When I Found the Beat
I
grew up in a musically inclined family. My father and older brother can play
the guitar and all of us sing and in one way or another, you’re obliged to
learn an instrument. My family often suggested when I was young that I learn
how to play the piano. In fact they even hired a piano teacher for me. But
pressing motionless and lifeless keys made of wood, which were too orderly and
safe for my liking, wasn’t really the most exciting of activities. I felt bad
because when I told my father that I didn’t want to pursue what he wanted, he
was disappointed, so I sought another instrument, the bass guitar.
It was
introduced to me by my brother, who needed a practice buddy, because at that
time he had a band and more often than not they had to practice individually on
their own time. So there I was, a young child forced to play an instrument that
it obviously ten years too early for me, but my parents were so glad to see me
trying to play that they even bought one for me, and because I was presumably a
good child, I wanted to make them happy, so I tried to learn the instrument. I
practiced and practiced to the point where my little fingers would get bruised
and eventually grow calluses because of the thick, rough and rusty strings, not
to mention the long frets of the bass guitar. I was clearly struggling. So once
again, I quit.
Then
I found this instrument that was the gateway for me to finding my true love. I
saw it first at a party celebrating my godfather’s birthday. The first time I
used the box drum felt so familiar. I mastered it after a few months but I
thought there was something missing. I was looking for variety.
I
sought after variety so I asked my father if I could start attending drum
lessons. Soon after asking my father, I started attending class at Conpinco
music studio. I was pretty nervous because it was the first time that I would
be playing the drums. Negative thoughts kept pounding my mind as I entered the
room. What if I fail? What if this thing would turn out to be another failure?
What if I disappoint my family again? Thoughts like this invaded my mind. But all
these thoughts got washed away when I hit the drums for the first time. Sound
waves that sent chills to my bones bounced back and forth across the small room
after hitting the drums. It was a glorious feeling. It was love at first sight, well,
technically, love at first hit.
I
have been falling in love with these cylindrical pieces of wood covered with
thick plastic covering that make unique sounds, this thing that we call the
drums, more and more each day – ever
since the first time I laid hands on them. Every time I smack the cymbals with
all my might. Every time I hit the tums. Every time I use the pedal of the
drums, stomping my feet like there was no tomorrow. I felt like I was becoming
one with it. People call it faith, others call it destiny, but the one thing I
know for certain was that we were made for each other to make eargasmic music together.
And together, we’ll make the world a beat better.
