Maxine learns how to play guitar.
Have you ever taken Piano lessons? Ballet? Voice? Then did you ever wonder if you ever got anything good out of them? I’ve had my share of many kinds of lessons. I whined at getting early in the morning to bang on the keys. I panicked at not having any writing assignment two hours before class. While they were a pain to have during those times, I figured that those lessons weren’t a waste of time. Even if I still can’t play piano, for example, I did learn something else from those piano lessons.
Piano lessons. The only good thing that ever came out of it was that I learned how to read notes. Many years of banging on the keys with a piano teacher by my side didn’t improve the dexterity of my fingers or my rhythm. Piano lessons were a must because my Mom is a fantastic piano player. I wanted to play like her. Sadly, I didn’t inherit that talent. I play a mean version of Chopsticks though.
Ballet lessons. I don’t think I lasted more than three sessions here. I was six years old when I took up ballet. The pink leotard and tights intrigued me, but after being absent for one session, my enthusiasm wore off. I wonder what would have happened if I had pursued those lessons. Maybe I wouldn’t be as klutzy as I am now! Oh well at least I still know how to plie… and jump!
Voice lessons. I took years of voice lessons because I did carry a tune well and I enjoyed singing. I got bored though. So I dropped formal voice lessons and signed up for our high school choir. That was fun because I got to hang out with my peers while doing scales. Now the only places I sing in are my kitchen (while washing dishes), the bathroom (while showering) and Red Box (calling on my videoke-loving friends!).
Art lessons. One summer my cousin Iya and I took summer art lessons somewhere in Ermin Garcia. I learned how to papier-mache and draw on plaster. I’ve always been fond of crafts so I really enjoyed those lessons. Today I like doodling on Paint and filling out my visual journals at home.
Writing lessons. I thought many years of English lessons were enough to learn how to write. And then how can you be taught to write from the heart, I thought. In the writing workshop I was part of two years ago, I learned how to do clustering and find my writer’s voice. Barbara Gonzalez was a great teacher. I still use the techniques she taught us.
Never stop learning!
How about you? Did you ever take lessons like this before? Were they helpful to you? 
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
Lissa
October 6, 2006 at 2:55 am (18 years ago)Wow you took ballet and voice lessons? I didn’t know that. I wanted to take ballet lessons. hehe… Baliktad pala tayo. My mom was a so-called frustrated piano player (meaning she can’t play) so kaming dalawa ng sister ko ang nag-aral. I persevered with it, my sister didn’t but she can kinda play. I stopped taking lessons when we came here to the US kasi mahal eh so I joined church choirs so I can still ‘practice’ and not forget how to play it. It’s probably one of the things I’m grateful to my mom because piano playing is a good stress reliever and I like seeing people’s smiling faces when I play for them.
Emer
October 6, 2006 at 3:09 am (18 years ago)I will probably learn how to play a musical instrument (piano or violin) when I have more time. I plan to retire earlty so I’ll have more time to enjoy what I’ve been missing all these years. The world has so much to offer. But we are limited because of work and responsibilities. Work hard now, and play hard later. 😉
kat
October 6, 2006 at 3:16 am (18 years ago)what a cool photo! how did you make the colors pop out against the black and white? (i’m a photoshop idiot…yes i know i should learn!).
i took piano lessons to but for the life of me, i cannot read notes. i can only play by ear and that’s how i got by all 4 years of them (even with crazy 6-page sonatas, etc.) i just learned to memorize the piece as i played it. of course now, the only thing i know how to play is fur elise! i also play by ear with my guitar and that’s how i figure out and create songs. i’m thinking of taking voice lessons as well! glad your post reminded me!
Pia
October 6, 2006 at 6:22 am (18 years ago)Ah yes, I remember it quite well myself, jumping from one lesson to the other. Let’s see: I took piano lessons, but my teacher was very mean and kept hitting my fingers with her ruler! Argh! I should have cried “Child abuse!”. I ended up not showing up for my lessons (while my mom kept paying for them) – she eventually caught me and oh boy, was I in trouble! I still remember the distinct smell of the piano room, the piano keys, the building.
