Day 6 – Guitar Strap & Picks
Monday, Monday …
We hope everyone had a groovy weekend ♥
We went to a lovely Christmas lights trail yesterday that we will tell you a bit more about in tomorrow’s video (with clips!).
Today’s question is all about guitars and musical instruments. You can enter the Giveaway whether you’re playing one yourself or not. We all have a musician inside of us …
Day 5 – Guitar Pick Sets (2 winners)
We will give away two guitar straps and two pick tins with various plectrum designs and will also add a signed pick that we used to play ourselves.
How to enter:
Comment: (For Musicians) What was the first song you learned how to play on your instrument? (For Non-Musicians) Is there an instrument that you would like to learn how to play?
Prize:
A guitar strap + pick set + pick already played by us (2 winners)
Good luck!
Mona & Lisa
It was a long time ago, around 1974, but I can remember constantly trying to play the songs from Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album. The first one would probably be Iron Man, played on my single pickup Woolworth’s “Audition” guitar, that cost me £10.
When I was younger – 50 years ago – I had a future dream playing keyboard. Had one shortly in the end 80ties but after a few weeks my interest faded for the SInclair ZX Spectrum home computer. Had a Scandinavian Sinclair club from 1988 – 1994 issuing 32 club magazines called SinclairFreakeren. Most members 454 from Denmark, Norway and Sweeden. Since then I’ve had a lot to do with servicing computers while I was schoolteacher. Among other things I’ve made a time scheduling program for school classes – still in action on my last school where I stopped 2019. Yeah a bit about the old Scandinavian Nisse 🙂 Going to have a new developed ZX Spectrum Next when it’s produced within the next ½ year – nostalgia here I come. Attached a picture of the Spectrum Next
The first song I played on a blues harp was the German “Hänschen Klein ging allein…” when I was 4 years old. Later on in 1959, aged 15, I played the first song on guitar with two harmonies A and E. It was “Tom Dooley” from the Kingston-Trio.
I know I am too late for the draw. However, the first tune I learned to play was God Save the Queen on my uncles old guitar. I spent ages trying to work it out. That then prompted my parents to buy me my first ever guitar for a birthday and Christmas present as my birthday is mid January. It was (and still is) a Framus f hole acoustic. Sadly unplayable now due to my neglect over a few decades, plus a few more.
As a young lad many, many years ago I played clarinet and saxophone. Clarinet first for a few years then our teacher asked if I wouldn’t mind switching to saxophone. For some reason I said yes and ended up in the school stage band playing tenor sax. The first song that I remember was ‘Falling Leaves’ because my mother loved the song, that is until I started playing it!! Now in my old age I play guitar. Very poorly. Though my bass isn’t too horrible.
I want to thank you both for making a time of year I rarely enjoy into a very joyful time. Your personalities shine so brightly and are so infectious. Watching you each day is a real treat and a balm to the soul. Thank you for this lovely time.
In high school band I played the French horn and I suppose the first song we learned was “Red River Valley” and not “For No One” but maybe someday.
Wish I knew. I had a terrible time learning songs, which was why I started writing my own. So the first song I learned might be something like “Do You Want to Know a Secret” or my song “Green Yarn.”
The first song I played all the wat through was Band On The Run(the acoustic rythmn part).The chords were taught to me by friend.These days I just dabble a little here and there(mostly with the same friend).I wish I could play better(nerve damage in my hand limits my efforts.But I do play a mean Air Guitar to compensate.
“Walk, Don’t Run” by The Ventures
The first song I ever played (with my mom on my grandmother’s piano) was a waltz / folk song called Du, Du Liegst Mir im Herzen (basically because the sheet music was on top in the piano bench). I really just played one chord while mom played the melody. In high school (after I had inherited that very same piano), I bought a Beatles “fake book” and learned to play every song in it (it helped that I already knew all of the melodies ???? ). When I finally took some piano classes in college, my first “performance piece” was Bridge Over Troubled Water.
walk don’t run by the ventures
The first tune I learned on the piano was probably ‘Liebestraum’ by Franz Liszt, but it’s hard to remember such a long time ago.
Tea, I always drink without sugar – and use white powder if I don’t have any milk! ????
I started learning guitar over 40 years ago in summer art school. The first song I remember playing was “San Francisco Bay Blues”.
