I started ukulele lessons again with my first instructor, Matt. It's convenient because the music school is right here in the Urban Village, so I don't have to fight my way across Seattle in our horrible afternoon traffic.
Besides, I really like Matt. Even though he's a serious young rock musician, he doesn't seem to mind his day job teaching guitar to kids and ukulele to senior citizens. And if you want to take up the banjo or mandolin, he can help there, too. He's very talented.
Matt can instantly sight read any song I put in front of him and play it perfectly on the ukulele, even if he's never heard "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" or "Catch the Wind" in his life. I find that impressive, although John says it's pretty much a given if you consider yourself an instructor.
Anyway, it was fun showing him what I've been practicing these past couple of years. When I first started the lessons, I'd just bought my ukulele and couldn't play a thing. He helped me most by transcribing some finger-picking practice material (he's a whiz at that) for old songs like "Amazing Grace" and "Scarborough Fair." Yesterday I played all of those back. Not that I blew his socks off with my ukulele virtuosity! But at least he could follow the tune, and he was probably just impressed that I hadn't given up.
Unless I can make it to big SUPA meeting once a month, I play alone. This gets somewhat lonely. You see, music is a social experience, and I think the only way to learn rhythm and timing is by playing with people who are better than you.
They say at any age our brains are still changing, and the things we choose to do have influence on how our brains change. Who knows? Maybe playing "Camptown Ladies" with Matt will help save those remaining brain cells.
What it does to his brain, might be a different story!
"The Black Swedes" rock group
Matt, second from the left
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