What other instruments did you play in high school/college?

[Sandaun]

Then I learnt the pedal steel, and if I'd had the money to buy one as well as the skill to play it, I would've probably gotten myself into hot water playing 'Trane licks in C&W tunes, and probably a chorus or two of Handel and Vivaldi ... (did I forget to say I taught myself the jaw harp then as well? Cheap as chips, teaches you harmonics, wonderful little instrument. You even hear it occasionally in rock and pop.) Then changed countries and thus schools, and my next instrument was the bagpipe chanter - I love the bagpipes, and no wonder, the sound of the bagpipes during the lead-up to Papua New Guinean Independence - like the sound of the brass bands and military bands - was a sound of celebration. But I couldn't afford those either, so that went by the way as well. After that, the violin, because I needed to read music - I was playing lap steel in a church band, and I didn't have a clue as to what I was supposed to be doing.

Went to Uni, got invalided out of my course with a TBI, dropped music for a couple of decades, picked up the recorder and ukulele, went to a brass band trombone class, threw in a few extras such as the tabla, clarinet, flute, and sax, then earthquakes struck Christchurch NZ, city I was resident in, and had to move. Took up the cello as well, and oud, and still wish I could get a pedal steel for those wild mashups of Vivaldi, Bach, Django, Hendrix and 'Trane! (Besides lutes, violas da gamba, marimbas, mridangam, pakhawaj, etc.)

[brad4d8]

Piano from an early age, through HS and as a minor in college. Flute/sax in college, got roped into playing bass clarinet in the concert band. Actually played more reeds than guitar for a long time, haven't touched a sax in years, pull out a flute about once a year, would need a lot of woodshedding to get it up to speed.

[JGinNJ]

Trumpet, and I still play, despite the frustration, angst, irrationality of it. All these years later, I still struggle mentally with it- like, get help!

I was never a marching band geek, I played in the orchestra. Before that, in jr. high I played in the stage band, but ended up switching to guitar. Along the way I got heavy into jazz, and my brother made the uninformed comment about jazz should have horns- so I switched my focus to trumpet. But, college was for electronics, not music, so I never got much beyond the practice room- but I kept up both well into my late 30's. I did put the trumpet away for several years in my 40's, then started again after a divorce. in my 50's I made some real progress, I thought, on both instruments, and playing opportunities like jam sessions and a big band appeared.

After a lifetime of practice and prep, with these new opportunities I discovered a bunch of things about my guitar vs. trumpet inner conflict. I could practice trumpet a lot, I'm still better on guitar with less effort. I liked playing guitar in a big band more than trumpet. I'm a good 2nd or 3rd trumpet, good soloist, but not a lead player. At jam sessions, I'd get performance anxiety on trumpet, but be more comfortable on guitar. Trumpet has a special sound, while guitar is a dime a dozen- but if I'm going to entertain friends, out comes the guitar. Guitar, I can take days or a week off, no big deal. Trumpet, after 2 days off, it takes days to get it back.

So, if you only play guitar and are happy with it, consider yourself lucky.

[dixiehwy25]

Everything in the brass family, and I mean everything! Played them all in everything from marching and concert band to jazz band. In fact I still have my Getzen nickel silver Eterna tilted bell trumpet in the case here at the house. From time to time I still ponder getting a valve trombone.

[gvurrdon]

Getting hold of a guitar wasn't possible until I went to university.
At school, the emphasis was on classical music and they were keen on training violinists, so I studied that. I had some piano lessons also. Later, I was also able to get lessons on the highland bagpipe; I could probably still play the bagpipe if I had the opportunity to practice.