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Monthly Archives: November 2017

Playing piano

November 26, 2017 by Sasha M
Stories
distraction, grind, piano, practice, rambling, reminiscing, story, story time, storytelling

When I was 11, I spent my free time during recess breaks or after lessons playing the slightly beat up piano that some kind soul had donated to our school. The piano was underneath a staircase in the corridor, and it usually wasn’t too busy so I could play without being disturbed. Most kids who used the piano would play The Entertainer, most probably because they had learnt it or were practicing it for their piano exams. I liked playing the simple tune Chopsticks, the one you can play with two fingers, but someone had taught me how to play Let It Be and I was very excited to practice. I would sing along, and so would a few friends who occasionally watched me practice. Eventually we were asked to perform for some school concert – I played and sang Let It Be in front of our entire school on the fancy school hall piano, and my friends sang in unison beside me. Back then, I didn’t even have any piano lessons, or vocal lessons at all. I just loved playing the song.

At some point I got into vocal music and began singing in groups. We were completely unaccompanied by any instrument, and it was an exhilarating cerebral challenge for us all to hold the necessary chords of a song. I also got into bands, as the frontwoman. Somehow I convinced myself that since there were so many great instrumentalists already out there, I just had to focus on improving my singing.

To some extent, that was true, and I have to say I did manage with a lot of hard work to improve my singing. But my music journey has come full circle and brought me now to the point where I need to be able to play an instrument, at the very least so I can perform my own songs.

Now, noodling over my brand new keyboard / digital workstation and trying hard to understand the sense of very simple chord inversions, I feel like my brain could explode. I literally have to take breaks every 5 minutes to cope with how frustrating it is. But when I have calmed down, and go back to try again and find how much easier it gets with practice, slowly I can feel the enjoyment coming. And I remember why I’m doing this in the first place, how it all started: out of love for music.

Just a nobody

November 8, 2017 by Sasha M
Personal Growth
2017, development, direction, gigs, growth, jobs, journey, musical, path, performing, reflections, review, songwriting, work

The end of the year is drawing near (ooh, a rhyme) and I’ve been reflecting a bit on my music journey, to see if I’m anywhere near where I wanted to be.

In the first half of the year I wanted to be writing music, which I did, and through that process I learnt a lot about songwriting, producers, how the industry works, and got to meet new people which is so great. From people overseas to people in Singapore, I got to know a good mix, and everyone has been super friendly and helpful, which I’m so glad for.

Skype chat with Noella Nix, an amazing singer/songwriter from Australia!

In particular I met Hasso, who is an amazing producer hailing from Germany, and who totally gets the pop/EDM sound that I love. Working with him on music has been amazing, and I’m happy to be able to call someone so talented a friend.

Met up with Hasso in Berlin and had a great time 🙂 (feat. Ngoc Anh’s awesome coat)

I also took some time off for myself, and while doing that was able to reconnect with a dear friend I met in Aarhus four years ago at a vocal festival; it’s so coincidental that we are both on a singer-songwriter path now. Ngoc Anh showed me the warmest hospitality in Berlin, housing me and bringing me to all the open mics, and through her I got to know more about the music scene in Berlin. (And got to perform, too!)

Ngoc Anh also accompanied me on a cover of an old song by a Singapore band <3

 

In the second half of the year I wanted to be performing (in the sense of getting jobs). I did get a few music gigs which I’m very happy for, and I also learnt a thing or two about what it’s like “playing nights”. To be honest, what I’ve learnt so far ain’t pretty. But I guess that’s how this industry can be.

 

If there’s one thing I’ve gained from these experiences so far, though, it’s this: I need to be able to play and sing.

Ok seriously, anyone who has seen me play and sing before (which is everyone I knew in Tembusu during my uni days) knows how bad I am at it. I’m way more comfortable on a big outdoor stage backed by a full band than I am with just a single instrument and my inexperienced hands. I would rather be dancing to intense choreography and throwing swag around in front of a sold out concert hall than trying to figure out chord progressions and play them in time to my singing.

But, there’s always gonna be a new challenge ahead. It can take any shape or form. But it has to be overcome. And right now, my next challenge is to be able to put up a musical performance all on my own (not karaoke). That means going back to the scary cave of previous bad experiences, and trying to fight the beast again :/

My dream keyboard (but if I can’t get the red I’d be very happy with the normal one)

Looks like 2018 is going to be the year I find out how badly I want to do music as my career!

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