An Endeavor of My First Instrument at 28 yo

I think I already talked about how my interest in CDrama deepened more than I expected. This time is not like when I was interested in KDrama and KPop. Yes, I learn their culture, their history, their traditional customs, their language, their music, even their politic, etc. But, with CDrama, I even grew interested in learning their traditional instruments, I want to not just listen to the music, but play it. 

I recognize some instruments like guqin, dizi, and xiao in The Untamed, and pipa in Dream of Splendor. The funny thing is, what I am interested to learn is guzheng. I never watch CDrama with guzheng in it, but I've seen Zhao Lusi playing it as her way to reset her mind, as her leisure activity. She even brought guzheng when she record drama in Hengdian or somewhere else. And after some searching, I think guzheng is easiest to learn than guqin or pipa. I can't play dizi or xiao because my breath control is awful. And I do not have enough confidence and interest to play erhu. So...yeah, the choice down to guzheng, a big and classy ancient instrument. As far as I know, some instruments are similar to guzheng, such as koto from Japan, gayageum from Korea, kecapi from Indonesia, etc. 

Okay, why now? Why do I want to learn to play an instrument at 28 years old? Don't you think I am too old to start learning to play musical instruments at my age?

I know how to play the keyboard, how to play the flute, how to play the single drum, but that's all. I just know very...very... basic things that you can do with that instruments. Then I think, it'll be nice to have at least one instrument that I can play well, right? So...yeah, I want to learn to play guzheng. And guzheng will be the first instrument I mastered.

Even I think I don't have much talent in music. My ears are not so sensitive to recognize the chords, but hey... as someone who learn neuropsychology, talent, and interest, I believe interest is just something you are interested in, learned deeply, and passionate enough that the simplest thing about it makes you happy. And I also believe that as mediocre (not a gifted musician, oc) playing an instrument is just muscle memory. You just need to train and train and train more.

Oh, wait!

Except for my personal issues. Other things are complicated enough. 

That's not easy at all.

I live in Balikpapan, and there are a lot of Chinese descendants here, but I can't find any music school or music class that teaches guzheng. I also trying to find a community of Chinese people or Chinese descendants, in hope that there is someone from that community who can teach me. But, I can't find it.

Lucky me. Edwan has training in Bandung for almost 3 weeks, and of course, he asks me to accompany him. Seeing the chances, I search for a music school that teaches guzheng in Bandung and finally found Sinfonia Music. I registered for 4 classes and 1 free trial guzheng class. Before the trial, I only watched videos of people playing guzheng. I never see the actual instruments at all. And from the first time, I am in love!

Really. The body of guzheng, the sound produced. The note, the plucking techniques. Oh my God. I really want to buy my guzheng as fast as I can. I really want to go back to Balikpapan the fastest possible, wait for my guzheng to arrive, and play it all alone 😂

I have a list of songs that I want to learn. But before that, I need to master the basic finger skill. Hope it went well 😅