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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
 Posted - 02/24/2009 : 3:17:39 PM
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The threads we have had about the future of Hawaiian music, and more specifically slack key, has got me wondering. I have said that if you play the music and make it a common thing around the young people, it will become a part of their back ground. But all of us who love the music of Hawai`i, all of us who love music, period, how did you come about your love of music? Was yours a "musical" family? Was music an everyday part of your up bringing? Was church music a part of your growing up years? Are their other artistic pursuits in your family? Painting, photography, quilting, sewing, other visual arts? Do musicians seem to have an artistic leaning other than musical arts? Or do those with more methodical teachings lean toward music? The engineers, the mathematicians, the accountants, mechanics, etc. I guess the basic question I am looking for answers for is who becomes a musician or music lover? Is there a common bond in the personalities? Is artistry, be it music, visual arts, etc. anathema to those with more structured, practical and albeit unartistic pursuits?
I think I am all mixed up. I go for the scientific stuff, love things like machining, engineering (NOT math) but yet I love certain types of music and I like to think I may be a wee bit artistic in my scrapbooking and card making. So am I all mixed up?
Paul has always been a musician -- for as long as I have known him, nigh on to 40 years. But yet he is a mechanic, he's a fixer.
Our girls both are very artistic. Karen wanted to be an art teacher, but has ended up teaching day care. She gets to indulge her artistic abilities by working with the keiki. Marianne got a degree in theater arts and is a costumer/make up person, stage craft, etc. She is also a violin player -- never fiddle, only violin.
Are they that way because of their parents? Or because they had innate talents?
Do any of you make music even though your growing up years and family were decidely not musical or artistic in other ways?
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 4:07:05 PM
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My father played drums and my mother played piano, but they both stopped long before I was born. My mother also did professional graphic design work at points in her life, but I can't draw a straight line even with the help of a ruler. Growing up, my brother (four years older) briefly studied piano, but then ended up learning guitar from several friends (he got quite good and was able to imitate some of Leo Kottke's toughest pieces), but he does not find the time to play now. Eventually, he worked most of his life in the film industry, but he is presently changing careers and is a medical technician. My sister (two years older) studied violin and played in school orchestras for many years, and even taught for a brief while, but plays little now.
We didn't have the money for me to own any instruments or take any lessons, but I listened to any and all music I could tap into growing up, from the pop songs of the British Invasion to the cool jazz of Dave Brubeck to the experimental classical works of Luciano Berio - I liked it all, and was a sponge. That might explain why my career was all in radio, audio production and music programming.
After a life of hanging out and working with musicians, I only started playing instruments seriously (I can noodle around and make a little pleasant sound on a wide variety of instruments) in the past decade - `ukulele first, then bass guitar. The turning point was playing with others; that's how I finally learned to play music for real. |
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Mark Alan
Aloha
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 6:05:41 PM
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My immediate forbearers (Mother and Father) were not musical nor played music while I was growing up in beautiful Kailua. What I did have was a good art foundation very early in public school. I vividly remember learning ukulele in either 1st or 2nd grade (1 paddle, 2 paddle) and even remember the dreaded B-flat was part of the song! In 3rd grade, we learned lei making and hula. If I try hard, I may be able to dance very badly to ʻCoconut Willyʻ.
Then, it all stopped. It was reading, writing and arithmetic until 7th grade, where I joined the band to get out of singing. I still play classical flute every now and then.
For my family, there is no one in the generation above my own that has any real musical abilities. There are many in the generation above theirs that were professional musicians in the islands, and on the mainland. We always joked that the musical gene must skip a generation.
One thing that made my brotherʻs and myself musicians is our step mother. She is a very gifted teacher, and understood the importance of art and music, so always encouraged us in every way if we showed an interest in the arts.
After not playing an ukulele for decades, I picked one up a year ago. I got tired of playing my flute alone, and not being able to sing along with the music. I still consider myself a beginner, but am having a great time playing!
As far as Hawaiian music is concerned, I tend to listen to more traditional music. I think this comes from family friends being musicians and hula dancers. This was back in the late 60s and 70s, so most of the music was the old-style backyard kanikapila stuff.
I now work in the IT field through circumstances more than through formal education. I am always amazed at how many in my field are quite gifted musicians. I think you may have something to the ʻmethodical teachingsʻ theory. As an odd note, I actually donʻt like playing Mozart on my flute because I feel like a mathematician when I do!