Regrettably, I don’t play any musical instruments……yet. I’d very much like to take up the blues harp, as my Grandpa did so wonderfully! While buying a few youth-sized guitars for a local toy drive, I picked (get it?) up a super-cheap midsize model I thought I’d play around with just to see if I have any aptitude for it at all. If so, I’ll upgrade, but with very limited time to hone any kind of skills, I fear it will be gifted away at some point. But who knows? Maybe I’ll turn out to be a natural!
I never got the chance to learn to play an instrument, but I always tap on just about anything with my fingers, so it is save to say that if I would choose one it would be drums.
I took my first guitar lessons when I was ten years old. I wanted to learn to play Beatles songs but the first song in my Mel Bay lesson book was an American western folk ballad called “Oh My Darling, Clementine.”
The first song I learned from my high school guitar teacher was Lyin’ Eyes, by the Eagles. when I started playing bass It was either Pipeline or Twist and Shout.
A guitar is the only instrument I ever learned (gave up on the harmonica). When I got my first guitar it seemed everyone wanted to teach me House of the Rising Sun. Simple yes… and I still struggle with it. LOL
I started with the piano when I was very young. I had a dynamite version of “Chopsticks” that I would play four hands with my older sister. I remember more the first pieces I learned on the baritone ukulele when I picked it up around age 13 or 14, things like “Sounds of Silence” and “Malaguena.” Since those days, my repertoire has expanded a bit, and I play everything except brass.
Cool
That was a long time ago. If I had to guess at the first guitar song it would be “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” But, the first song I remember playing was “Jingle Bells” on a little toy xylophone when I was about 3 or 4. The only reason I remember is because it was because the keys were numbered and the pattern was: 3-3-3, 3-3-3, 3-5-1-2-3. And that’s still the first thing that pops in my head when I hear “Jingle Bells”!
I am not a musician. When I was growing up, we had a Magnus Chord organ. This came with a few different songbooks. The Magnus used numbers above the keys and the songbooks had numbers above the notes. I learned to play many of the songs in the Christmas song book from memory. I can still reteach myself Silent Night on my daughter’s piano. If I could, I would want to learn to play piano, or find a working Magnus with songbooks.
I didn’t really focus on one particular song when I first started learning ukulele. A variety of American folk songs, old popular songs, and so on. I do remember rather early on getting obsessed with learning to play “Five Foot Two” though.
Milk and sugar in black tea, but herbal tea — straight.
Hello everyone. I first started to learn how to read music through my Mother’s lessons on how to play the organ. It wasn’t a great oregon. A Montgomery Wards 2 level keys with bass pedals. I believe the first song was Little Brown Jug. Then out of school spirit I decided to pick up the trumpet. I was friendly with the Band Director. All but one of the Trumpet players had graduated high school. So. He put me in the band before I learned all the fingerings. So embarrassing. 2 years later I studied at the Catskill Concervatory for 2 years before College. I only played Trumpet for 4 years prior to college. The first tune I taught myself to play because I loved Brass Choirs was Cantique Noel ( Oh Holy Night) I always learned songs I was not supposed to learn. I would use my Moms piano book as a fake book and play Theme from Love Story, Alfie etc. I’m a sucker for a ballad. Lol I know, TMI. Please may God be with everyone, Stay safe. Stay Groovy!❤????
I’ve always loved acoustic and electric guitars…when I started to learn, I tried to play pieces of various songs…but the first one I learned and played in their entirety for friends was ” Who’ll stop the rain” by CCR (I love this band too)..that was at 70s, but I still love playing this song.
Oh, congrats to the winners and stay Groovy!!!!!!!!
The first song was Wipe Out by the Ventures and Pipeline by the Ventures. Instrumentals, however, the first singing song was Louie Louie by the Kingsmen. The the Beatles and Stones, Beau Brummels, Beach Boys…….etc. I can remember playing with 3 other guys and trying to play Lead, I was so bad then!! Have you ever heard of Freddie and the Dreamers, my second concert!!!!
Congrats to the winners today ????
I started guitar at 11. Learned to play Blowing in the Wind and Pretty Mary and started Malaguena. But the teacher went back to Argentina, and that was the end of my career until 55 years later I started learning the guitar again. Wish me luck.
In my later years I have trying to learn to play guitar using You Tube videos. I am making some progress and thoroughly enjoying the process. I just wish I had done it years ago. I have not learned a song yet but when I do I’ll let you know.
