The sound of music - learning to play a keyboard.
It was suppose to be the perfect foil. A medicine for tiredness and recuperation. After hours of reading, thinking, and writing, which means staring at the computer screen, playing keyboard was suppose to be the perfect segue before you begin writing again. It’s relaxing and deeply stimulating. Or so I thought.
I used to take long walks. They’re good too. But when the rain is bucketing down, or when the weather is scorching hot, as was a week back, then outdoors is not always a possibility.
The idea of learning keyboard came to my mind from my landlady’s piano practices. The sound she produced always made me stop whatever I was doing and listen. I fell in love with piano. It would be the perfect relaxation if I played it too, I thought.
Last weekend, I started. The online tutoring site's advise was to purchase one with 61 keys, saying the keyboard would contain all the necessary functions and the required keys. When I went to a shop and looked at the instrument, I was starting at an object larger than a surfboard, in length and in width. That stuff wasn’t mobile. I couldn’t take it with me if I went on a holiday to Brazil or somewhere. Eventually, my eyes settled on a smaller one, half the size, but they didn’t have an extra one for sale.
I’ll have to revisit the shop next week to purchase the keyboard. Meanwhile, I came home and used my landlady’s piano to practise. She’s away on a holiday.
I soon realised after starting, learning piano was no cakewalk. After half-an-hour, my hands were hurting, my fingers had turned sweaty, and it was no longer fun. I stopped, but instead of returning to my writing, as I had planned, I had to take a break and relax.
You have to sit on a not-so-relaxing stool to play a piano. Your hands are suspended on the air, and your immobile fingers have to find correct keys. It’s difficult getting them to function smoothly. And, I couldn’t close my eyes, or lie down on a bed and relax. Thirty minutes turned out to be a toil.
Maybe when I get the keyboard it’ll be a more pleasant experience. I can keep the instrument on my lap, relax on the bed and play. By then, after couple of hours piano practise, my fingers might begin to flow smoothly. Maybe it will be a cakewalk, relaxing and soothing like I’d want it to be.
For couple of seconds, I did manage to close my eyes during my first practise. The room was filled with just the sound of piano. No thoughts. No other sound. It felt magical. I was transported to a land where my beating heart thawed.
Now, that’s what I call relaxation.
It was suppose to be the perfect foil. A medicine for tiredness and recuperation. After hours of reading, thinking, and writing, which means staring at the computer screen, playing keyboard was suppose to be the perfect segue before you begin writing again. It’s relaxing and deeply stimulating. Or so I thought.
I used to take long walks. They’re good too. But when the rain is bucketing down, or when the weather is scorching hot, as was a week back, then outdoors is not always a possibility.
The idea of learning keyboard came to my mind from my landlady’s piano practices. The sound she produced always made me stop whatever I was doing and listen. I fell in love with piano. It would be the perfect relaxation if I played it too, I thought.
Last weekend, I started. The online tutoring site's advise was to purchase one with 61 keys, saying the keyboard would contain all the necessary functions and the required keys. When I went to a shop and looked at the instrument, I was starting at an object larger than a surfboard, in length and in width. That stuff wasn’t mobile. I couldn’t take it with me if I went on a holiday to Brazil or somewhere. Eventually, my eyes settled on a smaller one, half the size, but they didn’t have an extra one for sale.
I’ll have to revisit the shop next week to purchase the keyboard. Meanwhile, I came home and used my landlady’s piano to practise. She’s away on a holiday.
I soon realised after starting, learning piano was no cakewalk. After half-an-hour, my hands were hurting, my fingers had turned sweaty, and it was no longer fun. I stopped, but instead of returning to my writing, as I had planned, I had to take a break and relax.
You have to sit on a not-so-relaxing stool to play a piano. Your hands are suspended on the air, and your immobile fingers have to find correct keys. It’s difficult getting them to function smoothly. And, I couldn’t close my eyes, or lie down on a bed and relax. Thirty minutes turned out to be a toil.
Maybe when I get the keyboard it’ll be a more pleasant experience. I can keep the instrument on my lap, relax on the bed and play. By then, after couple of hours piano practise, my fingers might begin to flow smoothly. Maybe it will be a cakewalk, relaxing and soothing like I’d want it to be.
For couple of seconds, I did manage to close my eyes during my first practise. The room was filled with just the sound of piano. No thoughts. No other sound. It felt magical. I was transported to a land where my beating heart thawed.
Now, that’s what I call relaxation.
posted by Faris at 9:27 am
2 Comments:
I will have to read more of your blog. This entry made me pick out the piano sound in the classical music I'm listening too and helped me to relax. (If that's possible to do at work). I like your writing. Someday mine will be that way again.
Thanks for the comment on my writing. I had to laugh about the one long paragraph thing. :P I normally am a huge stickler for paragraphs punctuation and spelling with things ecept when it comes to my fun blog/blah writing. Am anxious for your next blog. You have a wonderful writing style.
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