Okay, yeah, everyone loves music! But do you play an instrument?
My latest series, The Brides of Fiddler’s Gap centers around a group of orchestra members who head west to start a music school. Half of them make it as far as an area about eight miles south of Baker City, Oregon. Their conductor and his wife die there, and their son and some others decide that’s where they’ll settle. The other half of the orchestra members continue on.
I’m a flute player, I sing, and I’ve been around music all my life. I was an opera major with a flute minor in college. People are surprised I still play. I have a flute with me here in California so I can play between writing scenes. Since discovering a lot of free music on the internet, I’ve been having a ball!
I write to music, and can have a scene locked in my head well before I ever write it, simply by building it to music. Months can go by, and when I want to write that scene, all I have to do is play the music I built it to in my head, and it pops up and starts playing like a movie. It’s like flipping a switch, and you’re watching and listening to the characters, and writing as fast as you can to keep up. I learned this trick back in college when I took some music therapy courses.
I’ve “jammed” with other flute players from the Portland Symphony, I’ve played with the top 1% of musicians on the west coast when I was younger. Why I never thought to write a series of books about musicians after all these years I don’t know. But at least I finally got around to it!
I haven’t been in a choir for a long time and used to sing with one my little hometown has. My little home town also has a band and an orchestra, and you’d be surprised at the caliber of musicians in it. From beginners to virtuosos! There’s one violin player in her eighties that still knocks everyone’s socks off when she plays.
If you have something you love, keep it up, especially if it brings you joy. I remember playing six to eight hours a day sometimes. I’ve attended month long music camps with some of the best conductors in the country. Best of all, I was with so many others whose favorite thing was music, playing, being part of something that created something beautiful.
As I’m caregiving for someone, (in another state no less) I can’t play with a band or orchestra at the moment. But once I get back to Oregon, I’ll be dipping my toes into the orchestra again. In the meantime, I’m having fun writing about men and women in the old west enjoying one of their favorite things. Music! My town of bachelors want virtuous women who are also virtuosos! Unfortunately for some of my bachelors, their brides aren’t very musical, but they make the best of things. There’s some action and adventure in these books, and of course lots of romance.
Do you play an instrument or sing? If so, what instrument do you play? Are you an alto, soprano? Do you have a family member that does? I’ve giving away one e-copy of any of my books to one lucky comment!
USA Today bestselling author Kit Morgan is the author of over 180 books of historical and contemporary western romance! Her stories are fun, sweet stories full of love, laughter, and just a little bit of mayhem! Kit creates her stories in her little log cabin in the woods in the Pacific Northwest. An avid reader and knitter, when not writing, she can be found with either a book or a pair of knitting needles in her hands! Oh, and the occasional smidge of chocolate!
I am only one in my family that doesn’t play – all the kids and hubs were in HS band and the grands are following as well!
I loved high school band. Even more fun was junior high, Teresa. We had a marching band!
I come from a family where several members had musical talents (Doc Watson was a cousin). My mother could sing, my son played the piano at one time, and my daughter played the clarinet and can sing. However, I’m sad to say that the musical muse passed me by, but I do love to listen to it.
Lot’s of talent in your family, Janice! My little sis was the only other one in my family to play an instrument and do a little singing. The rest weren’t bit by the music bug or got the musical muse as you call it.
wow so cool. thanks for sharing. I grew up playing the piano and the alto clarinet. my husband plays both the electric guitar and the acoustic guitar. our son played the trombone. our daughter plays the flute and alto saxophone. and the funny thing is both of our families play nothing. LOL God has blessed the four of us so much. and this is only one area. I would love to read one of your books. thanks for the give a way
That happens a lot. The families of two spouses don’t play, and their kids wind up all playing!
I can play the piano and organ. I also come from a family of singers on my mom’s side of the family. I sing alto and sang in the choir in school.
I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano, Barbara! I had to learn it in college to a certain extent, but if you don’t use it you lose it, as they say.
My husband and I are both musicians and our children and grandchildren have followed in our footsteps. As teens and young adults, my husband and I had a Christian band. My husband wrote all the music and I was the bass player. I haven’t played in years, but I still love music. In our family we have guitar players, piano players, drummers, and singers. Some of my grandchildren are extremely talented in musical theater, but most of our talents are used in praise and worship in church.