I self-taught myself guitar using the old Colour-Way instruction Book back in the 60s, so I’m sure it was a song from that, but I don’t recall which one. Early on I learned “Gloria” and “House of the Rising Sun”
I played bass for a while in high school, and the first song I learned was Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock”. I had it on vinyl and sat by the player for hours, replaying the song and following along. When some friends wanted to try a band, it turns out they had learned the chords from the same album so we all picked it up in the same key. It was always in our set list!
First song I learned on guitar was Two of Us – except the bridge…I only had an acoustic and had trouble with B flat.
I never end a guitar session without playing I Want To Hold Your Hand – electrics are my favorite now
Love seeing my favorites every day!
Blimey ladies you are making my old grey matter work hard now! I can’t be 100% sure but I’m thinking it was a tune from the classic “Bert Weldon play in a day” book. One of my earliest memories was the the Searchers Don’t throw your love away.
I learned rollin’ an tumblin’ by canned heat
A while back a friend of mine taught me the chords to California Girls. That was my introduction to music.
I play the flute and learned a lot of classical music. I do have an early memory of playing ‘Colour My World’ by Chicago. I’ve always wanted to play the drums and still plan to do it. If only I could get some private lessons from Mona…..I know dream, dream. dream.
I believe that “Mary had a Little Lamb” was the first song I learned to play on the violin when I nine years old. I quit playing the violin when I was 11 and although a dabbled with the piano and guitar I never progressed to the point of learning a song. Finally last year I picked up the ukulele and learned to play “Let it Be” ( a four chord version). I’ve since recorded that and 3 other songs for my YouTube channel.
I played drums for about ten years for various bands before I learned to play the guitar. The first song I learned on the drums was “Love Potion Number Nine” by the Searchers.
When I was learning to play the guitar the first song I learned was “Louie Louie” by the Kingsman.
Great memories!
That’s an easy one for me, it was Buddy Holly and Peggy Sue on the acoustic guitar. Just 3 chords, nice and easy to play and everyone was quite impressed when I played and sung it. ????????????
wow…..your questions are getting harder & harder. It’s tough for us old folks to think back that far. I think for me it was “For Your Love” by the Yardbirds and maybe “This Diamond Ring” by Gary Lewis and the Playboys.
Oh, you two are testing my memory, I never took guitar lessons.. I learned by watching my brother and his friends play(I was in 3rd grade). So I would sit and practice the chords but no real songs. I think the first song I actually played the whole way through by myself was “You got to try a little kindness” by Glen Campbell.
Well…since I have an aunt who is a church organist/pianist and we had a Bontempi eletric piano and I own still a smaller Bontempi portable keyboard…I’m going with … ” Mary Had A Little Lamb”/”Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star”/”Silent Night” that I learned on my aunt’s piano that she has at her place ( they both have come with her through a few house moves over the yrs ) and what I learned on our Bontempi electric piano that my older brothers and I got one Xmas…lol…I kinda figured out on my own by ear , a bit of Bill Wither’s ” Lean On Me ” on my aunt’s piano… I so enjoy playing tambourine, and have played the triangle in my church’s music group, pre Covid times over the years and th our public libraries here , offer a music instrument loan orogram where up to a few wks, you can borrow from a limited supply of instruments…do far, I’ve tried a few drum percussion instruments such as bongos and a thimba one… a banjo … a uke… lol… I also own a basic harmonica, tin whistle, exotic prong percussion instruments, my own basic uke (yes it’s purple)…I cannot play the uke or banjo much….I have issues with eye/brain/hand coordination…. but do enjoy playing the other instruments and of course singing…. I used to play around with my 2 nd oldest bros guitar/amp when he wasn’t home or no one else home…one day I got caught….lol…he was half angry but half impressed with the rythmn sense I had going ….lol…????
So you were fellow pionosts!!! Or how every you spell it?
Lol…only Dibble dabble, nowhere near anything significant…lol….can’t read music …only hum along and try and find key/sound that matches my voice range, if I could play anything useful/significant, most likely it would be by ear….lol…. The Bontempi piano that my older bros and I got had numbers and key stickers on piano/in songbook that came with it to learn by, I’m also a visual learner…. I’d be lost in the piano chatting, I’m afraid ….lol… same thing goes for all the other instruments I mentioned that I’ve played/own, hum or sing what I want to do and go from there … I do have sense of rhythm my 2nd oldest bro told me when frikkin around on his guitar years ago and on his buddy’s drum set that was at our house in basement for awhile for their jam sessions that went on every so often on a wknd …. I have to play things my own special way, not the conventional/normal way it is done…lol ????????
