A Long Awaited Musical Moment

Artist Son had the beat before he had words. As a toddler he kept time with his hands whenever he heard music and as he grew he began working out rhythms with his hands or anything else he could use as instruments. And though he seemed a born percussionist, we took the whole drum-set thing very slowly and cautiously, beginning Artist Son's musical studies on the piano, Arab tabli (hand-drum) and a little orchestra percussion. And though he has been longing to play a trap set for many years, Artist Son has persevered, with excellence, through the other musical challenges put before him.

He patiently asked again last year if "this could be the year" in which he could take lessons on a trap set. Again we asked him to wait--one more year, while we worked to launch Oldest Daughter into her musical orbit of conservatory studies.

So now, the happy (and loud) time has arrived for Artist Son. Upon returning to Jordan this fall we took assessment of our means to purchase a trap set: no used market to speak of and new prices are considerably higher than US prices. However, we were able to sell a no-longer-played clarinet and Artist Son's beginning snare drum to raise half the price. Artist son contributed a big part of his summer earnings and there was just a bit more to add to reach the price of a new trap-set.

In his parental pragmatism, Dear husband had decided that an electronic drum set would be the best way to go. No sound for us or the neighbors during practice and solo jam sessions. I longed for him to be correct, however I had a idea in the back of my admittedly non-musical mind that Artist Son should begin on an acoustic set as they have a feel all their own and he would be learning technique for the first time. Artist Son's new drum teacher confirmed my suspicions: Artist son should begin on an acoustic set.

So far a close-the-door policy is the best we've done on muting the sound for the rest of the household while Artist Son happily bangs away, albeit with very good rhythm. Dear Husband tells me that for a mere $150 we can purchase muting pads for the drum heads and I think we're agreed that this will be a good investment.

As for the jam sessions, they have begun in earnest, and it looks like they won't all be solo: Dear husband took his guitar in today and I could barely hear it and Dear husband's voice above the beat.