If you play and instrument, how old were you when you started, what did you play, and what was the first song/tune you mastered?

Me? Guitar, 15 years old, House of the Rising Sun.

Piano, about 9, I have 'mastered' none....

The long gun.

The Battle of New Orleans.

Otherwise, I'm real musical.

Guitar. Age 17. Bob Seger’s “Still the Same”.

OK then, what prompted you fellas to dive into that? Me? My older brother started picking a 5-string banjo when I was about 13. Never imagined we would be dueling, but there ya have it. Another tune that wet my imagination was called "Pipeline" by the Ventures.

9, 4th grade, violin, twinkle twinkle little star is what they start you with.

My parents were square dancers, they wanted me to be a fiddler, I could fiddle but had zero interest in square dance playing.

High School orchestra was in the top nationally, won a competition in San Francisco, came in second a couple others. Pretty much dropped it after that, my daughter took violin in school so helped her in that but that was it.

About 14 or 15 I started playing the guitar, easy enough from playing the violin. Only progressed enough to make the girls smile and that was good enough. Probably first song was John Denver's country roads, a lot of CCR.

Still can play the guitar enough to make the girls smile, started the niece and granddaughter playing, but they've seemed to stall out, need to get back after them, I'm rusty myself.

Kent

Fourth grade (10?), alto saxophone. Twinkle twinkle little star.

Age 5. Started drum lessons with the guy who would be my 6th grade teacher

Listen to rock music. If you dont want to play an instrument you have no soul.

Its not unlike going fishing once and not wanting to fish, or seeing your dad and uncles hunt and not getting the itch to be a hunter.

4th grade, percussion. 6th grade drum set. John Cougar "Jack and Diane"

Because drums are awesome and loud.

Guitar, maybe 7-8, mastered nothing but the volume knob .. and it's got 11!! I never had access to competent teachers 'til I didn't have time to make use of them. I just crank it up, do something that sounds reasonably like something that might be something, and call it good. Seems a waste but I guess it is my waste. I can't really quit. Sometimes I get in f**ked up head space and loud guitar is the only way to express it.

When I was about 8 the Pastor asked me to sing solo one Sunday.

Paul, please sing solo I and the rest of the congregation can't hear you..........

Electric bass, but I never mastered it like Clyde. Guitar - never very good, but I could read music. Trumpet - started to get good, then got braces.

I haven't played any of them in decades, but I do still have a Fender Jazz bass and a Peavy Bass amp. I've been threatening to pick it up again for years.

I've also got a banjo, but I never learned to play it.

Daughter is 13 and started on the fiddle 2 years ago. She's gotten very good. She also started playing the piano about a year ago. She also wants to learn the guitar or bass and she'll be starting percussion next school year.

Some people are musically inclined and can play most any instrument. Some are not. I was never one of them, but I tried. I'm happy my daughter has excelled with her violin. The ex and I just bought her a very nice, high-dollar one, which she loves.

Around 9 or 10 years old my parents made me take piano lessons. Hated the lessons and teacher. Couple years later my uncle showed me how to play by ear. Also play a little guitar and harmonica.

Not a musician but played cornet in junior high school. Probably chose that because my Dad played it. Younger brother played trumpet in the USMC band for 4 years, which I understand is quite an accomplishment.

In about 3rd or 4th grade they had us buy a Flutophone (plastic deal) for about 15 cents and then had the whole brigade learn some simple tunes. I liked it. Yankee Doodle stands out in memory.

4th grade started on a really bad clarinet but could make it sound decent because I liked it and kept it going, played in beginner band, etc. 9th grade got a hand-me-down cheap alto sax and learned that - entry to jazz stuff. Before leaving HS had gotten a pretty good clarinet and branched out on my own to learn French Horn, Trombone and Bass Viol. Had started experimenting writing some arrangements to play with other students and got to conduct one nice standard piece at a HS band concert. All a launching pad.

Studied and practiced hard, got some fine woodwind instruments, listened heavily and learned to analyze/write etc. When first married we were students and fairly poor, and electric bass players were in high demand. Went to a pawn shop in Philly and found a Fender P bass and Ampeg amp cheap, just off pawn hold, and had all of the good paying club/party/dance jobs I could stand. Things just kept going and growing - teaching, performing everything from sublime to ridiculous, conducting, composing/arranging, keyboards, etc. Long run - much enjoyment - winding down.

If he played in THE USMC in DC, that is quite an accomplishment.

Piano at 5 years old. My older sister played but I don’t recall that being an influence. I just knew I wanted to learn music. First song was some kids song like Mary had a little lamb. I majored in music education in college and still play for my own enjoyment today at age 69. For some of us music is as much a part of our make up as the attraction to outdoor activities.

My bride started when she was 4. Came home from a funeral and her Grandmother wanted to know who was playing the piano? She was playing amazing grace.

Maybe 17 or 18, Bass Guitar. First song was likely something Credence, maybe Proud Mary.
Playing to nite with an Alembic bass plugged into a Marshall amp.

I was 3 years old, and it was "Toccata And Fugue In D Minor" by JS Bach

Ain't nothing humble about that.

Well, it took me three days to get it down.

Yes - THE USMC. He was based primarily in Quantico so pretty sure he played in DC.

I was asked to sing tenor...

Ten or eleven miles from here would be great....

I saw Sha-Na-Na and just knew I had a future in music! LOL

I remember loving Johnny Hortons Greatest Hits and taking it for show and tell in kindergarten.

Started with the violin in 2nd grade after I saw a child prodigy in my 1st grade class. Got tired of Mom nagging at me to practice and quit after a few years.

I met one of my best friends around 12 yo and his dad had a great record collection. He would make me tapes of those records and the minute I heard Whole Lotta Love was a "WTF?" moment. By the time Bring It On Home came on, I was plotting to get a guitar.

Still miss that vinyl sound.

Bet I missed half of High Scool playing the guitar. I had half of the frets wore off and even some of the fret board by my junior year. Miss that old Carlos acoustic.

Lol, I feel your untalented pain Brother.

The thread is about musicians.

Can't remember the year - have tried to block it out of my mind. Piano. HATED it! Suffered (and caused suffering for my nice teacher) for way too many years. Mom wanted me to be the next Libber Ace or something. Song was "Bone Sweet Bone". Played cornet (very poorly) in high school.

I can not play squat, but the guy that toted 60 on my team went from scratch to Malagueña by memory of what it sounded like.
Scratch meaning that he could not play a guitar.

Hope he went on to do well on other aspects of his life.