Quote:

Russ,
In the earlier posts you only talked about the trumpet playing and how you played pro etc. In this thread you mostly talked about being a pro piano player. So in haste I thought you may be a troll so posted the standard warning. It was thus pointed out at the same time I looked closer that that was not the case.
The ... means I deleted the message.



John,

I think I mentioned in my post, "Following college I played TRUMPET professionally for approximately six years." I have never, ever mentioned to anyone, at any time, that I have been a pro piano player. I would NOT disrespect ANY professional musician by inferring that I am, or ever have been a professional pianist. Yes I do play piano and back in the day, I was very good at it -- Not to mention that it was the direction my parents would have wished for me. But, as I thought that I'd pointed out ... I myself preferred the trumpet and thus, the direction my music life took. As old as they are today (and yes, I'm old now too), they still wish I'd have concentrated on piano. I think I was only trying to tell people how BIAB has helped me and most especially because my disabilities have kept me from music for quite awhile. It only recently occurred to me that others who have a disability could do the same using this program.

My piano skills actually made it easier for me to learn trumpet (as I started playing trumpet in 6th grade band, but I started piano at age 8). My parents spent a considerable amount of time (and probably money -- I'm assuming that) on "their" fix, trying to create a piano player like my grand-dad. I studied under my grandfather (aka Pat Patterson), who was in my opinion, THE most musically-talented man I'd ever known (yes, I am biased a little I think). He was a radio-station producer (WHLS in Port Huron, Michigan), a classical pianist performer and instructor, and he played the Vaudeville circuit when he was a young man. Unfortunately for my parents (and grandpa I'm afraid), my "fix" was always the trumpet. So it's been my philosophy that I'm a good pianist at my families' expense but I'm a good trumpet player at my own and I'll tell you why ...

Entering the military gave me something I couldn't have elsewhere (especially after high-school) as I was able to get a money-paying job, go to college if I wanted, and I would be able to play in an Army Band. It wasn't my first choice, but I couldn't get enough funding for college anyhow and my parents didn't have the funds to send me (not to mention that my bag was performing, not learning how to play and at that time that's what my view of going to college was -- learning to play). So in the service I was given a promise by the base band director that he'd consider changing my MOS (military occupation) if I'd finish my college program -- I took that to mean, getting my Associates Degree but I found out later he had other ideas (I'm not sure a Master's would have satisfied him). Anyway, he didn't hold up to his end of the bargain. To my delight though, I did mange to spend 6+ months playing and teaching theory at Norfolk, Virginia (other stuff too but that was my favorite hitch). I loved it so much because I was able to hear the band actually play a few jazz scores that my grandpa and I had tinkered with in the jazz band my last year of high-school. I had some great times in those years and I was blessed so much for even the small opportunities that came my way. Regrettably, I did return to soldiering and I ended up at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky (101st Airborne). I say regrettably, not out of any disrespect for the service, but because a few months later I had a bad fall (I fell while repelling out of a helicopter). So, that was the end of something -- and the start of something new. I was medically (honorably) discharged, "back to the world." Too bad for me because I was one of those weirdo's that loved military life -- and I could have stayed to retirement I think.

Ya know, my wife and I raised five kids and not one of them could stand learning music. Can you believe that! They loved their CD's and their boom boxes and the music videos on TV but not one of them had the ambition to learn anything formal about it. Well the saying goes, "What comes around goes around." Well, I spent quite a bit of money on every one of those kids trying to get at least one of them to learn an instrument. Not one! Oh, well ... I've got grand-kids to work on now so maybe I get lucky.

So, thank you for the explanation about your post. As you see, I'm not as Internet-savvy as I probably should be, hanging out here among you guys especially. I'm computer literate enough (as I worked in the computer industry), but sad to say, I guess I just never got turned on by the Internet life and so when I would get home from work, I kept a great distance from the PC. Some years later I became permanently disabled and so the BIAB program (and people) have really been a sort of coming-out for me, music-wise. When I left working, things really went downhill for me. That's kinda' why I felt compelled to thank PG for it only I wasn't sure how I should do that. Maybe a post on the forum isn't the best idea.

One final note ... I don't know what a "troll" is either -- sorry, still learning modern net-speak. Or maybe I'm just too old and unwilling to learn this stuff anymore.

Ike