Gumdropster wrote:

QUOTE:
Just one question; why the hell do you bandgeeks use levels in music? Isn't that just a little wrong since music is a form of expression and improvisation, and not just a black/white scientific math thing?

I agree. I play tuba and some dodgy cello and i think the grading system is bollocks. I know that im an aproxamet grade 6 or 7 BUT it means nothing as i wil strugle on a 'grade 5' (or even 3 if its the right pice, namely making something as excelent as bass in the ballroom sound good, not just playing the notes) pice yet some 'grade 8' pices i breeze through. Infact if anything the lower grade stuff i find harder as its not just baching alot of very quick black notes. I played at a dodgy music camp thing last holidays and almost every bloody one there was 'I'm a grade (insert number), what are you?' and its damn anoying. Anyway if youre so fussed about grading yuorself against others you shouldnt be playing music, its bout creating something that sounds good. I dont care if youre a grade 8 that can play the fleas off a cat, if you cant play with a groupe or if your a realy anal person I just ignore you. Also most string players dont know how to swing, regardless of what grade they are. Thank you for ignoring my rant about the stupid grading system.

lol... Great rant I really hate the kind of people who grade EVERYTHING... It's just ridiculous, and especially if you're proud of being on a high level without it being able to sound good... I think it's evil to put numbers on everything.

hi...

well I play violin, keyboard, tin whistle and I sing... And before anyone says anything about the tin whistle lol it sounds crap when its normally played because its a very difficult instrument to play correctly as its so basic; as with the recorder.

About the grade thingys... I quit violin lessons after I got my grade 2, then I was so afraid to play again incase someone said 'Your only a grade 2? You can't play'. Then a few years later I got myself together and started teaching myself it again... now I can't put it down and I don't care if I sound crap because I'm having fun! I self taught myself keyboard aswell... but I was taught how to play tin whistle.

In my view the more you care about note sheet and grades and recreating other people's work the less able you are to improvise. I think improvisation is a strong talent and shows you care about the instrument you are playing (to me music is like sex, you need to love the instrument and attach yourself to it to play with passion).

I play an acoustic guitar, used to take lessons, but now I just look up chords on the internet and stuff. I also play the cello, and was in our schools orchestra. Then when I came to highschool, I learned to play the Tuba and joined the band there. We just got a piano, so I am going to try and teach myself how to play!

Gumdropster wrote:

QUOTE:
Just one question; why the hell do you bandgeeks use levels in music? Isn't that just a little wrong since music is a form of expression and improvisation, and not just a black/white scientific math thing?

well see, the music level system wasn't created to judge musical capabilities. It's only purpose is to measure the facility and control one has over his/her instrument. In other words, how well you can play that instrument based on how technically challenging the repertoire is.
Personally, I never really followed the system and in my area, there are not many people who do so after middle school.

It's an immature system created by the popular kids to make the nerds feel down hahaha! Well screw you popular guys, music is the revenge of the nerds! MWHAHAAH!

It's an immature system created by the popular kids to make the nerds feel down hahaha! Well screw you popular guys, music is the revenge of the nerds! MWHAHAAH!

I play the violin, its pretty lame I know but when its played well it sounds awesome. I'm also a pretty good singer (i think). And Im in the orchestra and a band and a jazz band too

well im a band geek i play tuba and trumbone not as good as i would like but hay when u get a cyist in jour jaw and cant play for three mouthes u loss touch but hay i love it. i still play in my school band even know i graduated last year lol couldent get any one else to play it hehe. but ya been play for five years now and have love every min of it

I've been playing bass for over 2 years now, my bass is a washburn and so is my amp.

Both are pretty crap but good enough, my next bass I plan to get is a Gibson Thunderbird.

I started playing guitar this year, I play a Stagg X-300 Warlok and I have a Marshall 45 watt amp.