Welcome To The Conversation

[Historylover]

I started losing my pepper hair from stress when I was in my late 30s, @scruffypuffball. Mainly salt now. I still find grey attractive when it is well cared for though. My father didn't lose his dark brown hair except for a few in his sideburns, and my mother had fewer greys in her 80s than I had in my 40s. 

Henna sounds like an ordeal!! I don't have a bath for the ritual either—and how I'd love a nice hot soak in a bath. I haven't had one for 20 years. What a luxury!

I can see I'll have to do some deep conditioning with mine. Living alone takes away a little pride over time, I think. 

[Appleblossom]

Sounds like you have some good routines in place @Historylover Better than mine.  I gave up on that with all the sleep disturbance with my son, but starting to get better again.  Maybe I should change my alarm to a music, but I was so worried that I would be soothed by it and not wake up, so mine is a buzzer. 

Technically, the Classic period is between the Baroque and the Romantic ... in a timeline.  I really love them all, but with the recorders, am exploring a lot of lesser known Early and Baroque music.  

So back to technology, you can sense my aversion as I prefer to use an old form of instrument, but the main reason I chose recorder was that it was balanced and gentle on my neck and there is a lot of good music written for ensemble.  Giving oneself a sonic bath by making music is very healing ... we used to talk about it in choirs ...

@scruffypuffball the lady next door wanted to dye my hair so I let her, last month ... but before that it was years.  I used to use henna way back in the 80s for a bit.

[Historylover]

@Appleblossom, you really should set your clock radio for ABC as it is such a peaceful way to wake up and prepare for the day ahead. It's followed by 5 minutes of news so that should ensure you don't go back to sleep. I only get up when I've heard the news and got the daily weather report.

Thanks for the advice re distinguishing between classical and baroque, classical, romantic. I had lumped all ABC music into classical. P.S. Later this morning: is ABC Classic Radio a misnomer then?

Pleased to hear that you are enjoying your recorder so much. It sounds like there is a delightful range of music for it. I've printed out the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata so that I have a goal. This is a painfully slow process, but I want to take my time. Learning to read the notes on the bass clef in conjunction with the treble is doing my head in, and there are so many others yet to learn. 

@scruffypuffball, I've been reading up on henna. Such an interesting product!

[scruffypuffball]

@Historyloveryes the tap dancing lizard lady did some interesting research.  henna has been a cosmetic for 9,000 years.  how did they know to add acid (citric juice) plus heat and time to create a dye release to use as tattoos and hair dye (which is permanent oh the hair) it does not fade after 6 weeks like semi-permanent hair dye does.

https://migrate.tapdancinglizard.com/henna-astronomy-and-the-agro-ecology-of-the-mediterranean-bronz...

https://migrate.tapdancinglizard.com/henna-during-the-late-bronze-age-in-the-mycenaean-eastern-medit...

[Appleblossom]

@Historylover Classic is a convenient distinction from rock and pop, but it is more Haydn to Beethoven in technical terms.  The Moonlight is a great goal.  There are simplified versions, the original is in C# minor with 4 sharps and not easy.  Bach small preludes can be good for beginners, if you want well known composers. 

Play some pieces with simple open chords to start, to get a sense of  rhythm.  Be comfortable with the tune in RH and then add the chords in LH as slow as needed, and feel the contact with the keys and relax and release into the keys, dont worry and dont hurry until you feel it gels.

Its a good journey and can open pathways ...

[Historylover]

The ancients had amazing knowledge that never ceases to amaze me, @scruffypuffball. It would make grey hair orange, wouldn't it? 

[Historylover]

@Appleblossom, I've reached that point where the early enthusiasm has been tempered by the repetition of trying to do both hands correctly on Greensleeves. I'm painfully slow but managing to pick up a little pace. When I think I can stand no more of it, I amaze myself by getting just a little better on my next attempt. Enthusiasm tempered, too, by the awareness of how much there it to learn. It's not surprising that so many people give up early. I feel that I am getting nowhere now, but it's slow increments all the way, isn't it? I move around the YouTube sites and alter my enquiries to get variety and a little bit more knowledge on each area, each day. I haven't started chords yet. Just crawling along. I don't want to get more adventurous than I can do justice to. I haven't even begun to incorporate correct note count values yet.

Some people have enormous grace when they play. Their arms and hands move in wave like motions.

[Appleblossom]

@Historylover Sounds like a good approach.  So many good tools all over the internet. Just feed it as a new interest and let your level of motivation guide you ...  a bit ... we all have to push ourselves  ... a bit.  Dont expect too much.  Dont compare. Move onto something else if it is too hard and come back another day.

Lots of people do learn late in life ... can be a great boon to singing ... as it teaches you reading of music and that opens many musical doors.  It also helps general musical appreciation.

Most of us get driven up the wall by the difficulties ... but chip away...

[scruffypuffball]

@Historyloveryes it makes it copper/red. Apparently if you use vinegar as the acid it turns copper/brown.  If you use lemon juice it goes copper/red.  But it is on the orange side and that Ronald McDonald look puts people off.  Also know that when I dyed my hair in Feb, it started off brassy/orange and then over 1 week turned into a copper red.  I dont mind it. 

[Historylover]

Yes, @Appleblossom, I'm amazed by comments on videos from mature aged beginners. It's heartening. And learning absolutely does heighten music appreciation. The difficulties do seem overwhelming sometimes but, much as I'd revel in having one, I doubt that I'll ever be able to afford a teacher. $70/hr. for one near me who I liked the look of. You're not teaching these days?

P.S. Later this morning, I've just been out and bought Faber's Adult Piano Adventures. Time to be more sequential. Looking forward to it.

P.P.S. Even later this morning, it's mind-bending. That's all I'll say.

Perhaps it's an advantage to be computer key literate. How old were you when you started playing, @Appleblossom? Have you been playing consistently since then?