I feel like I’ve posted about this before, but I went searching through the memory archive and couldn’t find it, so maybe I haven’t posted about it. In which case, here’s the post:
Last night was choir practice. I always stay after school and wait around for choir because driving home and back again doesn’t make any sense. Yesterday while I was waiting, I played through some possible choir pieces for school.
My piano skills have changed recently. My fingers more often seem to automatically go where they are supposed to. And when I miss notes that are written, my fingers seem to fill in with notes that aren’t. I’m not a better piano player, but I am a better faker. It’s an interesting sensation, and it has only been happening the last year or so.
I’m chalking it up to age and experience. I have played enough piano that my fingers are starting to have muscle memory. If my pinky plays a G, my middle and pointer fingers go to B and D. This must be a glimpse of what people who play by ear experience. I’ve always been so music-dependent I couldn’t imagine playing anything without reading it.
It would be cool if this skill continued to change and improve. Practice would probably help. I probably won’t be doing that.
I used to stumble a lot when I played this. Not last night.
Well, that is certainly a perk of getting older, eh? I think you practice way more than you think – what with playing through stuff for choir and accompanying your kids. Now you’re that guy who plays well! I bet you’ve got some kids in school that envy your talent.
If only all our functions could be more automatic. “Body – pay my taxes. I’m taking a nap.”
I think that many of your students can play MUCH better than I used to and definitely better than I do now….considering I probably haven’t played for 25 years or MORE! <3 Aunt Bev 🙂
Mom and I are very thankful that we invested music lessons into raising all three of you. A basic knowledge of the keyboard is very basic, than you can specialize–flute, guitar, baritone, etc. You stuck with piano. Awesome! As the lead keyboard person of our family, I play no more. But I enjoy music at a different level because of my schooling. If I had a TV choice of watching a football game was booked against the Mormon Tabernacle, I would choose the Mormons without beating a eye! I understand your post! Stick with the piano, Brad, you are experiencing a wonderful evolution of your musical mind.
I sense that you are down for the count today. Sick or tired or sick and tired? Or having a vacation?
Hehe… I set the post to automatically publish this morning, and had the wrong date in the slot.
I have been having a delightfully lazy morning.