Emotional Connection With One’s Instrument

Just read the other thread on posting picture of one’s beloved instrument, and the words in brackets ‘Aka our children’ got me thinking - it made me wonder how other people relate emotionally to their instrument/instruments. In my case - I have a beautiful keyless blackwood Hamilton - which I christened ‘Feochan’. So here’s my first question: Do others name their instruments or am I the only crazy one😉?

As to my relationship with my instrument - in my case I don’t see it as my ‘child’ or ‘my baby’ but Feochan feels as if he is my partner and even my guide - and as you can see from the use of the pronoun - in my eyes he is a ‘he’ although I have heard other people refer to their flutes as ‘she’. So, here’s my second question: I’m curious how do other people relate to their instruments?

Well, I know this thread could lend itself to all sorts of insinuations and bad jokes etc but I’m actually asking with genuine interest.

Thanks🙂

Vanessa

Hi Vanessa, interesting question.

I don’t have a huge connection with my harp, but it definitely has its moods - times when it plays well and times when it doesn’t. Of course, psychologists would just say that’s “projection” - ie I’m ascribing feelings to the harp which are really my own. But definitely if I treat it well, it treats me well.

I don’t go as far as naming my instruments - or even giving them a gender. They’re all an “it”, although my big harp I use for weddings, I call “bridezilla”.

My guitar is called “Caritas”. It’s a she. The relationship is intimate. That’s all you need to know.
The whistles…
Nope, I’ve never named them. I tell a lie. I made a big four-foot long low D out of PVC tubing and gave it a name, but now I can’t remember what it was. Ah, Yes I do. It’s “Cresseevy” because it’s red (that’s the russian for red, they tell me).

My zouk is Basil, and I have 2 concertinas, one called Keith who I play in sessions and one called Tina who I play at home because she hasn’t got such a loud voice. They are the most precious things I own and if one of them was injured or taken away from me I’d be mortified.

George Harrison ex Beatle was buried with his ukulele . Seems a shame cos someone else could have had the pleasure of playing it . . like old soldiers, Ukes never die they just fade away. But who am I to critise someones last request. Come to that neither do fiddles/banjos/whistles/flutes/mandolins . . not sure about piano accordians or bhodrans though 🙂 fade away that is . . .

I definitely have an emotional relationship with the instruments I play and rely on, and when something happens to them it’s as though it’s happened to my own appendage. But naming them would be like naming my right hand. Imagine going to a party and when you meet people you shake their hand and then introduce them to your hands separately.

“Hello, I’m jack. This is George, and my left hand is Pete.”

Spend time with anything and you’ll get attached to it. I love my 17“ powerbook (which i refer to as my 17”. Make of that what you will, no worse than Vannessa blowing her flute).

I also love my big black leather office chair, my favourite pairs of shoes, my snow board, my Le Creuset cast iron pans (note Le, not La), my Acoustic Energy spakers, my polished antique floor boards, etc etc.

My fiddle is simply “my” fiddle. As in, “Can you pass me my fiddle please?” Though the viola, oddly enough, is “the” viola. As in, "Can you pass me the viola please? I’m not sure why this is, I think it has a physicality that makes it kind of have more of a life of its own. You kind of have to fight it more to play it. You have to be agressive with it, and it fights back.

I know a piano is not classified as an Irish instrument but it is my first love. I have it 14 years and when I went to college my brother etched a weird pattern to it. The poor thing is now scared for life. I also thought of selling and buying a new piano but I just could not give it up, it was like as if my arm was about to be unnessesarily being amputated, even though I had a buyer for it. It’s been in hibernation for a while now but he will wake up soon.

As for the others, as I may call them, nothing ever compares to my first. And yes that is the piano I am on about!

🙁

When my son was born I had several dreams about my fiddle, but my fiddle had sort of changed into a baby - fiddle and child became almost interchangable - I love my fiddle (and my son!), I love it’s shape and smell, and would feel bereft without it. I have never felt this about any of the other instruments I have ever played. An interesting discussion Vanessa.

It is interesting because I think alot of people take out there moods on their instruments. For example when I’m p*ssed off or annoyed it’s straight to music or drawing as I feel it takes the emotions away. Like if you were angry you will play the hardest and fastest tune, but if sad more inclined to play slow.

My daughter calls her harp “Sí.” I call my fiddle “my fiddle.”

My instruments have no names, other than my guitar, my box and my whistles. Harmonicas are named after their keys, but I try not to get too attached to them, because reeds go flat and I need to buy new ones. I do have another guitar, box and a bunch of whistles, but I rarely use them, so names are not needed.
Despite the fact I don’t use names, I do get very attached to them, when played they are more an extension of my own body than another entity.

so many guitars I don’t know what to do, Like the woman in the shoe!!!

I love the ones I made best these days though. Someone wanted to buy my first….NO WAY!

Need to get rid of some of the others! I have a few Foleys for sale if anyone is interested! Love them too but have three, need just one.

