Kids and Musical Instruments

did they take the cat, dogs and tortoises? or will you be walking the tortoises?

That cat sleeps most of the day, tortoises are out in their pen.

I had the dogs napping in their crates, it was HOT today.

They're still not back from Tampa, they bought the piano and are now playing at chuck E cheese

they are doing a gig at chucky's...?

that was fast.

(that big rat makes me nervous)

I was a musical dunce.
At age 5 or 6 mother tossed me to the neighbor to learn the piano. Ethel tried, she then had a stroke. I learned mostly nothing.

Age 9 there was an after school program, I was sent to learn violin. Very painful! How do violin players hold those things under their chin? I almost learned Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The following year I was sent back and tried again. Different teacher, learned how to waste time.

Age 12, I was put in band class and handed a clarinet. I found chewing on the reeds for the mouthpiece quite enjoyable...didn't learn to play the instrument though. Kicked out sent to Chorus, where I was an excellent lip-syncher.

All the above said, if a child wants to learn, I figure let them have a go at it.

"I was sent to learn violin. Very painful! How do violin players hold those things under their chin? I almost learned Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."

a sponge under the chin helps a lot...

after twinkle came mary and the lamb.

then ravel's bolero, unless my memory is foggy again...

I always wanted to be the sax player.

no dice.

Antonio has been playing that thing for four straight hours now.

What time does he nap on the weekends? that's when I'll stop by

Oh, Lord. Haven't they set him up with ear phones?

He has a set but doesn’t like wearing them. We’re thinking of moving it out to the guesthouse then he can play it there all he wants.

<sigh>

He needs to get used to wearing the headphones. You can make it a condition of being allowed to play.

Remember: he's the kid.

You are the parents.

Antonio claims he can’t play it while wearing the headphones, said he has to hear it in the room. I think it just feels strange to him when he can’t hear anything else while wearing the headphones. Makes him feel uncomfortable.

You can get him headphones that don't totally block the ambient sound he can hear - it sounds like he might have a set that's a bit more "pro" than he's ready for. Earphones are probably better than headphones for him at this stage.

I'm sure any instrument's sound is modified by the room it's played in, but there are other people in the house.

On the other hand, there is this upcoming visit from Debbie.

Four hours of him on the piano and she'll be on the next flight back to CA!

Better make sure the guesthouse has good soundproofing so you don't get complaints from your neighbors!

They probably wouldn't hear anything.

It's in the back and nothing around it. Sounds perfect to me

I was going nuts yesterday

Is there a way to put the sound level down? I don't know a thing about electric (electronic?) pianos. I get what people were saying about having weighted keys, but am not clear that means loud sound on the device when you press the keys. (Maybe it does?) I took piano lessons for four years but had a regular piano and don't remember getting loud until, say, the third or fourth year. On the other hand, that was a long time ago and I may be misremembering.

I haven’t figured out how to use that darn thing yet. I’m just happy they’re both in bed. Antonio only played it for an hour tonight.

I can home with some soft earplugs

In my youth, I was fairly good at playing the radio;
also pretty good on the phonograph.





David