advantages: Very rewarding, huge range of instruments and musical styles to choose from
Disadvantages: Requires a certain amount of musical talent, can be time consuming

...Playing musical instruments is such a broad subject, as there are so many hundreds (probably thousands) of musical instruments to choose, and so many styles of music to choose to play with your instrument. This is what makes this hobby so exciting. MY EXPERIENCE: I began seriously playing music aged 8, when my Dad bought me a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar. Being a good guitarist he taught me the basics, and I joined my infant schools' guitar group to learn from a teacher. I gave this hobby up after about a year and a half because physically, I found it very demanding. I have a mild hand tremor which means my hands tire very easily. Having to stretch my fingers to play chords that were perhaps to big for my fingers anyway meant that I lost interest. I then began playing recorder in a school group, along with most of the other... Read review

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Advantages: Incredibly rewarding
Disadvantages: If you have the patience

...There are books and books written about this subject: on how to play, on technique, on performance practice, and so on. Academics and performers and all sorts have had their say about the matter, and this year as part of my masters course I'm going to get to document my own attempts to learn Cuban piano and have my say as well. This review though doesn't claim to be nearly quite so grand; it is simply a few of my own thoughts on starting to play an instrument, and will hopefully prove a useful guide for children and adults alike. Why Should I Learn An Instrument? Here are some good reasons, pick the ones you like: For your own enjoyment, or for the enjoyment of others. To impress someone. Because your Mum always wanted you to. To create jealousy. To annoy. To put on your CV. To appear more cultural. To meet... Read review

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Advantages: Great fun
Disadvantages: Very large to store and transport

...My family are all rather musical and we have acquired quite a collection of instruments over the years. For a significant anniversary I decided to buy a double bass. In his younger days my partner had played the electric bass in various bands and had always said one day he would like to have a double bass. Well now he has. ♫ ♫ What is a double bass? ♫ ♫ Well I suppose the short answer is that it looks like a giant violin, although it’s actually descended from an instrument called the viol. It dates as far back as the 16th century and is the largest and lowest sounding instrument in the string family of instruments. The other instruments in this family are the viola, the violin and the cello. No one seems quite certain where the name comes from but one theory suggests it is because the double bass... Read review

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Advantages: Well built, good value for money, consistency within models
Disadvantages: Bore is too wide for the traditional european sound

...My life as a french horn player began on a Holton 177. It is an American full double instrument with a fairly wide bore and made in a nickel silver (not containing any silver, of course...). For those of you who don't know about the different metals the instruments are made from, the three main ones used are gold brass, yellow brass and nickel silver. I won't go into the details, but the gold brass is softer than yellow brass which is softer than the nickel silver. There is lots of complicated physics behind it, but the net result is agreed by most people to be that the sound of the instrument becomes brighter as you start from gold brass, moving through the yellow brass to the nickel silver. The metal you choose will therefore, to a degree, determine the sound you will make on the instrument. One advantage of the nickel silver... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful sound, hand made
Disadvantages: Not ideal for beginners

...I currently play on an Alexander 103, which I have owned now for many years. However, perhaps a little background first... I started off as a tenor horn player when I was about 11-12. I played that for a couple of years and then moved on to the french horn, playing on a Holton 177. This was a good horn to start on, but after playing for a few years I wanted more. I spent hours (and I mean hours) in Paxman's in London, trying each and every instrument they had. In the end I decided on a screw-bell Alex model 103. I received it on trial the day before I was due to go off on a course to record a CD. I loved it the moment I played it, and have loved it ever since. -- All Alexander horns are hand-made in Mainz, Germany. They have several different models of single, double, triple and descant horns available. However, the two which... Read review

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Advantages: See text.
Disadvantages: See text.

...Playing an instrument has many different advantages, couple with many disadvantages although they all counteract each other. OK, so I have also just confused myself by let's just crack on! First off, lets have a look at the diasdvantages. Although I play the keyboard now, I started off playing the violin. I used to do this when I was only about 8, but oyu don't have to worry about what age you start at - just so long as it is something that you want to do. But of course, it is OK to want to do something but the first problem is actually doing something about it. One disadvantage is not actually having the will power in order to do it, so just do it! Find a good teacher, look in local papers/ shop windows; word of mouth, and so on. The next disadvantage, once you have made that step to learning is keeping it up... Read review

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Advantages: Real Music becomes 'classic'
Disadvantages: Brain meltdown for kids today

...I purposely didn't read any of the other reviews on this subject before I wrote mine (although I will with interest later) as this subject sparks off a pet peeve in me, which I'll have a wee rant with right now. I was first introduced to music at the tender age of 2 when I could sing a song almost as soon as I could talk. My parents used to have me 'perform' for friends and neighbours, but due to my painful shyness, I would sing from behind the sofa. ( I deviate, sorry) Anyway I moved on from there to lessons at school in the flute, from there my interest was more of a personal passion. I now play quite a few instruments, most of which are self taught, my favourite of which is the guitar (this is also the one i'm worst at coincedently). I have been vocalist in a couple of bands so think I have an ok ear for talent. I... Read review

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