#8 Learn to Play an Instrument

Like many school children in Britain I learnt to play the recorder when I was little. Being a smarty pants I learnt to play not only the standard descant recorder, but also the treble recorder, which is larger and has a more mellow, less trill sound. This meant I got to look clever and interesting in the recorder group, and play the harmony parts, which were, in fact, often easier than the melody.

My parents encouraged all of us to learn additional instruments. My brothers learnt the clarinet, my sister played the flute and I learnt the violin. Which was the hardest one. Categorically. Now I'm not just saying that to make excuses for not being very good. String instruments are really hard to play. With woodwind instruments like the flute or clarinet you basically either hit the note or you don't. Ok, you might mis-blow, but provided your finger covers the pad more or less, you'll get the note. With strings like the violin or cello there are many degrees in between. You need to plonk your finger on the string in exactly the right spot, half a millimetre either side and it's going to sound flat or sharp - e.g. horrible. And you need to have the string tensioned correctly in the first place too - if not you can put your finger in the right place and it'll still sound horrible. And then you need to master your bowing technique, which means drawing the bow across the strings in the correct manner and matching the speed you move the bow to the speed you move your fingers. Sound complicated? That's because it is.

Here's me demonstrating my skills after my first lesson:



The violin is a classic instrument. By which I mean the music written for violins is mostly classical, and written millions of years ago. It's not funky stuff like that which saxophonists get to belt out. As a teenager I don't really think I understood the music, which doubtless made a difference to how I played it.

I wouldn't say I was ever that good, but I played in several orchestras and passed my Grade 5 violin exam. I even played lead violin in a string quartet. Mum used to wheel me out to play in all the charity concerts she organised. So I must have been making a reasonable noise. I stopped playing when I went away to university so the husband had never heard my talents. Until we found some old cassette tapes recently and played one marked 'Helen Violin'. The husband's gob hit the floor when he heard a beautiful rendition of 'Chanson de Matin'. I couldn't believe how good I sounded and felt a bit gutted that I'd given it up. After 2 or 3 more wonderfully executed pieces there was a recording of a metronome setting a rhythm and that's when I realised that the tape was one my violin teacher had made to help me prepare for an exam. And yes, it was her playing, not me. Oh no. That was disappointing.

Still, I learnt an instrument and hope when I have children they will find an instrument they like to play - maybe a more forgiving one than the violin but as long as they have fun making some noise I'll be happy!