My Musical Experience

Hi

Musical experience? Hey, the title is just a gimmick. Nothing great. Just something to share on what I try to do to put more cheer into my retirement life. 

In my last entry, I did mention in passing that I was getting myself into yet another form of recreational activity. Well, a retiree has all the time and it is such a boring thing to be doing nothing on a hot afternoon. Surely there is a better thing to do than just to laze.

You know what?

Got me this new toy. 

Crazy? ha ha.

Whatever for, you might ask.

To layan my music instinct, of course.

Bought this inexpensive one. If I ever follow my heart I would willingly spend more for a better one. Cautioned myself, if my interest breaks halfway then it will only become a white elephant.

Mmmm . . . I can play a bit. I stopped tinkling the old electric organ when that obsolete thing went dumb many years ago. Now I want to play again and learn more and to improve and it is on the internet especially the youtube that I go to. 

You can find so many music lessons there posted by the good people who are willing to share knowledge. But in order to be able to follow and understand well, I think one needs to be celik music at least a little. One must know what the music rudiments are such as tones, tempo, sharps, and flats, key or scale, triads or chords and so on.

As for me, I have a little music education in the past, in theory, and practical. So I can quite understand what the Youtuber is talking about. It also opens up my mind that there are many approaches to learning music.  How I wish all these were available before perhaps I would not have laid off learning halfway, not even halfway, I think :)

You see you listen to your favorite songs and happily can hum them but playing it on the keyboard is not so easy. The professional musicians, of course, can do that but not one who is just like me. It is tedious. I need a great effort. Oh, don't tell me this is going to be an agony rather than an enjoyment.

I just want to be able to play my favorite old songs. Those old songs like Seri Dewi Malam by the late Sharifah Aini, I like them so much. Some songs by Hetty Koes Endang are my favorites. Even at this old age I often hum them when I am in a good mood and now since having this new keyboard I now would try to pick out the melody and play them. 

My problem is to match what notes go with what chords so that the melody can have a harmonious accompaniment, play like real music. Actually, for simple rakyat songs, it is quite easy for me to get the melody and chords but not so for more difficult popular sentimental songs. Sometimes I got it right but sometimes it doesn't sound nice, then I know I got it wrong. So following the lessons on Youtube is a really great help.

And when I get everything right I would play it over and over again without getting fed up. Of course with my headphones on. People around won't get disturbed, those who think music is haunting or taboo or plain noisy.

I have no music notes of those songs I like so I would only play by ear. Memorize the tune. Try to figure out the notes through the lyrics, scribble it on paper. Then try playing the melody. Then try to get the accompanying chords to make the music sounds nicer. I may not get it in one sitting. It can take days. That also would be only in my version which depends on how I hear it. For self-entertainment, correct or not who cares. Of course, I try to correct as much as I can if the thing still sounds skewed.

In the music class, I attended years ago the teacher made a point that I look at the notes and not play by memory. That time when my hand-eye coordination was good ok lah can do it. But now everything has become clumsy ..... sigh ...

And this keyboard I need to understand more. There are so many functions, styles, and voices. So many virtual instruments available  If you are good you can play an orchestra. But I don't think I can come up to that level. Play the simple way and correctly on a C major is good enough for me. I would be happy with what I can do with this keyboard and I don't think I would be using the whole of the 76 black and white keys.

I have this keyboard with me for more than a month already. Every day I am fiddling with it, practicing the technique and trying to get the fingering right. There is one plus point here, the fingers are getting more exercises . . . aha . . . arthritic fingers . . . 

My progress is just so so. I must practice more to make my music sounds better if to let others hear it. As it is now I am not satisfied yet with my rendition, my right-hand left-hand coordination is still clumsy heh even though I sometimes use the single fingered chord ie when you need to hit only the root note when playing a chord (for example, you only hit the C if the triad is CEG, not use three fingers to hit the three notes all at the same time.) Still, I keep fumbling hah . . .

What genre of music do you like?

I like songs like this . . .

Happy listening.

 bye . . .