play more music

It has been ages since I played the piano or the cello. Playing keyboard? That’s been about an year too. Whenever I hear any of the above, I get nostalgic. Wish I had more time to do the things I love.

Has anyone else quit playing and now wants to start again?

I’ve dabbled in various instruments over the years, and actually become reasonably competent at a few of them. I started playing the flute in fourth grade, switched to piano in 9th grade and took lessons throughout high school. At the same time, I started playing bass guitar, and took bass lessons in college. In college I pretty much stopped piano for some reason, but did start playing acoustic guitar and singing towards the end. I also have an electric guitar now, and I don’t know which I prefer.

Lately, I’ve been playing my keyboard more, and ignoring my guitar, but I tend to bounce between them. I feel like I can get further on my own playing piano- I can buy sheet music and sight read and do pretty well. If I want to play better guitar, I think I’m going to have to invest in lessons. I think I’ve gotten about as good as I’m going to get on my own.

I miss playing music with other people. I never loved playing the flute, but I loved being part of an orchestra. What a wonderful feeling, to be sitting in the middle of an orchestra and hearing all the different instruments come and go in beautiful patterned waves around me. I’m bummed out that none of the instruments I currently play would really put me in the middle of that again.

Playing in a band was nice, too… I’d like to do that again, or at least have a couple friends to play with, or even just accompany someone on the piano.

Goals:
- Piano and Harmonium
- Guitar
- Voice (gulp)
- Play with others
- Blues/Jazz Style
- Consider lessons to jumpstart this goal
- Commit to practicing something each week

I want to analyze my favored musicians and figure out what lessons I can take away from them. I’ve got a bunch of lyrics and some songs already, but I want to write new material with what I’m learning and dealing with where I’m at with my life now.

I have surrounded myself with music by getting a set of wireless speakers so I can hear whatever recorded music I have playing in many rooms. Also, I’m planning to take a drum class in September.

Have played the flute a couple of times recently. I’ve enjoyed improvising both times. Feel the need to extend my repertoire of tunes from which to improvise. I know I’ll never be a professional musician but it’s still fun to play and satisfying to improve.

http://distributedresearch.net/blog/music/

The splinters event motivayed me to get set up for recording and I was pleased with the result, Back in the Field.

So I spent some of xmas tackling my epic Gernika

Opening a mySpace account led to more contacts and learning of a club where I can play every month, then I found I could make a label in last.fm and host as many songs as I like there.

So plenty of music going on these days, goal accomplished and ongoing.

I’m typing this haltingly, trying to ensure that my right middle finger is out of the way as I do so. You see it’s fractured and in a splint for at least another four weeks. That’s going to make it a tad difficult to play my flute, sax or tin whistle.

Oh well.

Instead of spending my evenings messing around on the computer or watching TV, I would like to learn the first movement of the double horn concerto I have been putting off working on for two years. I have no other projects that have to be done until February.

so, for something completely different from anything i have done before, i am learning to play the mandolin. through the magic of my boyfriend moving in there are not one but two mandolins on the premesis (along with 4 guitars, 2 oboes, countless flute-type instruments and a drum that i keep tripping over). i am slowly developing the necessary calluses and learning enough chords to play simple songs. it is fun, but i’m not yet capable of much.

I am now playing piano regularly in a jazz swing band, so for now I consider this goal completed. But it’s one of these ongoing goals, really. For instance, I’d like to do some more classical music as well. But it turns out that real life is much busier than school or college…