Sitting here I was reading through recent news stories and trying to think of something to talk about in my column.
I had music playing in the background, which started with more current songs eventually moving towards songs from the early 2000s and late 1990s. This then led to rap music being played as Corey, my fellow writer, stopping by. He rapped along with a few songs and laughed a little as I pulled out my own from back in the day, the words still fresh on my tongue in some instances.
We parted ways and I started going through other songs I really liked throughout the years. Pop songs, rap songs, "screamo," and elektronica.
I then moved on to songs from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. I discovered I literally listen to everything, that there is something to be appreciated in all types of music.
One of the rap songs I played for Corey included a rather, what in my mind is a hardcore rap song, with a beat that has gun fire as part of it. I think he was a little surprised that I started playing it, but I remember being younger and hearing the song somewhere. I became amazed with how fast the artist was rapping, while still pronouncing each word perfectly.
Through all of this music I then found myself listening to Sunburst by John Williams, a classical guitar piece, which is absolutely beautiful.
Overall I found myself wandering through music of my past and it was surprising how much music can make you remember. Not only were the words coming back to me from certain songs, but often I could remember when I first heard certain ones.
For instance, as I listened to Sunburst it took me back to my first year university. I lived on a residence floor sharing a tiny room with another person, neither of us had really met our neighbour yet, but during those first few months we sat doing our homework as this neighbour practiced guitar. It turned out this was the song she had been learning.
Later in the year my neighbour, who had been heard by people walking by her room while she was playing, was convinced to put on a tiny concert of a few of the songs she knew. I can honestly say it was amazing. I suggest anyone to watch a classical guitar player because the sheer skill of the art is amazing.
With an electric guitar you can get notes to sound simply by hammering on a fret, but with a classical guitar you need both hands to generate the same note. It's crazy in my opinion, then again I don't know a whole lot about playing instruments, though watching my friend encouraged me to purchase a guitar. Over the four and a half years I've had it, I can play two and a half songs, which is pretty good for having no idea what I'm doing, I think.
The point is it's amazing how much work people can put into learning an instrument and how proficient they can become with it. I am far from this case, but last weekend my mom came to visit me. We stopped by the Prairie Dog Drive-in Theatre and I began exclaiming how the people who own the theatre have extremely talented children.
I spoke of the fiddling camps I had recently covered for work and how the one girl is a member of a group that was formed earlier this year to raise money for a fiddling trip she and her friends will take to Cape Breton. The group is made up of advanced fiddlers from the area and they are calling themselves High Strung.
As I was telling my mom how amazing these five high school fiddlers were, the Drive-in helped me out by playing a song from one of High Strung's concerts earlier this year.
People constantly talk about talent and yes, talent does come into play with any task. Some people are more inclined to be able to do something than another, but playing a musical instrument or becoming proficient in anything whether it be writing, juggling, playing a sport, or putting together a motor talent will not be the only thing that moves you ahead in life.
Hard work, dedication, and perseverance to prevail are the ultimate reasons why people are able to succeed with music or anything else. It's true talent, in reference to music, is a must. Someone who can't carry a tune or has no sense of rhythm will not be inclined to even pick up an instrument let alone spend the necessary hours learning to be called talented. But, those who do have talents, simply have a head start in learning how to let music reverberate and emanate from their chosen instrument. If they do not practice, then those who may not be born with the skills can still be able to surpass someone who does possess these talents who does not put in the time to practice.
I think music is important for so many reasons and teaching discipline, hard work, and dedication is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
