Do you have Family members who are musicians?
I envy Families who can join in with their instruments and have fun like this.
I have two older sisters who both play Classical piano, but we've never jived. The oldest who is the most talented musically, hasn't played in years, although she and I do enjoy listening to music, when we are together.
I have no children, and none my nieces and nephews, or cousins are musicians. My ex-wife is an extremely talented guitarist and singer. Part of what drew me to her.
My other sister sometimes plays piano for Church. She is way too busy for much piano time, but one day, in our golden years, I hope to have some songs she and I can do together. I'll make the music arrangements for guitar and piano.
What's it like in your Family?
I have two older sisters who both play Classical piano, but we've never jived. The oldest who is the most talented musically, hasn't played in years, although she and I do enjoy listening to music, when we are together.
I have no children, and none my nieces and nephews, or cousins are musicians. My ex-wife is an extremely talented guitarist and singer. Part of what drew me to her.
My other sister sometimes plays piano for Church. She is way too busy for much piano time, but one day, in our golden years, I hope to have some songs she and I can do together. I'll make the music arrangements for guitar and piano.
What's it like in your Family?
Comments
It's possible there's someone out in the branches of my family tree that plays something, but I don't know about it...
So what am I gonna do with my git'rs and studio gear when Shania's bodyguards break my elbows?!?
Some months ago, she discovered Garage Band and began to compose some nice tunes that put me to work and we are planning to record soon.
Believe me, sharing these moments with her are beyond description.
Also my great uncle played guitar professionally on the radio back in the 30's 40's and 50's, when that kind of thing was done I met him one time back in 1973 at a family reunion, uncle Shad was 75 or 76, he brought out an old Gibson J-45 with a pick up mounted in the sound hole and just played the crap out of that guitar.
I have a few cousins that like to play bluegrass too, but I have not seen them in many years.
peace
She has joined me (gtr,bass,vocal) and Teddy (gtr, accordian, vocals) and Ivan (cello, gtr, bass, vocals) on friday night jam nights now.We also play just the two of us sometimes, though that usually turns into a lesson of some kind. Not to be overly sappy (sorry youngsters) but despite the increased need for patience that goes with playing with a beginner, it's really a great way to share with and relate to a loved one, and it gives us yet another common bond.
My brother's 3 daughters all play stringed instruments ( eldest plays viola, middle plays cello, youngest plays double bass); middle also plays acoustic guitar and youngest plays bass guitar. The three of them also sing very nicely- at my Mom's 75th birthday they sang a Dar Williams tune compete with lovely harmonies. The youngest (14 at the time) came from the east coast to visit a couple years ago. She joined me and the guys I was jamming with at the time for an evening of garage rock mayhem- it was a blast. I wish all 3 of them weren't so far away.
-Rf
Amen on your wife jams. I'd LOVE to be able to play and enjoy tunez with my wife.
That is, if I could find a woman that liked me enough to marry me... :oops:
My brother-in-law is in a working cover band and actually opened for my band at a large venue just last month.
My daughter (12) has been taking piano lessons since she was 4 and is actually quite good now. reads music very well and her and I play together all of the time. We are working on a couple of things right now.
It is alot of fun. When she is old enough I fully expect that she will be playing keys somewhere in some band.
Sisters can sing, Brothers, drummer, cornet/trumpet and me on guitar, keys, drums, and a little saxophone.
My sons- one on Piano, another Drums (currently in orig band). My daughter sings and plays keys (some) in a local Christian band.
My kids picked it up like I picked it up watching my dad and his band friends jamming all the time. Some of us were a little more regimented with practicing, others just because video games were up and coming and an Atari 2600 and a couple games cost as much as a good LP copy and amp!
It's obvious that the only reason i can play is because of how desperately I want to impress Shania. :oops:
Son is a shredder. We never play together.
Play with non-family members for my jazz
I would hope that more young kids, and young at heart adults, would play more music. I just don't think that \"kids\" nowadays realize that it takes years of practice to even sound as bad as I am! Seriously, as a former teacher in grades K-8, most kids don't have the attention span past 15 minutes to learn a new video game. Try explaining to them that some things in life, like playing an instrument, may take years of dedication and practice before they can even consider themselves somewhat good. What!? Delayed gratification! Forget it.
Learning to play an instrument is more than downloading mp3 files to your iPod.
I hated playing Mel Bay stuff when I started but as I progressed appreciated the basics. We all wanted to be EVH right off the bat and Mel Bay wasn't doing much for that. I later found a teacher that mixed things up. Gave the Mel Bay along with some current ryth jams like Aerosmith, Zep, Thin Lizzy, Free and other songs for homework. Guess what I practiced MORE?? I really didn't have an appreciation for basics until I was beyond it.. but realized I lacked the fundamentals.
