Well today was interesting…
I first learned to play the guitar at school. Then it was classical, using sheet music to navigate. That was a long time ago and despite occasionally picking one up hand strumming a bit, never did much with it. Since Mrs L died, I picked it up again with more serious intentions and started taking lessons
This time it was rhythm and lead. We’ve been muddling along making steady progress until today. Although we’ve used tabs up to a point, much of the learning has been visual and audio. Getting a feel for different strumming patterns and finding melodies without sheet music to guide me.
Today, I needed to change key. Same riff, just elsewhere on the fretboard. Before the tutor could tell me which string and which fret, I instinctively found my first note so he sat back and watched as I found the other notes with a mix of trial and error and instinct without being told where to find them. If I found a bum note, I knew where to navigate to find the right one without thinking too much about it – half a tone up or a tone down. It was much like the first time I heard French voices without translating and much like navigating by dead reckoning. It was pure instinct and feel.
I’ve spent much of my adult life teaching others new skills. Today, I experienced that little flash of intuition that my students feel when they ‘get it.’ It reminded me why I do it.
Nice. I tried for a while but I’m afraid you’ve either got it or you ain’t, and I ain’t 🙂
I retired and went back to my piano after a long break. I was a little shocked to realise how much ability I had lost. Still, I’ve taught myself a few new tunes and I’m working on getting them polished. Would you like some Katie Spencer? It depends whether you find her brilliance inspiring or totally demoralising.
https://youtu.be/BF_Mwf686Qw
Well done LR. If you’ve got a natural intuition for pitch and rhythm then you are already half way there with music.
I was told at a very early age that I didn’t and that I shouldn’t. It’s only as an adult that I’ve really explored it away from the confines of teachers who really didn’t understand how people learn. I’ll never be a virtuoso, but I can make the thing produce some decent sounds and that’s good enough for me.
Well done.
That’s all. Other than envy.
Thankyou. However, envy is probably a bit previous yet.
Excellent! It’s amazing when you suddenly master something. I can’t relate to guitar, but French – mais oui. I learnt French at school, but it was only when holidaying there I suddenly got it. But the real clincher was a visit to our village by a brass band from the south of France. I was in our pub with them and the next thing I knew I was trying to order a round in French! It’s totally weird when a skill suddenly happens. It was the same for me with motorbikes. One minute I was hopeless and the next I got it.
I see it when teaching people to ride, so I can relate. Clutch control is what it’s all about. When students get that everything else falls into place.
I love lots of music but can’t make it myself. The comment on French got me, though. I was taught French the way I was taught English, so given the vocabulary I can get along fine with grammar and constructions. Does having some French ancestry help by tagging our genes, do you think? My 5x great grandparents came from Normandy.
Mine came from Brittany.
Artistic talent: near zero
Musical Instruments, Dancing – Nope, brain can’t do it. Jealous of those that can as it’s a joy I can’t share in
Music listening: it’s a spectrum: nice noise to awful noise
With the piano reaching the point where I could play something different with each hand simultaneously was a defining moment.