It’s surprising how earnestly lovely the “piano keepers” are. Yes they’ll deliver a fabulous piano to your door with a few keyboard clicks or follow you around a showroom endlessly. They’re also only too happy to clean, polish, tune, help you move it across the country or even just across the room, pick it up, store it and redeliver it and share any number of tips with you just for the asking. They so obviously LOVE what they do. Love the instrument. It’s often a family business handed down for generations and for some just a part time summer job that turned into to a love of the wood and ivory. Most play but some do not. Just know that if you call on a “piano keeper” you’ll get much more than you bargained for-you might even be inspired to get more serious about playing. I did.
I too love playing music and have scant natural ability, if that even exists. To hear my wife tell it, I have become a somewhat accomplished guitar player (I know better), but whatever ability I have has come kicking and screaming and dragging it's fingernails on the floor. Zero natural ability.
During the pandemic I decided to take up drums. I set up the drums in my makeshift studio (a converted 2-car garage) and started lessons. I bought some sound isolation blankets and fastened them over the big overhead garage door to help control the sound.
I'm an early riser. I'm often up out of bed at 3:30 or 4:00am. So I would go to the detached garage to practice. Being mindful of my neighbors, I would put pads on the drums to mute them and/or play with brushes and hit very lightly, trying to train my muscle memory to get both feet and both hands working independently of each other. This went on for about 6 months until one dark, early morning I heard POUND POUND POUND on my garage door. I went out the side door, opened the gate and discovered my across-the-alley neighbor who said (more politely and calmly than I would have) "We can hear you!". I apologized and stopped. I spent that morning on-line ordering an electronic drum kit that I could practice with headphones and also making an on-line ad to sell my beautiful Ludwig drumset with gorgeous balck oyster pearl finish; it matched the simple kit Ringo played in the early days of the Beatles. I loved that drum kit.
That afternoon I went to the local gourmet shop, chose some fancy cheeses and two bottles of wine and went to knock on my neighbor's door. His wife came to the door and I said "Hi, I'm your noisy neighbor. I wanted to offer these by way of an apology for disturbing you this morning and to let you know it will never happen again. I'm selling the drum kit and ordering a silent electronic one. I am so sorry." or something like that.
"We hear you EVERY morning" she said, witheringly. "We just don't want to get out of bed." She took the cheese and wine and closed the door.
We have patched things up. I saw them later and said "I want to be a good neighbor, please - leave a note on my door or come talk to me when I'm mowing the lawn!".
I still play guitar (mostly acoustic) out there and a little electric piano, so far no more complaints.
Incidentally, my band in college used a sound clip from an old Stella sketch, with you behind drums counting out the beat for almost a minute. We dropped it in the middle of a song. Hopefully it irritated the hell out of a few people.
I played piano all through my childhood and through college, but then quit after graduating because I no longer had a piano (and couldn't afford one). I started back up 8 years ago and I practice 3-4 days per week. Sometimes it's a chore, but it's worth the work to be able to play the great masters and connect with them like you described. It's also fun to impress people with videos of my playing 😆
I laughed out loud and shared your words extensively with my wife. Lordy but I do enjoy your writing. The idea of echoing the actions of long dead individuals (and civilizations) resonates so strongly with me. It drives much of my travel. What were they thinking as they wrote music, painted frescoes or built the now ancient roads? Firstly, they decided they were going to just do it, and that's the key for all of us. That first step is what helps us all grow. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the joy it brings you even as you marvel at your own glacial rate of improvement.
I do several things mediocrely and/or poorly, but I can never convince myself to give them up completely. A sensible man would choose one thing he as good at, perfect that skill, and profit from it. I am evidently not a sensible man. I always hold the vague idea that one day I will become at least competent at all these things, but realistically, there is not enough time in a human lifespan.
Bravo. As Oscar Wilde said, if a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly. The pleasure derived from creating halting, semi-recognizable music yourself is far greater than that derived from passively hearing the most vaunted orchestra. It's the difference between watching a cooking show and eating an actual meal yourself. My trick for learning new pieces: start near the end of the piece, at the crescendo. Learn it super slowly. Practice until you have that small part down pat. Then it'll be easier to learn the rest of it, starting at the beginning, since now you'll have something to work toward that you already know. And as for impressing others, you can always learn one piece really well, and memorize it, so you can play it with no sheet music. Then you can whip out that piece anywhere, whenever you see a piano. Keep up the good work.
I love your story. The part about sheet music being a time machine is highly relatable. I quit playing piano a few times, but I must have picked it up again more often than I put it down, because I’m a full-time teacher now. I’m so grateful for all the times my practice obliged me to re-start. Sounds to me like you’re doing great! Ever play any Debussy? I think you’d like it a lot. Cheers!
I too love piano music and played piano as a child. As a senior citizen, when we downsized, I had to give up my piano…no place for it in our new dwelling. But at 80 years old, I have still hung on to my favorite music in hopes of someday having a piano again. I couldn’t part with my sheet music for “Deep Purple”, “Clair de lune”, “Sentimental Journey”, all the songs from “The Sound of Music” and “West Side Story”, the list goes on and on. So I occasionally “borrow” a friends piano and ask them to leave their home while I make some music solely for my own enjoyment.
Thanks. This was inspiring to read. I try to make time to play my bass, and to draw or paint. I don't do it enough, and I don't do it anywhere near as often as I used to. Sometimes I wonder why I bother... but this writing reminded me. Play on!
Agreed.... make beauty!
“In this way, my life is not so different from that of a Thai sex worker” killed me
Oh wow I so loved this.
