The world of music.

I've been playing piano since age four. When people learn this, they always go, "Wow! You must be really good!" I simply smile and look down at the ground, but inside I'm thinking, Not really.

See, I started out playing easy versions of Mary had a Little Lamb and Hot Cross Buns. I worked my way up to Chopsticks. Then Fields of Gold. Now those are just recital songs that I've played. I've also played through many lesson books, theory books, and the list goes on.

I couple years ago, I memorized Fur Elise and Linus and Lucy. Then it was more lesson books, scales, and intervals. I've spent about an twentieth of my life on the piano bench. I started out practicing for fifteen minutes a day, and now I practice for around an hour a day.

A few weeks ago, I spent around five hours putting my heart and soul into learning chord charts. My grandmother had let me borrow her keyboard, so I went late into the night jamming out on it. I figured out how to play a chord chart practically by myself, although thanks goes to my parents for helping me a bit.

Still, I'm not as good as I could be.

If I actually had a keyboard, I could put it in my parent's basement. Then I'd be able to practice so much more. But unfortunately I don't, so I'm going to have to use what I have.

In any case, learning how to play chord charts opens up a whole new world to explore. With recital and classical pieces, I'm limited to how much I can do with it, especially popular pieces, because people expect it to sound a certain way. But with chords charts, I'm given the chord I'm supposed to play at a certain time, and I can do so much more with it! I can break up the chord, I can just hold the chord, I can add anything within the chord notes. I can play it anyway I want to, within reason, and I'll usually be able to tell whether or not it's going to sound good in the particular song. Plus, once I've figured out how chords fit together, I can make up my own songs.

My brother has a friend (I guess he's kind of my friend too) who plays piano, and he's very good. He come up with songs and posts them on Facebook. Sweet, right?

Without music, life would be rather dull.