I've always loved music. Not just listening to it ('80s hair bands being the best, of course), but playing it. It all started for me in 4th grade when I joined the school band and took up playing the saxophone. I have no clue why I picked the sax, but I was going into the 4th grade, my mom must've asked me if I wanted to join the band (that's when you can start playing), and I must've said yes. Don't know why I didn't pick drums or trumpets, but something about the sax appealed to me. Heck, for all I know, it might've been thanks to Zoot from the Muppet Show which I watched religiously. He always cracked me up.
So I played sax all the way through most of high school in fact. And yes, here in print (is it considered "print" if it's online?), I will fully admit that I even joined... the marching band. And that's when playing the sax was a blast. Literally. We got to march around with a swagger as we belted out the main theme for "Louie Louie," or charge up the crowd (yeah, our football team stunk, so we hadda make things exciting) by getting the Peter Gunne theme going (that's the music from the video game "Spy Hunter" if anyone recalls). Unfortunately, it also meant we had to wear the world's worst uniforms. Ever. Our school colors were... brown and gold. And if that weren't putrid enough, we had the big fuzzy white Q-Tip hats to wear. Sigh.
Somewhere in my junior or senior year though I had the itch to learn piano. So for my birthday (or the holidays) I told my parents I wanted piano lessons as my gift. Like any parent would say no to something like that. They jumped on it and I was playing keyboards, synthesizers, etc. My favorite tune to play to this day is either Billy Joel's "Pressure" or the Charlie Brown theme. They both get your fingers and feet moving. Once I hit college, I brought my synth and way-too-big amp with me every year. And one break between sessions I was home yet my keyboard was still up at school. But I was dying to play something. You know when the creative juices are flowing and you need some sort of outlet. So I grabbed my dad's acoustic guitar and basically spent that break teaching myself how to play. I'm far from an expert but at least I can nail down a few basic chords and individual notes. I'll really have to get back into it one of these days. And now we've got a piano in the house (it was my wife's grandfather's) which I love though don't play nearly as much as I should. But the kids love hitting the keys and grabbing any instrument they can to play (usually a whistle or recorder that they can blast at full volume increasing whatever headache I have at the time). I'm hoping they both really get into it and take up an instrument when they're older. And just like my parents did with me, I'd rather not push them into it, but let the interest grow within.
Okay, didn't mean to turn this post all sappy and stuff. But with school starting up, I've rounded up some musical instrument-related coupons and sales! How's that for a niche audience? I know a bunch of you readers out there do homeschooling (ahem...yes you, Jo...), so I'm curious if and how you incoporate music into your everyday lessons. Let me know, cause curiousity killed the cat and I certainly don't want any dead cats on my hands...
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6 Responses to “Take note of some instrumental savings”
You were a band geek?
I think it's great that you have a love of music. I love listening to music, but I'm not very musically inclined. I played clarinet from 5th grade through 8th grade but decided to give it up when I entered high school.
We have a Musician's Friend distribution center here in Knoxville. I have several friends who have worked there. We also have a Guitar Center.
Clarinet? I had such a crush on one of the clarinet players in our band. Sigh. Clarinets were always cool, cause they were similar to the Sax. Unlike those prima donna elitist flute players! Yeah we have a Guitar Center nearby in Jersey too. I looove just looking around, though I rarely buy anything.
Haha, oh my! I was one of the "prima donna elistist flute players" from 6-8th grade. Not very long, but I got in a good three years! I still have my flute, and can play it.. Badly. Haha, I'm quite rusty though!
I love music also. I've been playing keyboards for more than 30 years and have been classically trained. if you want to see a video of me playing go to http://www.piano-keyboard-reviews.com and click the links just below the photo of me at my keyboard.
Loved the Muppets sax player.
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