# If I didn't play ___ , I would play the ____.



## TheBassoonist (Feb 4, 2013)

Hello fellow classical music lovers! 

Just thought I would most a fun question to the forum. Fill in the blanks in this sentence: If I didn't play the _____, I would play the _____. 

I'll start  If I didn't play the bassoon, I would play the french horn. Your turn!


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

If I didn't play the oboe I'd play the cello.


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

If I didn't play the violin, I would play the cello.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

If I didn't play the Banjo - I would play the Corrugaphone or The Theremin


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

If I didn't play with fire, I would play the devil's advocate.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

If I didn't play guitar, I would play saxophone.

(except i already do so this makes no sense)


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

If I didn't play the illustrator, I'd play the digital audio workstation.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

If I didn't play the viola, the world would be a better place.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

If I didn't play viola I probably wouldn't play anything because I don't particular like performing and I've also found in my personal experience that instrumental culture is a lot more snobby than composer culture (particularly violists).


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

I'll bite.

If I didn't play the Bassoon, I would play the French Horn.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

If I didn't play the guitar I would play percussion.


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## Chrythes (Oct 13, 2011)

If I didn't play the guitar I would play the piano.


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

If I didn't play with someone else, I would play by myself


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Yes, time for a change. Practicing Albrechtsberger's concertos.


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> If I didn't play the guitar I would play percussion.


I'm glad you play guitar then.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

MaestroViolinist said:


> I'm glad you play guitar then.


What's wrong with percussion?


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## Ravndal (Jun 8, 2012)

If i didnt play the piano, i would play the oboe.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the cello.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

If I didn't (try to) play Guitar, I would play the pipe organ.

/ptr


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

If I didn't play the fool, I'd play the field.


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## Dadof5 (Mar 25, 2011)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the guitar.
If I didn't play the guitar, I would play the flute.
If I didn't play the flute, I would play the french horn.
If I didn't play the french horn, I would play the cello.

and so on...


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

If I didn't play the saxophone, I'd play the cornett. I love the way those instruments sound.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> What's wrong with percussion?


Beats the hell out of me.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

aleazk said:


> If I didn't play the piano, I would play the cello.


There's always room for cello.


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## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

If I played the piano, I wouldn't be playing nothing....


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

TheProudSquire said:


> If I played the piano, I wouldn't be playing nothing....


If you played the piano, you might as well be playing nothing :lol:

If I didn't play my flute, I would play my hi-fi


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## ProudSquire (Nov 30, 2011)

Head_case said:


> If you played the piano, you might as well be playing nothing :lol:


True, very true indeed. I do prefer playing nothing actually.  lol


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Haha...my mean anti-piano sentiment coming out! :tiphat:


If I didn't play with my flute, I would play with my alto flute. 

If I didn't play with my alto flute, I would play the bass flute. 

If I didn't play the bass flute, I would play the contrabass flute. 

If I didn't play the contrabass flute, I would play the subcontrabass flute. 

If I didn't play the subcontrabass flute, I would play the double subcontrabass flute. 

If I didn't play the double subcontrabass flute, I would play the piccolo lol. 

If i didn't play the piccolo, I would play the garklein. 

If I didn't play the garklein, I would play the baroque traverso flute.

If I didn't play the baroque traverso flute, I would play the native American flute. 

If I didn't play the native American flute, I would play the ethnic Latin American quenacho flute.

If I didn't play the ethnic Latin American quenacho flute, I would play the chinese dizi flute. 

If I didn't play the chinese dizi flute, I would play the Japanese shakuhachi flute.

If I didn't play the Japanese shakuhachi flute I would play at winding you all up with more pointless posts like these :lol:


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> What's wrong with percussion?


Nothing wrong with it, I just think it would be rather boring.


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

Head_case said:


> Haha...my mean anti-piano sentiment coming out! :tiphat:
> 
> If I didn't play with my flute, I would play with my alto flute.
> 
> ...


I actually bothered to read all of that... :lol:


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

MaestroViolinist said:


> Nothing wrong with it, I just think it would be rather boring.


It seems painfully boring in an orchestral setting =/ I would want to play a woodwind or a string instrument in an orchestra. Oboe is perfect for me 

Percussion seems a bit more interesting in marching band, symphonic wind ensembles etc. And drum kit in jazz charts sounds really fun.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*To Read Or Not To Read*

If I was not reading this thread, I would be reading another one.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

MaestroViolinist said:


> Nothing wrong with it, I just think it would be rather boring.


Not with these guys!!! I was invited to sit in to watch some workshops with composers and percussionists on writing for percussion a few years ago. The amount if techniques, colours, instruments involved is utterly incredible!


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I suspect percussion is derided because most people in the west use it either in the background or in a "virtuoso" way, which can easily become tedious for people who aren't percussionists, perhaps. But then you look at African or Indonesian music, where percussion is the mainstay of most instrumental groups, and the richness and versatility of percussion becomes abundantly clear. One of the most fantastic things about percussion is that anything can be a percussion instrument; the techniques of percussion playing can be applied to any object in the home, on the street or wherever else, so it's a great way for people to experiment musically, especially if they can't afford to buy "real" instruments.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

If I didn't play piano I would play no other instrument!


