Beethoven rolling in his grave!

Well, as many may know in my never ending search to find fun and interesting substitutes for my boring and tedious cognitive therapy I took up learning to play the Recorder. Normally it is used with Elementary school kids to get them interested in learning music.

Well it has proved to be a very daunting task for me. I got a book for kids and it has taken me over three months to get to the point that kids get in a couple of weeks. BUT, yesterday was a milestone!

I made it through the first several bars of Beethoven's Ode to Joy. If a person listens carefully, in a abstract sort of way, I'm sure that at least 2 out of 10 listeners would recognize it as Ode to Joy. I'm even more sure that at least half of all listeners would even recognize some notes and a hint of rhythm.

On the serious side it is so cool to actually play something! It has been a long road getting hear but I've had fun and will continue on with my journey in music.

As far as the cognitive value of my learning it has been far greater than I expected. To learn to read music, keep time, finger the Recorder etc. has taxed my cognition greater than 100 of the word search and 'follow the instructions' therapies my therapists give me. I still attempt some every day, but to work on the Recorder and then have tangible results is incredibly gratifying.

In closing I would like to offer apologies to Ludwig. I promise to do better in time.

Musical Update

I now can recognize the notes A, B, C, D, F and G on the musical staff and I know the fingerings and an alternate fingering for B. I've attempted to play ' When the Saints Go Marching In' with a small bit of success. I played it for Awesome Chick and when I was done I told her what it was. She quickly responded something like "Oh yeah it took me just a second but I knew what it was." She is such a kind person.

Today was the day I learned F. This is the first note that will require me to finger with both hands. Previously all notes I've played have been done with just the left hand.

I've noticed that repetition, repetition, repetition is the key to remembering my notes and fingering. I also find that if I practice two or three times per day for like 10 minutes it is more productive than one long 30 minute session. The biggest problem I face is that the "interface" between me, the music on the sheet and the fingers on the Recorder is VERY slow. Unfortunately that interface is my damaged brain. To see a note on the staff, recognize what that note is, remember what the fingering for that note is and get my fingers into position is a very very loooooong time.

I am fortunate that I come from a VERY musically gifted family. Both of my parents have Bachelors Degrees in Music Theory and my Dad also has a Masters in Childhood Education. He was a teacher for 30 years. Several times I've been stuck on something and asking them gets me unstuck. One idea my dad had that was REALLY helpful was to start out by putting numbers for the number of fingers a note requires to be played below the note on the page. This helped me just concentrate on learning the fingering and I gradually started to recognize the notes and I could do away with the fingering hints.

Well I'm off to go practice "my music". Jingle Bells is the next song I get to massacre.

Information about Recorders

Music to my ears.... Oh Really?

This post is a follow up of my (click here earlier post). That post is dated yesterday but I posted it a couple weeks ago. Yesterday I realized it was posted as a draft though so I "undrafted" it.

Anyway the first song I play on my recorder was to be 'When the Saints Go Marching In'. Well according to the music notes and my fingering that is exactly what I did. It sure didn't sound like any version of that song I have ever heard. YUK! Our two Beagles started baying like the Hounds of the Baskerville. I thought I was Basil Rathbone in the old movie.

Oh well that's the point of trying to find something fun and interesting as well as therapeutic. You don't mind going back to it as much when at first you don't succeed.

Music to My Ears

OK, anybody who has read more than one of my posts knows that I can't stand the exercises that my cognitive therapists give me. I do them because they have a purpose but I look, and I look very hard for things that I can do that I enjoy and will provide a theraputic component.Well I found one that is GRRRRrrrrreat; as Tony the Tiger would say.I went to a music store not 10 minutes from my house and purchased a Yamaha Baroque Recorder. That sounds fancy but it's not. Anybody who has kids in elementary school that take band may be familiar with it. The thing only cost $10 and I got a book called 'Fun with the Recorder' to teach me to play it. When I got it I didn't realize just how it would affect me congnitively. I have to memorize notes, the musical staff, fingering etc. It has been VERY slow going. The book is for elementary school kids. What is 1 lesson for them may take me two weeks to get through. It is so cool though. I haven't played a "song" but I'm playing notes. The first song I should be able to play in the book is 'When the Saints Go Marching In'. Anyway for an investment of $17 for a musical instrument and book I have hours of productive cognitive therapy that is interesting, fun and I can do something with. I hope to be able to play some Christmas Carrols for Christmas and there are tons of classical pieces and Celtic pieces.I'll keep everyone posted but for now, if anyone can do it this is GREAT therapy.

Kick in the Pants

This learning of the Recorder is tough but fun. I'm really finding out how my brain doesn't work anymore. Just to learn four notes, A,B,C and G I had to make flash cards. I still forget about half the time. Then it is becoming obvious to me that in order to really play smoothly you have to read music ahead of the note you are playing on the Recorder. My eyes read ahead but my brain says "No way bud!".

Α&Ω

My First Recorder

Today my awesome wife took me to a music store to get a Recorder so I could learn some music. I have read it is good for brain injury, both left and right brain. Anyway I had always wanted to learn the saxophone because my dad played it. But that is difficult so I thought I would try the Recorder. Wow, reading music is harder than I thought.