I don't know if I have any musical talent. I've always said that my brother took it for our entire family, as he can play just about any instrument that he can pick up.
In grade school, I played the recorder like everyone else. It was a crappy little piece of plastic that could barely keep a note. Mary Had a Little Lamb was the extent of songs learned by me. Three notes, if that, and I could carry it for 15 seconds. Whew.
Flash forward to the time that guitar playing sounded like a good idea. Bought one from my brother who said to play it every day. He also said that masturbation helps build arm muscles for playing. That thing sat under my bed after the first couple of times that I attempted to practice. I learned a little bit of a Green Day intro and a Tool intro and that was about it.
Fast forward again to the time me and my brother went in on a set of drums. They got played once or twice and that was it. They were just too loud for me and trying to find a place to practice when I was living in student housing just wasn't going to happen.
Then along came Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The Guitar Hero side of things took some practice, and I was at least able to play some guitar stuff on hard difficulty. I was trying to play the game too much instead of listening to the music and letting that guide me. Then again, it was a video game. Rock Band was actually different. While it was definite that I couldn't sing, and years of trying to karaoke proved that as well, I did find some comfort in the bass playing and in the drums. I got to the point in drums that I was playing the hard difficulty, which is damn near impossible for some people, and I was getting OK at it.
My greatest time on Rock Band outside of playing with friends was when I got 3 stars on a Nine Inch Nails song on the second to hardest difficulty. It was already a tough, difficult song, but I made it work. I was proud and happy for that moment. It drove me to keep playing it and to practice practice practice. I got used to the foot peddle and was really happy when I was at a friend's place playing along with the band and I took on the drums. I ruled. A friend made a comment to her husband that I was pretty good on the drums and he agreed. My face was all lit up with joy and excitement while I still played on.
My video game stuff has been in storage since I moved down to Austin, but I still get the urge to break out the band stuff and play some more. There is something freeing about it. Something that really works for me when it comes to the drums or to the bass. A grove for the bass and the ability to hit something with the drums. Could that translate to real instruments? I would have to be taught. A lot. Between wanting to learn that and other things I want to do around this town, the time to sit and practice looks grim. Then again, doesn't every old man have to know how to play one instrument to really stand out? Breaking out a bass jam would be awesome, but how about rocking on the drums at 70? An aging man can only dream.
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