Are You Going to Play It?

Shortly after I started working full time and got my own apartment in my 20s, I decided to purchase a full size electronic keyboard.

When I told my mother she said, "Are you going to play it?"

I suppose I deserved a question like that. I was never, um, very disciplined about practicing the piano. The last piano teacher I had told me that the following year she'd only be taking serious students. I took that to mean I wasn't welcome back.

In my defense I have played it over the years. Not seriously. But I love sitting down and noodling around. And every once in a while I go on an actual practicing binge.

My investment all those years ago has, however, paid off in spades with Jack.

For Christmas we gave him a midi adapter so he can plug the keyboard into a laptop and record what he plays. He can also manipulate the recording on the computer and generate scores for original compositions and arrangements.

Not only does he play it, he can now play it over and over and over on a continuous loop.