I have always marvelled how people created music, to write a song is not difficult but to entwine a melody to the lyrics and gel them together. What comes first, the melody or the lyrics? I discovered I had learning difficulties when I was learning to play the classical piano when I was 7. I am good at audio learning but if you ask me to transcribe notes from a score to the piano keys, I simply can't do it. That was the reason why I dropped out after grade one for my pianoforte exams. I excelled in all my compulsory pieces (all of which I pretended to look at the score in front of me), all very convincing. I basically play and learnt by ear. When it came to sight reading (ie. given a foreign piece of score to play), I froze. Needless to say, I did not bother picking up my certificate. I further confirmed my "disability" when learning shorthand. Those bean spouts strokes were unbelievably terrifying. To convert sound to strokes, how bizarre was that? Again, mission failed. I took audio transcription instead and aced. But so far no company I worked for uses a transcriber. So I am back to square one, but I had to create my own shorthand, a skill I picked up at junior college. You basically drop most vowels and just put a small g to represent all the "ing", which we are all doing now in our sms, twit or whatever. Everything was possible even if you had to start drawing a circle to mean circumference cuz only you will understand your own scribbles, no one else, and I quite like that idea. Its like my secret code.
I have always been exposed to music. In primary school I was in an emsemble, playing percussion, in secondary school I was in the choir and again in junior college, I became vice-president of the college choir. Participating in Singapore Youth Festivals in Victoria and Kallang Theatre and coming back with an award for the school was the order of the day, we gave it our best even if it was just a merit award, it was still an accolade. I enjoyed the rush that few seconds before we come on stage - which I really enjoyed. Quite recently I stumbled upon a catholic website looking for volunteers to sing carols for the prisoners at Changi. The very thought was refreshing - hey these inmates are also missing Christmas and shouldn't we bring some festivities to them, nevermind what crime they commited. I called them up and they immediately sent me a practice schedule (I guess not many are keen). Should be easy I know all my traditional carols, been singing them all my life. Thing is I needed a "kaki" to come with me, one who will not call me "siow" (crazy). She freaked me out and I lost the chance. But I think I will try again this year, kaki or no kaki, I can do this alone...definitely. Will see.
Dad introduced me to jazz and R&B. He bought Miles Davis and The Stylistics. Our family enjoyed a wide genre of music. Mum was more into country and western and was a regular at a record store in Holland V. Mag (my sister) and I bought every Donny and Marie album. there was. My favourites then were Andy Gibb, David Gates (who doesn't know Goodbye Girl), Bee Gees (ah ah ah ah Stayin Alive), ONJ, Soundtrack of Xanadu, Grease. Then came the 80s, Madonna (Lucky Star), Spandau Ballet (True), Duran Duran (Hungry Like a Wolf), Culture Club (Karma Chameleon), Wham (Wake Me Up Before You Go Go), you name it I got them all. I miss the vinyls, there were bulky, and lots of work to maintain their crisp sound. Humidity - their greatest enemy. I don't live in the east, so warped vinyls I don't encounter due to the salty air. Mould must be removed with alcohol wiped in one direction or you get crackling sound when the stylus hit the vinyl. Stylus cost a bomb and had to be treated with so much care. But I love the fuss but I also love the convenience of compact disc. With so much music ripping these days, I am glad to say I still buy CDs, I love to unravel the CD cases, tear the plastic film, examine the reflective CD and read the sleeve, knowing who the songs were written for makes it even more meaningful. Enjoying music encompass all the senses.
You know how certain songs reminds you of certain phases and milestones in your life? Whenever I hear "Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carmen, it will remind me of orientation at junior college. They kept playing this song in the hall during ice breakers. A boy I fancied liked the song by Reo Speedwagon "Can't Fight This Feeling" but he fancied this other girl who was prettier than me - how shallow..but I often associated this song to him.
Every couple has their song. I do have a song with Paul, Glen Medeiros' "Me Minus You Equals Blue", we had a verse from the opening line of the song...."with all my heart, I pledge my love forever" inscribed in our wedding invite and Barbara's Streisand & Bryan Adam's "I've Finally Found Someone" from the movie the Mirror Has Two Faces, which we used for our march in. Whenever the deejay plays our song, it just makes us relive the moment. Music and its power.
These days, I have lost touch with mainstream music, I cannot name one song from Beyonce, I don't know what a Green Day is and I don't tune in to 98.7FM. Instead I tune in to oldie mouldy Gold 90.5FM, I like familiar tunes, so I can hum along if not sing. Music do calm the nerves. Whenever I hear Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, I sense peace and I will never forget my principal Colleen getting me to rewind the VCR to this track before our faculty meeting and we had this song played while the teachers chilled for 3 mins before we start our weekly staff meeting. No one else will do this. Its radical, not work related but so effective. If ever I get to manage a team, I will take this useful tip with me.