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

I think percussion in classical music can be extremely exciting. The percussion in Jazz can be quite monotonous sometimes. The use of percussion in classical music is very influenced by diverse cultures of the world, like balinese gamelan music, african music, japanese music, etc.





, Boulez's "Rituel".





, 



, Ligeti's piano and violin concerti.





, Gerhard's Sinfonia n.4 "New York".





, Takemitsu's "from me flows what you call time".

"The rite of the spring" for god's sake!.

Sorry, but if you find percussion boring you are not truly listening.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

If I didn't play the fiddle, I would play a harpsichord.


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## Rehydration (Jun 25, 2013)

If I didn't play the French horn, I would play the oboe.

If I didn't play percussion, I would play the cello.

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the violin.

(EDIT: Whoops! Didn't realize how incredibly old this thread is. :|)


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## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

If I didn't play the guitar I'd play the piano.
Wait, I already play the piano ._. I'd have more time to learn composition !


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## Yardrax (Apr 29, 2013)

If I didn't play Piano I'd play the Pipe Organ and have ridiculous fun fiddling about with the registrations until I inevitably got banned for being a nuisance.


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## CypressWillow (Apr 2, 2013)

I was going to say:

If I didn't play the piano I would play the cello.

But then I remembered that great line in the film "Take the Money and Run" where Woody Allen plays the cello in a marching band,
and his teacher says, "He had no conception of the instrument. He was _blowing_ into it!"

And i just couldn't go there. So I guess I'll just stick with the piano.


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## mstar (Aug 14, 2013)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the *violin* . Of course.

*But I would never do that because it is considerably more realistic to play Rachmaninov on a piano than on a violin.*

So, I guess, if I didn't play the piano, then I would play the *ORCHESTRA*.

BECAUSE YOU CAN PLAY BOTH RACHMANINOV AND TCHAIKOVSKY ON THE ORCHESTRA. As well as Schumann, for a bonus. :lol:


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Multi-choice pick:

If I didn't play the violin, I would play (the primadonna
------------------------------------(the field
-------------------------------------(the feminist card
-------------------------------------(the ukelele when the ship went down
-------------------------------------(the fool
-------------------------------------(the bored biddy on a Sunday afternoon...

But the sad thing is, I don't exactly *play* the violin...


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## CypressWillow (Apr 2, 2013)

Ingenue said:


> But the sad thing is, I don't exactly *play* the violin...


 Heh-heh. And I don't exactly _play_ the piano, either. *sigh*
*brightening* Hey, maybe in a parallel universe, I'm pretty good?


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

If I didn't play the piano, I'd play the viola or 'cello.


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

If I didn't play the piano, I'd play the harpsichord. :lol:


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## Pantheon (Jun 9, 2013)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the viola and sing (I am a mezzo).


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## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

If I did not play the Piano, I would play the Viola;

If I did not play the Viola, I would play the French Horn;

If I did not play the French Horn, I would play the Bassoon;

If I did not play the Bassoon, I would play the Recorder;

If I did not play the Recorder, I would play the Baroque Flute;

If I did not play the Baroque Flute, I would play the Lute;

If I can't play the Lute I would sing... but singing so awful  I would better play the Piano


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play cards. :tiphat:


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

If I didn't play the transverse flute, I'd play the piano.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Ondine said:


> If I did not play the Piano, I would play the Viola;
> 
> If I did not play the Viola, I would play the French Horn;
> 
> ...


Bach's endless canon!.


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## nightscape (Jun 22, 2013)

If I didn't play guitar, I would play the piano.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

If I did not play the piano, I would play the guitar. 

If I did not play the guitar, I would play the sax. 

If I did not play the sax, I would play the clarinet. 

If I did not play the clarinet, I would play the bandoneon. 

If I did not play the bandoneon, I would play the vibraphone. 

If I did not play the vibraphone, I would play... I think at this point I would just dance.


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

If I did not play so badly, I would play any musical instrument (but the piano was my own childhood instrument of torture)


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

If I did not attempt the clarinet, I would attempt the Walter fortepiano to play Mozart keyboard sonatas on the instrument they were conceived for. That would be a thrill!!


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

If I didn't play the air guitar, I would play the harp.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

If I didn't play music, I'd play the ponies. (And it's probably a good thing I prefer to play music rather than ponies. Some addictions are less jeopardous than others.)


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## Celloman (Sep 30, 2006)

If I didn't play the cello, I wouldn't know what to play!


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## LucusT (Jun 8, 2014)

If I didn't play the Guitar I would play the Cello.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Stargazer said:


> If I didn't play the air guitar, I would play the harp.


The air cello would be interesting.


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## Frei aber froh (Feb 22, 2013)

If I did not play viola, I would play cello. If I did not play viola or cello, I would play piano. If I did not play viola, cello, or piano, I would play bass or bassoon.


