[F] A Little Musical Theory [Raivis]

[Roderich Edelstein]

Roderich hopped off the tram in the Lowlands business district a little before 3:00 p.m. Good, he thought. It'd give him time to get ready and catch up with Henry before his first lesson with his new student. It'd been a couple of years since he'd had any students in the back room of the little music shop where he had his first experience with teaching music. Unfortunately, when he got into the Music Conservatory in the Highlands University, he didn't have time to travel out to the Lowlands for students. But by that time his students had gotten old enough that adult decisions faced them and most relegated their musical interests to the sidelines, to be pulled out only to entertain party guests or family members.

A few with great talent followed him to the Conservatory taking the train out to the Highlands just for lessons. It was more expensive, but he hoped that the instructors hearing and seeing them around would remember them later during the application and audition process. Three types made it into the Music school, those with money, those with family connections and privilege, and those with talent. It was sad that only the last one should have mattered, but in the end it always came down to the first, money. It's why very few Lowlanders ever attended despite great talent and drive.

Nowadays, he taught mostly privileged Highlander sons and daughters whose parents simply made them take the lessons because it 'looked good' and kept them out of trouble. Most students he had now didn't care and didn't practice, but their parents paid in advance, and he needed the tuition money. But he missed the passionate drive and delight he got from his Lowland students who truly loved to play and wanted to learn.

Roderich looked up at the shop, "Garrett and Sons Music" still hung above the glass front. Different instruments hung in the window. Only one son remained to manage the family shop now, but the sign had never changed. He hoped that meant nothing else had either in his time away. He walked in the shop and took a deep breath. Yes, it still smelled the same. The scent of oil, wax, varnish, and dust mixed with metal, wood, reed, and paper to fill the air. Every good music shop smelled of it and every musician knew it by heart. It was a scent that welcomed you home.

Since he'd been accepted to Highland Uni's Music Conservatory he'd spent a majority of his time there and bought his supplies up there out of convenience since the Conservatory had a deal with a nearby Highland shop for its students. But home was here in Henry Garrett's shop. It had been the place his mother had first taken him and it was the place his Nana had set up his first teaching gig. After that it was either Mr. Garrett or his Grandma Nana who had arranged the rest of his teaching jobs among the Lowland youth. He liked the store owner who had lent him the little room in back where he did repairs for Roderich's lessons. He would often stay late after close talking to the older man.

Speaking of which,"Mr. Garrett?"

"Just a moment, I'll be right with you," The old man popped his head out and then spying Roderoch he cried, "Roddy, my lad, I haven't seen you in ages, how are you doing?" Suddenly he looked at his watch alarmed, "Oh, dear is it time already?"

Roderich chuckled, "Na, I came early to see you."

"Well, I'm glad you did. You must come by more often."

"Looks like I will now, with a new student. So what do you know about him?"

Henry looked puzzled, "Didn't his parents contact you?"

Roderich shook his head, "No, actually it was arranged all through my father, they contacted him and he made sure I would have the time free. Usually I help in the clinic on Wednesday nights, but he said he'd work it out. Said I couldn't refuse and shooed me out the door. Not that I would, but all he said before I left was, 'please be a little more gentle and patient with this one as a favor to me,' and that was it. So Henry, who's my student? Father wasn't exactly forthcoming with information."

Henry shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't offer you much more than that. " He pulled out his customer book and flipped through until he found the page he was searching for. "Hm, Galante family came by about a week ago to pick out the instrument. Recorder, a student model, and one book of scales and beginning instruction. Hm, let me grab you a copy to review." He walked over the shelves categorized and filled with music books. "Nice family, rather quiet child by the name of Raivis. But I think you'll like him."

"So did they call you to set up the lesson time?"

Henry walked over and handed him the book. "No, actually Markus did. Reminded me of when he'd call for Nica, your mother."

Roderich looked up from the book in surprise. "Father did?"

Henry nodded, "Yes. Told me that he knew of a family whose son would be taking music lessons and could I help the boy choose a good instrument? I said of course, asked if I needed to find a teacher too and he said no, that the boy was one of yours and then he preceded to reserve the backroom for Wednesday afternoons. I assumed you already knew the family."

Well, that was a surprise. Roderich wondered, what do you have up your sleeve Dad? He waved to Henry as he headed to the backroom to get ready for his mysterious new student. Well, at least he knew what instrument now and he had a name.

'So, Raivis Galante what will you be like?' he thought as he hummed one of the training tunes, "Happy Little Hummingbird" to himself.

[Raivis Galante]

He remembered, how worried they became after he was discharged form the hospital. Not about his physical health but his mental health. True, he’d never been very sociable but they’d always put that down to shyness. Just a late bloomer they always thought, he’ll have friends someday. When Raivis got home he had refused to go outside for a while, just staying up in his room reading. Of course he helped a lot around the house but it was more out of guilt for the trouble he caused more than anything.