I can live without TV but never without music. If I am ever trapped in an island alone, I hope I have my ipod but then what happens when the battery runs out.....? What's music to you? For me, I can't sleep without my radio, its that not an intimate relationship, what is? I already know what flowers I want at my funeral now I need to work on the music...hey you only die once, you better have some control over it. Taking about flowers, look out for my next post.
I have always been exposed to music. In primary school I was in an emsemble, playing percussion, in secondary school I was in the choir and again in junior college, I became vice-president of the college choir. Participating in Singapore Youth Festivals in Victoria and Kallang Theatre and coming back with an award for the school was the order of the day, we gave it our best even if it was just a merit award, it was still an accolade. I enjoyed the rush that few seconds before we come on stage - which I really enjoyed. Quite recently I stumbled upon a catholic website looking for volunteers to sing carols for the prisoners at Changi. The very thought was refreshing - hey these inmates are also missing Christmas and shouldn't we bring some festivities to them, nevermind what crime they commited. I called them up and they immediately sent me a practice schedule (I guess not many are keen). Should be easy I know all my traditional carols, been singing them all my life. Thing is I needed a "kaki" to come with me, one who will not call me "siow" (crazy). She freaked me out and I lost the chance. But I think I will try again this year, kaki or no kaki, I can do this alone...definitely. Will see.
Dad introduced me to jazz and R&B. He bought Miles Davis and The Stylistics. Our family enjoyed a wide genre of music. Mum was more into country and western and was a regular at a record store in Holland V. Mag (my sister) and I bought every Donny and Marie album. there was. My favourites then were Andy Gibb, David Gates (who doesn't know Goodbye Girl), Bee Gees (ah ah ah ah Stayin Alive), ONJ, Soundtrack of Xanadu, Grease. Then came the 80s, Madonna (Lucky Star), Spandau Ballet (True), Duran Duran (Hungry Like a Wolf), Culture Club (Karma Chameleon), Wham (Wake Me Up Before You Go Go), you name it I got them all. I miss the vinyls, there were bulky, and lots of work to maintain their crisp sound. Humidity - their greatest enemy. I don't live in the east, so warped vinyls I don't encounter due to the salty air. Mould must be removed with alcohol wiped in one direction or you get crackling sound when the stylus hit the vinyl. Stylus cost a bomb and had to be treated with so much care. But I love the fuss but I also love the convenience of compact disc. With so much music ripping these days, I am glad to say I still buy CDs, I love to unravel the CD cases, tear the plastic film, examine the reflective CD and read the sleeve, knowing who the songs were written for makes it even more meaningful. Enjoying music encompass all the senses.
You know how certain songs reminds you of certain phases and milestones in your life? Whenever I hear "Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carmen, it will remind me of orientation at junior college. They kept playing this song in the hall during ice breakers. A boy I fancied liked the song by Reo Speedwagon "Can't Fight This Feeling" but he fancied this other girl who was prettier than me - how shallow..but I often associated this song to him.
Every couple has their song. I do have a song with Paul, Glen Medeiros' "Me Minus You Equals Blue", we had a verse from the opening line of the song...."with all my heart, I pledge my love forever" inscribed in our wedding invite and Barbara's Streisand & Bryan Adam's "I've Finally Found Someone" from the movie the Mirror Has Two Faces, which we used for our march in. Whenever the deejay plays our song, it just makes us relive the moment. Music and its power.
These days, I have lost touch with mainstream music, I cannot name one song from Beyonce, I don't know what a Green Day is and I don't tune in to 98.7FM. Instead I tune in to oldie mouldy Gold 90.5FM, I like familiar tunes, so I can hum along if not sing. Music do calm the nerves. Whenever I hear Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, I sense peace and I will never forget my principal Colleen getting me to rewind the VCR to this track before our faculty meeting and we had this song played while the teachers chilled for 3 mins before we start our weekly staff meeting. No one else will do this. Its radical, not work related but so effective. If ever I get to manage a team, I will take this useful tip with me.
I can live without TV but never without music. If I am ever trapped in an island alone, I hope I have my ipod but then what happens when the battery runs out.....? What's music to you? For me, I can't sleep without my radio, its that not an intimate relationship, what is? I already know what flowers I want at my funeral now I need to work on the music...hey you only die once, you better have some control over it. Taking about flowers, look out for my next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment