You might remember when I blogged about the piano we hired back in July. Well, our mandatory lease period is almost up and we need to decide what we’re going to do next. Send it back? Extend the lease? Buy it outright?
To make the decision a little easier, the answer is ‘no’ on the last question: we cannot afford the piano right now, no matter how attractive the payment plan. So – where does that leave us?
I think we’ll try for another three months. The reason for this being that it was only last week when I got myself organised enough to go and get an adult instruction book, the very same pictured. As I was at the music shop, the owner heavily suggested I get this one over other kinds on offer.
And what did I do? I flicked through it and rolled my eyes.
“Um, this seems too easy.”
Then it was his turn to roll his eyes and no doubt mutter something along the lines of “arrogant punk” concerning me under his breath.
“In my experience” {pause} “even if a person played as a child” {looks at me} “it is always important to touch base with the basics again, practice fingering, reacquaint yourself with theory.” He left me at this point. (“YOUR MOVE LADY, I’VE MADE MY CASE!” his back said to me.)
As you can see, I eventually went with his advice. And I’m glad I did.
Yes, I scoffed a little at the “This is a TREBLE clef and this is a BASS clef” illustrations at the start, but when it came to strengthening exercises I remembered again how rubbish my fingering used to be, how I used to fumble through. This time, I said to myself, do it right. And I’ve been trying.
It’s also helped spur Keira on too: no sooner do I sit down to practice does she decide to say, “Hey, it’s MY turn now!”
I’ll fill you in on how we go over these few months.
That’s if we decide to keep it…
