THE SOUND OF (LEARNING) MUSIC

I was an Electone Instructor at that time in Bandung. Electone is a musical instrument with two layer keyboards and bass pedals (please, don’t mistake that with PSR or keyboard.. widening your vision anybody.. helloooo.. ;P). I remember I had one student, who couldn’t play the electone so well, after so many times of our sessions (perhaps, around 3 months). There was no significant progression at all. Actually, I just could be silent as long as the payment still existed for me, but I couldn’t stand it instead (dumb of me! ;P). It rose my boiling mad, and I said it out loud,

“Do you practice at home?” I asked.
“No!” he answered truthfully.
My degree of boiling mad was increasing, “So, WHY DO YOU STILL COME HERE?!”
“My parents ordered me to!” he answered very clearly..

The next 7 years after that, my cousin (in the age of 7) started to learn classical piano. Her parents were so inspired by me. They said, it would have been good should they have a kid who could play the song through the piano in a proper way. After 3 years of attending classical piano lesson, I saw there was no significant progression in her piano skill. She could play.. um.. fair (I’m a bit exaggerating here.. he..he.. sorry..), but lack in rhythmic and dynamic. In another word, she has no musical sense.. Playing piano for her was just like.. finishing her obligation in a military services training.. perhaps ;P

It raised my curiousity to ask her, “Do you like to play piano exactly?” She said, “No!” (exactly like I expected, and it doesn’t take a genious to read between the lines.. like Lea Salonga said.. ;P). She continued, “I’m stressed if I have to play piano. My parents order me to do that! Actually, I like to swim.. much better than.. this!” She answered it emotionally like the US presidential candidate on the campaign arena, and by appointing her finger to my piano! At that time, her mom asked me a help to give her a tips in playing the composition for a junior competition that she wanted to participate.. um.. correction.. that her mom wanted her to participate.. he..he..

I remembered about myself. Actually, I didn’t like to have a musical lesson at the 1st time. It was my father’s idea to buy Electone when I was 7 years old. He said, he just wanted to have it for himself (he could play it, poor skill.. he..he.. but he was good at guitar and musical sense). Then, when there was no sign that I attracted to that musical instrument after 3 months from the date of purchasing, without any permission he instructed me to attend the musical lesson for Electone! My fright to him was the biggest motivation in attending the musical lesson!

But, I don’t know, after that, I think I have to believe in “talent”. I begin to like it after 6 months of attending the musical lesson. I felt that I “needed” to play music. I practiced because I wanted to, not like my cousin that practiced becaused her mother ordered her to. And the journey of my music exploration goes from electone, to jazz piano, and playing in a musical group. I have experienced in so many music performances, and got a chance to know so many good music tutors in raising my musical skill.. It’s all becaused of I want to.. and I need to..

So, before instructing your kids to have a musical lesson.. please.. consider their “sound” of learning music. Do they really have a talent for that? Do they consider playing musical as their needs? Do they really want to do that?

But, of course.. I will instruct my kids (should I have one or two later) to learn music as well, without any hesitations!

It’s an order! ;P