Flute Power!

This evening, while Dick was playing "You are the Sunshine of my Life" on his piano, and I took a peek at the sheet music that he was using. Dick uses Fakebooks which have chords and very simple melody lines. He plays the chords, and somehow (because I can't figure it out) knows how to play them in a way that sounds like the full song. (that doesn't sound right, but it's the best I can explain)

The song he was playing was in the key of C - which I can read because I used to (barely) play piano, and I played flute for several years when I was growing up.

I started to take flute in school when I was in fourth grade, and played it through 9th grade. I really loved it, but would never consider myself a natural - I didn't have a real great ear, or a natural understanding of music theory, etc., But, I could read the notes, I could do the fingering, etc., and I was happy for many years. :)

Anyhow, when I was reading the very simple melody, in the key of C, I realized I was able to mentally "play" the flute notes still in my head. I've kept my flute with me in San Francisco for many years now, but hardly ever take it out at all.

Tonight, I decided to bust it out again, just to see how much I could still remember. It turns out that muscle memory is a pretty powerful thing. I'm not saying I was any good at it, but I could still manage the B Flat scale, as well as the C. I was (barely) able to remember how to read the notes, but (again with the muscle memory) remembered the finger placement, and how to play it.

It was kind of cool. I was pretty bad, but pretty proud that I could still play anything at all after over 20 years! My poor flute has certainly seen better years. Being nearly 30 years, and spending a couple of seasons outside during marching band will do that to you. I should probably bring it to a shop to be cleaned, have the pads replaced, and some of the springs fixed.

BTW: I titled this post "Flute Power" because, when I was in the marching band, all of the people in the different sections had custom t-shirts made (jersey style, actually) with whichever instrument they played. So, yes, I had a white jersey with gold/yellow sleeves with blue lettering that said, Flute Power across the front.

Yes, I was a band geek.

...and yes, I went to band camp. :)


Trina and her flute - 9th grade, Fall 1983