[rue2you]

Yesterday, I decided that I was going figure out how to play the piano. I haven't played because I can't do the foot pedal and anyone that plays, knows how it sounds to play without the foot pedal. I went to the music store and asked the manager if they made something for the sustaining pedal that would allow me to play. He put the foot pedal on the top of the keyboard (you know, the little black plug-in foot pedals) and said "Hey, you can hold the foot pedal with one hand while you play with the other!" I just looked at him and then said "O.....kay. Thank you very much." I am a little surprised that he made it to the manager position in a music store.
So....back to yesterday. I decided that I would play anyway without the pedal and practice my note reading/playing. I decided that I would play the Crown arrangement of My Father Planned It All.

Breakdown of the grand concert:
1. Lets move the piano bench. Problem, my knees are hitting the piano and won't go under. That's okay, let's sit too far back from the piano and lean over. Problem solved!
2. Bend fingers back and forth in dramatic flair to prepare for the grand concert.
3. Start playing the arrangement. Problem - it sounds like chopsticks. Let's hold the keys down longer while trying to maintain the flow of the arrangement. Still sounds like chopsticks.
4. Yell for Briley and ask her to pull up a chair and try to hold the foot pedal for me. Problem - she doesn't know when to go up or down. Tell her to count and lift her foot on the number 4. Uhmmm....now we have a combination of chopsticks and notes that are bunched together and sound awful.
5. Briley suggests that I nod my head at her every time she needs to lift her foot. Sounds simple enough - it's not. My brain is not that complex. I am trying to read these notes!!
6. Tell Briley thank you for her help and ask her to go into the other room with all the children.
7. Calmly take out my frustration by banging all the notes on the piano like a 2 year old and feel much better.
8. Close the piano lid and decided that the guitar is the instrument for me.
9. Get out the guitar and practice.
10. Aww....much better. Problem solved.

Moral of this story -
Life can throw you challenges. We all have them. Sometimes you can figure out a way to do things, and sometimes you can't. But don't stop trying. If it's music you want to make - then find a way to make it!!

[greybeard]

Bin the piano and acquire an electronic keyboard. Keep finger on note for sustains. (Plus range of instruments etc)

[StillFingers]

greybeard, on Feb 17 2010, 01:51 PM, said:

Bin the piano and acquire an electronic keyboard. Keep finger on note for sustains. (Plus range of instruments etc)

As GB said, get an electronic keyboard, a friend has a Yamaha; see link below. The lower end keyboards range in price from two hundred to a few thousand and are fantastic. Most are MIDI capable and have USB connectivity, thus allowing you to plug them into a computer for recording/mixing. Keep playing...

Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key Portable Grand Piano Keyboard
http://www.amazon.co...66445366&sr=8-6

This post has been edited by StillFingers: 17 February 2010 - 10:34 PM

[greybeard]

StillFingers, on Feb 17 2010, 10:33 PM, said:

The lower end keyboards range in price from two hundred to a few thousand and are fantastic.

There are usually some good buys on eBay for a lot less than that. Worth a look.

[Ratticis]

I am a master of the Kazoo, that's about it. Played the trombone fer a year in grade 6, was never that good mostly due to i didn't really care

[Kodie]

I'm attempting to master bass guitar at the moment. Kinda hard considering I have no finger movement and grip. I'm sure I'll figure something out though.

[gordonr]

I play piano.

I have had a lot of fun with electronic keyboards. It is particularly nice to have two keyboards set up with different sounds, such as a real bass sound on one and piano on the other.

However nothing beats the simplicity of just walking (ok, rolling) up to an acoustic piano and just playing without any of the compulsive fiddling invited by the electronic jobs.

I too used to worry about pedals, and the fact is, you can control the pedals of an electronic kieyboard using mouth controllers. But guess what: Bach didn't have any pedals. And he did quite nicely. As things are, I don't miss the pedals anymore.

Position is much more challenging. I have the piano raised to get knees under, but balance is still a real problem. As a high para, I can't really get both hands going freely. There is alway some slight effect of leaning on one hand or the other.

But you can do a lot. And music is one of the most satisfying things to do.

Best,

Gordon

[gordonr]

Kodie, on Feb 18 2010, 02:04 AM, said:

I'm attempting to master bass guitar at the moment. Kinda hard considering I have no finger movement and grip. I'm sure I'll figure something out though.

The first organs had great big keys that took a lot of force to work.

