When Inspiration Strikes

After finally setting my piano back up, I could already feel the musical inspiration filling my body. I came up with this idea after much consideration and possibility of willingness and accessibility.

My brother is marrying his girlfriend of 10 years in December (god they're perfect together). Though we didn't get along great growing up, I've always considered him a role model and wanted to be like the musician he is. He is amazing playing the viola, piano, guitar and bass! From small children, I admired his perfection in the arts and aspired to be at his level. I would secretly take his CDs and listen to them on my own (I still have a few to this day haha). And that's how I got into rock/metal!

As I'm mainly a vocalist, my wedding gift to him is a song. One of his favorite bands is Avenged Sevenfold so I chose the song Dear God. The lyrics capture a sense of comfort in God asking to watch him as we live so far away from each other now that we're in our mid- to late-twenties.

I'm going to start using this format as a journey, if you would prefer. I would appreciate and love feedback of any kind of videos and posts!

Stay musical ❤ Ally

How did you start out as a musician?

I’ve been surrounded by music ever since I was brought into this world. I was enrolled in dance classes by the age of 3. Throughout the years, I learned basics in ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, various ballroom dances, and even musical theater. I grew a love for this rhythm and balance I was experiencing.

3^rd grade was the very first time I ever learned how to play an instrument. I learned how to play the viola and then cello a year after. My mother thought I was a much better vocalist than a strings player, so she enrolled me in our local church choir. I, surprisingly, ended up loving that even more. During mass, I was able to read the hymnals and teach myself basic concepts based on melodies and comparing songs.

Between middle school and high school, as good as I was, I had to stand up to a lot of pop-style singing in choirs. Not that there’s anything wrong with pop-style, whatsoever! I’m just more of a classical style because of my church beginnings. I focused on my own sound and slowly learned how to listen to a choir. And I mean L I S T E N. The blending of various voices during a 3-part harmony is angelic and just send shivers that trickle down your spine. It helped me focus on tuning notes if I felt flat or sharp within a group (and that’s how I developed a great musician’s ear!).

Sight-reading and solfege became my best friends that always went together. My choir director would go on to tell me I was one of the top sight-readers in the class. This skill helped me join other choirs like Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. In college, I joined both the University Choir and Chamber Singers.

As of now, I’m in hiatus. I have the need to get back out there and perform again but it’s the matter of knowing where and how to start.

How did you start out as a musician? Write it out in the comments below!