My little girl is learning to play and I went a bit overboard and spent £1'500 on a new Yamaha Clavinova. Not only so that she had a decent piano but if you're going to have a big lump of furniture in the house then it may as well look nice.

I was thinking I might have a go myself.

Would be cheaper, those piano tutors are no mugs, think they charge something like 25 quid for half an hour

I don’t play, but my boy does. He’s already done his grade 5 (he’s 11; that’s impressive). He plays on a Casio touch sensitive keyboard. You don’t need to spend a fortune; having a good instrument doesn’t mean you’ll be any good.

16 notes for 30 minutes for my lad. The teacher is fabulous.

I did also like the look of it and it was a bit spontaneous but yes, extravagant. But while its there I thought I might as well have a go.

We pay a touch less, £13 for half an hour.

Im a trumpet player? (Not a euphemism).

I know someone who pays the pink oboe.

Well I play the piano, or rather keyboard, but in a very unorthodox way because I just transferred my guitar skills across. Took me about a month self-taught to play with my eyes closed.

I did have piano lessons when I was young but really, they had no practical purpose. Mentally transferring circles on a paper to fingers on a keyboard isn't music. A pianola can do that.

Anyway Clavinova is a bit of a shoo-in. Long established, reliable, decent sound. What was the question?

I have been known to play my organ on a daily basis, in fact my fitbit said I had masturbated 4 miles yesterday!

I get that, but the boy's lessons have really improved his musicality. He can now play an awful lot from ear; he can listen to a piece and as long as it's not too complicated he can just play it. It's also helped him in making his own music.

Fantastic to hear. Playing an instrument is a diminishing skill. It isn't easy and takes a lot of time and a lot of work and there are less and less young people nowadays willing to persevere with such interests. I love to hear of a success story.

I started playing brass when I was ten. 34 years later Im still doing it and Im amongst the highest levels of amatuer players. Its in my blood now.

That's great. He must have a decent teacher then. Do you have family sing-songs?

The reproach I had with my piano teachers was they taught me bugger all about actual music. Did they even have the knowledge to do so?
Practising Eugene Onegin for hours didn't teach me anything about chord progressions, harmonies, intervals, syncopation or any of the rest. It was the same at school. Music meant playing tunes on the recorder. It had nothing to do with creativity.

wish i could play a piano or any musical instrument for that matter. problem was as a kid i tried to learn but had no patience plus there was always a ball around to kick with mates.

Get a ukulele, Mr Fan. They're the latest big thing, hardly take up any room, and with only four strings they are quite easy to play. Just great fun.
Bastards to keep in tune mind.

This book is pretty good Mr I - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Piano ... 0711904316

Got around a dozen Mouth Organs / Harmonicas in the house if anyone wants one , or for their kids. My old man was a bit of a Bluesman on the side

My eldest nephew is in a guitar band, and I'm pleased to say lasses still find it sexy to see a proper musician rather than a bloke with a Macbook and decks etc.

I don't think you'll ever struggle for fanny if you're able to pick up an instrument, tune it and knock a song out on it. Seen it happen so many times.

Think I'll take another look at those mouth organs

Its true though , a real aphrodisiac and turn on for women , proving more than anything women desire men with power , to a lesser degree maybe , same with politicians or anyone in charge who speaks in public. We might dislike of Trump and Johnson and they are no oil paintings , but their will be plenty of women who will secretly desire them.