Do you have a piano....

[quantum]

....um yeah, we have this.  *Points to a xylophone*

Anyone have this happen at a gig?

[rachfan]

No.  But one time in college I was asked to join a group in a gig... playing double bass at a dance.  I had never even touched one before!   So I fooled around with it for an hour or so in my dorm room.  Once on stage at the venue, I first tuned it with a bow, which made everyone take notice, thinking that I played in a symphony orchestra somewhere.  Next, I positioned myself with a great viewing angle of the pianist's left hand.  I then mirrored his bass harmonies all night.  Occasionally, I'd also swivel the bass around a bit to catch the ballroom lights like the pros do.  The pianist thought I was one of the best bassists he had ever played with, and wanted to know how long I had been playing the instrument!!!  But I never had to play a xylophone all night!  Growing up though, I did play the glockenspiel in a band, so maybe I could have faked the xylophone once I figured out the scale.  I dunno. 

So what did you end up doing?

[quantum]

It was part of a music festival at mall.  My school had been involved with this annual event for several years, and they always had an upright piano.  I was in the concert and stage bands playing clarinet and sax.  The director asked 3 of the pianists in the band to play a piece each for more variety.  It never happened.

My intended piece was the Military Polonaise.   


Did you ever play a string instrument before your experience?  I like double bases, but never had a chance to fool around with one yet.

[shortyshort]

....um yeah, we have this.  *Points to a xylophone*

Anyone have this happen at a gig?

We went on a Holiday once, and my step-daughter wanted to enter the talant comp. that was advertised. 

We went to the rehersal room. No piano, no keyboard. 
One of the organisers said that they had a keyboard at home, and fetched it. 
I had asked if it had full size keys. Yes, was the reply. 

What they had not said was there was only about 30 of them. 
All she could play was half-pieces, some on the wrong octave. 

This place also advertised a "Table-tennis" comp. 
They did not have a table tennis table. 

[rachfan]

Hi quantum,

Yes.  When I was around 12 my parents had me take violin lessons along with my piano lessons.  I quickly cam to dislike the violin.  The only saving grace was that the violin teacher's studio was directly across the street from the city's fire whistle, which sounded like and was as loud as the fog horn on the Queen Mary.  When I was lucky enough to be there when it went off, my lesson stopped instantly and it felt like a big relief!    I soon managed to get out of those violin lessons, fortunately, as piano was by far and away my first love.  That was my only brush with stringed instruments other than my one double bass gig.  At university I did study conducting, and in my final exam had to conduct the university symphony orchestra.  So I got to interact with violin players from the podium, ha-ha!  That was close enough for me.