My fiddle was my Grandfathers and I remember his devotion to it when I was kneehigh to a grasshopper. He died in 1955 and I didn’t start playing until 1970. Imagine my joy when I was presented with it when my uncle discovered I had “ joined the tradition”. Although I have another instrument this one is my favourite and is very precious. No name-but a very emotional and sentimental attachment.

I told the owner of the violin shop that I was serious about buying a good instrument. He led me to a back room and proceeded to lay more than twenty fiddles out on the carpet and told me to start trying them out. I played them all, sorting them first into “maybe” and “no way” categories--but there was one whose tone and feel instantly appealed to me. It was as if our eyes met across a crowded room.

I have never named an instrument, but this one came with one already attached: “The Juniper Berry Bond.” I just had to phone the maker about it, and sure enough, he named it after an old college friend named Jane Bond, who used to call herself “Juniper Berry” at times.

Not much. The instrument is a vehicle for the music, which does not reside in the instrument, just travels through it.

Was a bit surprised to hear George Harrison was buried with his uke , thought it would be a guitar , he wrote a song called “while my guitar gently weeps ”. I definately think a violin takes on a life on its own when played properly , similarly the pipes or flute , not too sure about the bodhran though!

I play the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar I built, so I have a fair amount of sweat and (lterally) blood invested in them. As for naming them; when inspired to speak directly to the instrument it’s generally something like, “You $&*#!@ piece of $*&@#%”. Does that count as a name?

As for being buried with your instrument, I want the coffin building concession for pianists. Although here in the US, so many people have gotten so huge that I’m not sure a piano wouldn’t fit in a smaller box.

Michael I have a theory on why your fiddle would be “my” and the viola “the”. If you’re asking someone to pass it over, for example, you might want to distinguish your fiddle from the others in the session, or other imaginary ones, even. But I doubt there’s another viola, so if you just say “the” viola, everyone’s gonna know what you’re talking about. If you said “my viola” then it begs the question, “your viola, as opposed to who else’s?!”.

I’ve been playing a nice Rudall Rose flute for about 15 years, and very recently acquired a Patrick Olwell flute. A friend had owned it for several years, but never played it seriously. When I played it briefly about two years ago, the instrument claimed me rather violently. It has taken these two years to wiggle it away from its owner, and the flute definitely owns ME. I have a hard time staying away from it, and when I get it warmed up, it takes off and leaves me struggling to keep up. It comes alive in my hands. I’ve always had that special emotion that most of us feel when making music, but with such a fine instrument, that emotion is intensified ten times. I’m scared!

Scott…what kind of guitar did you build? Do you do this regularly? Was the fiddle easier than guitar, how about mandolin? Kits? I am addicted. Building another guitar this summer, an M size. This is insanity. What will I do with them all, really don’t want to sell them!

BTW I know what you mean about the sweat and blood in them…. tip…..put the band aid on BEFORE you cut yourself. You get a pretty good idea where it can happen. The sweat, well, no advice on that!!!

What a coincidence, ScottC. “You $&*#!@ piece of $*&@#%” is what I often call my computer.

But I never blame the fiddle--with that, it’s always “pilot error,” not equipment failure.

I can’t say I or anyone else in my family has ever named an instrument, but there are certainly some strong emotional connections to instruments…especially ones that pass through from one family member to another. My older daughter has taken up both my first clarinet and my flute -- and won’t give them up for anything! There are instruments I have around the house that I play infrequently now…depends on the music groups with which I become involved. However, I wouldn’t think of willingly parting with these treasures.

Now…cars, on the other hand…

That occurred to me also Dow. But then I imaged myself saying: “could you pass the fiddle please,” And no one would have any doubt that you are asking for your own fiddle, rather than someone elses. Plus, when you do this, you always seem to gesture to what you want anyway.

On another note, I remember reading an obituary of that fiddle/pipe player Martyn Bennett and how after he got really ill and couldn’t play anymore, he destroyed all his instruments. Just smashed ’em to bits. Now I don’t know if any one else agrees with me here, but I reckon that’s bang out of order.

Absolutely, especially if they were really good instruments. Those can last hundreds of years, and should be handed down to the next generation. A violinmaker once told me that we don’t really own good instruments, we just have temporary stewardship.

Yep. I suppose it’s the arrogance of “mine” that riles me. Yes, I refer to “my” fiddle, but I it’s only in the sense that I have given myself the responsibility of looking after it. Much in the same way as I refer to “my” cats. When we say “mine” we refer to the responsibility rather than the exclusivity of ownership. Unfortunately, in Bennett’s case, it seems to be that property was indeed theft.

And maybe, with “the” viola, it’s a case of it being an untamed beast that I somehow psychologically treat as being outside the domestication that I view my fiddle.