Of course he ended up seeing a therapist, it was what he first left the house for. Raivis always felt anxious around them. As people, they were nice, he couldn’t deny that. He didn’t doubt them either, in that kind of profession you had to be patient and understanding. It was just that he hated being so open with someone he barely knew. He couldn’t stop the truth from coming out, his mouth always had worked faster than his mind but the feeling of being analyzed for every detail made him feel more exposed than he’d like to be.

When music therapy was suggested his parents were eager to learn more and Raivis didn’t disagree. In a way it sounded nice. He’d never really considered playing an instrument before and a new hobby seemed like it might be fun. A hobby, nothing more. Raivis briefly considered that maybe music was his true calling in life, that maybe he’d finally found what his path was but he was quick to recall that most skilled musicians started at a younger age. Maybe it was too late to make a life out of it but there was no reason not to try. He was getting bored with the same island day in and day out, he needed something new to stimulate him.

The music shop had an odd scent to it, like the woodwork rooms at his school only far more refined and the air was definitely not full of sawdust. As he wandered in he gazed in awe at all the instruments. The selection wasn’t huge but considering it was a lowland shop and how expensive instruments could get it was still pretty decent. Raivis carefully examined each of them, trying to imagine himself playing them. Maybe the violin, it did seem quite smart. The display piano was very enticing but he wasn’t sure how they’d get it in the house, let alone pay for it. Tapping one of the notes he quickly flinched at how loud it was. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his mother smiling at him, happy he seemed to take to the idea. After much examination he finally set his sights on a silver concert flute that had been polished to perfection. He cast a hopeful gaze back to his mother who smiled at him uneasily.

“It’s very pretty but... it looks a little expensive,” she explained. Raivis had to wonder if they could really afford anything in this shop. “Maybe if you really take to it we could save up for one.”

In the end they left with a student recorder and a few books. Raivis couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, it seemed so childish. The sound was similar, but definitely not the same. None the less he promised himself he would work hard, and even if he didn’t he figured it wouldn’t be a huge financial loss so maybe it was for the best. In the days coming up to his first lesson he tried to learn some of the basics, just seeing what different sounds he could make. He attempted some of the scales but found reading music was harder than he thought it would be and just stuck to the visual guides.

That Wednesday afternoon he stood in front of the same music store, his books hugged tightly to his chest and the instrument in hand. The casual quivers were starting up, he had no idea what his teacher would be like and hoped they wouldn’t be too strict.

“Do you want me to walk you in or are you okay?” his mother smiled reassuringly down at him. Raivis shook his head.
“I’ll be fine, it’s okay...”
“Well, just be good. I’ll pick you up when you’re ready,” she said, placing a small kiss to his forehead. He waved back to her as she left him at the door and with a deep breath he entered the store. It still gave him an odd sensation to be there, like there was knowledge and skill he could never hope to achieve hidden deep within it. The anxiety was slowly creeping up on him but he tried his best to keep it down.

“Uhm... I’m here for a recorder lesson. I’m not too early am I?”

[Roderich Edelstein]

Henry was sitting behind the front counter where he was cutting some more reeds to replenish his stock when Raivis came in. He set knife and reed down and readjusted his glasses as he looked up.

He smiled warmly, "No, not at all. It just may be a minute. I'm afraid I forgot about the lesson today, so your teacher is just tidying up the backroom for you. He thought it might be a bit crowded with you, him, and a dismantled tuba back there. I told him that he could just leave the tuba bell on the floor and forgo a chair and use it instead. But he didn't think that would make a good impression. I thought it might be a lot of fun. Especially if he was the one sitting in it." He gave Raivis an amused grin.

He paused and leaned over his shoulder and called to the back of the shop. "Roderich, your new student is here!"

Roderich finished carefully stacking the dismantled pieces on the back shelf when heard Henry's voice. "OK, I'll be out in just a moment," he called back. He turned back to his task.

Henry turned back around looking at the young man. "Nervous?"

The youth's timid stance was more than enough answer. He gave Raivis a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Mr. Edelstein is a good teacher. He can seem a little intimidating but he's really a big softie."

He glanced behind him as he bent down closer and held a finger up to the side of his nose giving the short youth a conspiratorial wink, "You know I knew your teacher when he was younger then you. He looks all dignified and elegant now, but when he was about your age, he was rather klutzy. Knocked over a shelf of sheet music and a stack of books. Not just once, but twice! Offered to help me put everything back, only to trip and knock it all back over again shortly before we had finished."

He stood back up with a big grin on his face and whispered, "Now don't you tell him I told you that," as Roderich came out from the room in back.