Boy, you’re making this rough on us old folks. 😉 I started with organ lessons when I was 10. I remember playing Camp Town Races but that was not the first song I learned. I started playing Guitar at 15 and “House of the Rising Sun” was probably the first thing I learned to strum. The one first I do recall for sure, is Vincent by Don Maclean was the first song I learned to finger pick.
Oh my, oh my!!!! What a great surprise. Thank you so much! The instrument I learned to play is called YouTube. It doesn’t require much practice, but it needs WiFi and the internet. It sounds great and it plays 100s of different songs by MonaLisa Twins. Thanks again! Merry Christmas. See you tomorrow. XOXO
Congrats Alex! ????
Hello to the family! I learned to play the violin starting in 6th grade. Played thru 9th grade and stopped when I went to high school. Tried guitar years later, but just didn’t get it. Maybe if I had started when I was younger. Now I just play the CD player. Any way. I so enjoy the MLT Club.
Frère Jacques was the first song I learned to play on the guitar. I was very young and remember the best part was playing the bells on the A and E notes very close to the bridge. At that age, I was learning children songs and folk songs. Yellow Submarine was probably the first Beatles song. Blowing in the Wind, by Dylan was another I learned early on.
I’m really enjoying the Advent tea calendar, though I’m not really a fan of the green teas, chamomile, or anything with cinnamon. I love having tea at night before going to bed and it’s usually an Earl Gray. If it’s any other time of day, I have English Breakfast. Both with milk and sugar. Unless I’m having throat issues, and then it’s with hot tea with lemon and honey.
☕ enjoy a “cuppa”!
Tried all kinds of instruments at various times, including (briefly) the dulcimer (still in the closet) but was never really successful. One of the few songs I learned all the way thru was Can’t Help Falling in Love.
I started learning guitar at 15. There was a popular instrumental group at that time, The Ventures. Do not know if you have heard of them. They put out some LPs called, Learn To Play Guitar With The Ventures. So the first song I learned was “Walk, Don’t Run”, by the Ventures. I want to thank you for the picks you included in a recent order. I am using them and like them very much. Thank you, Mona and Lisa!
I took piano lessons from 1st grade through 6th grade, and then went to the drums for a little bit. I have no idea what song I learned first, although it was probably a classical piece because that is what my teacher liked. LOL
There are several instruments for me but piano remains my basic instrument throughout life.
https://flic.kr/p/2mP9mSW
As it turned out, the first ever tune played in life was Chopsticks because our family had a grand piano in the living room. A lot of people don’t think of piano as a percussion instrument, but if you ever learn Chopsticks, it’s not that difficult to imagine.
Lately, I’ve started learning the Hurdy Gurdy, which also seems to be somewhere in the field of percussive instruments. Eventually, electric guitar would became the most interesting of all instruments to me because you can bend notes.
The first tune learned on the electric guitar was The Martian Boogie, by Brownsville Station.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CXzPrEHFHQ
My first instrument was the ukulele. The first song I learned was I’m a Believer.
I knew that was going to happen! I already have all the CDs so now I’ll have to figure out who would be best to gift them to. Don’t want to throw pearls to the swine (even if they’re still a friend of mine). lol. Maybe I’ll just keep them unopened so that when you two are as famous as the Beatles I’ll have a real collector’s item!
The guitar strap is the thing I’ve been most wanting in terms of MLT gear, but I just can’t justify spending twice as much on the postage as on the actual item! I’m sad to hear about the picks not being available because mine are starting to get worn and will need replacing soon. I guess I should just have kept them pristine and unused for posterity.
Mona – we’re still tea twins. English Breakfast is my favorite of the mainstream teas. Lately, my favorite has become “Breakfast in Paris” by Stash Tea. My other go-to is Orange Spice, but only if it’s real black tea and it depends on who makes it. Again, I’m partial to Stash. I don’t like anything in my tea, just black.
I’ve been playing (read: noodling at) guitar for about 35 years, so I have no earthly idea what the first song I learned might have been. I’ve been playing recorder for a while, but the first song I learned there was some traditional folk tune in my lesson book. I recently decided to incorporate ukulele, and the first actual song I “translated” from guitar was probably “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis. I took piano lessons for years as a kid, but again, no way I could remember what the first song I might have learned 40 some years ago would have been. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Helter Skelter! ROFL
If I had all the time and talent in the world, I would really like to play banjo and cello.