For what itʻs worth, both my brothers are extremely gifted musicians and singers. I tend to be more creative in the theatre and visual arts. |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 7:27:58 PM
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I'm the only compulsive musician in my extended family, and maybe the only musician of any sort, though one of my brothers took up guitar in his late 40s. My blue-collar parents would never call themselves artistic, but Mother could sew and knit and such and Dad was a gifted improvisatory woodworker and all-around tinkerer. They both enjoyed dancing, so there was music in the house, but it always came out of a radio, TV, or record player. I have no idea where my obsession with the guitar came from, genetically or behaviorally, but it's been pretty consistent for more than fifty years.
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Tad
Aloha
USA
30 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 7:44:10 PM
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My grandma (dad's side) was artistic and encouraged us to draw when I was little. My dad was a drafts-person and was pretty artistically inclined at times. This all inspired me through my school years and ended up turning it into a career, graphic design. My wife does the same thing :P Our son has shown little interest in art so far.
My mother never played an instrument that I know of but remember her always whistling throughout the house (as she cleaned up after my brother and I.) My dad had a guitar and an ukulele when I was little. Listened to Chet Atkins, Tony Matola and a little Beattles. He didn't play much but got me interested in guitar. Enough to get my own little guitar one xmas and play "Daisy" and "Home on the range" for a while. Then...it gathered dust 
We bought an organ (anybody remember the "Optigan"?) We all played around with it. My [older] brother really got into it and played real organ/synth for a number of years.
I've always been moved by music. Be it rock, classical or some sort of world music. Enough to try to play some myself a few times in my youth and as a young adult but not ever enough to get serious. My wife played cello for a couple years in her youth.
My wife and I have encouraged our [now 11 y.o.] son with the piano. In four years he's learned to read music (I never did) and now wants to rock on a guitar I've settled into a love of Hawaiian culture and music (and sitting on my butt longer:) so ukulele and ki ho'alu are here to stay I think. My dad recently gave me his ukulele that was gathering dust on a shelf since I was a kid. Was it fate? 
I've always been a "closet" player but think that's all about to change 
Duke said it well: "Exposure definitely plays a big part in influencing a persons pursuit to be a music haumana. Could be family or could be the company you keep. I think everyone has the seed within them but circumstances determine if the seed is going to be germinated or not." |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 8:21:28 PM
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I remember my mom's mother always humming while she worked. For that matter, almost all the time.
My parents were not artistic or musically inclined, but they did like to dance waltzes and polkas. We went to a lot of summer picnics with polka bands. At 7 I started to play the accordian, like a good Polish kid, and played through college in polka bands. I got into jazz accordian in college and learned some mediocre keyboard skills.
The first record I bought, when I was 6 years old, was the Capriccios Italien and Espaniol, Ormandy conducting. I next went on to collect a complete Rubenstein Chopin. Weird little kid. Aside from the polka stuff, I have always been attracted to classical music, and played very little of it.
In High School I got drafted into the choir, which lead to College Choral Group, which lead to a bit of singing with the CSO Chorus, Marg. Hillis director. That is really funny because I sing very poorly.
In grad school I fell in love with an art teacher at the local high school at which I was teaching. That started many years, lasting till today, of sketching, painting, woodcarving, etc. Mostly mediocre but a lot of fun.
In first year college I took a poetry course and was told by the prof that I had no talent for writing. I foolishly took the ba**ard seriously. Sometime after graduate school I had my first poem published, followed by 40+ others, a book of poetry, a book of short stories, a non-fiction book, and over three dozen professional articles. That damn prof never got a book published, and, as far as I know, only a few poems, none in well respected venues.
I studied shakuhachi for about a year and a half. Never could get the breath control thing down.
I've liked guitar since I first heard an album by the Romeros when I was very young. After a visit to Maui, where I first heard Keola, I rented a guitar, liked it and bought a used classical guitar. Since then have been playing guitar. (I have 2 guitars - my original used one, and a custom made Pimentel. I don't have GAS.)
Now that my son is growing up in a home filled with music, visual arts and verbal arts, my guess is that he will end up a Philistine, but maybe he'll just play the latest rap.
