Music

Haven’t blogged for a while, largely because I had repeat exams & am now extremely determined to utilize my time working on my moot. Also, because I haven’t done anything worthy of a blog post or the time I take in writing one.

Today’s post is dedicated to Music. The post comes out of listening to this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAQynQk_qhM&feature=youtu.be). No, the creator of that video has not requested me for an endorsement, but I’m obligated to give you something to connect to what I’m feeling right now.

Watch the video. You won’t understand much in furtherance of your attempt to understand my blog, but you’ll get something to go on.

The boy in that video is a classmate of mine from the 5th Grade. Way back then, when I was in Dubai, Haider & I used to be pretty good friends. We had pretty much the same interest in music, and he was on my bus route. Pretty fun.

This may be difficult to believe if you know what I sound like now, but prior to the cracking of my voice, I had the ability to sing. I attended Carnatic lessons for a while & loved Western music. My voice was pretty high-pitched, and Haider and I used to be invited/forced by our class teacher to sing for the class at times.

My school used to do this pretty awesome thing where each Grade put up an annual concert. As fate would have it, I used to end up being the narrator of said concert every time. I even danced at this Rock Challenge thing (not joking, dressed as a Dalmatian) where I ended up having to answer judge’s questions (the dance had to reflect a social cause).

Conversations with Haider make me pretty nostalgic haha. In the 5th, we did our annual concert inspired by the Beatles. He was Paul McCartney as far I can remember, and I was narrator+choir member. I sang vocals for Strawberry Fields Forever, the Yellow Submarine, Help!, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds & more. The trauma I would cause people by singing these songs now (I mean, with my current voice), would be immeasurable.

Haider, on the other hand, has grown so much as a musician. His voice cracked more beautifully, if I can put it that way. Some of his originals are absolutely marvelous, and all of his covers do such justice to the original songs.

I might have gone out of the singing business, but my parents ensured/forced me to learn the piano. This started when my uncle bought me a keyboard way back when I was in the 2nd Grade. I used to mess around with the Presets – including My Heart Will Go On & such fun things, and they used to get very excited that I knew how to play it. Dad, Mom, these were presets. Sorry if I lied to you guys.

I switched out of piano classes faster that Usain Bolt finished the 100m race in London.

That’s pushing it, but I did switch out of classes often. This meant that I was constantly un-learning. That is, unlearning the method a previous instructor had taught me, to latch onto a new instructor’s method. Plus, I never really loved my instrument, so I didn’t practice or anything.

That was until Glen Perry. His academy was awesome. My mum drove me till Karama every Saturday, sitting in the sweltering heat for one hour as I learnt bits and pieces of the keyboard without thinking about the plethora of things she could accomplish in that time. (Thanks Amma). That allowed me to love the keyboard.

When we moved to India, I didn’t play for a year (outside of Music classes at school). I began to detest the piano/keyboard because it wasn’t as mobile as a guitar (an instrument ALL my friends could play). We spent one year looking for an instructor who taught well & came all the way till Whitefield. And when we finally did, it was incredible.

He taught me everything I know (not that I know a lot). More than anything, he taught me to be methodical in learning. He went by the book, so I didn’t learn pieces I wanted to learn, but I did develop some discipline, which helped a lot with exams & things. His classes allowed me to develop a love for music.

I discovered Torrents around the same time, which fuelled the aforementioned love.

That’s the story of my relationship with music. There’s a whole lot more, but I have work to do.

Haider, your passion for music is commendable, buddy. I mean, you’re in Prague, studying medicine. You recorded that clip after studying for 12 hours. That’s crazy, buddy. (In a good way, of course).

You can be a mender of hearts (cardio specialist) and a mender of souls (with that guitar).