Monday, November 19, 2018

Music reserved for the gifted?

Most of us have probably thought about learning a new skill but quickly dismissed the idea with the thought "That doesn't come natural to me so I'm not even going to attempt that." Music, be it learning how to play an instrument or even just singing, is one of those skills that frequently gets put into this category. Most people tell me that singing comes naturally to me. But this wasn't always true. I worked really really hard at it! I started very young, around 8. My mom is a gifted singer and I wanted to be like her so much. I would practice in my room with a book and cassette tape(yes, I am aging myself here). I would wobble my voice to try to sing with vibrato. I also took 8 years of piano. Fast forward many years and I am here, not singing(no church), not playing, and regretting it deeply because I feel like I am not prepared for the great opportunity before me. Jason and Toby are almost ready to submit a VR game in the Oculus store and I have the chance to write the music for it. How cool is that? BUT, I have no knowledge of DAW's, have been out of practice for years, and my confidence is in the toilet. I wouldn't consider myself musically gifted at all. I don't have a grasp of theory, no perfect pitch, and I have ZERO experience with composition. Should I pass up the chance? Should music composition be reserved for the gifted? Nope. Even if I can't help with this game, how neat would it be to get the chance to do something like this when they create the next one? I wish I had the confidence and dedication of my younger self. Life is pretty brutal. But does that mean we shouldn't try? Nah.. Now to chart my path...