What instrument would you choose if you had to start over?

[windshieldbug]

Viola. Because you could only go up from there.

You'd never need a tuner. Or spare strings. Or even have to remember very many positions.

Just which hand holds the viola, and which hand holds the bow. Most of the time, anyway.

[justinbarleben]

Bagpipes only because I want to wear a kilt!

Pick something brass or percussion and head out to Racine...

I would definitely be a percussionist. Not drummer. Percussionist. My first love is tap dance (I dance competitively), and I know that I would be a much better tapper with a solid background in percussion, especially snare drum.

Heh, I should probably go practice now...

[ScotGJ]

Bass guitar. With the right rig you can get both your sternum and the legs of your jeans vibrating with the music--a lot like tuba playing. Though bass guitar only gets the back of your skull vibrating.

[sloan]

I've had the priveledge of playing a hell of a lot of instruments, most for money.

But if I had it to do again, I wouldn't have let peer preasure push me off of flute. I still have three (one old style) and play for my own enjoyment. But my time investment was cut a lot by the abuse I suffered from peers for playing flute. I switched to "baritone" because I begged the band director for "anything else". The rest is history...

Rampal is still my idol, though.

J.c.S.

For his flute playing, or for his extracurricular pursuits?

[Naptown Tuba]

Those Contra-bass Clarinets that stand about 7 ft. from bottom to top. Heard and saw one once in a concert; it shook the floor. I thought I was hearing a tuba ............until I looked over and noticed the tubaist wasn't even playing! WOW

[Wyvern]

I love the sound of the horn, but believe my teeth are not suitable to play. I like the low grunts of the contrabassoon, so that would also be nice.

But I think it would be double bass - always a demand - would provide the best chance of gaining a professional position

[T. J. Ricer]

I know it's not a terribly original answer, but I would give a serious go to my current doubles:
Upright bass/bass guitar and vocals

There is always a place for another solid bassist and I just plain like to sing even if I'm never going to be a top pro. . . This has been a fun thread. . . If tuba was in the mix, would everyone still go that way?

--T. J.

[tubatooter1940]

Guitar with vocals is great if I'm alone and want to get a party started. I know words and chords to over 400 tunes. Some of them are actually clean and a lesser number actually good. Tuba has always been my best and favorite instrument.
I wish I had spent more time on bass guitar and string bass. Only vast experience on both allow one to sing and play with any authority.

[kegmcnabb]

Kinda crazy, as I don't particularly care for country music (it's OK, just don't love it), but I DO love the sound of pedal steel.

Followed closely by drums and bagpipes.

[OldsRecording]

I would have to say flute, double bass, piano, bassoon (frankly, I'm amazed how many closet bassoonists we have) or - wait for it... TUBA!

[David Zerkel]

Horn... in a heartbeat!

[THE TUBA]

Horn or Bass Trombone.

[Mojo workin']

Guitar, to be a blues player. Or keyboards to play prog-rock.

I play sitar, but I haven't gotten any Indian restaurant gigs yet.

[Charlie Goodman]

Classical guitar, for sure, employment be damned. Bass trombone would be the next choice.

[Donn]

Those Contra-bass Clarinets that stand about 7 ft. from bottom to top. Heard and saw one once in a concert; it shook the floor. I thought I was hearing a tuba ............until I looked over and noticed the tubaist wasn't even playing! WOW

I've played contrabass clarinet, Eb & Bb. Like the contrabassoon, it can shake the floor if it's standing on the floor, and it can get into an interesting stable resonance if the space happens to match one of its very low notes, but its acoustic output is overall not very impressive. I was getting totally drowned out on tuba parts and decided that if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them, so I got a tuba.

For a substantial contrabass reed, I believe you want the bass saxophone.

[jmerring]

In college, I had to take minor instruments for my MUed major (obviously). The moment I started playing the cello; I was in love. It made me want to start all over again (didn't). Cello - in an instant!

[bearphonium]

I started on trombone, played horn in college, reaquired music in my late 40's with a euphonium, and now play the tuba. That said, I think if I had to pick something different, it would be cello or bassoon.

Ally"who sometimes feels like she is 'Rusty in Orchestraville' with all the instruments"House

[sloan]

In college, I had to take minor instruments for my MUed major (obviously). The moment I started playing the cello; I was in love. It made me want to start all over again (didn't). Cello - in an instant!

"There's always room for Cello!"

[WakinAZ]

bass, for real. I was a crappy doubler at one time and really feel I didn't do it justice. I would have to become physically unable to play tuba to even mess with it again, although I love to hear it played well (Flea, James Jamerson, etc).

That said, when it's time for the jazz acoustic bass solo, rather than listening excitedly like a bass-minded guy should, I usually mentally check out for x number of bars...
(btw I have always hated the term "bass guitar" - bass, electric bass, whatever, just not bass guitar)

Eric "daring to be dull" L.

[k001k47]

Pianoforte.