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Edited by - RJS on 02/25/2009 08:02:53 AM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2009 : 10:55:27 PM
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Growing up in the "hollers" of W. Va., there was no TV. Hard to get the signals in them hollers. But we did listen to the radio -- Grand Ole Opry. Singing and making music were ways to entertain oneself for lack of other entertainment. The first singing we learned was a church. Our small church had a piano, but no one knew how to play it, so all the singing was done a capella. I did not know it was called a capella at the time -- it was just my Uncle Ted blowing on his pitch pipe, everybody getting on key with a "hmmmmmm" before starting to sing, then everybody singing off key with gusto -- Love Lifted Me; Just A Little Talk With Jesus, Precious Memories, When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder. And my Pawpaw would sing goofy songs to us that he made up -- "Janie, oh Janie, what makes you so fat; The head of a rooster and the tail of a cat." Then came Elvis. A small record player and 45's. My Aunt Pheba loved Elvis, somehow came up with the 45s and we learned to dance. If we had no partner, we actually, really would use a wooden chair. We would also play games like name that tune. Someone would hum a song and the others had to guess what it was. My Ma would sing certain songs, and she knew if she sang "When Old Shep Was a Pup", she could get me bawling and sobbing. That song always broke my heart. Even at funerals we sang -- once again, Precious Memories, Will the Circle Be Unbroken; Amazing Grace. When my mother was sick and dying of cancer, she planned what songs she wanted sung at her funeral (maudlin, I know, but hey, that's us hillbillies for ya). My father, I never thought of as being artistic in any way -- he was a drunk. Every day a six pack before working the afternoon shift, then hitting the bars after work until the bars closed. But sometimes -- rarely, he would take my cheap Harmony guitar and play on it a bit, using a matchbook for a pick.
Matter of fact, it was guitar playing that caused me to meet Paul for the first time. His cousing & my best friend lived in the projects. They were giving free guitar lessons in the summer (probably an attempt to keep the rowdy kids from becoming too rowdy during the idle summer). I walked up there once a week to take the lessons, too, and Paul was visiting them one day when we had lessons. That was about 40 years ago. Ah, just think of it....we met over guitar music. No, it was not love at first sight.
Paul's dad played guitar. Paul still has his dad's guitar. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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slackkey808
Akahai
USA
50 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 08:36:46 AM
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| Nobody plays music in my household (at least around me). My sister seems to be able to pick up things on the piano pretty well, but again she doesn't do that too much. Nobody that I have been exposed to for a long time played music, I was on my own :( But that's what this place is about :) |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 09:06:08 AM
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I have to say that no one in my household plays any musical instruments. I am the only one. I started playing the piano at the age of 6 and stopped while I was in high school. Then I started to have other interests since I was into Hawaiian music, that's when I decided to pick up the 'ukulele. I been learning how to play the 'ukulele since 11/19/08 till now.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 09:50:30 AM
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| As I have said before, I cannot remember when playing music was not at the top of my list, even from my earliest memories. I get music from both sides of my family, from just north of Peoria, IL. The Aldrich's are town people; my grandfather was an opera buff, my grandomther liked classical music, and my dad was a professional musician (sax and clarinet) in big bands before becoming an engineer. The Smith's were farmers; so fiddles, banjos, pianos. My grandfather was the local star, and my mother and uncle Owen played piano for him and his 3 brothers (fiddle, banjo and bass). My Uncle Dave Smith was a musical genius - he could play any musical instrument that he could get his hands on - and he made his living playing fiddle and drums in country bands and driving a dump truck (remember the 1st commandment: don't give up your day job). So, I got it from both sides, along with an appreciation for classics, jazz, country, and old time string band music. btw, Wanda - my day job is as an engineer. There is a correlation, imho. |
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Momi
Lokahi
402 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 10:43:56 AM
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Both my parents are somewhat musical - Dad plays piano, some `ukulele, and some guitar. He was one of my earliest `ukulele teachers, after my 4th grade music teacher. Mom sang in the choir during high school.
More broadly speaking, my dad's side is more musical. I have a cousin who is an amazing piano player - she started playing at 4. She can mimic entire arrangements by ear, as well as read and play anything you care to put in front of her. She was also one of my `ukulele partners while we were growing up. The other former `ukulele partner is now a music prof. at UH! (No, it's not Prof. Peter.) Our family used to gather at Grandma's house on Friday nights, where a fluid group of us would sing and play. Four-part harmony Christmas carols with the family were so wonderful, and I miss that today.
Dad loves Hawaiian music, and he's the reason I love it now. I grew up listening to Hui Ohana, the Beamer Brothers, Palani Vaughan, and the Cazimeros. I can't tell you the number of times we've been at kanikapila and someone will name a song whose title I don't recognize. Once the tune starts up, I'll remember it - it's all from shmall-kid-time memory.