It’s surprising how earnestly lovely the “piano keepers” are. Yes they’ll deliver a fabulous piano to your door with a few keyboard clicks or follow you around a showroom endlessly. They’re also only too happy to clean, polish, tune, help you move it across the country or even just across the room, pick it up, store it and redeliver it and share any number of tips with you just for the asking. They so obviously LOVE what they do. Love the instrument. It’s often a family business handed down for generations and for some just a part time summer job that turned into to a love of the wood and ivory. Most play but some do not. Just know that if you call on a “piano keeper” you’ll get much more than you bargained for-you might even be inspired to get more serious about playing. I did.
I too love playing music and have scant natural ability, if that even exists. To hear my wife tell it, I have become a somewhat accomplished guitar player (I know better), but whatever ability I have has come kicking and screaming and dragging it's fingernails on the floor. Zero natural ability.
During the pandemic I decided to take up drums. I set up the drums in my makeshift studio (a converted 2-car garage) and started lessons. I bought some sound isolation blankets and fastened them over the big overhead garage door to help control the sound.
I'm an early riser. I'm often up out of bed at 3:30 or 4:00am. So I would go to the detached garage to practice. Being mindful of my neighbors, I would put pads on the drums to mute them and/or play with brushes and hit very lightly, trying to train my muscle memory to get both feet and both hands working independently of each other. This went on for about 6 months until one dark, early morning I heard POUND POUND POUND on my garage door. I went out the side door, opened the gate and discovered my across-the-alley neighbor who said (more politely and calmly than I would have) "We can hear you!". I apologized and stopped. I spent that morning on-line ordering an electronic drum kit that I could practice with headphones and also making an on-line ad to sell my beautiful Ludwig drumset with gorgeous balck oyster pearl finish; it matched the simple kit Ringo played in the early days of the Beatles. I loved that drum kit.
That afternoon I went to the local gourmet shop, chose some fancy cheeses and two bottles of wine and went to knock on my neighbor's door. His wife came to the door and I said "Hi, I'm your noisy neighbor. I wanted to offer these by way of an apology for disturbing you this morning and to let you know it will never happen again. I'm selling the drum kit and ordering a silent electronic one. I am so sorry." or something like that.
"We hear you EVERY morning" she said, witheringly. "We just don't want to get out of bed." She took the cheese and wine and closed the door.
We have patched things up. I saw them later and said "I want to be a good neighbor, please - leave a note on my door or come talk to me when I'm mowing the lawn!".
I still play guitar (mostly acoustic) out there and a little electric piano, so far no more complaints.
I've been playing music (drums and bass guitar) for 29 years. I still find the piano incredibly challenging, so kudos to you for keeping at it.
Incidentally, my band in college used a sound clip from an old Stella sketch, with you behind drums counting out the beat for almost a minute. We dropped it in the middle of a song. Hopefully it irritated the hell out of a few people.
Wow, pianos are pretty fucking cool. Look at that picture of a fucking piano.
I played piano all through my childhood and through college, but then quit after graduating because I no longer had a piano (and couldn't afford one). I started back up 8 years ago and I practice 3-4 days per week. Sometimes it's a chore, but it's worth the work to be able to play the great masters and connect with them like you described. It's also fun to impress people with videos of my playing 😆
I laughed out loud and shared your words extensively with my wife. Lordy but I do enjoy your writing. The idea of echoing the actions of long dead individuals (and civilizations) resonates so strongly with me. It drives much of my travel. What were they thinking as they wrote music, painted frescoes or built the now ancient roads? Firstly, they decided they were going to just do it, and that's the key for all of us. That first step is what helps us all grow. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the joy it brings you even as you marvel at your own glacial rate of improvement.
I do several things mediocrely and/or poorly, but I can never convince myself to give them up completely. A sensible man would choose one thing he as good at, perfect that skill, and profit from it. I am evidently not a sensible man. I always hold the vague idea that one day I will become at least competent at all these things, but realistically, there is not enough time in a human lifespan.
Bravo. As Oscar Wilde said, if a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly. The pleasure derived from creating halting, semi-recognizable music yourself is far greater than that derived from passively hearing the most vaunted orchestra. It's the difference between watching a cooking show and eating an actual meal yourself. My trick for learning new pieces: start near the end of the piece, at the crescendo. Learn it super slowly. Practice until you have that small part down pat. Then it'll be easier to learn the rest of it, starting at the beginning, since now you'll have something to work toward that you already know. And as for impressing others, you can always learn one piece really well, and memorize it, so you can play it with no sheet music. Then you can whip out that piece anywhere, whenever you see a piano. Keep up the good work.
Buy a harpsichord that has one clavier of only three octaves.
I love your story. The part about sheet music being a time machine is highly relatable. I quit playing piano a few times, but I must have picked it up again more often than I put it down, because I’m a full-time teacher now. I’m so grateful for all the times my practice obliged me to re-start. Sounds to me like you’re doing great! Ever play any Debussy? I think you’d like it a lot. Cheers!
I too love piano music and played piano as a child. As a senior citizen, when we downsized, I had to give up my piano…no place for it in our new dwelling. But at 80 years old, I have still hung on to my favorite music in hopes of someday having a piano again. I couldn’t part with my sheet music for “Deep Purple”, “Clair de lune”, “Sentimental Journey”, all the songs from “The Sound of Music” and “West Side Story”, the list goes on and on. So I occasionally “borrow” a friends piano and ask them to leave their home while I make some music solely for my own enjoyment.
Thanks. This was inspiring to read. I try to make time to play my bass, and to draw or paint. I don't do it enough, and I don't do it anywhere near as often as I used to. Sometimes I wonder why I bother... but this writing reminded me. Play on!
Love piano music and have played since I was six years old…the baby grand is exquisite…my husband is a violinist…
Live music, by one's self or watching others, feeds the soul. :)