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Nov. 24th, 2020 07:16 pmI am frequently seized by the urge to purchase relatively-inexpensive new-to-me musical instruments*. I get really excited and pretty much hyperfixate on them for a while and then am not magically very good at playing immediately and get frustrated and don't play for months, whereupon I have to start all over. Which is a silly pattern.
I can feel myself moving into that sort of headspace again, so I have made myself a bargain. I am allowed to buy a new musical instrument once I have mastered (to my own satisfaction) every song and exercise in volume 1 of Hugh Orr's Basic Recorder Technique for the alto recorder. Since that was the last musical impulse purchase I made. This plan has several advantages:
1) I will hopefully actually learn to play the recorder relatively well, which is I skill I do very much want to acquire
2) I may get super excited about recorder music once I get better at it, which may mean that my instrument-purchasing impulses will be curbed for now and I won't spend more money on silly things
3) Or, if those impulses remain, I will have instituted a habit of actual regular practice which will hopefully carry over to any new musical purchases
I am on day three of daily practice at this point. So far, my practice times are pretty short - I'm working up hand strength and don't want to do myself damage - but it's enjoyable.
*Currently, it is a kalimba. Previously, it has been a harmonica (purchased), tin whistle (purchased), an alto recorder (also purchased), and various other sorts of recorder including the garklein (not purchased, because the garklein is a silly musical instrument to buy without already being able to play a more normal recorder - though if/when I get good at the alto and soprano, I will probably add to my collection).
I can feel myself moving into that sort of headspace again, so I have made myself a bargain. I am allowed to buy a new musical instrument once I have mastered (to my own satisfaction) every song and exercise in volume 1 of Hugh Orr's Basic Recorder Technique for the alto recorder. Since that was the last musical impulse purchase I made. This plan has several advantages:
1) I will hopefully actually learn to play the recorder relatively well, which is I skill I do very much want to acquire
2) I may get super excited about recorder music once I get better at it, which may mean that my instrument-purchasing impulses will be curbed for now and I won't spend more money on silly things
3) Or, if those impulses remain, I will have instituted a habit of actual regular practice which will hopefully carry over to any new musical purchases
I am on day three of daily practice at this point. So far, my practice times are pretty short - I'm working up hand strength and don't want to do myself damage - but it's enjoyable.
*Currently, it is a kalimba. Previously, it has been a harmonica (purchased), tin whistle (purchased), an alto recorder (also purchased), and various other sorts of recorder including the garklein (not purchased, because the garklein is a silly musical instrument to buy without already being able to play a more normal recorder - though if/when I get good at the alto and soprano, I will probably add to my collection).