Congrats Roger! ???? May you win more.
If I win the guitar strap, I’ll trade you 😉
I started playing drums around 1970 but don’t remember the first song I learned. No doubt it was a hard rock song though. When I started learning rhythm guitar I bought a chord book to teach myself but don’t remember the first song I learned. Early 1970’s is a LONG time ago! One of my guitar friends taught me barre chords in the mid 70’s.
Oh yeah, I take my tea with whole milk and slightly sweet.
Good morning everyone, the musician in me died in the first days of trying to learn to play guitar, for now it is not in my plans to resume it, but I would like to learn.
I thank Mona and Lisa for letting us be part of their traditions.
Greetings to today’s winners.
I started learning guitar while in the US NAVY while stationed in Rota, Spain. I really don’t remeber which song was first but I can tell you about the same time (1982) I purchased my first VCR and the first tape I bought was the Beatles LET IT BE. I loved it because I could watch and learn how they learned their songs.
The fist song i learned was Skip To My Lou in D
I learned how to play the drums and the first song I learned was I love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 🙂
I was at a bar show just the other night to hear a friend’s band. They just cover classic rock tunes and they played I Love Rock and Roll. The drumming was horrible! (The drummer is pretty good though so maybe that was the first time he played it).
I would like to play guitar.
I bought an acoustic guitar to learn to play during COVID lockdowns. Sadly, it’s still in the case, but it’s on my bucket list!
I play the drums and Wipe Out was my first song learned
I’m also one who has never played an instrument. If I had, it would have most likely been a guitar. With all my other interests, I would have most likely not become very proficient at playing the guitar, certainly never even close to Lisa’s great play.
In the morning I’m a coffee person. When I drink tea, like many Americans, I drink my tea weak. I usually just drink cheap green or black tea, but my favorite tea is oolong – not a common variety in stores here.
Can I just say many thanks for your Christmas card which I got today – it’s really lovely!
I did have a acoustic guitar in the 80s but only managed simple strumming and never learned it seriously – too much real music to listen to. I think nowadays I would learn piano or even a synth! Probably because I am also into computer software so it would seem an extension of a keyboard.
I’ve got to be honest I don’t have a musical bone in my body ????
If I did I would learn guitar and play some of the amazing rock solos out there (Pink Floyd, Free, Zepplin etc?) Aways fancied learning the saxophone as well due to its ability to switch from soulful vibe to fill on groove (like the dearly departed Clarence Clemons) #GrooviusMaximus
Hi Mona and Lisa, I was eleven years old and in a garage band. I played rhythm guitar and the first song was Last train to Clarksville by The Monkees. It had just hit the airwaves on A.M. radio and was very easy to learn!, not many chords. I have a question, What time will your livestream be?
Randall, I believe they said in a previous video that it would be at 10 PM GMT.
My first instrument was a Spanish Guitar – and the first song I remember I could play by heart, was actually a melody by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, “Tijuana Taxi”
“On the sixth day of Advent, we got from MLT: two straps and pick sets, twooooo CD paaaaacks… three memberships, eight posters, two felted lambs, and three hand-signed Christmas CD’s.”
My first instrument was the flutophone/recorder, which we all learned in school when I was eight. It could only play a C major scale, so that’s the key everything was in. I believe the first song we learned was Mary Had a Little Lamb (the non-felted kind), but the G notes were replaced with E’s because we hadn’t learned G yet.
When I first picked up the ukulele a couple of years ago my priority was to find a song I knew and liked that had a minimum number of chords and chord changes. I settled on Leaving on a Jet Plane, which is just C-F-C-F-C-F-G over and over.
I’ve always been a singer in our band, but our two guitarists would both love one of your prizes. Myself I would have loved to learn the saxophone, but I don’t think I would have the puff anymore ????
I don’t really play any instruments, though I have played with many (My dad could play anything)
I think, maybe, someday, I will try to learn to play the ukulele, I have a cheap one in the closet 😉
First, thank you so much for the free month prize! Even without the prizes your Daily Advent Calendar brightens our Holidays! We do appreciate you! Now, like every teenager in the 60’s I had a guitar which I would strum and try to learn the latest licks. But nothing major but it was fun. Then when I graduated my parents bought me a banjo which I still have. Pulled it out recently and bought new strings but I’m not ready for the Grand Ole Opry just yet!
