As you have probably been reading everyone else’s ‘musical journey’ here at Normans, you’ll see there is a common link; everyone started either due to a family member or from music lessons at school. Well, not one to stick with tradition, my piano playing days started in a completely different way…
First thing's first...
Now this may surprise you dear readers, but I never had any interest in music when I was growing up. The closest thing to
‘live music’ I experienced was when the teacher got on the piano to play
‘Give Me Oil In My Lamp’. It was during the weekly assembly practice, so nothing really that inspired me to get going! It was one weekend at home, bored out of my mind, that I discovered a beauty that had been sitting in the loft gathering dust for 15+ years… a keyboard!!
It was fantastic. My dad got it down for me, and within no-time at all, it was plugged in and being used! Bear in mind I had never laid a finger on an instrument before, so this was new territory for me.
I was a born professional...
Of course, being a 13-year-old ‘cool kid’ growing up in the 21st century, the only thing that was
really entertaining was pressing the ‘DJ button’ for hours on end, hoping to get some kind of reaction from my parents.
Yes, I was that sort of child...
In all seriousness...
All jokes aside, that DJ button prompted me to delve further into keyboard playing. I am very glad it did. Since taking up the best instrument ever, it has opened a whole range of opportunities for me to get involved with, and always gives a talking point to ‘break the ice’ in any awkward situation.
So, I self-taught a few songs to start with. I found the best way was by going online and watching a few videos, which I could use to practice at my own pace. Before I knew it, I was being asked to play at school events, go on ‘primary school tours’, and ended up doing a week's work experience in a piano restoration store. There was definitely more playing than work!
What am I up to now?
Fast forward to the last few years, I’ve been all over the place. Doing a few pieces at the Birmingham Conservatoire, charity gigs, and even now, still being asked to play at your old school’s awards evening. It's resulted in me currently owning
2 keyboards, 2 digital pianos and
1 acoustic piano (yes, you did read correctly), so I am fully prepared for every situation. It's getting as bad as cat's...
Let’s not forget, it’s also what’s bought me here writing (amazing) blogs 😉. It’s allows me to talk about what I love, daily, for a job. Not a bad life I suppose…
...and there we are!
If my story has inspired you to get started, or if you now have a burning desire to play
‘Give Me Oil In My Lamp’, why not have a look at some of our keyboards and digital pianos whilst you’re here!
One of my personal recommendations to get started is our exclusive
‘AXP2’ keyboard! It’s got a great response, and is the perfect price for anyone who wants a go without spending a fortune. We've been stocking these keyboards for a number of years now. They continue to be one of our best selling models into education and for complete beginners!
