Metronome

Yes, I need a metronome. Keeping time is just another element to piano playing that adds to the challenge. Especially those tricky little eighth notes! I have a built in "beat" on the old organ so I make do with that but maybe one of those new fang-dangled metronome is what I need. They're no longer triangle shaped with the old tick-tock thingie: they're like little cell phones, for Heaven's sake. And you can program them with different beats and different beat sounds. Oh how we love to complicate simple things.

And the music is getting more complicated. Now, we've got the foot pedal introduced (as if just playing the notes wasn't hard enough, now I have to think about what my feet are supposed to be doing). Who invented piano playing anyway? Now, comes tricky beats. Now we're on notes that push fingers from five to seven. Didn't know piano players had 14 fingers, didja? Well, we do. Thumbs and baby fingers have to work a little harder than the others - they each gotta extra notes (poor things, especially the little baby fingers). They gotta stretch!!! And stretch they do. Who knew you could have lactic acid build-up in the muscles of your fingers!!?? Sheesh. But I am learning. The songs are getting a little trickier. This week's challenge is "Blow the Man Down" and how I'm working on blowing that one down. It sure isn't easy. But it's coming.

The next big challenge is the Christmas concert. I'm not concerned (yet) about what I'll have to learn to play...it's getting over being the biggest in the class. OK, I'll admit it. Not only the biggest, but the oldest. Ok, not only the oldest but the one with the grayest hair. Not only with the grayest hair but with the most flatulence. Awww, do I HAVE to do the Christmas concert?????