Good morning girls
I started playing piano 57 years ago and still play today I honestly can’t remember the 1st song that I learned to play but it was most likely classical however My son is an aspiring country musician. He
majored in music at Penn State University and graduated December 2019. Unfortunately we went into lockdown the following month and that kind of put his plans whitch is Nashville, on hold. He plays 11 instruments in all But his main instrument is guitar by far And if I We’re to be lucky enough to win I would by all means pass that gift on to my son for a Christmas present which would by all means blow his mind. Have a wonderful day, Rich
My main instrument is the accordion. I found the material that went with the first lesson I had (see picture). The song we learnt is called the “Theo Song”, named after Theo, our mascot, who you can also see in the photo 🙂 The song consists of three notes only and the lyrics translate roughly like this:
g,g,g and e,e,e and don’t forget a
that’s what I practise three times a day before dinner time
😉
I just saw that this was actually my first melodica lesson… I learnt to play the melodica before the accordion. It looks like the key side of it and instead of working the bellows, you just blow into it, so I guess it’s easier to play for beginners.
When we started with the accordion a year later, we did some bass, bellows and fingering exercises and then came back to this song.
On Clarinet… was nearly 50 years ago and cannot really remember, but probably ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ or some other nursery rhyme common in 1st Primers. 1st Concert was a movement from one of the Mozart Wind Serenades and last formal concert was soloist in the Weber Clarinet Concertina.
On Piano …Hey Jude I think (again about 50 yrs ago)…. on Harpsichord …the Bach C Major Prelude (the Ave Maria one) ….on Organ…trying to fumble through the Bach D Minor Toccata & Fugue…. on Guitar…Cion a’Bhunta’ta (Scottish Gaelic – Scarce o Tatties). Most recently (last week) on Mandolin…Cavehill (an Irish Jig).
Played around on a few other instruments, but not any degree of serious intention.
The first instrument I learned to play as a child was the piano. I can’t clearly remember what song I learned first but I do remember the first one I played in a recital. It was “All Through the Night” from a Welsh folk song. I’ve loved the song ever since! Later I took up violin, guitar, and an assortment of other instruments for the joy of making music.
I started playing flute and guitar around the same time. The first song I learned on flute was Penny Lane and the first song I learned on guitar was Free Fallin’.
I choose to played flute in my middle school band because I was convinced I was going to be the next Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and I picked up guitar because I was convinced I was going to be the next Chet Atkins. I’m not quite there yet.
There will never be another Ian Anderson. They broke the mold. But I’m happy to hear you aspired to greatness!
Bonjour tout le monde.
Great to see you wearing your psychedelic blouses again.
I had a guitar in my teens and tried to learn some folk songs, the friend that attempted to teach me was a folkie. Sadly, whilst I quickly picked up the chords that she showed me I found moving my fingers from one chord shape to another very hard. This was possibly due to the amount of cricket that I played and the hard ball harming my fingers but more likely it was that I wasn’t really committed to it. David, the youngest of the 3 brothers briefly took up bass and learnt ‘Smoke on the Water’ as well. He didn’t last long for similar reasons to me.
Instruments that I would like to play, apart from guitar, are stand up bass, I love a lot of trad jazz bass lines, the clarinet and also the drums. One of my friends once said that if the group of us ever formed a band (very very unlikely!!!) he could see me on the bass or drums i.e. in the rhythm section. He is a good judge of character as I don’t really like being ‘the star’ but I love being part of a team. Of course, that entails sometimes being the star which is ok but too often makes me feel uneasy.
As for my tea. I like it tan brown, that is not too strong but not a lot of milk. I used to have sugar in it but weened myself of this about 10years ago for health reasons. I now rarely add anything (sugar, salt and the like) to my drinks or food as there is enough in it already. It has to be what is now termed ‘English Breakfast Tea’, which is really just a pompous way of saying traditional tea.
In the small chance I win the guitar strap tomorrow, I’ve thought of a creative way to strap it to my piano! ???? Or if that doesn’t work, will have to learn the guitar too which I was planning to one day.
I’m kind of straddling between a musician and non musician because I certainly have a very long way to go right now to consider myself able to play the piano competently. The first real full piece I practiced and learned to play on the piano was a simplified for beginners version of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. It was for a piano competition the music school I was taking lessons from was putting on, and my instructor felt it would be good for me. I remember back in the 90s watching the Beethoven movie “Immortal Beloved” at the theaters when it first came out on a big date, and so my choice of the Moonlight Sonata might have been motivated by wanting to impress the girl I was dating at the time.
