Making music
Music has been a large part of my life, listening to it, but also making it. My grandfather and his brother were rather well-known musicians in their day and my dad had some musical talent also. It made sense I was leaned that way also and at the age of four and a half I began to learn to play the piano; I played for many years and became pretty good at it. High school saw me enrolled in a music school and I began to learn the trumpet and bass guitar, both of which I was average at, but I played in a jazz band for a few years whilst at school and enjoyed the experience.
Life happens though, and things change. My life took different paths and the trumpet and bass guitar got put away and I played the piano less and less.
Since then, I've rarely played for anyone, yes I can still play the piano, but only felt the urge to play occasionally and almost never where others could hear. There was always something else to do and, despite enjoying playing, it happened less and less.
There were times I'd select a piece of music to learn, which I'd do in secret, and then play it for my significant other as a gift of sorts, and it was amazing at how quickly it would all come back to me. I'd spend a week or so doing nothing but scales to get my fingers working...believe it or not, playing the piano is nothing like pulling triggers on guns, so I had to get them back on the program, and then I'd learn the music, deploy it at the right moment, and not play again for a while.
Lately, over the last year or so, I've been incredibly busy at work and with general life - it's the same old story - but I've felt the urge to tickle the ivories, meaning play the piano, and have done so a little more over that time. No folks, the keys on my piano are not made of ivory, but in the old days when that phrase was coined, they were. I've enjoyed playing a little more and again, amazingly, my skills seem not to have gotten too rusty. OK, they're a little rusty, but they're starting to shine up and get very good again.
I always have music around me and often it's playing softly from my Sony Bluetooth speaker (pictured) as I work, write or relax...I play it loud too. Or through my earbud head set or in my vehicles...I am always listening to music, and to a very wide variety of genres and artists too. It's been really nice to add the piano back in though. I think my neighbour doesn't mind, except when I do endless scales...although I've been thinking of breaking out my trumpet once again so he might change his tune when I start blowing on that thing!
Do you play an instrument? If so, and you feel like it, let me know below and tell me why you chose it, the process of learning to play and whether you do so regularly or sporadically. Also, below is some music I like...Feel free to shares yours in the comments below.
Some music I like
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
The image in this post was taken by me
That was a cool playlist. I think the only one I'd fast forward is Evanescence. Never saw that Florida Georgia dirt cars movie trailer either. Good stuff.
My tastes are very broad when it comes to music, as evidenced above I guess. I could have put another sixteen in there easily - another six hundred and sixteen really. I've always liked Evanescence, and will admit to having had a small crush on Amy Lee.
Apparently trumpets are very "interesting" to listen to when people are first learning how to play them XD
going by a friend who had a kid who was learning trumpet for a while
Guess if you've been doing something for long enough it never really goes away :)
I used to play flute while at school. Then while taking a break from uni I started learning bass guitar (I was tossing up between guitar, bass guitar and a freaking double bass but decided the last one would be too comical, and the music teacher I had at the time suggested bass because "everyone wants to be a rockstar" so there was a plethora of guitar players and not enough bass players, and sure enough some time later he traded me free lessons to play in one of his student end of year concerts because there were no bass players).
Same deal as you, I started having other things to do and started playing less and less, and eventually the poor thing retired but travelled with me for ages because no matter how logical and sensible it was I just couldn't bear to part with it.
Things worked out fine in the end as it's currently on "extended loan" to my youngest who initially started trying to learn off Youtube (and asking for lessons intermittently) and after he kept that up for most of the year, we've finally gotten him bass lessons (much to middle child's annoyance as she's been wanting to resume piano lessons for ages, but sadly we can only afford one activity per child now).
Have you committed to getting more play time in or are you accepting of the fact that you're going to be rusty every time you get around to sitting back down with the instruments? :D
If 'interesting' is code for fucken horrendous then you're right.
It's good you're letting your kids enjoy some instruments, I think it's good to expose them to a wide variety of things to see what thy like. Who knows, you might be able to do a bass guitar duet one of these days.
I play fairly regularly and find the skills don't diminish in between, it's the long breaks that make that happen.