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## shangoyal (Sep 22, 2013)

No surprises that this thread was started by a bassoonist!


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## Matsps (Jan 13, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would probably not play anything at all. =/ 

(but if I had to name something, it would probably be the glockenspiel)


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## tomhh (May 28, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the oboe.


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## omega (Mar 13, 2014)

If I didn't play the flute, I would play the bassoon !


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## bghill (Feb 15, 2013)

If I didn't play percussion, I would play the oboe (and I may yet give it a whirl).

If I didn't play the oboe, I would play the piano -- but then I'd be back to playing percussion.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

If I didn't play piano, organ, viola and guitar I would play violin, cello, horn and clarinet.


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## Piwikiwi (Apr 1, 2011)

If I didn't play tenor saxophone I would play piano. 

I now play piano.


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## Queen of the Nerds (Dec 22, 2014)

If I didn't play the violin, I would play the cello.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

Queen of the Nerds said:


> If I didn't play the violin, I would play the cello.


What a fantastic username!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

If I didn't play the clarinet I would play the oboe.


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

If I didn't play the viola, I would go back to playing the cello.
If I didn't play the piano, I wouldn't know what to play instead. I'm not a big fan of other keyboard instruments. The bassoon would be cool to try to learn though.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the cello.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

MoonlightSonata said:


> What a fantastic username!


Almost as good as Shenaqueenofthejungle.


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## BillT (Nov 3, 2013)

Changing the premise slightly...two responses:

If I hadn't played the French horn back in the day, I probably wouldn't like classical music now.

If I hadn't taken up the French horn, and taken up the piano instead, I might still be playing music today.

Anyway, that's the way I see my personal history. 

- Bill


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## bghill (Feb 15, 2013)

> If I hadn't taken up the French horn, and taken up the piano instead, I might still be playing music today.


You could always take it up now.


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano I'd play the fool.


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

I can't imagine not playing the piano; but if I had to pick another instrument, I'd go with the cello as well. I like the way it sounds, and not having to hold it like a violin or viola while playing. It has also has a large repertoire of great music to choose from: the cello sonatas of Brahms and Beethoven, Haydn's cello concertos, Schumann's cello concerto, Dvorak's cello concerto, Bach's cello suites, and of course Schubert's arpeggione sonata which is now commonly performed on the cello.


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## Crystal (Aug 8, 2017)

If I didn't play the violin, I will play the cello or clarinet.:lol:


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## lextune (Nov 25, 2016)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the violin.

...I would just be a roving minstrel...


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the percussion.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

If I didn't play the cello, I would play the bassoon and/or organ.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

If I didn't play the triangle I would play the piano. :lol:


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the viola.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

jdec said:


> If I didn't play the triangle I would play the piano. :lol:


Damn, i was gonna do the Triangle


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

If not the cello, then the clarinet


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the cello. 

And I still may...


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

If I didn't play the guitar badly, I would play the guitar well.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

If I didn't play the guitar, I'd play violin, piano or cello, or all of them.


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

If I didn't play the piano and violin, I would play the bassoon probably. It sounds like such a fun instrument.


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

If I didn't play the tuba, I would play any double reed instrument.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

If I didn't play Mahler symphonies (so often), I would play Sibelius symphonies (more often).


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

If I didn't play the piano I would play the Native American flute.....

but then I just bought a Native American Flute and I am NEVER giving up my piano!
SO, if I didn't just buy a Native American Fllute, I would want to get a drum set and play the drums. The church I attend lets my kids and I play around on their drum set after service. Fun stuff!


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## JeffD (May 8, 2017)

If I didn't play the mandolin I would play the fiddle.


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

If Kajmanen didn't play so many video games maybe he would be playing some Mozart. :lol:


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## immisk (Sep 26, 2017)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the saxophone or bass guitar. 

So groovy.


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## SarahTG (Sep 26, 2017)

If I didn't play the trombone, I'd play the cello


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## helenora (Sep 13, 2015)

If I didn't play any musical instrument I would conduct an orchestra


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

If I hadn't played the guitar I would have definitely played the piano. Actually I've played it for a couple of years, so I was just a beginner and I'm not saying it's easy (even if for me was easier), but to me it was definitely a lot less frustrating and more rewarding than the guitar. It's hard to say how much I hate nails, and all the problems that one has playing with nails. And the fact that one can use one hand for chords and the other for melody was so liberating.


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## jlspinks (Jun 20, 2017)

If I didn't play the cornet...I'd play French Horn. There is nothing so powerful as a raging French Horn.


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## Gaspard de la Nuit (Oct 20, 2014)

If I didn't play the piano, I would play the harpsichord


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## Gordontrek (Jun 22, 2012)

If I didn't play the trumpet, I would play the piano. 
Actually, I play both instruments. I simply can't switch my primary instrument at college from trumpet to piano. I've wanted to throw my trumpet in the garbage for a couple years now because focal dystonia has ruined my ability to play it. But piano, that's something I really enjoy.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

If I didn't play Canasta, I'd play Parcheesi.


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