Friends, today my guest is the multi-talented and exceptional Kia Dennis who writes as K.D. Richards. I know Kia through Crimescenewriter where she also shares her legal expertise. I am delighted to share another passion of Kia’s, while telling you about her writing! Please welcome Kia and her alter ego, K.D. Richards. ~ Donnell
What I’ve Learned from Learning to Play the Violin as an Adult
By: Kia Dennis
Author K.D. Richards
Four years ago, I started violin lessons. I’d taken piano lessons for six years growing up but I’d always wanted to learn to play the violin. One day after nagging my mother for the umpteenth time over the years about not letting me learn violin (we had a piano so I got piano lessons) my mom responded, “You’re 38 years old. If you want to play the violin, go play the violin!” I have to admit, it honestly never occurred to me that I could take up the violin as an adult.
A few weeks later with rented violin in hand, I had my first lesson and absolutely fell in love with the violin. (I’ve since purchased a violin. Here’s a photo of me and Rosalyn practicing.)
Kia Dennis/K.D. Richard and “Rosalyn”
The pandemic has made in-person lessons an impossibility and I haven’t really taken to virtual lessons, but with the exception of a few weeks recovering from a shoulder injury, I’ve kept up with practicing on my own.
So here’s what I’ve learned from learning to play an instrument as an adult:
?Lesson #1: Learning to play an instrument is hard work.?
I knew this from my time learning the piano and, to be fair, already knowing how to read music was an enormous help in learning how to play the violin. But learning the violin has also been a ton of fun and so rewarding, especially when I finally get a song or passage right.
That said it is work! I began with twenty minutes a day of practice until my arms got used to the violin stance and I developed callouses on my fingers. Slowly, I progressed from twenty minutes to, when time allowed, an hour a day. That may seem like a lot, especially if you have work, kids, a house, etc., but when you think about the fact that professional violinists can practice five to six hours a day or more (and students aiming to become professionals even more than that!) an hour isn’t that bad at all. Of course, I’ll never be a professional violinist but the old saying holds true – practice, practice, practice.
?Lesson #2: The sounds you make will be bad for much longer than you’d like.?
I’ll admit, I have indulged in a few daydreams where I’m center stage at Carnegie Hall. Even though I really don’t want to play for an audience, I’ve fantasied about friends and family gathering around to listen in awe as I make the violin sing so beautifully tears spring into their eyes. When I put bow to strings, in my head, the sound that comes out is always just like what I hear on the recording. I promise you, no one in my household hears the music I make this way. I’ll never forget the day after nearly a year of lessons, I finished practicing one particular song and was feeling pretty proud of myself. My youngest son poked his head in my practice room to say, “Good job mom. You’re not sounding as bad as before.” I guess that’s a compliment, right?
That’s okay though. I think the ability to some degree to block out what I actually sound like and hear what you could sound like is helpful to keep going. To put in the time to practice every day (or nearly every day). The truth is just as with learning anything new when you start out you will suck, and that’s okay. Over the last four years, I’ve gotten so much better but more importantly I enjoy playing and that’s the most important part of learning for me.
?Lesson #3: You have to make the time.?
OK, I know you’re busy. You’ve got kids, a job, friends, a house. I know, I get it, but I’m just going to say it – you’ve got to make the time. It is a truism that we make the time for the things we want to make the time for.
For me, playing the violin is partly about self-care and we all need to make the time for self-care. I don’t scroll through my Twitter feed or watch as much television as I did prior to taking up the violin because some of the time I’d previously spent doing those things I now spend practicing or at lessons. But I can honestly say don’t feel like I’ve lost anything.
More with Kia and “Rosalyn”
To the contrary, since taking up the violin I’ve actually found that my anxiety is better controlled, I’m more relaxed once I’ve finished practicing, and I firmly believe it has boosted my creativity when it comes time to sit down and write. Putting everything aside for however long I can each day a day and just allowing myself to be carried into a world where there’s only music clears my head of all the clutter that builds up there from the day to day hustle.
So if you’ve ever considered taking up the violin, or any other instrument, it’s not too late!
Have you contemplated learning an instrument as an adult? If so, which instrument? Let me know in the comments.
About the Book:
His skills can keep her safe…
Her secrets could get them killed…
Security expert Ryan West’s worst fears come to life when hotel CEO Nadia Shelton is pushed in front of a taxi and nearly killed. Someone will do whatever it takes to find the brother Nadia thought was dead, and the only way Ryan can protect her as they uncover the truth is to stay strictly professional. But the sparks igniting between them are nearly impossible to ignore.
About the Author: K.D. Richards was born and raised in the Maryland suburbs just outside of Washington, D.C. A writer since a young age, after college she earned a law degree and worked as an attorney and legal instructor for fifteen years but never stopped writing fiction. She currently lives in the Toronto area with her husband and two sons.
Subscribe to her newsletter at kdrichardsbooks.com
Follow K.D. Richards on Twitter at @kiadwrites
Kia, I love this article. I’ve often thought about taking up the guitar. I did play the piano when I was younger. Well done on all counts!
Thanks, Donnell. I love the guitar too although I don’t play. Maybe we can get a duet together some day 🙂
I’m several months behind you, Kia. By the time I purchase my guitar and build up callouses, you’ll be a virtuoso. 🙂 One of my favorite guitar pieces is Classical Gas Guitar. I will start there 🙂 🙂
I loved this article too. I also played the piano when I was younger but never took it as seriously as I should have. Maybe I should think about taking lessons again. Just for the heck of it! Thank you Kia and Donnell. 🙂
Kia-congratulations on learning the violin. I played the flute in middle school and tried again as an adult. When it didn’t work as well as I wanted, I found it was broken and to fix cost a lot of dollars. So I went back to stitching needlepoint. LOL
Absolutely, Francelia. It’s never too late!
Hi Vickie – I read an interview with a famous violinist who plays a million + dollar instrument and he said it costs more than $10,000 a year to keep his violin in pristine order! Of course, his is worth the expense 🙂
The best part of this article, Kia, is your mother’s advice–hey, you’re 38 years old!, and the joy and benefits you get out of it. I love the great use of your time during COVID, and isn’t your son a trooper for saying, “You’re getting better, Mom.” 🙂 Really appreciate you being my guest today and I’ve preordered Pursuit of the Truth! Looks compelling!
My grandmother gifted us a Hammond two keyboard organ, so we had to learn to play the organ. I would have preferred piano, but that was not an option until, like you, I grew up. I admire your dedication. I learned that without a mother insisting I wasn’t very good at practicing. I’ve transferred the desire to play an instrument into other pursuits that I’m more likely to practice—horseback riding and ballroom dancing. The things we learn about ourselves. Thanks for a great blog post!
What a great article. My son just started the violin (he’s 23). The squeaks and squawks that emit from his room slowly have transformed into music. Writing is just like learning music too. You have to commit to it and practice, then, one day, prose will emit from the page.
It doesn’t matter how old you get – Moms still give the best advice 🙂
What fun to play the violin. I learned piano as a child, but never took formal lessons as I was terrified of having to perform at the recital!! How lovely that playing the violin has proven to be a stress reducer for you. I use writing as a stress reducer, but music is special — it’s like food for the soul.
Love this, Barbara, Music is special — it’s like food for the soul. I remember words to a song that said, “Music is the universal language, and love is the key.”
Hi Barbara – Recitals are scary. I have a dream of one day playing in a violin recital. Nothing big, just for someone that doesn’t live in my house ?.
The effect of playing seems to be like meditation–a focused, mind-quieting discipline. I can see how this would be stress-reducing and enhance your creativity. And I admire your commitment to the practice.