On a Lighter Note

... or eighty-eight of them.

Back in the summer, I thought my experience of music would change, and from playing my own with occasional chances to listen to "real" music, I would be able to listen whenever I liked. I knew I'd miss playing, but thought it would be quite easily manageable. It's not as though I do it well enough to please anyone but myself, and music doesn't exactly flow from my fingers.

However, although it's great to be able to have music accompanying my every move around the house, nearly four months is a long time without a touch of a piano, I find. That surprises me. I suppose there's nothing quite like it for relaxation purposes, because it requires ongoing attention - a demand to live in the moment.

So some of my much-needed cash has been allocated to rectifying the situation.

I am expecting delivery (just as soon as the carrier company and I get in sync, which may take a while) of a keyboard. In a perfect world, I would get a concert grand piano, and in a very nice world, I would get a secondhand upright piano. As things are, I have neither the space nor the available resources for the genuine item. Fortunately, having dabbled in recording before now, I know of a company who produce keyboards that feel very close to the real thing, and they are not too expensive. They have no speakers and no built-in sounds, but that's easily sorted. Everything else entertaining in my house goes through a little computer and a hi-fi amplifier, so the keyboard can too. Being a Mac, it comes with music facilities built in.

The next problem is that I left all my music books back at my old home, thinking I wouldn't be able to use them. Maybe a visit is due, if it's not too painful on all sides.