Describe a musical instrument you would like to be able to play

IELTS Cue Card # 229 – A musical instrument you would like to be able to play

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a musical instrument you would like to be able to play.

You should say:

• what type of musical instrument it is
• what it sounds and looks like
• what kinds of people/musicians it is popular with

and explain why you want to be able to play this musical instrument.

Model Answer 1:
I have always believed that learning to play a musical instrument, whether we are young or old, gives us a great feeling as well as a great sense of accomplishment. But, unfortunately, I am yet to learn to play at least one musical instrument. But, on the other hand, if there is one musical instrument that I really want to be able to play, it has to be a guitar – any kind of guitars that is. I said “any kind of guitar” because people can be seen to be playing 3 different kinds of guitars, and they are called acoustic, electric and bass.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that most of us know what a guitar looks like. But, just to refresh our memory once again, it is a type of chordophone or fretted (a long fretted neck that is) musical instrument which is traditionally made from wood and has six strings. Of course, a guitar can also have a different number of strings such as four, seven, eight or eleven. The strings of a guitar can be made from either gut or nylon or steel. It has incurved sides, a flat wooden soundboard and ribs, and a flat back. And as far as its sound is concerned, it is projected by its vibrating strings acoustically through the air. As one plucks the strings of a guitar, the wooden body of the guitar vibrates. The air inside the body vibrates too, and it’s the vibrations of the wooden body and the air that amplify the string sound so we can hear it.

This musical instrument is popular among all kinds of musicians, but they are particularly popular among rock bands. From Willie Nelson to Bruce Springsteen and Jimi Hendrix to Joe Satriani and Richie Sambora – everybody uses guitar.

I want to be able to play the guitar because I think that it is just too much fun and exciting to be able to play some of my favourite songs. Besides, I also think that learning to play the guitar would help me become more social and friendly with other people more easily.

Sample Answer 2:
I would like to learn to play the violin if the time and opportunity allow me to do so. In my childhood, my mother once bought me a toy violin, and I really liked this playing instrument and spent a lot of time with it then. This was a simple toy that produced some nice sounds, and I liked the idea of producing music with this toy.

Over time, I got interested in other things and never had the chance or enthusiasm to learn to play the violin. But nowadays, I find this musical instrument very interesting and striking. So, I would love to learn how to play this musical instrument from my passion for it.

The violin is also known as the fiddle in some parts of the world and this is a string musical instrument. This instrument looks like a guitar except that the use of the bow to produce the music. The music produced from this musical instrument is very charming and soothing. It can produce different sounds of various scales depending on how it is tuned in and played.

Usually, the guitar is more popular among young people in my country, and the violin is played by serious or professional musicians. Few ordinary people can actually play this instrument, and some classical and contemporary music show use this instrument while performing.

I have been feeling a fascination with this device from my childhood, and I like the sound this instrument creates. If I get time to learn any musical instrument, the violin would be my first preference.

Similar Cue Card Topics

Your ability to talk about this Cue Card would enable you to talk about the following Cue Cards as well:
 

1. Describe a skill you have. 
2. Describe a musical instrument you can play. 
3. Describe your favourite musical instrument. 
4. Describe something you want to learn in the future. 
5. Describe something you learned recently.