I also did ballet, and I fared better here although I stopped when we had to move away from Baguio because of the big earthquake.
Toni, thanks again for making us think and evoking such cherished childhood memories!
JO
October 6, 2006 at 9:24 am (18 years ago)I only took piano and organ lessons… though I never did master it… one thing I regreted.
niceheart
October 6, 2006 at 11:45 am (18 years ago)I didn’t take any piano or ballet lessons. I didn’t have the interest. Besides, we couldn’t afford it then. I did take baton-twirling lessons when I was about 8 or 9. I wanted to be a majorette. But it only lasted that one summer and I was able to don my majorette uniform one time during a procession in our town.
My oldest son has been playing the flute for about 5 years now and has recently taken up saxophone. My middle son is just starting to play the trombone. I think it’s good for the kids to play musical instruments. I’ve read somewhere that it stimulates their brain.
ela
October 6, 2006 at 11:47 am (18 years ago)kaya naman di ako nagwowonder kung bakit talented ka e
ako i never had any of those lessons.. kaya sabi ko pag nagkaanak ako ieenrrol ka ng ieenroll sa mga ganyan
Yupki
October 6, 2006 at 1:29 pm (18 years ago)After my short-lived piano lessons, at least I could read notes and can play a bit of the Wedding March. It also made me realise how much I love music!
Christianne
October 6, 2006 at 1:36 pm (18 years ago)We never had the money for extra lessons unfortunately. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano, so maybe if Annika wants to get lessons I’ll join in 😀
North
October 6, 2006 at 6:11 pm (18 years ago)nice picture.
pinayhekmi
October 6, 2006 at 8:24 pm (18 years ago)Great pic Toni! Did you take it?
rach
October 6, 2006 at 9:19 pm (18 years ago)hi toni. great picture. i noticed that it’s mostly black and white and there are a few colored details, how did you managed to do that effect? it’s cool.
when i was young, i wanted to take up ballet lessons but my mom have never gotten to the point of enrolling me. my niece is taking up ballet lessons and she just had her photo taken at the studio. she looks so dainty in her pink ensemble.
i took up art lessons too. that’s where i really excelled. i won several art contests back then. my biggest award was a gold medal that i won for an art i sent to japan. buti pa yung art nakarating sa japan, ako hindi pa.
i took up tennis lessons in college. i attended several sessions but i never did learn to play proper tennis. i had a hard time understanding the foot works. but i gained a lot of friends in the process so it wasn’t a total loss after all. 😀
my husband has been encouraging me to take up badminton lessons under his coach. i just agreed to the idea today while we were having dinner. he said it would be a great form of exercise and it would give us something to do together… a way of bonding na rin. he was happy that i finally agreed. i said yes ‘coz i want to lose weight. when he realized that he has to buy me badminton shoes, bag, my own racquet and of course sportswear, he somehow made a funny face (i think he was thinking ‘napasubo yata ako.’ ha! ha!). you know, this makes a good blog topic. sorry ang haba yata ng comment ko.
Leah
October 6, 2006 at 9:22 pm (18 years ago)I did not get the chance to take any lessons when I was young. I wonder if my fingers can still take in piano lessons. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play it.
So whatever I dreamt of taking, I’ll have my daughter learn them so she’s not going miss anything. Ofcourse, as long as she’s interested.
I’m glad you studied writing. Somehow, I keep coming back to read your posts. You write very well,from the heart and from the soul.
Junnie
October 6, 2006 at 11:24 pm (18 years ago)our parents were very supportive and really espoused continuous learning…i took Piano Lessons (for 3 years) and Chinese Painting Lessons (for 2 summer vacations).
So I took up from them to learn and always learn something new: driving lessons, skiing lesson and most recently home repair training.
life is continuous improvement – kaizen!
