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Just Curious--How Many of You are Musicians?

I just read a blog post about the jam session at the NGH convention, and I got to wondering how many hypnotists are also musicians? I've noticed quite a few people mentioning playing music on this site.

So if you're a musician, please post a response, and if you'd like, you can tell us what instruments you play, what style, and in what capacity (amateur, pro, teacher, whatever).

I'll start: I play fiddle, mandola, and a few other instruments as well as singing. I'm in a renfaire/filk/Celtic/folk band called the Bedlam Bards. www.BedlamBards.com (Did I mention you can plug your band if you want? *grin*)

Interested to read the replies,

James

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Reg Blackwood - The Quicknotist on July 18, 2008 at 10:24am: I play quite a few instruments, some well, some enthusiastically badly!
Back in England, I used to play violin and viola in a 1920s style jazz/"old blues" band called "The Happy Shoppers" (No link and don't bother googling it, we only had a few gigs and disbanded a loooong time ago!); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Synapse on July 18, 2008 at 11:09am: I'd hardly class myself as a musician but I can (half decently at least) play or used to play:

Clarinet
Synth
Drums
Bass guitar

My only claim to fame is one song (a duet) that me and a friend did when we were still at school that got played on local radio and backing vocals for one song for a local band LOL; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Duncan on July 18, 2008 at 11:24am: A jam session at the NGH convention sounds pretty damned cool...!

Um, I've played guitar and bass for 12 or so years now, completely self-taught (which I often find myself regretting, because I was too lazy to teach myself the fundamentals back then...) Now, for the last few years I've been teaching myself drums, and this time I'm taking the time to do it the right way.

As far as styles? People tell me when I ad-lib on guitar it sounds like classical music, but I can, and do enjoy, playing whatever is necessary. As a drummer, almost immediately I went to jazzy playing, but again, I'm up for whatever. Learning drums completely shifted my focus - I used to hear melodies and harmonies when I heard music. And while I still do, I now pay more attention to the rhythm and the pulse than before. Its made me a better all-round musician. Its kind of like in hypnosis when people specialize in seeing, feeling, or hearing - I was stuck in one mode of enjoying music, and ignored the elements that I wasn't used to noticing...

Anyway, I've always worked night shifts, so playing in bands has been rare for me, but I've done little stints in bar cover-bands. I live alone, half of my basement is my "studio", with a little M-box for Pro-Tools sessions. So while I don't get to play with others very often, if I have an idea for a song, within 20 minutes I can have a pretty solid little demo made up, with drums, guitars, bass, keys, etc.

The Beatles never had it so good!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on July 18, 2008 at 12:09pm: I play the musical Saw, (quite well sometimes)

I have just put a couple of recordings on my page. not very good quality recording unfortunately, bets to turn the volume down if you listen to them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill McGettigan on July 18, 2008 at 12:25pm: I must plead guilty to this charge. I have been fascinated by music my whole life. i discovered in my teens that I had a voice that could rattle windows. I play guitar and harmonica professionally- singer songwriter etc..I have one guitar student. A twelve year old girl.
Since she wanted to write a song, I gave her a hypno-shamanic journey to further that endeavor The audio file from the session (edited) is posted on my page under my music.
She wrote a dandy song. She has a really good voice and great expression. I hope you will give Jessica a listen.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Katt Lowe on July 18, 2008 at 12:36pm: I play guitar and sing. I also tinker with bass, keys, drums, etc. Released a CD in 2001...and have been lucky enough to play with my favorite musicians and friends from The Runaways.

I find the Energy Healing & Hypnosis business to be much more rewarding. However, I am finally starting to record meditation CD's and incorporating all of my talents....which feels great!

;-)

Katt Lowe
http://www.connectwithin.com/; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lisa Mills on July 19, 2008 at 12:32pm: The Runaways?! THE Runaways?!! Awesome!! I still have vinyl of theirs that I've kept for, ahem, let's just say a few years.

I'm sure they were part of the motivation for the 3 "chick bands" I started in my 20's. Only one actually did anything: Swamp Mama Johnson, a blues/funk/groove band that toured through the western US and south-central Canada in the 90's. We made 4 recordings, and I loved living the impoverished bohemian musician lifestyle. I sang lead, played harmonica and hand percussion.

Don't really play nowadays. Occasionally I get to sit in with my friends www.AliciaHealey.com and www.AndreaWittgens.com - both of whom are phenominal talents. And very different from what I did to make a living for 10 years!

So I really am looking forward to jamming with Marcel Klasen and Tom Nicoli at the convention!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Bittner - Ocotillo Hypnosis on July 19, 2008 at 8:33am: Classical organist; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by dean on July 19, 2008 at 8:53am: i plat guitar, self taught. i like playing all types., if i like a song i go out of my way to learn it. i also want to learn to play the drums.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sheila M. Street, CI CH M.NLP on July 19, 2008 at 5:53pm: I play keyboards.... used to be called "piano", except the instrument I have now, a Technics PCM Digital Ensemble, PR300 does much more than just play piano. I started playing piano at age 10, after my Hawaiian steel guitar teacher of the previous three years passed away. I studied music under strict Catholic Nuns, one of whom also taught Glenn Gould, achieving my Grade 8 Pianoforte and Grade Two theory in just over 5 years.

I play a variety of styles, with favourites being Light Pop and Latin rythyms. I acquired the above instrument in 1989, and have managed to compose upwards of about an hours worth of original music, much of which will eventually go into a CD collection I'm calling The Unicorn Suite. I have one other piece of original music posted on my Channeling web-site, which was composed through me by my "source" in 1992, while I was in a trance state. The whole story is on that page, as well as a link to the MP3 recording.

I am hoping to eventually find the time to do some serious "hypnosis music" as well as to continue to compose other types of music. Although my original training was to be a concert pianist, I totally dislike the pressure of playing large audiences, although I had dreams of being on stage in my teens. I have played (and sang) for family weddings and officially as church organist in younger days. I do enjoy playing for small, generally captive ;) , audiences when the chance arises.

My current favourite for really getting revved up and annoying my neighbours is "Phantom of the Opera" played in a very up-tempo Funk Rock rythym and accompaniment in full Pipe Organ mode. ;-) I now have the keyboards right next to my computer, wired to record straight to Nero, and my home office becomes one big speaker with two rather large speakers hooked up through my stereo system to the instrument. I may be a "senior" but I'm still a teen-ager at heart!

I also studied two years of opera (soprano) in my early teens - even had my picture in the newspaper. Unfortunately many years of smoking ruined my voice, although I am now starting to recover some range again after being smoke-free for eight and a half years. I do feel this voice training now helps me in my hypnosis delivery, giving me a sense of rythym and the ability to pace my breath.

Guess you could say that music has been a major part of my entire life - a gift I am supremely grateful to have received.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Roy Hunter on July 19, 2008 at 8:10pm: I sing low bass. My experience includes ten years with the Seattle Symphony Chorale, as well as a number of solos over the years in church...and a few weddings and funerals as well.

Indeed, I would be interested in some sort of music session at NGH.

Roy Hunter; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on July 19, 2008 at 8:45pm: I started on Guitar, and long ago took up drums, I still love to wail, also have sung in a Chorus to raise funds, played drums and sang in Rock Bands in College. As a Hypnotist, my voixce is my instrument, and I have been known to Rap in my stage shows, anything to Rock the house!; ▶ Reply to This