Re: [Harp-L] Your First Time



Bill Kumpe wrote:
I would be interested in hearing about the experience that gave some of the
folks on the list the music bug.
The music ran on my father's side. He could sit down at the piano and play by ear. His uncle, Gus Kahn was a big-time song writer. My mother was not musical, but wanted me to be.She bought me a piano when I was 5. Had lessons. Teacher noted that I had perfect absolute pitch and could play by ear. She immediately set out to stop that nonsense, and I stopped taking lessons shortly thereafter.

At age 9 I took up the trombone, a good choice as I went to a military prep school. Sitting in a band room was a whole lot better than marching around with a rifle in the hot So. Cal. sun. I continued playing in marching and concert bands with the trombone through college.

After I finished school, I wanted to have a rock/blues experience. But I was pretty sure it wasn't going to be on the trombone. Then someone bought a new blues album and let me hear it. It was the self-titled Paul Butterfield album. That album set the hook. (I still consider Paul to be one of the best technicians of all time.) I worked hard with that album and a bunch of other blues albums I could find. A year later, I was with a band, gigging in LA and recording.

After a few years, however, with the start of my family in sight, I decided that I did not want to tour and chose to pursue a career I had already started in information technology instead. I continued to practice and play with people from time-to-time. I worked on my playing, both diatonic and chromatic, while taking some music courses at UC Berkeley and some correspondence courses with Berklee.

When I first heard Howard Levy, everything changed for me. I had always loved the sound and intimacy of a diatonic harp and played the chromatic only because I was not aware of the techniques that allow me to treat my diatonics as chromatic.

Since I have retired, I now have the time to pursue music seriously again. I have a band, practice all day long if I want and teach diatonic harmonica using a methodology I have developed.

I certainly don't regret my choice to do IT instead of music. I love computers and electronics, and I am proud to have been part of the technological revolution for the last 55 years. But I sure am glad I have time again to play and teach music to my hearts content.

-LM



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