Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Musical Talent

Out of curiosity, which of my readers play an instrument? Any?

I know that Lori plays the cello (and named her cello Trinity) but what about the others?

I would say (and I think that my parents would agree) that I am the musical one in the family....when it somes to instruments. I could not sing to save my life!

My earliest memory of an instrument is a little childs size guitar that I had. I remember dancing on the "stage" that was in our basement (a built in bench) and strumming that guitar like I was Jimmie Hendrix.....not that I had any clue at about age 6 who Jimmie Hendrix was!

I started playing the B flat Clarinet in 5th grade band, and played all the way up through college. I left it in the US when I moved to Belgium, but when I do have it near me, I will drag it out and play some scales and favorite songs. I would be able to play the other assorted clarinet family instruments (contra, bari, bass, E flat) aside from the double reeds (oboe and bassoon), and actually played the E Flat for a while in college!

I taught myself to play the piano and read the bass cleft. I'll never be a pro, but it is something that I enjoy and love to do! My parents have my best friend Stormy's piano at their house and I always play when I am home - Fur Elise, Phantom, Irish Songs, Save The Best for Last, Pachebel's Canon and other random songs. Even being away and not playing for months, I can still walk in to the house, go to the piano, sit down and have the music flow from my fingers out of the depths of my memory.....its like my brain does not even need to work - the music just flows!

While living in Ireland I bought a guitar and started in on playing that. I had mastered the basics and a few easy songs when I moved over here and left it with the clarinet thinking that it was not a priority when I could only bring 3 bags (a girls got to have at least 5 pairs of shoes - black heels, black flats, brown shoes, runners and one pair of sandals!)! I occasionally played Zori's guitar here over the past few years....I fear that I will need to start again!

I once was able to play the flute and the saxaphone, but I fear that the memories of the correct fingerings have gone by the wayside! I went to Dinant Belgium a few months ago which is where Alfred Sax is from, which was very pretty!

The one instrument that I can not play yet that I want to be able to play is the violin / fiddle. I am obsessed with the violin! I've wanted to learn for years! A while back I started lessons here but due to time constraints I was unable to continue. One day I shall start again!!

My goals when I move back to the US is to buy both a piano and a violin for myself and start taking violin lessons and guitar lessons. I would not mind to take some official piano lessons either - I am sure that my technique is not right and that I do many things wrong.....the results of being self taught! The purchasing of the piano might have to wait though until I have moved into a house and not an apartment!

14 comments:

Marvie said...

I took piano lessons as a teen, don't remember a whole lot of it though. I also played clarinet (very very badly) in 6th grade. My parents wanted me to learn guitar but I balked at that one. I prefered choir in school. Just never been an instrument gal I guess, but I'll sing anything with words I can understand *g* maybe not all that well, but I'll still sing ;)

Anonymous said...

Piano. :) My mother was a piano teacher and I also took lessons from another teacher. I have a lovely piano sitting in the living room - but it's so hard to take time away from knitting/crochet!

Kimberly said...

Yay for the Tin Whistle!! I played that while I was in Ireland. That and the Spoons if you want to consider them a musical instrument! Several friends had a weekly live music session and I would often stop in and play along for a little bit!

Heather Cox said...

I played piano from 8 years old til I was 24-25. I did competitions, accompanist at church, for community stuff, etc. I played so much for everyone else that I didn't have time to play for myself anymore, the music I personally enjoyed, so I started saying no to gigs and people just didn't understand, they kept bugging me, so finally I gave away my piano and just quit.

I might pick it up again someday if I feel like it. What I'd like to learn now is acoustic guitar. :)

Anonymous said...

I don't play any instruments. Had a very poor childhood and those things were out of reach. Now that I live in Utah, I feel left out, almost everyone plays the piano. But if I were to learn to play an instrument, it would be the harp. I had a harpist play at my wedding, it was lovely.

MrsFife said...

Learnt a little how to play the veena, and singing. Learnt more of the singing than the instrument, though.
Carnatic classical music, of course.

Cyndilou :) said...

I also play cello - have since 3rd grade, and I've sung since age 3. In the intervening years, I've played a little string bass, piano (left-handed) and guitar - plus recorder if music appreciation class counts. :D

Cyndilou :) said...

Whoops - almost forgot my newest instrument: in the last year I've picked up playing handbells for church as well.

Anonymous said...

I've always wanted to play piano. I had actually started lessons and had just fallen in love with it when our house burned to the ground when I was 12. Piano (and everything else we owned) went up in flames. I'm 45 now, and heck, I still have hopes of eventually getting an old piano and starting to take lessons. It could be worse -- I could dream of trying to sing! *That* would be cruelty to my hubby, son, and pets, though, so I only warble when I'm driving somewhere alone in the car and can't inflict my tuneless noise on others.

Lene'

Anonymous said...

When I was in 4th-8th grade I played the french horn in the middle school band. Then in my senior year of high school played the bass, you know, that giant violin type thing, for the orchestra. That was fun. I don't play anything now but I'm glad I had those experiences.

Mimi said...

I'd rather sing and dance =)
I admire piano players the most because my fingers were quite weak to strike the keys, so I just learned to play an electric keyboard (organ), but wasnt good at it.

abacadae said...

I don't know if you currently have a guitar but freeguitarvideos.com is a way to ease back into playing guitar with out the financial commitment.

Jenny Moore said...

Well, if you decide to move to San Antonio, I'm pretty sure my husband would be happy to teach you piano and guitar for free! He plays everything, and can listen to a song then sit down with his guitar and play it. I'm so jealous!

Myself, I play flute, and a little guitar. Need to practice the guitar a little more, though. Always wanted to learn piano, and now that we have a piano it would be the perfect time to learn! But, unfortunately my hubby and I don't have much time to sit down and do that. Maybe one day...

Anonymous said...

How about voice lessons??? :) Miracles do happen my