Piano

I've been getting the itch lately to get back to the piano. I have tried several times over the years to learn. I took lessons for maybe a month when I was younger, but the teacher moved and we never signed up for lessons again. I asked my mom a time or two to give me a lesson and she was happy to oblige. I can remember me plunking through a song and her telling me from the kitchen, "B sharp" or "that should be an E" haha. It's kind of crazy that both of my parents play the piano well, but none of us kids play. 

Anyway, I've also expressed my interest in learning to several friends over the years who then kindly offered to give me a lesson or two to give me a little start and help me 'learn on my own' (Sara Purcell, Rachelle Reid, Erica Lane (from BYU)), etc. It was clear though that I just didn't have the discipline or know how to teach myself and I needed some accountability. So about 5 years ago I started looking for a teacher and my friend Sylinda from the singles ward said she was learning to teach and would love to teach me. We could help each other! So I took lessons for about a year and a half from her. I definitely made some progress and enjoyed it well enough, but then she also moved.

Then Justin came along and I was busy dating ☺, then Nolan came along, then Branson and I was busy playing mommy ♥. Finally a few months ago I decided I really wanted to try again and hopefully find something more long term this time. I absolutely love hearing the piano being played and would love to have beautiful music in my home. I'd also love for my boys to take lessons when they get a bit older.

 I'm at a time in my life where I just don't have time for everything. It feels like balls are always being dropped whether it's housework, or going to the temple, or reading my scriptures, or working out, or cooking a nice meal, or laundry, etc. but I decided that learning piano really is at the top of my priority list, and is worth the effort to keep that ball in the air. 

So one night I got on Thumbtack, filled out the form, told my story, and within an hour I had a few teachers express interest in teaching me. Awesome! I looked at reviews, location, etc. and narrowed it down to two teachers who I asked to have a practice lesson with. Only one responded so the next week I went for my first lesson with Chelsey.

Best decision ever.

I could tell from the first lesson that she was the one I wanted to hire and there was no need to go back to the drawing board. I've been in lessons for not quite 3 months now and I have learned more in that short time than the entire year and a half I took lessons before. Before I was playing out of the grey simplified hymnbook and thought the 'real' hymnbook was much too difficult for me. But she had me playing from that and the Children's Songbook the first week! And with every confidence that I could do it. I'm learning music theory, how to sight read better and faster, etc. I'm just so so so excited about my progress! I sit down to the piano and I enjoy practicing because I can actually play new pieces without completely losing interest half way through!

I've been using a keyboard that I bought a few years ago and it's worked well - you can play hard and soft on it (which is better than a lot of cheaper keyboards), but the keys weren't weighted and I really wanted to find a nicer digital piano that was closer to the feel of a real piano. After several weeks of scouring KSL I found one! I got this baby at a pawn shop. It's a Yamaha and it's in great shape, just some very minor cosmetic issues. They were selling it for $600, but after some coaxing from Justin I negotiated a bit and got them down to $475! Unheard of for a Yamaha, even an older one!

I'm absolutely loving it so practicing is even more awesome lately ☺ Now I just have to pray that Chelsey doesn't move any time soon. Seriously, if she's still around in a few years I'm sending Nolan to her.