No "Stairway"!

[geekchick]

The Post has an article today about local institution Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center.

You haven't seen the ads, you say? Yeah, Chuck's doesn't really do much advertising. Also, employees don't really have titles. The two guys running the place -- Levin's sons, who took over when Chuck died three years ago -- don't really have offices. Most instruments don't really have price tags. Until six months ago, the store didn't have a formal return policy. Buy something and your receipt's handwritten.

Yet somehow, out of its jampacked, run-down, bazaarlike buildings, Chuck's continues to sell more instruments than any other single music store in America.

I keep thinking perhaps I might try taking up the guitar as part of my trying to learn something new to keep my brain from atrophying any more than it has. Or maybe, if nminusone annoys me enough, the digital accordion. ;) I had an alto sax a very long time ago and was pretty good at it, but it wasn't ever really what I wanted to play. (My school music teacher basically assigned people to instruments based on how well they could get a sound out of a sample mouthpiece, so I didn't get to play flute like I'd hoped and they already had enough clarinet players. Saxophone it was.) I think it's one of those instruments that just works out better if you're good at improv, which I'm not.

What I'd really like to take up would be the cello, but I think serious consideration of that will wait until I'm not living in a townhouse right next to my neighbors who haven't yet pissed me off particularly.

Comments

[phinnia.livejournal.com]

DENIED.
I've always wanted to try the saxophone. (That reminds me, I need to harass the music department about lessons.)

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Buy the cello.

Get bored and frustrated with it.

Give it to me.

:)

TK

p.s. Do they carry penny-whistles?

[wolfy.livejournal.com]

Always wanted drums, but figured guitar would be smaller / easier. Ended up with bass. Never got good at it then hurt my hand and gave it up.

<shame> When I was in the church</shame> there was a lady there that played the flute. It was nice (when she didn't screw up), but always lacked in something. Lately I've been having thoughts and desires to learn the harp. I known that in the real world there isn't much hope of that happening ($$$$$$) but it still gives me something to dream about.

Now being the type of person I am I should be making comments about you and playing the flute, but will allow that one to slide by (I'm sure someone will pick up my slack). Still have your band camp t-shirt :)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

I tried guitar in my 20s - I couldn't put up with the pain until my fingertips got tough enough.

You could try the highland pipes. ;-)