Do You Play, or Need Group Therapy ?

William Rose:  

If you don't mind my asking, do you play an instrument?  And if so, what is it?

I play guitar. Uh.....solo guitar I should say, because I don't often get the chance to play with anybody else, and the few times I have, it's been noted that I have a tendency to "mangle the living hell of the time signature".  

I've spent quite a bit of time considering this post, and have found that what I was going to write at first, isn't anything like what I'm writing now. For better or worse, I can't say, but here it is.

I have come to the conclusion that polls suck, and I don't envy those that write them for a living. Nor do I have any faith in their results. If the question is subjective, the best line of answers I've seen so far goes something like - and, we've all seen these -

A) I very stongly agree
B) I strongly agree
C) I agree
D) I somewhat agree[/list:u]

...on down through the other end of the spectrum, and, well.....

The problem with

this poll, was predictable. I wanted to know, really, three things;

First: Do you play a musical instrument ?
Second: Do you

not play a musical instrument ?
Third: If you do, what is it ? [/list:u] The way I looked at it there were several ways to find these things out, by asking a question to which only one predefined answer could be selected.

The

best way would have been to list every instrument I could think of, preceded by a "yes, I play...", then have a box that says "No". (But isn't that going be too long ? I'm pretty sure there's a limit on the number of options you can enter....isn't there ?)

The next best way, and this is what I should have done, would be to list the ten or so most commonly played instruments preceded by a "yes", then have an option that says, "Yes, but none of these.", and then, a "No" (But I wanted to minimize the number of "Yes, But's...", if possible.)

The last resort would have been to just leave it at "yes" or "no". [/list:u]Notice that none of these possibilities include an option that says "More than one." ? That's because, if you play more than one, I wanted to know what one of them is !

The only mistake I made in the grouping, was to include bass with drums. I knew better, but have been been corrected in the past when referring to bass's as 'bass guitars', even though they're played in virtually the same manner as a guitar, and look remarkably similar to a guitar, they're played with a different 'intent', have a variably unequal number of strings when compared, and a different tuning...etc..etc.

I would have stuck it with guitar, which Jon also would have objected to. I suppose it should have had it's own category, but if I started doing that, I'd have to consider putting the twelve string in it's own category, and separating the violin and cello, and so on.

Finally, I could have just asked "What instrument(s) do you play?", with no options, but consider my first question. Very few people are going to post "None".

Anyway, Jon, did I somehow offend you earlier ? I sure as hell didn't intend to. Seems like I can't seem to post without causing a ruckus.  

And hey Zemlin, Go Colts !

Go SuperBowl!!

 

Guitar over here as main instrument. I do play some drums and bas too. Plus vocals, hehe.

[GO COLTS!]

Not a sports fan, really - but you can't ignore the team when the whole town is painted blue!

GO COLTS!

Hey Voodoo, howd'ya get your avatars background to be transparent like that ?

Thanks for noticing William.  Actually, Zemlin did it.  I don't have any idea how, but I'm sure he could steer you in the right direction.  As for the "town painted blue" thing.... The city of Houston has been superbowl crazy every since they found out they were gonna get to host XXXVIII.  It pretty much all you see, hear, or read about these days.  I love sports (especially football) but will be glad when it's a done deal.

 

Thanks for noticing William

He didn't notice mine and it's always been that way.

Lots of graphics programs can save .gifs with transparent backgrounds - I still have an old, very simple, down-n-dirty U-Lead product (SmartSaver, I think it's called) that will even do this. I think it came with a very old version of HoTMetaL Pro (v.4, maybe?) Heh!

Best.... -Jon

I used Paint Shop Pro (www.jasc.com) - Now that I've been staring at it for a few days, there is a small amount of white halo left that I might go in an clean up - if I really need to avoid work for a few minutes.

Ironically, I mentioned it to Ms. Voodoo who proclaimed; "you didn't like it when I made one".  I actually don't remember her making one.  She made the original logo some 3 or 4 years ago, (it was a band name/logo) and I had backdrops, bumper-stickers, business cards, "koozie's" and T-shirts printed with the Lil' Dude on them all.  He also graced all our gig flyers.  I considered having him "air brushed" on one of my guitars, but never went through with it.  She used to have one somewhere on another computer that she used a program to make him "hula dance".  

 

Ironically, I mentioned it to Ms. Voodoo who proclaimed; "you didn't like it when I made one".

I am deeply sorry that I caused strain in your relationship with your wife - even though the root cause is your failing memory and lack of tact.  

zemlin Posted:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am deeply sorry that I caused strain in your relationship with your wife - even though the root cause is your failing memory and lack of tact.

No worries... we've been married 16 years and she learned to deal with both.  Anyone who's been married for a number of years developes what I like to call.... "selective memory".  Although, I did forget her birthday the first year we were married and......  Mother's Day the first year that we had our "first" Lil' Voodoo!   That must surely fall in the "lack of tact" catagory that you mentioned!!

 

The problem with this poll, was predictable. I wanted to know, really, three things;
First: Do you play a musical instrument ?
Second: Do you not play a musical instrument ?
Third: If you do, what is it ?
The way I looked at it there were several ways to find these things out, by asking a question to which only one predefined answer could be selected.
The best way would have been to list every instrument I could think of, preceded by a "yes, I play...", then have a box that says "No". (But isn't that going be too long ? I'm pretty sure there's a limit on the number of options you can enter....isn't there ?)

The next best way, and this is what I should have done, would be to list the ten or so most commonly played instruments preceded by a "yes", then have an option that says, "Yes, but none of these.", and then, a "No" (But I wanted to minimize the number of "Yes, But's...", if possible.)

The last resort would have been to just leave it at "yes" or "no".
Notice that none of these possibilities include an option that says "More than one." ? That's because, if you play more than one, I wanted to know what one of them is!

Basically, you've defined why this sort of poll structure doesn't work for this line of questioning, I think. Perhaps you would have got a better answer by just asking the questions - because the only replies that get you to where you want to be are in the comments!

For myself, Things I can play (all pretty rusty at present) keyboards (various), guitars, mandolin.

Things I've got, or got access to that I'm not very good at, but practice occasionally - kit drums, and a Yamaha MIDI Wind Controller. And yes, I have a home-made Theremin. What I'd really like is one of Bob Moog's ones...

Things I can't play, or am totally crap at - Singing, and things like the string family, brass and woodwind - that sort of thing. Actually, I can sing in tune - that's not a problem, but the sound is AWFUL - the cat can do better!

Ironically, I mentioned it to Ms. Voodoo who proclaimed; "you didn't like it when I made one".

I am deeply sorry that I caused strain in your relationship with your wife - even though the root cause is your failing memory and lack of tact.  

Any man in a long-term relationship (marriage or otherwise) merely has to learn to intone the following phrase at the first hint of discord;

"I'm sorry dear, it's all my fault."

This works so well, I seriously considered having it printed on a few T-shirts