Instruments part 1

I've been working on a few permanent pages for the blog and the first one is a record of the various instruments I've owned, made or borrowed.

Collins CB5 Bluegrass Banjo
This was my first banjo. I bought it unseen and untouched. It wasn't quite on a whim as I'd been harbouring a secret wish to play the banjo for a couple of years, but had always found a reason not to. I watched a programme featuring Frank Skinner trying to learn to play, which was part of a series on BBC about learning a musical instrument and this both inspired me and put me off at the same time. I didn't want people to think I'd started to play because of Frank - even though I had to an extent.

I had a £100.00 one Christmas and was tempted to buy Guitar Hero as a load of my mates had got it, and it seemed like good digital fun, but while surfin the net I found that I had enough for a proper instrument, and not long after I was pressing 'submit'. I know that everyone says you should always play any instrument before you buy it, but I hadn't played anything before and music shops can be a bit intimidating if you haven't got a clue what you are doing. Anyway the price fit my budget £100 which meant I could afford a tuner as well, so I bought it. It served me well for a year and it's a great instrument to learn on, also the price means that if you don't take it up you haven't broke the bank.

I managed to stick with it and I was hooked. I'd had a tricky a couple of years before and I found that playing and really practising gave me a sense of calm and took me out of myself. It still does and playing alone, but most of all with other people is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. It's a lot harder than Guitar Hero, though!

The Collins has moved on to someone else now - but you always remember your first.