What irritates me is the massive schedules placed on kids that are having way too many extra curricular activities and can't get around one choice to the next. Mom's and Dad's wanting the wall of awards and trophies and the \"just for playing\" curio cabinet dedicated to their kid. I only say this, since when I was instructing, I had several students pulled right in the middle of a lesson to go to soccer practice. Those kids never completed a thing and stayed on Mel Bay book 1 for a year! Sad really... but I guess it's less impressive to have the books marked complete than it is to have the wall of fame in the den. The problem is the kids seldom have any appreciation for any of those activities and are just because routine examples.
I coached baseball and dealt with the same thing I did as a music instructor.. Kids leaving practices right in the middle to go play another sport. Then those parents whined when their kid did not get the field time they thought their kid deserved.. My patience ran thinner after a few years of that and I backed down from city rec coaching. I was also dead against the every kid gets the same trophy just for playing rules... ummmm, learning competitive sports is a good way to learn to achieve and set goals. It's not to undermine.. but if a kid puts his glove on his head and daydreams in the field (which can get them HURT) that participation trophy should be a bit smaller than others who really want to be there and participate with 100% effort.
Music has to be encouraged, and kids will mentor a fam member that sets examples. if you yell at the TV using profanity when the team messes up.. so will your kid. If you practice often and your kids see you doing it.. they will be interested. If you have your kid playing sports but do not throw a ball and play with them or practice, take them to batting cages, results are usually less than parents expect.. and Joey strikes out often. Just like school teachers.. I often went out of my way for kids that were inspired.. but the parent was not reinforcing their kids goals/needs. Showing up is not all that is required. Encouragement and helping kids select and make choices is better than overwhelming them with too many choices.
And so many wonder why their kids in HS can't decide a career!
If you have never instructed or coached... try it these days!
Your experiences may have been very different, but from where I was.. and the changes in the attitudes of both parents and kids... it was easy to figure the ones dropping out first among the ones that kept the fire and inspiration alive and kicking.
Lately our HS and MS music programs have eliminated \"CHAIR\" positions in band along with SOLO's from any arrangement. \"It creates animosity\"
OH boy.............
I also learned from this... when kids are overwhelmed with activities, these parents may not realize how much more difficult they are making for their kids ability to focus and concentrate.... being pulled in 5 directions can shorten the attention span and I believe this contributes to academic suffering as well... at least from what I learned about these kids in both team sports and music, I'd say if they were asked, they would have preferred underwhelmed. Many times, I had a 10 yr old kid tear up in the lesson room and say I didn't have time.. I'm sorry! I'd encourage them to give what they can under their circumstances, but even after discussions with the parent, they did one of two things.... remove the kid from lessons since sporting was their thing.. or they shrugged off the discussion and things went as per usual. Really sad in many cases
I have coached basketball a number of years in various leagues. For the adults, it's was all about the fun when it did not interfer with other priorities. For the grade school kids, it was more about being cool. At that age, it was the parents not bringing the kids to practice that hurt the kids. As far as music, I suppose that a shelf of sporting trophies looks more impressive than a bunch of signed and completed method books. I suppose to be more \"competitive\" with sports, music instruction should include some kind of performing aspect within either a solo and/or band context. Get the kids up on stage, performing with others in their level, having fun, and take lots of pictures for parents to put up on their shelves. Kind of like that movie \"School Of Rock\", if I remember the title correctly. Anyway, for me in my 40's, practice is only good to get me back up on stage where it works or it doesn't. But then, how many years would anyone practice basketball, football, etc... without ever playing a game?
I don't envy anyone who tries to be either a coach or a music instructor. I know it's hard work and many times you have more motivation than the pupils.
My brother and sister are great musicians - my brother plays bass and sings and my sister is an incredibly good singer. All of us kids played in our parents bands when we were younger and have played together in bands over the years. Its great to be able to have family jams together but whats even better is being able to talk about other artists and music gear and really have a good discussion. Its rare to have a family that can do this so I'm very lucky!
My wife and daughter are really good singers but they come from a totally different musical background to me. I grew up with the blues, jazz, country and rock stuff whereas my wife grew up singing with the musicals etc. Our daughter.....well she's into the whole girlie pop stuff but at least she's starting somewhere!
BBoo
Although, my son does write alot of songs--he has hundreds. He is into Hip Hop, not quite my style. We are going to do a collab though--I'll post it.
My sister plays guitar and long ago,...clarinet. :?
my wife plays \"house of the rising sun\" on accoustic but thats about it
other than that........its just me
Sounds great. At my age, I get more of a kick out of seeing young kids catch the flame. Only one potential nephew coming up on drums and vocals, but I'm still trying. Who knows?