With that much talent in the family, Elaine, I’m glad to hear you’re still using it to do praise and worship in your church! Would be a shame to let it sit dormant!
I used to play piano when I was in my teens. I meant to keep at it but life kind of got away from. Every once in a while I will still play a little bit, though unfortunately I’ve gotten rusty as the years have gone on. I did really enjoy it back then though.
Yes, as the old saying goes, Megan. If we don’t use it, we lose it. Though I have gone a couple years without picking up my flute, it takes a few months of good practice to get it all back. But it can be done!
I do not play or sing now my husbands sister does play piano and she use to teach a few people.
I hear you can learn on line now. Youtube videos!
I played the trumpet in Middle School and I like to sing, my voice is not longer great.
My sister played the trumpet, Kathleen. Unfortunately, we’re not sure where it is. The elusive instrument is in the house somewhere…
My Mom was an extremely talented pianist. She had her own band during WW2 in a well known hotel in St. Louis. She could play anything if she’d heard it once – a favorite was Blue Tango. I inherited no musical ability but my daughter can pick up any instrument and play with no problem.
Wow, Carol, they say it can skip a generation. To be able to play by ear is quite the talent indeed!
I took piano lessons as a kid. I still know my scales.
I was in 5th grade choir and forced to be in a children’s choir at church. I don’t know why. I can’t sing.
I guess it’s the participation factor, Denise. I remember having to sing in a children’s choir as well.
My dad had his own band and he played the trumpet. I took it to school once to learn how to play it from my music teacher. Sad to say, I left it at home too many times and he dripped me. Unfortunately, I never heard him play and didn’t know all this until his sister told us kids at his funeral. My father was a farmer and apparently put all that fun behind him when he married. He was a Batchler until he was 25 and met my beautiful mother. That was all she wrote. Six kids later and just farming all the time. None of my family plays any instruments.
Ah, man, Judy. It’s too bad he gave it up. Farming is hard work, so a little fun, home entertainment goes a long way!
I have sung on state, with groups, and in operas. I also played the clarinet and piano. Great fun.
Woo hoo for operas! What fun!
I play guitar, and I have learned a little fiddle and mandolin.
I always thought the mandolin would be fun to play, Bridgette, but haven’t got around to trying it out yet.
I love to sing along to my radio! I was in youth choir at church, but I don’t sing in choir any more, and I’ve never played an instrument. I always wanted to learn to play a steel guitar.
Trudy, I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the guitar too! But alas, haven’t done it yet.
My middle daughter played the violin for several years. My oldest daughter can sing – years ago she sang Viva Del Rosa (Sandy Patty) at church and did a marvelous job. Unfortunately the music talent skipped my youngest daughter and myself.
My daughter tried the violin, but the school only had a band, not an orchestra, so she switched to flute.
none of the above
My older doesn’t sing or play an instrument either. She always joked she’d rather listen to someone else doing all the work.
My mom plays the piano and sings . I did sing in choir in high school. I sang soprano but I don’t sing by myself. I sang with my husband at church sometimes before he passed away.
How nice that must have been to sing with your husband!
I played the clarinet and my kids all played as well.
I always wanted to play the piano; took a few lessons, but never got good at it. I can sing, though. I’m mostly an alto, but can sing the other parts, too. I married into a very musically talented family! My husband’s parents & he & his five siblings can sing & play most any instrument. Thankfully that talent has passed down to our children.
Our church sings acapella, so we all learned to sing at an early age. My husband is the song leader in our local congregation & our daugther is the song leader at one of our sister churches in Shawnee, OK.
Our internet has been down more often than not for the past 3 weeks. Only had an hour yesterday. I tried violin in elementary school, but my parents couldn’t take it, so that lasted only about 6 months. In college I had to take a half semester of piano. I enjoyed it, but my tempo tends to be slow, much slower than it should be. It drove the teacher crazy. I just do not move fast enough. I have a lovely dulcimer my husband got for me, but have not yet been able to take lessons. Maybe some day. In high school, I was in the choir. I was a second soprano. I really enjoyed it. In one of my summer jobs during college, we formed a folk group and put on the weekend show at the lodge where I worked as a waitress. I haven’t had the time to join any group, even a church choir, since. I enjoy singing at home, in the car, and at church, and that will have to do.