Life and times of a new farmer/homesteader
On Music {
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Thursday, March 15, 2007
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I love music. I always have. My earliest memories are song lyrics, for some reason. There have been times in my life that I recall only on the hearing of the music that was played then.I sing. Pretty bass, and pretty poorly. I play guitar. I play piano. I play bass guitar. I have played banjo, accordian, flute, recorder, bassoon, bass recorder, tin whistle, drums, vibraphone, xylaphone, marimbas, steel drum, synthisizer, glass harmonica, harmonica, and several home made or found instruments. None well, but all cheerfully and with great enjoyment. The only instrument I have anymore is an old Epiphone accoustic guitar I got for my 18th birthday. I don't play it nearly enough; in fact, I have yet to move it out here with me. I don't come from a particularly musical family. My fathers parents played some music, recorders mostly. My mothers parents had a player piano. Everyone sang on occasion. No one made music a focus, until I came around. I would watch they keys on the player piano, and mimic them. I would hear a song on the radio, and play it (sort of.) My family thought I was some sort of genius. While all I did was type, in a way, on the piano, they thought I was special. Mostly, I was observant. While I didn't grow up with music surrounding me, I did study what I could. I could never read music. I tried, but it was something my brain couldn't grasp. It's like some languages, where I can speak them with no accent and understand them spoken back, but could never read them. Or like other languages, where I could read them, but never make a sound that made sense or understand the spoken word. I could listen to music, and I could understand it, and I knew the theory, but I couldn't read that language. I tried to give my children the very few things I didn't have around me growing up. Music was, and is, one of those things. My son plays saxophone, quite nicely, as well as tin whistle and other instruments. I think he would be a natural for bass guitar, as he has a good sense of rythym, and he is a very large man, suitable for even a stand-up bass. My daughter plays guitar and fiddle, as well as other instruments. I think she would be great at drums as well, as her beat is strong. Both can actually read music, although my son is proficient, while my daughter struggles as I do. This year I want to get a mandolin or a dobro guitar and maybe even get proficient at playing it. I need to get my guitar here. Maybe, with my sister moving, I could get my family piano back from her. It is a beast to move. If it gets here, I doubt it will be moved again in my lifetime. I was the only one who could play it in my family. I want to play, enjoy, and spread music as much as I can, while I can hear what little I can hear. It would be fun to have a "band" with my children. Even if we only played on summer nights, on the porch. We could each decide on one or two song we like, and all learn to play them. I can completely see converting a modern or classic rock song into bluegrass, or jazz. Depends on what instruments we decided to play. It would be fun, and a good experience for my children. And for me. I could learn so much from my children. Peace, Raymond P.S.: I hear so little about people playing music here, and I would love to hear about more. Please share your stories about music on your blogs, and let me know you have. About what you grew up with, and what you do now. From playing piano for your church, to that punk band you had in high school, to even the songs and artists that mean most to you. What instruments do you and your family play? Let me know, as I am interested. I guess this is a tag. You're it. Peace. { Last Page } { Page 15 of 181 } { Next Page } |