I posted this clip of me practicing the moonlight Sonata back in the 90s somewhere in the last Advent. It’s not often I can subject people to my bad piano playing, so I will take advantage of it here. For the record I did get better by the time the competition came along.
BTW I like my tea black and strong. Sometimes I enjoy it with a lot of cream and sugar, especially Chai Tea.
https://youtu.be/5XDTj7LA96M
I wish I could ever play something like this, Jung. A friend of mine is a good piano player and I know how much effort and work goes into playing something like this. This has always kept me from learning a musical instrument.
Hi Jurgen. When I learned to play Moonlight Sonata, a piece of music I really liked, it was kind of surreal being able to create it yourself feeling every note and mistake, and feeling great when you got it right, and you controlled every nuance. There is much to be said for creating music with your own faculties. I highly recommend learning an instrument. I took a temporary hiatus from my lessons, but unfortunately it extended into a 20+ years break. I took up the piano again last year doing youtube tutorials, and it feels like I am starting all over again. I hope to pick up the pace when I can retire.
That’s awesome but what about the rest? How did you do with the 3rd movement? 😀
Thanks Roger. I plan to do the 3rd movement on electric guitar! LOL. ????
In my dreams. When I hear this on the guitar, it makes me believe if Beethoven was here now, he would be a Hendrix, Clapton, or Van Halen. Beethoven was in fact a master musician/virtuoso on the piano in his day that no one could match. To go from such a hauntingly beautiful first movement to this spectacular 3rd movement just shows how emotionally dynamic Beethoven’s music is. He takes you through an incredible emotional journey. Kind of reminds me of the way Orange ends from a hard rocking Club 27 to a hauntingly beautiful Still A Friend of Mine.
To do the whole Moonlight Sonata (all 3 movements) proficiently like one of my CDs will be my lifetime achievement goal on the piano.
ROFL! I actually thought of this when I wrote that response! She blows my mind.
Hello Ladies,
At one time I tried playing the Trombone (I know “you love that tone”) the only song I ever learned was Down In The Valley.
If I could I would love to play Drums. They fascinate me to no end.
So now I look at it as Mona is playing for me.❤❤❤
I get so much enjoyment out of watching Mona play her Drum Kit. Thanks so much for including some clips in your songs now. ????????
Best always Ladies
Rick
I got my first guitar as a Christmas gift from my parents when I was 13. My older brother suggested that I get a copy of the first book in the Mel Bay guitar instruction series. I learned the basic chord patterns from that, then got a copy of the sheet music songbook for the album “Who’s Next” by The Who, and started to learn some songs from the chord diagrams. I think the very first was the chord sequence in Baba O’Riley, which I quickly learned was a common sequence used in lots of rock & pop songs. Loved Lisa’s Herman’s Hermits reference with “No Milk Today,” by the way!
I learned to play guitar by ear when I was young and the first song I learned on the guitar was I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash
My first instrument, probably like many English children, was a recorder and I think the first song was probably Frere Jacques.
The first song I learned to play on guitar was House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals.
I use to take bass lessons from a friend years ago and the first song he taught me to play beginning to end was Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.
My career as a musician began exactly in the 4 school year. I was allowed to play the triangle (the only musical instrument my music teacher trusted me with) during a church service. Unfortunately, after this performance my music career ended very quickly. My second musical instrument was a record player. This instrument I mastered excellently until today. But now seriously: I would have liked to learn to play guitar or maybe keyboard.
The first song I learned to play was please dont tease by Cliff Richard more recently I learnt hotel California by the eagles
I think the first song was an attempt to play from a piece of sheet music for Tonight from West Side Story. I was basically trying to play the vocal melody to learn where the notes were on the guitar. That was around age 13 or 14. Then I asked Santa for an electric and got a cheap Les Paul copy and a little Peavey amp. I learned some basic barre chords and it was Smoke On The Water over and over and a bad rendition of Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama for hours on end.
Good Times
JP
Hi, the first song I learned to play from beginning to end was Roll Over Beethoven.
Hi Mona and Lisa! I played brass: trombone, baritone, and euphonium. I would like to learn some guitar. I have no idea what the first song I learned was. I honestly can’t remember.
Would like to play ukulele
I learned how to play Silent Night on the blues harp.