There can't be bass duets as there is only one bass XD
I have tried over the course of their lives to expose them to a wide variety of things but money has been constantly a problem just like for everyone else.
ps and I'm pretty sure if you asked them they would disagree and say there was so much more I could have done.
Yeah I know, but if another bass was sourced, and there were two, then duets could ensue.
I like listening to music, though am not good in playing piano or any other musical instruments. One thing about music is that, it makes one happy when being troubled in mind.
Music is happiness-inducing for sure.
Sensitive people can't help but love music, I expected you to know how to play at least a couple of instruments; I love music and it's an important part of my life, as a boy I strummed the guitar but now I practically don't do it anymore even if I think I'll start again... for Christmas I gave my better half a guitar heh heh! A hug!
Hey mate, I hope you're feeling a little better and covid-chan is releasing it's hold on you.
Music is important to me and I'd say my ability to make some personally is one of the things that has defined my life. I don't like the limelight, or to be the centre of attention so I don't play very much for people (used to a lot though) but I don't need other people to hear my music to know it's valuable to me.
A guitar for Christmas? Lucky her! She'll be serenading you in no time.
Eh eh he wants to learn and with the occasion I will come back 😉 The covid still doesn't give me a break even if this morning it seems better... to make sure we don't miss anything since yesterday Reny is also positive eh eh! I think music is something very intimate and personal, even when I was playing and if it still happens today I do it without an audience 🤗
I think you need a track to make you feel happier. Here's a cover of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds by Marron 5.
I love Maroon 5 and most of all I love Bob Marley!!!🤟🤟 Thanks for the thought!!! Quive Sunday morning I'm dozing a little more in bed before giving myself a hot restorative bath and thinking about lunch for the whole family! We will also have the covid but today we celebrate....
Marley (he's a Fan too😉) has a 3 year old birthday!
I'm glad you liked it. Maroon 5 are pretty good huh? I saw them in concert once, really great.
I hope you have a nice day, get to relax and making lunch for the family isn't too difficult.
Beautiful, I love concerts and that must have been fantastic. When I was younger and handsome, I worked in that world, setting up the stages for the concerts that took place in my region, a beautiful job even if it was quite tiring. Today will definitely be a good day; may it be a fahtastic Sunday also for you my friend, a Hug! 🤗
Happy to see your family is so talented make music fir his family and friends. I like to listen my favorite music day and night. Musicians impress everyone by his talent. Thanks for sharing great story with us.
You're welcome.
And yet, you rarely share or have shared music in any of your articles here so far. Well, until today. };)
Uhm... I wonder why? In my opinion, you should get rid of that shyness of sharing the music you make or the one you like and become bolder like your countryman Angus Young to show us all you got musically speaking. :D
Do you play an instrument?
Yeah, I do play a few musical instruments.
If so, and you feel like it, let me know below and tell me why you chose it
Well, learning to play a musical instrument, at least for me, is an activity that every child should learn at an early age to make their life a little more rewarding thru their way to adulthood.
the process of learning to play and whether you do so regularly or sporadically.
In my case, the learning process has always been self-taught. For a while the process used to be regular. Then, only sporadically when I had to get rid of a large part of my main musical weapons of "Massive Musical Destruction" And in consequence, for about fifteen years now neither regularly nor sporadically since I don't conserve with me any musical instrument at hand of my property.
Well, let's see if this one below please your fancy. ;o)
Not everything is for the blockchain (there huge amounts of my life I do not share here). I have done so in the past though, did a musical series every Sunday for a few months, even done photos of my piano and stories, and spoken about music many times.
I did a post on this explaining exactly why I explicit detail about four years ago. It has nothing to do with shyness.
It seems like you have some musical talent, self taught. I agree that children should all have the opportunity to learn and engage with music in some form.
Thanks for your comment.
Oh my! then, seems like I missed the opportunity of enjoying those musical stories from you in the past.
Do you care to share that specific post with me right now?
