There are many things I wish I knew how to do.
Some are unrealistically philosophical—end world hunger, poverty, and homelessness.
Others are frivolous and shallow—eat only junk food and remain ridiculously healthy and drink all the wine I want and not ruin my liver.
But to answer seriously, I came up with five things I really and truly wish I knew how to do. Here are the four runners-up:
- fly a helicopter,
- speak a language other than English fluently,
- paint/sculpt and have it be recognizable as ‘something’, and
- draw better than pathetic-looking stick figures.
The Number One thing I wish I knew how to do is play the piano.
I was nine years old when I first started taking organ and piano lessons. Those lessons, collectively, ended up being as successful as teaching a pig to sing. It was mostly a waste of time, and it annoyed the hell out of me and the teachers.
But I persevered. I was 14 when I took guitar lessons. I did manage to learn to chord enough to strum in rhythm with the country music songs I played on my record player.
And all along, I knew what the problem was.
I couldn’t read music.
I was, however, able to elevate the blood pressure of all of those worthy music teachers in their valiant efforts to teach me to read music.
I’m forever grateful that my musically talented maternal grandpa taught me to play the harmonica by ear. At least I have that little bit of musical skill.
Are you musically talented? Anyone play the harmonica?
Until next time,
Kaye Spencer
writing through history one romance upon a time
*Images:
© Can Stock Photo / KathyGold (girl wishing upon a star)
© Can Stock Photo / balaikin (girl at piano)
I wanted to play the piano but didn’t want to practice. My musical mother didn’t push because she didn’t want playing to be a chore, but a pleasure. When she told my teacher, who had been her teacher, that I didn’t practice as I should, the teacher said, “Oh, you’d be surprised what I can teach them when they don’t practice.” But I’m sure I elevated her blood pressure, too.
Until my stroke (which left my right hand pretty well worthless), I played guitar, bass guitar, could play (but didn’t have one) double bass, and harmonica. I picked that up by listening to Paul Butterfield and Steve Katz, and later Little Walter and Junior Wells. I was starting to get into playing chromatic harmonica and just lost interest.
I thought I might try the harmonica again and sadly discovered that the stroke also affected the right side of my mouth, and it was like trying to blow up a balloon with a hole in it. I still love it, though. Have you heard of a Dutch harmonicist named Hermine Deurloo? She’s dynamite, as was Toots Thielemans, who was one of the best of all time. Toots and Hermine were or are two of the best I’ve heard…
Learning how to play the piano is also one of the things I really would like to do. Since august last year, I started learning how to play the piano and have been playing everyday since then. I quite enjoy it.
Thank you for sharing and good luck
I’m envious. 😉 I bought a piano about ten years ago along with videos and books about reading music. Sadly, after a few months, the piano was relegated to a picture display unit. I rehomed the piano and have since resigned myself to a non-reading music existence. But I compensate by continually honing my music appreciation skills by listening to classical, baroque, and romantic era works.