Last night I had my third piano lesson since deciding to set myself the goal of being competent on the keys by the time I’m forty (I recently turned 37–yeah I know, old!). Scott is a musical theater producer, director and performer and kindly shows me the ropes in-between his busy schedule of being a superstar on stage. Both he and his studio are walking distance from my apartment which is a change from almost all my previous after-work activities. My current band gigs and rehearses solely in Manhattan, all storytelling shows are also Manhattan based and when I was playing with Single White Band I was carrying my hefty bass on Three buses and Three trains for each rehearsal. Try doing that with a hectic day job and, well, actually you’ll sleep like a baby from exhaustion that night. Anyway, to be able to simply walk down the street to the studio in less than 20 minutes is welcome joy.

Knowing absolutely nothing about the piano, not even where the notes lay on the keys means I am learning from scratch which has turned out to be more fun that I expected. I’m a self thought musician but in my early twenties I briefly took classical guitar lessons that slowly drained every ounce of life from my soul. These piano lessons are very different. It’s mostly because of Scott himself, he’s enthusiastic, amazingly talented and just an all round good person to spend an hour with but also because the piano doesn’t hurt like the guitar. I’m glad I don’t have to revisit those days of nursing sore fingers on the bus home from those guitar lessons (if you want to call them that, I was mostly unlearning bad mistakes). I actually find playing or rather, trying to play the piano quit relaxing. I bought myself (in celebration of my recent Greencard) an 88 weighted-key Korg SP-280 and a book or two.  Maybe it’s because the piano is more visual (I have synesthesia, so music is just a series of shapes to me) but it’s sinking in in a very painless way. I just wish I could find more time to practice.

New addition to the musical family

*I’m writing this on my lunch break as I don’t have much time these days (band and other stuff). I’m trying to write as often as I can for this blog as it’s a good excuse to force me into the habit of writing when and where I can. Please ignore grammar, spelling etc.