The Melody

When I first started playing for Youtube, I began to hear myself from the audience pov. Distancing myself from the piano as a pianist, I discovered a problem.

My music? Bottom-heavy. Details? Overdone. I performed my music from ground-up. Convinced by my theory knowledge that harmony is the basis of music. I over-played the harmony.

Slowly, I realised - no matter how beautiful I shape my harmony, my chords, my bass notes even... I will never play beautiful music. Because the beauty of music lies in the singability and extravagance of the melody. Or in certain cases, secondary melodies too.

I pulled myself away from my music, and really listened to it.

Why didn't I hear how loud my left hand was in the past? Why did I spend time and effort shaping the harmonies when I should be enjoying and singing with the melody phrases? Why did I ever think that harmony can be more important than the melody when the melody is always right there? Piercing at me!

Life is tricky and ain't I a fool?!

Well - Hope we can all hear the melody of our music. Especially.on.the.piano.

Ego

Today was supposed to be an average day for me, running my usual chores & teaching students here-and-there. But, I just feel, like I discovered something!

I think I finally understood why students can suffer from poor practice schedule, stunned technique growth & years of ridiculous musical errors - despite being told the pathway to excellence.

It is definitely - EGO.

My choir friend once told me that I have zero ego. That was back in my teenage years. I thought I was a quick learner - with photographic memory & a likable personality. Turns out the secret to my success (at least years ago) - was due to myself having no ego!

Damn - recently I think I developed some ego, known as The Teacher's Ego.

SHIT!!! I feel like I am right, I feel like I deserve to comment on certain people's certain behaviour because I feel like I know better. But do I really? I doubt I truly know better. I think I am blinded by my own ego!

SHIT SHIT SHIT time to kill my fucking EGO! I give myself one month! If I still have any ounce of ego by the end of April, I WILL FUCK YOU ALL!

Hi guys! I am in the Arctic region now! With the reindeers, huskies, snow & extreme -ve temperatures!

Nights are long, days are short. Weather is crazy - and I finally closed lots of episodes in my mind after years of push-and-pull.

I finally understood why other countries/regions can have such creative individuals in the Arts - simply because of their environment, in terms of nature. I don't really know how to put it across to you guys, I guess you can sense the souls in the frozen lakes lol?

My hands cracked in the snow and were on the verge of bleeding - but I still loved the snow. It gives a feeling of... basically I don't feel so angry anymore lol...

I didn't buy any reindeer skin ah!! Just like how you all shouldn't photocopy music sheets illegally to mass-produce ah!! Not me hor... I didn't even eat the reindeer meat provided ok. But I kept drinking their blueberry juice on the plane HAHAHA it is free!!!!