Music

With all the home-time recently, who among us have homes that have still Not yet become spic-n-span? How many of us still have un-resolved resolutions Despite all our time at home to get things done - exercise - Practice? ???

For a couple years now, I've struggled to practice fiddle. Even though I love it. Just recently, I realized why.

I used to store my fiddle on an old broken chair, where I could pick it up easily. But a few years ago, attempting to de-clutter, I got rid of the broken chair. And that's when I suddenly no longer had time to play. Basically if it takes more than 10 seconds to grab my fiddle to practice... I woN't.

So two months ago I ordered a "String Swing" wall hanger for my fiddle, to keep it within easy reach. And, what with all this home-time, I actually hung it up! (Then, I rigged a curtain to make sure the budgies don't Eat my fiddle...)

And yes, I started practicing again. The budgies are happy, since they've always pretended to Like my fiddle. (Jefferson, despite his wild ways, is a Very Encouraging budgie.) Sunny seemed happy too. Although, she does tend to listen with a more critical ear. She would Always let me know if she detected an incorrect note!

While moving things to create a reachable spot for the String Swing, I also created a great, actually-Accessible spot for my keyboard-piano as well. AND. I decided to work on playing piano! I took lessons one teenage year, and one college-level piano class many years later (years ago). I kept my teenage piano books, but it's been more than a decade since I Touched my piano.

So, instead of housecleaning, I've been working on music. A couple weeks ago I started over from the beginning of Book 1. Now I'm into Book 2. (It's a series that's been out-of-print for decades. But I'm remembering the teaching conversations as I go thru the lessons.)

I figured, I would intersperse fiddle practice and piano practice.

But it seems Sunny -- who as of last Fiddlehell had me convinced she really liked fiddle -- Strongly Prefers Piano.

Used to be when I would play fiddle - whether with her On or Off my shoulder - she would wait till she determined I was Done with a tune or a set, and Then she would Yell in my ear. Sort of like punctuation.

But Now. When I practice Piano... and I'm talking, Easy, slow, volume-turned-low, one-note-at-a-time piano... she curls up against my neck until I stop. (Or until my timer goes off.) Sometimes quietly, sometimes Chirruping along loudly & contentedly.

But now, when I play Fiddle instead--whether she's on my shoulder or off--she fusses, and Yells Interruptively, until I Stop.

So at least I'm getting some musical improvement with my time. But I'm still not getting fiddle practice!

Does anyone else's birdies have such pronounced musical preferences? ??

Oh this is very interesting. I can’t wait to see the replies!


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This is the FUN-est thread I've read in a good while. Can't wait to follow your fiddling adventures. Please don't stop!

Parker’s not far off!

When I play piano, Parker is enraptured and will sit very still on top just listening.

When I play my flute, Parker absolutely wants to whistle and squawk along.

Archie listens intensely when I fingerpick my guitar, but makes noises when I strum.

He also started saying “You stink,” although no one ever taught him that.

HAH!

Oh I wish I could test this properly! I was classically trained and used to teach music to student prepping for their Bachelors exams. Ultimately, I changed careers.

But I ultimately sold my baby grand (my main instrument that I used to teach with) to make space for Cairo's cage. And I worried how my violin would handle the drastic climate change (it's older than 1947), so I left it in the US. So I've been without music for so long..

But Cairo loves it when I sing to him. I'll go through a whole repertoire of songs for hours (some operas, but mostly musicals and folk songs). And he'll just gaze at me when I sing sustained high notes, like he's stunned and awed. And when I sing slightly faster songs, he'll try to babble along. He'll bob up and down, going, "doo doooo doo doo". He's completely out of tune and off rhythm hahaha but I'm thrilled! He mostly likes to sing with me in the shower, so I've never been able to catch him on video

He does know the iconic phrase from the most popular Queen of the Night aria, but he whistles it. My partner isn't as obsessed with music as I am, so we have to whistle instead of performing it in German.

charmedbyekkie said:

Oh I wish I could test this properly! I was classically trained and used to teach music to student prepping for their Bachelors exams. Ultimately, I changed careers.

But I ultimately sold my baby grand (my main instrument that I used to teach with) to make space for Cairo's cage. And I worried how my violin would handle the drastic climate change (it's older than 1947), so I left it in the US. So I've been without music for so long..