I started playing `ukulele when I was 9 and I never stopped, although there were long gaps when the lid of the case would stay closed once I moved to Seattle. But since the Hawaiian music bug bit Retro, I play it a fair amount now.
Karma in action: my dad, who used to play `ukulele frequently, didn't play for years. After visiting us last year and jamming a little bit with us, he's picked it up again. He had his old Martin repaired (thanks to Darin's recommendation) and is playing steadily again. |
Edited by - Momi on 02/25/2009 10:44:35 AM |
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Allen M Cary
Lokahi
USA
158 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2009 : 11:07:19 AM
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I never really thought about it, but my family is definitely musical. My mother was a drummer and symphonic tympanist, dad played the piano, my uncle, dad's brother, could, according to my dad,"play any instrument for which he didn't take lessons." This precluded the piano, since Gramma forced him to take piano lessons. Uncle Hall is an excellent guitarist, banjo player, and fiddler, and probably ten other instruments. His daughter is the recording artist Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown, and 3 critically acclaimed solo CDs), and her three older brothers have always played beautiful bluegrass together.
I'm the only one playing Hawaiian style, but the general musicality flows through from prior generations. My siblings are fundamentally tone deaf, though.
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ypochris
Lokahi
USA
398 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2009 : 9:35:33 PM
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I think Wanda may have it backwards, wondering if people with methodical talents are attracted to music. It is the music which prepares the brain for method and learning. Long term studies using brain scans have shown that people who learn an instrument early (as in before puberty) develop distinct portions of the brain lacking in those who are not trained in music. Other studies have shown that this mental development aids greatly the ability to learn, especially those methodical talents so valued by Western culture. So those trained early in music often go on to be engineers, mathematicians, doctors, etc.- those fields requiring methodical thinking and memorization skills. So you are doing your children a great favor to get them music training young.
No one in my family had any musical skills that I can remember, except my uncle strumming a little guitar and playing a few classical recorder pieces. My brother, sister, and I used to sing together at night, sleeping in the fields, and made up a number of silly but quite witty songs I remember to today. I think my brother and I were inspired by the guitar jams and sing alongs we saw living a gypsy life in Mexico, as well as the musical Mexican culture. The fact that we were able to pool our money and buy a pretty decent guitar at a guitar making town deep in Mexico for eight bucks (hey, a hundred pesos was a lot of money there and then!)didn't hurt. My brother was four years older and progressed much faster than I did- I never learned much until I moved to Hawai'i. In fact I never learned much period- started to learn to read music and play some classical but when my daughter died a song came out of me and every time I picked up the guitar all I could play was that- too sad. Then I went to Alaska to escape my memories and got kicked in my left hand by a horse, couldn't use my thumb for a number of years. So I stagnated at that level, a litle picking and strumming to sing to, but all closet kind- too embarassed to bus um out in public. My brother, however, is quite good, classical, rock, slack key- any kine. Good painter, too, like our mother, while all I inherited was my mother's ceramic skills and perhaps my father's talent at writing, even though I've always actually disliked writing- can't you tell?
My wife, on the other hand, comes from a musical family. Her grandfather was a music teacher and band leader in high schools and colleges, as was her grandmother. All their children learned an instrument, and all got at least two college degrees. My wife's mother majored in music, and taught piano until her 40's, when she got sick of being "poor" (read middle class by my standards)and went back to school to become a doctor. All five of her children learned an instrument, although one rebelled at puberty and refused to play after that (but did go on to get degrees in psychology and genetics, and is entering medical school this summer). Two of her children make a living playing music- one playing piano for ballet schools and performances, the other playing first viola and when he got bored with that, violin in orchetras. My wife is quite good at piano, but her energy is focused on getting her M.D. in May, which follows her biology degree, so she is following the family pattern.
The point I am trying to make here is no musical education leads to gypsys and taro farmers, while early musical education leads to later scientific education and lofty pusuits. Interestingly, I.Q. is not really a factor here- although both families are quite intelligent, my family members actually average somewhat higher I.Q.'s on standardized tests. Not that I personally would rather work in a hospital than a lo'i, but that is simply because I lack musical training, obviously. As has been scientifically shown above. I'm sure Native American culture VS. Mormon culture has absolutely nothing to do with it...