Uhm well, if that previous tune above didn't work so well to fully please your fancy. Perhaps you prefer to listen to a more thoughtful and haunting cadence with more piano and keyboards instead. LoL
And yeah, never forget to tag me every time you share some music. Whether it's the one you make or the one you like the most.
Cheers!!
I'd have to scroll back four years in my feed, not something I care to do. It's there though, I think in late 2017, so feel free to scroll back for a look.
Have a good week ahead, I'm off to work to start the last working week of the year.
Oh no, no need to scroll back at all. I have my own magic crystal ball over here to consult and unravel the most hidden mysteries of the blockchain in a jiffy.
By chance, is this one below the post you are talking about?
https://steemit.com/life/@galenkp/the-soundtrack-of-our-lives-sometimes-off-key-but-ever-present
If it's so, well, it's true that you are talking about music in it. However, I couldn't find anywhere a piece of music to listen to. ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)
Yeah! have a good one you too. Hopefully you will catch a pair of good clients and crown a couple of juicy contracts for next year. :)
i had NO idea you could play an instrument! I'm sure there's an innuendo in there somewhere but I'll leave it alone.
PS You are SO cool
Most don't know. I'd write about it occasionally, but due to the nature of Hive no one really reads I guess.
Yes, piano and the other two although the other two at nowhere near as good a level as the piano. It's enjoyable mostly, now that I do it for fun and the seriousness of it is gone. I wish I could sing too, I'd love to sit at a piano, play and sing. Alas, that's not one of my talents. Well, I can sing...just really fucken badly.
😁
I bet it's not as bad as you think!
There ARE a few select people who read posts here. Bless em. If it wasn't for them I'd be gone..
Yeah, I agree, on both counts. It's becoming an...interesting place. I know you know what I mean.
I am not sure why I feel surprised that you have this much depth with your musical background, but it sure is fascinating that you actually speak the language of the musicians. I never would have guessed.
I have heard and learned from much older folks that are musicians about how their youth was their prime with music. Many things eventually get in the way as one ages and keeping up with one's passions becomes less and less imperative for them as the the need to fend for oneself grows as the clock ticks.
I know how challenging it can be to learn an instrument, especially when one is just starting out, and even more so to maintain dexterity when one reaches a level above intermediate. You sure must have put in a lot of time in you youth with learning all those scales and modes - minor, mixolydian, phrygian, locrian...
I am not great with the piano, I play the guitar, but I can relate to playing those scales over and over that your neighbors would wish you never existed.
I started to learn and play the guitar about seven years ago. It just sort of happened that I found my brother learning music, the piano, when I returned home after a long time, and my mother suggest that I tried an instrument too.
I was really passionate about it in the beginning as I fell deeper in love with it every moment I spent with it. Now, school has gotten in the way and stolen so much time that I do not spend much time playing the guitar, let alone practicing. I plan to fix that, though; I'm quite a young chap.
Florida Georgia Line - May We All ft. Tim McGraw is my favorite out of all your favorite songs. I think it was mostly because of the story that was presented with it, and the lovely guitar voicings I heard. I loved the Five Finger Death Punch song, Cold.
I am more into musicians like Jacob Collier. He is a brilliant musician. He's one of the not-so-many musicians that actually write good music in this age. You may find him interesting too.
I'm not sure either. Maybe false perception, I'd say.
I can't even remember when I'd only had seven years of playing music, I would have been eleven and a half. It's been a long time for me, fourth seven years. Sometimes things have gotten in the way of me playing but I've kept at it and haven't lost my h of my skill, I got better in fact.
That FGL track is a good one, they are one of my favourite groups.
Most definitely false perception... I am learning now.
Woah, since you were that young? That's so cool. It's a good thing you were able to get good at a young age. It all stuck with you till now.
If I may ask, did you love doing music? Maybe you do now, but was it so when you started?
Initially yes. Then no as my mother drove me relentlessly at it. I resented that actually, and it's the reason I don't like playing in front of people now - She made me play all the time, for people, like a trained monkey. I didn't like that aspect.
Now, I do it for me, for the enjoyment, and if I want to stop I stop. I'm in control and I like that.