The guy playing it had to bang on them using the weight of his body on his elbows. Later easier keys came out for which just a simple blow with a closed fist was enough. And then on to the finger actions we know today.

Seriously, you might consider the two fist method. You don't need finger and you don't need grip.

Of course the keys are too small for fists, but what about electronic pedals? These are made for playing bass with your feet. I bet that a pedal board on a table would be perfect for your fists. And whatever special effects you want (like pitch bending) could be controlled with a breath controller.

If your goal is to play bass, this set up would definitely work.

Best,

Gordon

[greybeard]

gordonr, on Feb 18 2010, 02:29 AM, said:

Kodie, on Feb 18 2010, 02:04 AM, said:

I'm attempting to master bass guitar

I think you missed this word .

[S&W Winger]

Funny, I had to check to see if I started this thread!

I can't fit under my piano either...tried various methods...one day, I played left hand, then turned my chair around and played right hand, of course, still lacking the vital sustain...after 25 years, I've grown quite at one with my Yamaha acoustic...however, I've also been checking out the electronic ones...

I can play my guitar a bit, BUT need someone to take my beautiful Martin D-41 out of the case (I mostly just LOOK at it and lust now), and then I have to figure how far forward I can lean without falling, then need more help to set up with a pillow to help prop up the guitar, as I cannot hold it properly ...I play for a few minutes, then grow fatigued in the weird position, with my wrist twisted around the neck...

So right now, I am waiting for UPS to deliver a Martin backpacker model, so I can play on my own whenever...

Oh! And as far as the music store manager...where? what store? I'd just LOVE to go in there and have some fun AT him!!!!

[rue2you]

I did try out the keyboards and with the other instruments with it, like strings or something, it does sustain better and doesn't sound so choppy. Still, my "real" piano is sitting in my dining room - sniff, sniff. I have always played a mandolin and my brother always played the guitar with me so I have a love for the stringed instruments also. Would love to learn to play a fiddle. Anyway, someone gave me a smaller guitar (classical) and the last 3 strings are nylon so it has the softest little sound. It has been a therapeutic challenge for me to learn to play that this past year. My children and I love to sing together in church and stuff so it has been a bonding time as well.
The music store was Willis Music in Cincinnati, OH. I really wanted to laugh at the poor guy but I spared his feelings instead!
Here is a little homemade video of me and the kids if you are interested. My friends asked me to video the kids. Sorry about the sun coming in. I didn't know it till we viewed it and it is hard to get 5 kids to do a repeat performance!!
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=EtDjBfUxla4

[poizon74]

I was always an avid musician... mostly guitar and vocals. I used to play drums but I'm not sure I can do that again, not in my current condition. I played in rock band after rock band since I was a kid. At first when I got home from the hospital I couldn't lift any of my guitars. Then one day I tried and got my acoustic set up and going, still with the brace it was hard to position it. My recording studio also happened to be set up in my basement, the access to which is one steep staircase with no railings! I remember looking down those stairs for months in sadness, so close to my gear but unable to get there. I had my g/f bring up some of my stuff so I could do some recording upstairs but it wasn't the same. So about a month ago (right around when I ditched my cane) I looked down the stairs and they weren't so scary anymore. I made it down there pretty easily just holding onto the walls on either side of me.

When I got down there I saw my roommates had rearranged and unhooked some of my stuff. I spent about an hour crawling around on the floor hooking things back up. I was surprised how hard it was to hook up my guitar pedals, but once I did playing was fine. I just took off my brace (even though I wasn't supposed to shhhh) and managed to pick up my les paul and sit and play. Man did that feel awesome! Still the Gibson is so damn heavy, but now I can lift it just fine, I can even stand and play for a while. Now... standing playing and working my pedals is still tricky. I was always so crazy on stage and I'm still a little afraid I won't be able to play the same way anymore but I keep on truckin anyway. Week after week I begin to play more and more and setting up and playing gets just a little bit easier every time.

Music is important and therapeutic. As crazy as it might sound when I first the the ground (fell from 2 story roof) the first thing I noticed was I could still work my hands and I thought to myself "everything will be fine, even if I never walk again I can play my guitar". No matter what you can or can't do at the moment playing music is an awesome goal to have! Today with computer sequencing programs even if you can't play an instrument you can compose and create some awesome music!

btw if anyone wants to check out my stuff it's here: www.myspace.com/michaelzucker

I'm finishing up tracks on a new album right now in fact....

ROCK ON