can play dozens of instruments. Is this true, can we get a list?

I don't think there's an official list. I think he can play about anything, he's just not too good on horns. Don't know about violins and things.
[Edited 1/6/06 7:38am]

put your saying he can play a saxophone or a french horn or what?

I don't think he's very good at playing horns. He can probably pick one up and blow a little bit, but not good enough to do it on stage. He uses synths for horns when he's by himself in the studio.

XVI said:

Prince can play drum, bass, guitar and various keyboards.

The stories about him playing about 20-30 instruments were promoted early in his career. If you look at the liner sleeve notes to his very first album, it lists all of the instruments he played on it. But it lists the varieties of drums and percussion, different types of keyboard and synthesisers etc.. hence 20-30.

Can Prince play horns? He was asked and answered this question in 1998 on the official website:

"Did U ever play the horns yourself on any of your recordings?"

: "Yes, but not often."

Eric Leeds was also asked a similar question on the NPGMC site in 2003

Q: "Eric, have you ever tried to teach Prince how to play the sax ... how good or bad is he?"

Eric Leeds: "Thankfully for me (and Maceo etc.) he can't play the sax. Has no embouchure, and you can't go out and buy one. Takes years to develop it."

.

.
[Edited 1/6/06 10:47am]

The instruments he plays at a VERY HIGH professional level are...

-Guitar***
-Bass
-Drums
-Piano/Keyboard
-Sax

GoldenGlove said:

are you sure?

XVI said:

I think sax was his first instrument as a child.

doctamario said:

Are you thinking of McCartney?

Well could he play sax or not?

Clarinet?

These are the things i can play

8up said:

no, I read this really old newspaper article online somewhere from around 1978 that talked about his love of music in school. I'm pretty sure it said that sax was his first instrument, but then he moved on to others and often performed for people in music class and wrote his own music. Clearly, he didn't go on to perform much with it. I think that's because it impaired his ability to sing. With guitar, keyboards, and drums, he can sing as well. When I find that article again, I'll make a new thread for it.
[Edited 1/6/06 19:44pm]

sounds great, is there anything anyone wants to add to this topic

beret1022 said:

Yes.

finger cymbals
triangle
snapping
clapping
tapping his foot
humming
wax paper on a comb
spoons..
the list goes on and on...

doctamario said:

No. The story is that his first intrument was his father's piano, on which he started playing the Batman theme one day.

GoldenGlove said:

doctamario said:

GoldenGlove said:

GoldenGlove

There isn't any meaningful evidence that Prince plays saxophone to "a very high professional level".

.

well can he play it or not?!?!?!

langebleu said:

He played it on the "Jam Of The Year" tour didn't he?

Guitar, bass, piano/keyboard, drums and various percussion. That's your lot. Still damn impressive considering he'd give anybody a run for their money on those instruments.

I don't believe he plays wind instruments at all. At least i've not seen him in the twenty-odd years i've followed him, not even a photo, and that wouldn't necessarily mean he can either.

Aerogram said:

- Yes, I remember that I read somewhere that he had sax lessons in school (after his father´s piano), but like Eric Leeds (thanks langebleu) said:

"Thankfully for me (and Maceo etc.) he can't play the sax. Has no embouchure, and you can't go out and buy one. Takes years to develop it."

I believe he only learned the basics of sax. If he could play it professionally (like drums, bass, etc) he would surely record it on his songs.
[Edited 1/8/06 3:54am]

Though not the best prince book, in Dave Hills 'Prince: A Pop Life' it states back in the early days Prince used to 'actively hate the sound of horns', i think it was Chick Huntsberry that was quoted tho i'm not sure on that. The evidence is there on the albums. perhaps his dislike stemmed from the fact he couldn't get to grips with them himself.

kind of ironic if true, considering his ouput these days.

people change.

GoldenGlove said:

No - unless you know of a time when he played on that tour?

.