Chris
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2009 : 03:32:07 AM
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Interesting to read the responses.
My mother played Ukulele and we had a piano in the house. I suppose I took some inspiration from her but I don't remember music being big in our family. It was more so with a good friend.
Like Raymond, I was strangely attracted to classical music as a kid. I'll bet it could have been because of the cartoons I watched all the time. If you didn't notice, All boomer generation kids were exposed to classical music through watching cartoons.
In the end, I was the only one in my family that did anything with music or art. I am still the only one that likes classical music. |
Bob |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2009 : 03:52:43 AM
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Come to think of it, my Ma was artistic, after all. She sewed. When we were little, what clothes did not get bought at the Goodwill, were home made. I remember, maybe 5 years old, she made our panties. And she did nnot use patterns for anything. She just started cutting fabric. I remember maybe 3rd grade, she made me a red dress that I loved. It had a dropped waist with a pleated skirt. The collar was white pique, as were the cuffs on the short sleeves. I loved that dress. Even after I was grown, I would go out shopping with her and she would see something in the store and say "I could make that". And she would. She was really good at crocheting, as well. She made a spectacular baby afghan and sweater and hat and booties out of what she called "broomstick lace". I guess I never really thought of her as artistic, because back in those days, you did not buy everything at the store, you made do with what you could fabricate, as well. But one thing, she was not a good cook. Fried taters, fried chicken (on Sundays), fried everything. And pinto beans, every DAY. That is why I learned how to cook. She was also good at "doctorin". Her and her Ma knew just what plants would help what ails you and they knew how to cook up teas and poultices and such. Then when I was in high school my Ma went to nursing school to learn how to be a genuine nurse -- age 41 - top student of her class.
So maybe all that does go along with what Chris said.
See, I thought engineering, math, computers, medicine -- those were the things that "creative" people did not want to do...only the very rigid, unemotional, "scientific theory" prove it to me guys. You guys have completely turned around my thinking.
Except for sample size is way too small and I have not yet figured out plus or minus three sigma. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Hula Rider
Lokahi
USA
215 Posts |
Posted - 02/27/2009 : 4:25:25 PM
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I guess my family would be considered artistic.
My father is a professional artist: sculptor, oil painter, watercolorist, jeweler. Over the years he also was a pro golfer, a cowboy, a sailor, a tropical fish marketer, an asian arts importer, and a biker. He has packed several men's lifetimes worth of living into his almost 80 years. He enjoyed some of his careers concurrently, and some with single focus. He is an excellent back-yard mechanic. He also was a fine musician on the `ukulele and had a wonderful voice that ranged from baritone to tenor. The voice has been smoked away, and he hardly plays music any more, but it sure is fun to listen to his stories! He continues to sail, and fabricates many of the parts for his boat himself. He also continues to sculpt. His beach house is a giant piece of jewelry!
His mother was artistic in her own way, and noted for gorgeous floral arrangements which, as one of Hilo's socialites, she did for the Hilo Women's Club and Eastern Star functions. She also taught hula and `ukulele at Haili Church. Her mother was a dress designer and tailor in St. Louis, MO.
His father was an MD, and an excellent musician and a falsetto singer. My Tutu Man could play `ukulele, mandolin, guitar (Spanish and Hawaiian), piano, and banjo, and played in a Hawaiian band, the `Ilima Serenaders, in college. My grandmother hired the band to play for her hula troupe, which is how they met. Until my generation, I think all of my grandfather's `ohana were some kind of musician and/or hula dancer.
My mother is a writer and artist/illustrator. She used to work in oils, pastels, and silk screens, but now mostly works in color pencils. She also is a singer, specializing in British folk music ,and performed quite a bit in the San Francisco Bay area and in England and Ireland. In her other life, she is a widely published food ethnologist and cooking writer. Oh, yes, she's also a clothing designer, and a doll maker.
Her mother was an artist and ran an art gallery. Her father was an excellent carpenter. For my 6th birthday, Grandpa Wenker gave me my own set of carpenter's tools and a WHOLE WOODPILE all for my very own, and MY OWN TREE to build a fort in! My great-grandfathers were good craftsmen who built their homes and furniture. The women were good seamstresses and did beautiful piece-work and embroidery.
Growing up, playing music and dancing hula were givens. I never even considered the possibility of NOT being involved in art and music!
Malama pono,
Leilehua
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Edited by - Hula Rider on 02/28/2009 7:46:28 PM |
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