I posted this on another forum not too long ago, and thought it might be interesting to post here, especially since we have so many musicians here.
On message forums dedicated to particular bands, 'how did you get into this band' threads are pretty common..but not as frequent are 'how did you get into music to begin with?' threads. This can go for either your own musical pursuits, or what led to your love of SymX, or both.
So lets hear it..what were your musical beginnings?
I'll start..I was raised in a musical family. Dad was a drummer in a 'big band' type band in his youth, & while he didn't play music in his adulthood (aside from playing 'Chopsticks' on Mom's piano LOL), the foundation was there with him. When he was esconced in his den, buried in work, there was always music playing; whether it was a movie soundtrack, or the 1812 Overture (complete with cannons, of course *g*).
My mom was very musical, she played piano, and she sang in the church choir, as well as often performing solo during worship services. She always had music playing, often stuff like Andy Williams or Wayne Newton..every Saturday evening, Lawrence Welk was a tv must..and she was always singing (often to my embarrassment, in public..LOL).
So there was always music in our home, & it was only natural that my sister and I would carry on. I wanted to play drums & follow in my dad's footsteps, but Mom wasn't havin' it..darn it. So during my school years, I played flute, piccolo, and any sax you put in front of me in school concert bands/orchestras/marching band, and the church orchestra. I sang in the school choir as well as the school's Spanish choir in junior high, I sang in the church youth choir, and I played in the church handbell choir. I often wonder if my love for music came from my birth mother (who my adoption records say also had a love for music as well as a beautiful singing voice), or my adoptive family..maybe a mix of both.
Anyway, my mom listened to AM radio in the car, so that's what I was exposed to for most of my childhood as far as commercial music. Come high school, I realized that that sort of music wasn't what my peers listened to for the most part, so I found an FM station & started listening to it so I'd know what they were talking about when they talked about popular music..and I guess that's where it started as far as progressing to where I am now. My tastes developed from Van Halen, Boston, and The Doors..to Kansas, Rush, and Genesis..to Black Sabbath, Metallica and Queensrÿche..and then I met Dave Gallegos (formerly of Power of Omens) in 1997 & in the process of helping him to promote PofO, discovered the online progmetal community..and here I am.
I still toy with playing flute, as well as Irish whistle, but I can't say as I have enough time to devote to practice to be even remotely decent. It's still fun, though, & it feeds my need to make music, rather than just working for those who are making the music. I'd love to learn to play bodhran (Irish handheld drum), but haven't gotten motivated enough to pursue it yet..one of these days.
Okay, your turn!
On message forums dedicated to particular bands, 'how did you get into this band' threads are pretty common..but not as frequent are 'how did you get into music to begin with?' threads. This can go for either your own musical pursuits, or what led to your love of SymX, or both.
So lets hear it..what were your musical beginnings?
I'll start..I was raised in a musical family. Dad was a drummer in a 'big band' type band in his youth, & while he didn't play music in his adulthood (aside from playing 'Chopsticks' on Mom's piano LOL), the foundation was there with him. When he was esconced in his den, buried in work, there was always music playing; whether it was a movie soundtrack, or the 1812 Overture (complete with cannons, of course *g*).
My mom was very musical, she played piano, and she sang in the church choir, as well as often performing solo during worship services. She always had music playing, often stuff like Andy Williams or Wayne Newton..every Saturday evening, Lawrence Welk was a tv must..and she was always singing (often to my embarrassment, in public..LOL).
So there was always music in our home, & it was only natural that my sister and I would carry on. I wanted to play drums & follow in my dad's footsteps, but Mom wasn't havin' it..darn it. So during my school years, I played flute, piccolo, and any sax you put in front of me in school concert bands/orchestras/marching band, and the church orchestra. I sang in the school choir as well as the school's Spanish choir in junior high, I sang in the church youth choir, and I played in the church handbell choir. I often wonder if my love for music came from my birth mother (who my adoption records say also had a love for music as well as a beautiful singing voice), or my adoptive family..maybe a mix of both.
Anyway, my mom listened to AM radio in the car, so that's what I was exposed to for most of my childhood as far as commercial music. Come high school, I realized that that sort of music wasn't what my peers listened to for the most part, so I found an FM station & started listening to it so I'd know what they were talking about when they talked about popular music..and I guess that's where it started as far as progressing to where I am now. My tastes developed from Van Halen, Boston, and The Doors..to Kansas, Rush, and Genesis..to Black Sabbath, Metallica and Queensrÿche..and then I met Dave Gallegos (formerly of Power of Omens) in 1997 & in the process of helping him to promote PofO, discovered the online progmetal community..and here I am.
I still toy with playing flute, as well as Irish whistle, but I can't say as I have enough time to devote to practice to be even remotely decent. It's still fun, though, & it feeds my need to make music, rather than just working for those who are making the music. I'd love to learn to play bodhran (Irish handheld drum), but haven't gotten motivated enough to pursue it yet..one of these days.
Okay, your turn!