But Cairo loves it when I sing to him. I'll go through a whole repertoire of songs for hours (some operas, but mostly musicals and folk songs). And he'll just gaze at me when I sing sustained high notes, like he's stunned and awed. And when I sing slightly faster songs, he'll try to babble along. He'll bob up and down, going, "doo doooo doo doo". He's completely out of tune and off rhythm hahaha but I'm thrilled! He mostly likes to sing with me in the shower, so I've never been able to catch him on video

He does know the iconic phrase from the most popular Queen of the Night aria, but he whistles it. My partner isn't as obsessed with music as I am, so we have to whistle instead of performing it in German.

Click to expand...

Oh I love this! (Not that you don't have your instruments, that makes me sad. I want to tell you to get yourself a keyboard & a backup-fiddle!) But Cairo trying to sing opera with you! AND musicals and folk songs ... I'm sure if you keep it up, a few years down the line (if not sooner), he'll be doing full-on duets with you. And when that happens -- or before --we do need videos!

I have no instruments in the house right now....I’d love to see what my flock would think of my piano playing .

As far as musical preferences I have only a couple that have strong preferences. Tango ONLY loves big band type music with lots of horns in it. Stanley will only dance to things like Metallica and Guns and Roses?! The rest are pretty content to bop along to anything with a beat and some kind of melody. I sing to them (terribly but who cares) and they love it. Screamer is much too dignified to show a preference for any kind of music.

So here I am, a number of months along from when I first decided to work on piano. (Not much further along. But still working at it Occasionally.)

It is now definitively clear: the piano-attempt has Backfired.

At this point, even going weeks between touching the piano, every time I try to play my FIDDLE, she objects. OBJECTS! Yes makes her objections strongly known. She does Not want me to play my fiddle. Never.

Apparently, the problem is Not just a preference for piano. I can play my doumbek-drum quite loudly. My skill level is reasonable-but-out-of-practice. So def Not sounding as good as I should, yet she still watches & listens with interest. I can practice Strumstick (like a guitar, only more-quiet and more-easy), at which my skill level is just Barely-Plus-Zero, and she does not mind. I sing to her (improvising off her Beepety-Beeps), and she listens happily, and prompts me to continue when I stop.

A year ago, Sunny would sit on my right shoulder while I played my fiddle, and merely let out a YELL at the end of a tune.

NOW that she realizes that I have other music-producing options she will No Longer put up with me Scritching this interloper. Much less accept this RIVAL inhabiting HER shoulder space. She does not merely fuss, not merely Not stand there, but rather Demands to go back to her cage. NOW. Once in her cage she Yells INTERRUPTIVELY. It's the yell she otherwise reserves for when I've left her presence without permission. Only, I'm right in front of her, playing my fiddle. And yes, she does it in a clearly-deliberate, non-musical, interruptive way.

(Fortunately, after all these years I'm reasonably confident of my Acceptable-level Fiddle skills. Otherwise, with this feedback, I'd probably have given it up in despair!)

AND. when I do stop playing. what does she do? Glares at me. Backs away. Yells if I try to leave--or move--or not-move. Definitely does Not let me touch nor scritch her.

Until I have APOLOGIZED. Yes really.

Really.

An Apology is now Required after I practice.

My parrot is JEALOUS of my fiddle. Obviously I am cheating on her with this Larger, Brown RIVAL bird. Scritching with a stick. Letting it sing to me.

How can I do such a thing? Breaking her little heart I am.

Unfortunately this has been a long-standing affair. I have invested much time and expense --and, indeed she is correct, LOVE-- & I have No intention of giving it up.

But. Not really sure how to proceed. It's getting too cold to just practice outside, and she will Hear me from any room in the house.

My poor Jealous little Sunny!

Hahahaha! OMG you're killing me here! Fiddle at least isn't quite so loud as saxophones. My birds tolerate my practicing, as long as it's in another room with the door closed. One of my dogs, however, not so much. His hearing is far too sensitive you know, and as soon as I start, he begins howling like a wolf. THAT will get the birds going, which hurts his delicate ears, causing him to howl all the more, so he continues long after I stop. Everyone's a critic. Thanks guys! [emoji14]