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Why Don't More People Into Music Reproduction At Home Play Around With Musical Instruments

 In the pursuit of music reproduction in the home it is my firm belief that you must listen to live music every now & again so that you know & understand how real music,with real instruments,in real physical spaces sounds...
 With that as a foundation I used in judging equipment's "voice" I also believe that playing around with a musical instrument is an excellent way to gain first hand experience with musical sound...EVERY person that reads this can learn a few musical notes,on ANY musical instrument on the planet..For instance I play around with electric guitar.NO I can NOT play,but I can play the notes EFG,on first string & BCD on the second string...Now  I know those few notes & easily recognize them in any song..I am just this coming week going to start playing around with an electric keyboard....So I wonder,why don't more audiophiles simply play around with real instruments as part of their pursuit of honest reproduction in the home?Surely the education in reality is worth the $100.00 it takes to get an entry level guitar,keyboard,horn etc...
freediver
russbutton's avatar
russbutton
433 posts
 
@tomic601 

The mikes I used for this recording are modified Oktava MK-012 mikes.  The mod is supposed to make them into a clone of the Neumann KM84.   The guy (Michael Joly) who did the mod gave it up in 2018.   It's a very popular mod and chances are you can find a used pair as I did.   I paid $600 for the pair.

I don't do enough location work to justify dropping the $2000+ it takes to get something like a pair of real Neumann mikes.  So far I'm happy with these.
stuartk
2,921 posts
 
"In the pursuit of music reproduction in the home it is my firm belief that you must listen to live music every now & again so that you know & understand how real music,with real instruments,in real physical spaces sounds..."

Although I've only been into audio for the past twenty years or so, I've been playing guitar (both acoustic and electric) steadily since the mid-seventies. Not once has it ever ocurred to me to utilize the sound of a guitar "in a real physical space" as a benchmark for my audio system. 

As a player, I'm acutely aware that there are potentially millions of different "real" instrument sounds. Ask twenty players to play the same instrument and you will get twenty different "real" sounds. Same thing goes with "real physical spaces"-- play the same guitar in twenty different settings and odds are, you'll hear a lot of variation. So who determines the benchmark, when there are so many potential possibilities? 


douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Too much work with no practical benefit.
No interest. 
Too much time spent becoming proficient. 
Incongruous to sound of most recordings. 
Money wasted that could be applied to system or media.
Potential to skew system sound and accept underdeveloped quality. 

I have known too many musicians, and it does not translate to superior systems automatically.  I would not turn to one to build a rig.   
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
For me, playing music and listening to music are parallel interests. I seldom equate one with the other on a judgmental level. Yeah, when I go to a concert I'm constantly playing the "Is it live or is it Memorex" game.  But when I'm playing, it puts me in an emotional place where the sound quality is a given.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My post on page one stands the test of time.   

The one thing I would add, if someone did want to learn to play a musical instrument the one they should choose above all is the harmonica. A really good one can be had for only about $50. Small enough to fit in your pocket. Good enough, and with enough volume, to entertain a group of people. Yet with enough range to be played quietly.  

Harmonica calls for all the same breath control and embouchure skills as other wind instruments. All the same vibrato, note bending, and dynamic shadings apply. It is a genuine musical instrument, with tremendous range. You can learn to play Oh Susannah within minutes, then spend a lifetime trying to master it. Which like all instruments you never will do. But unlike all the others, you will have a lot more fun in the process- and a lot less complaints from the neighbors. 
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