I took up playing the guitar a couple of years ago, after almost 2 decades of not touching any musical instruments and forgetting just about all the musical theory that I’d learned. I’ve enjoyed it; despite not being that good yet, it’s nice to pick up a new skill and I discovered I still like music despite abandoning the study of it years ago. So I have 2 guitars in the house now, one accoustic and one electric. But it appears this was just the start.
People warned me I would succumb to GAS (“Gear Acquisition Syndrome”) - I don’t actually have any plans to buy more guitars just yet, but I’m planning on taking up playing drums, having enjoyed the simulated experience enormously on Rock Band. That might sound rather silly, since it’s just a game - but when playing on Expert (which I do quite a lot now) the rhythm patterns are usually the same as the real drum chart, you’re just missing a hi-hat pedal and some pads are doubled up - so it’s a pretty good approximation. I’ve found drumming hugely satisfying; there’s something about nailing a complex rhythm that feels visceral and the more vigorous tracks are also a great workout - all in all a very nice buzz. So now my back is much stronger, I want to see if I can legitimately add “Drummer (amateur)” to my CV 😀I’ve discovered there’s a DrumTech affiliated drum teacher locally too so I’ll probably grab a few lessons and see how that goes.
An accoustic kit is likely to be a bit cumbersome and loud in our wood-floored house, so I’m planning on getting a Roland TD-9KX which should give me a good practice set-up without the noise. They’re expensive, but everyone I talk to about this says you only regret going cheap and just end up spending more on upgrades, so it’s better to get the best you can. The TD-9 is a great module and all-mesh heads are a much better sim of an accoustic kit, and importantly they’re kinder to your hands than rubber, which is key when you’re approaching middle age and already have RSI 😉
My wife is getting in on the act too. She’s wanted to learn piano properly for a while, so we’re going to get her a Yamaha DGX-630 so she can do that. I used to play a little when I was younger so I might steal a few goes on it too 😉
So, that’s our Christmas treats for this year sorted out 😀It’s a fair amount of cash to splash since we’re going for quality kit, but I figure we’re more likely to enjoy playing if the kit we buy is decent, and besides these are better investments than most other things we could buy, seeing as they let us develop a fun skill. And what the hell, it’s only money - you can’t take it with you 😉 Looking forward to it!