Linnor
October 7, 2006 at 12:47 am (18 years ago)Except for formal piano lessons which i enjoyed doing very much then, the absence of formal lessons didn’t stop me from honing my interests. I self-studied guitar-playing, sewing blouses & skirts (by hand and by machine), cross-stitching, swimming (er… floating?), gardening and even balloon twisting! 😀
Mita
October 7, 2006 at 2:21 am (18 years ago)oohhh…you took lessons with Barbara G? She’s my favorite Philippine writer. I hope to sign up for her writing classes someday…
My parents never imposed any lessons on us. My father took violin lessons and my mom piano lessons and only did it to please their fathers so…
JMom
October 7, 2006 at 4:51 am (18 years ago)I took piano and guitar lessons, but can’t play either one now. I also took clarinet lessons and was even in the school orchestra for a while.Can’t play a lick of that anymore either
My mom wanted me to take ballet lessons, but as soon as I saw that bar higher than my head, I refused to go to even one class. I thought I would have to put my legs up on that high bar. hahaha!!
Regardless of whether we can still perform the lessons we learned or not, I think just the process is reward enough. I bet that is why you are so creative, you were exposed to all those things.
juOn
October 7, 2006 at 8:29 am (18 years ago)Hi Toni,
My parents were not big on sending us kids to activities like that which, to most lower to middle class families like mine, consider frivolous. Most of you guys here lucky. I never felt deprived of them though. It’s all good.
This is my first time here in your blog. You know how visiting different places evoke different emotions in people? Your website makes me feel like I’m finally home after a long time of absence. The feeling is so nice. Being here is like lying on my favorite couch all day reading my favorite book.
juOn
G.
October 7, 2006 at 10:11 am (18 years ago)for five years (on and off) i danced ballet – started when i was 10 – and i’m still clumsy… i started taking lessons again last year – for the hell of it and partly coz, apparently, i like hurting myself. i say this because i was hurting after the first few lessons! whoever said that muscles have memory is a liar! my muscles completely forgot! anyway, i lasted a good six months when i picked up ballet again. i swear to myself that i will drag myself again to a class because after all the pain was gone, i actually enjoyed it quite a bit. i’ll go back, even if i have to learn everything once again, for the third time.
missyosigirl
October 8, 2006 at 5:28 pm (18 years ago)i had piano and ballet lessons!
from piano, i was able to read notes (and i still CAN read notes, woohoo!) and long lean fingers. and hindi “mabigat” ang kamay ko
and i think this is where my love for music and appreciation for anything musical came from.
as for ballet, the only good thing that came out of that would be my flexibility, and my husband is VERY thankful for that hahahahah :))
Toe
October 9, 2006 at 4:04 pm (18 years ago)I think that according to some psychologists, kids who take up music lessons do better in school and in life. They’re more disciplined, think logically, and appreciate life better. According to the “Mozart effect,” music lessons actually make kids more intelligent (this is different pa to the other meaning of the “Mozart effect” where people get more intelligent by simply listening to Mozart’s music).
I love the picture of your daughter playing the guitar.
jey
October 9, 2006 at 7:15 pm (18 years ago)yeah, learning is an every moment thing, and every moment is a learning experience. =)
Toni
October 10, 2006 at 10:22 am (18 years ago)Hi everyone! Thanks for the compliments on the photograph! I took that with my digicam. I played around with the settings. I’m not a techie so I don’t remember exactly what I pressed! I do remember it being labeled “Color Accent” or something. You just put the camera on that setting, then everything on the little LCD screen turns black and white EXCEPT for really bright colors. That’s how I ended up with this pic! No Photoshop there. I don’t have Photoshop. 😉
And oh, that’s my cousin Maxine, not my daughter. I don’t have a kid! But if I did have a little girl, I wish she were as cute as Max!
I’ll respond to your comments individually. Soon. Hugs to all!
Lani
October 11, 2006 at 9:03 pm (18 years ago)I took piano,organ and guitar lessons when I was young. I started my piano lesson when I was 7 years old. Then I had my guitar lesson when I was around 14 and my organ lesson when I was 16. But the question is, natuto ba ako? Well, I know how to read notes but I easily got bored playing those musical instruments. Wala siguro talaga sa hilig, my lola forced me to study, siempre sunod lang ako.