LADIES OF HIVE #109: I learned to play this music instrument when I was Young

Year 2010, I was in grade 4 at the time, and my older sister is in grade 6. There is this popular activity and opportunity that comes to a different school. But they need to pay for the teacher, their costumes, and the instruments that they will play. I wanted to join back then, and I wanted to be in the position of one of the baton twirler, but since there was money involved, and my sister wanted to be in a lyre, I decided not to join and to act as if I was not interested.

Baton and lyre, after you read those words, what did you think? Yes! It's a drum in a lyre, and when I was in Grade 4, that was the start when a thing like this became a trend, and it's a competition between schools during a festival in our town. It was required that each school learn drum and lyre for a competition, and it's part of a show at our festival in our town.

My sister joined in the position of lyre. Though I was not a member then, I am always on the bench watching them practice because my classmates and friends were also members back then. And, when we go home, my sister is practicing too in our house under our big camachile tree. So, it was a natural for me to learn it too because she also wrote the chords and notes of the different songs in their lessons, and I borrowed her lyre sometimes when I was bored. When she graduated from elementary school, she was no longer a drum and lyre member. Our teacher before asked me if I would replace my sister, but I said no because when I was in grade 5, that was the moment that I became an introverted person who doesn't like to be with other people, and I don't like to be the center of attention for many people, so I declined that offer.

My sister lost interest in her lyre instrument, so I am the only one who uses it. When we started to stay in our grandparent's house because my Parents is working in Manila, when I feel like playing it or when I miss them, I always play this instrument under the mango tree. A cellphone was not a trend for us back then yet, so to cure my sadness and boredom, I play her lyre, which is the only thing that I can do aside from answering my assignments and participating in my daily activities.

How do we play the lyre? If you can see the image above, that is what they called the lyre xylophone, and this was the first instrument that I learned to play. Have you watched a drum and lyre when you are at a festival in your town? Have you thought that it was easy for them to perform?

Then let me say that it was not easy to become a drum and lyre member. Because you will start to march under the very hot sun while carrying your instruments and playing them from your barangay, where you live, to the plaza of your town, where the festival competition location is held. When I tried to carry this before, the weight of the lyre was so heavy that I couldn't imagine how they managed to march and walk under the sun carrying it, and their costume was a leather jacket and boots too. I can say that I really made the right decision not to join because I don't know if I can really handle the struggle, and you are prohibited from walking and playing or drinking water if you are a member of a drum and lyre because you need to keep walking and playing to balance the song (sometimes because there are assigned lines that can go first, middle, and last).

When I am playing this instrument, I always play "Can't help falling in love" by Elyis Presley , but I don't remember the right chords and notes anymore because it's been years since I didn't hold a lyre xylophone, and our cousin borrowed it before too but never returned it to us anymore. But it's a good thing that I found a lyre xylophone application app on the Play Store earlier, where I can use it to practice it again and try if I can still remember the chords and notes of the song using the lyre.

At first, I was confused because it was my first time using an instrument application, but after learning the tones of each tile a few times, I finally understood and remembered the chords. There are different types of ways of h9w we play the "Can't Help Falling in Love" song. As for me, I have learned the fast type of tone before. But there is also a slow motion version like the tone in the original version of the song it depends if which do you prefer.

I am shy to share the short clip of an example of how I play it on the application here, but I sent it virtually to a few friends and asked them if the tone is good or not. Because I am not sure if I am still doing it great or not because, like I said, it's been years since I played a lyre.

This blog post of mine today will be my answer to this question by @irenenavarroart

What is your favorite musical instrument and why? Do you know how to play it? If not, do you think there are limits to learning to play it?

Source: Ladies of Hive community contest #109

If you want to join their community contest this week, you can check out the link above. ⬆️

Thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed reading this!

Published by: @xanreo | HIVE
Date: November 21, 2022