Oh, llig leahcim, what a heartwrenching story - I don’t know the background but perhaps Martyn Bennett acted out of a lot of pain - if music and playing was his life and he lost that which he loved maybe the pain got the better of him and that’s why he smashed his instruments - I don’t know about you all but I have to admit that the mere thought of not being able to play my beloved Feochan due to an illness makes me wanna panic :(. It certainly conjures up a bunch of gloomy thoughts but I do hope that were I to find myself in that position, I would be able to fight bitterness and pain and have enough sense to pass on Feochan to someone to whom he would mean as much… ‘temporary stewardship’ I like that concept which reminds me that Feochan belonged to someone else before me and someone else before that… he has his own story of which I’m only a small part of…

I don’t know the whole Bettett story, maybe nobody does. Maybe he regreted it befor he finnaly took off.

here’s the Obituary:
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/obituary/0,12723,1403775,00.html?gusrc=rss

Futher information may help if anyone has any

I am really lucky in the instrument I have. I inherited a resonant instrument from a great-uncle who was a bluegrass fiddler. I know he bought the instrument in Berlin in the 1920s. It is however made in an Italian style and has some very ornate inlay on the back that I have never seen on another instrument. What I think is most likely is that it was a well-done copy of a Cremona instrument. I consider myself hugely fortunate to own and play the instrument that originally inspired me to play the violin myself. My great-uncle was thrilled that one of the children was so interested in playing violin. He suffered from a serious heart condition which eventually killed him, and I realize now that he dredged up the energy to play for me when it must have been very hard to do. So that’s serious sentimental attachment. You value your life, you don’t mess with that fiddle of mine.

An issue for me now that I am well and truly into the second half of life is how to keep that good instrument singing after I’m gone. I have two beautiful goddesschildren, one who enjoys the fiddle but shows no interest in playing, one an infant. I am kind of watching to see if one takes to playing music at all. If that happens, it will go to that child. I am mulling over some other options, like leaving it to a friend who knows exactly what I’d want done with the instrument.

I’m with mickray on the “pilot error” thing. Whenever I’m having a good night with music, I’ll say something like, “My flute is in a really good mood tonight.” But when I have a bad night, it’s usually, “Boy, I s#ck!” 🙂

As for emotional connection -- absolutely. But I haven’t named them. I tried to name my guitar once, like my idols did (Eric Clapton has “Blackie” and BB King has “Lucille”), but it didn’t stick.

My old German fiddle has been in my family since about 1850, and will remain within the family.
My 19th century French cello has been in my possession since my early teens, and that, too, will be passed on in the family.

Thanks for the link, llig leahcim🙂 - I just can’t stop thinking about the Bennett story. I presume he must have regretted it because he mournfully describes the incident as having ‘murdered his little family.’ His use of the word ‘family’ seems to speak for a deep connection with his instruments and I believe his rage came from a place of pain. I really feel for the man because healthwise he certainly had it tough but on the good side his life was also very rich - indeed a deeply touching story and to think how young he was when he died. Reminds me of Frankie Kennedy’s untimely death:(.

And cathrynb, I was in a similar situation not too long ago - I mean I had to think about what to do with Feochan if I ended up pushing up the daisies - it was prompted by a cancer scare which luckily turned out okay but I did sit down and make my will (although I am still waiting for my solicitor to finalise it… grrrrr). Well, in my case I have the problem that my husband and I don’t have children nor do I have friends who have an interest in playing the flute, so I have decided to give Feochan to someone who knows how much he means to me and I trust she will find a good deserving home from him🙂.

Well, Vanessa, you have certainly put your finger on the pulse of the yellow board!

“My zouk is Basil…….” at last some insight into the true tender nature of Dow.

“……the sweat and blood in them…..” Have you seen the movie The Red Violin, irisnevins?

and remember MacPherson breaking his fiddle in two rather than let “her” fall into the wrong hands after his execution.

I have a organ with 127 pipes. She stands 2 and a half stories tall. Her name is Olga. I do what she tells me.

My daughter and I, together, built an electric guitar for her, and she named it “Ophelia”, but doesn’t actually play it very much.
My electric bass was named “The Dadga”, which does sound a bit like an instrument tuning.
Whether I’ve bought them or built them, named them or not, there is always a strong attachment to them - Instrument Acquisition Syndrome and partners don’t get on well together !

Like, she suggested I should sell one of my concertinas !

“….The harp he loved never spoke again, for he tore its cords asunder……”
Yet another story of destroying instruments rather than letting them fall into the wrong hands.

My Rickenbacker (electric guitar) is named “Emma.” She had a 12-string sister named gretchen. Gretchen grew despondent when I started playing flute, so she requested a transfer to someone who would play her more.

my instrument is definately one of the most importants things to me, I havn’y named it though. I did consider it, but never came up with anything deserving
!

I don’t name my instruments but there is an old Harmony Sovereign guitar under the stairs. It’s called Igor because it has a nut and bolt holding its neck on.

Captain Morgan, the Hammond Organ. Affectionately known as the Cap’n

Interesting comment at the top about George Harrison being buried with his ukelele. In our darkest moments haven’t we all wished that someone should be buried with their instruments -and they wouldn’t necessarily have to have died first!!!

My instrument is called Amanda Lynne but apart from that naming your instruments seems a bit precious and Jeremy Clarkson to me, because I’m a bitter old **** I’m told.