Gandalfe
12-22-2004, 07:56 PM
By Randy B. Hecht of MSN:
Some people never had the chance to study a musical instrument. Others of us were forced by our parents to take lessons and now suffer the indignity of having to admit to them that we wish we’d paid closer attention. Whether you’re a lifelong air guitarist or an ex-musician whose high school or college band was forced into retirement by the realities of life and career, you may get the urge now and then to take up an instrument again. Is it too late?
Not at all, says Phillip Hamilton, who has recorded and performed with the likes of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan, Spyro Gyra, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour. He knows what he’s talking about: at 36, he was invited to join the Pat Metheny Group — on the condition that he learn to play guitar and trumpet.
“Before that happened, I just thought that wasn’t possible,” says the artist who is known primarily as a percussionist and innovative vocalist. It took him about six months of practicing for four or five hours each day to reach a professional level on the instruments, but he got there.
“Half of learning is desire,” he says. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. As we get older, we have more responsibilities — we have kids, work — but we have those quiet moments, we have an appreciation for those quiet moments when you can rehearse and practice. It may be tougher, but the desire is there, and you have an appreciation for what you want to accomplish.”
Read more here (http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=3048&articleSrc=5&sid=69596 8D8-0693-4B5B-A8B5-F4032CA6D295&trackingid=516311&theme=213&lid=164).
Some people never had the chance to study a musical instrument. Others of us were forced by our parents to take lessons and now suffer the indignity of having to admit to them that we wish we’d paid closer attention. Whether you’re a lifelong air guitarist or an ex-musician whose high school or college band was forced into retirement by the realities of life and career, you may get the urge now and then to take up an instrument again. Is it too late?
Not at all, says Phillip Hamilton, who has recorded and performed with the likes of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan, Spyro Gyra, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour. He knows what he’s talking about: at 36, he was invited to join the Pat Metheny Group — on the condition that he learn to play guitar and trumpet.
“Before that happened, I just thought that wasn’t possible,” says the artist who is known primarily as a percussionist and innovative vocalist. It took him about six months of practicing for four or five hours each day to reach a professional level on the instruments, but he got there.
“Half of learning is desire,” he says. “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. As we get older, we have more responsibilities — we have kids, work — but we have those quiet moments, we have an appreciation for those quiet moments when you can rehearse and practice. It may be tougher, but the desire is there, and you have an appreciation for what you want to accomplish.”
Read more here (http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=3048&articleSrc=5&sid=69596 8D8-0693-4B5B-A8B5-F4032CA6D295&trackingid=516311&theme=213&lid=164).