"OK Henry, I stacked all the pieces on the back shelf. I tried to keep it all in order."

He noticed the small grin the boy tried to hide as he came out front. He sighed inwardly. He wondered what stories Henry had been telling on him now. Oh, well no matter.

He reached out a hand to the youth in front of him. "Raivis Galante? Hi, I'm your teacher, Mr. Edelstein."

As he shook Raivis' hand he took in the slight boy in front of him. He was a good foot shorter than Roderich himself. He seemed rather thin, but it could be the way his clothes hung on him. They seemed nearly a size too large. Hand-me-downs from an older brother or cousin he wondered? His blonde hair curled rakishly over one ear. He'd be quite the lady-killer in a few years Roderich thought. Though judging from that baby-face it would be another 3-4 years before he hit 16. His indigo colored eyes seemed to overly large as he stared up anxiously with white-rimmed eyes at Roderich. 'Hoo boy, a skittish child.' Now he knew what Dad and Henry had been hinting at.

"Well let's head on back." He gestured to the back as he led Raivis to the practice room. "I'm happy to see you picked the Recorder. It's such an under-appreciated little instrument. So tell me a little about yourself, Mr. Galante."

He paused to open the door and gestured for the boy to take a seat in one of the chairs. "Or do you prefer Raivis? In any case, what prompted you to decide to study music now and to choose that sweet little instrument over all the rest?"

((Ugh sorry, this kind of wandered. I was struggling for a fun or interesting introduction. Ah well, good luck.))

[Raivis Galante]

Raivis stood awkwardly in the middle of the shop. The merchant seemed friendly but he still couldn't help but feel shy. As he rambled on about tubas Raivis wasn't sure he followed but nodded along anyway, smiling back when prompted. He wondered what his teacher would be like, strict and perfectionist? Or maybe friendly and encouraging. Raivis would have much preferred the latter but he kept worrying that he would get the former, that he would end up cracking from the stress and just go back to being a total recluse.

When he heard his voice from the back room for the first time he tensed a little. It sounded a lot younger than he had imagined but very prim and proper. It wasn't helping with his anxiety. When the merchant asked him if he was nervous he nodded vigorously. He knew it was only a starting lesson but he couldn't help but be scared. He swallowed, his mouth dry.

Raivis felt a little awkward at the pat on the shoulder but as the man kept talking he hung on his every word. It seemed almost like he was being given highly classified information. He'd never known anything about his teachers at school, not even their first names and yet here he was being told this little anecdote about a teacher he hadn't even met yet. The story was comforting though, especially considering Raivis could picture himself doing the exact same thing. A small grin started to form on his face, which he tried his best to hide as his teacher came out from the back room. He wasn't supposed to know he'd been told.

As he shook Mr. Edelstein's hand he tried his best to keep a straight face. He was tall, but then again to Raivis everyone was tall. It was clear by the way he held himself, the way he spoke and the clothes that he wore that he was from the highlands. Raivis felt a little embarrassed by his appearance in comparison. He felt so scruffy. His gaze wandered about the man, picking up little details like the mole on his face or the pendant around his neck. When he realized he was staring his gaze shot to the floor.

"Raivis is fine," he mumbled as he followed him into the back room. Truth be told he felt awkward being addressed by his last name, like he was stepping out of place. Teachers were addressed by their last names, students by their first. Being called by his last name almost felt like he was being given too much respect for what he was worth.

"Uhm... well my parents told me it would be good so I went along with it. I kind of wanted to play the flute but it was expensive and kinda complicated, I don't know if I could have actually played it. I mean I'm not that good at fiddly things. I guess a recorder's similar though. Maybe not. It was cheaper than the rest though so if I don't like it it's not like we wasted that much money," Raivis rambled on with a vague hint of disappointment in his voice as he glanced down at the instrument in his hands.

[Roderich Edelstein]

Roderich went into teacher mode as he pulled out his copies of the student book. He started lecturing, "Well the flute is a fine instrument, but so is the recorder. The recorder actually preceded the flute. You can think of it as the flute's grandpapa. Each instrument has earned it's place because it serves a function."

Roderich made a couple notations in the brand new assignment book he was making up for Raivis to take home as he continued. "People used to use items you wouldn't even think of as instruments to make music. Wood blocks, oil drums and anvils were all items once used to create music."

He looked up at Raivis and walked back over to where the boy was sitting. "I've taught several students now, and I've heard ear-shattering sounds issue forth from the finest-made instruments and the most beautiful heart-wrenching notes come from the humblest little instruments. I've learned that it's the quality of the player and not the instrument that truly matters."

He gestured with a nod of the head and an open hand outstretched to the recorder Raivis was holding in his lap. "May I?"

[Raivis Galante]

Raivis listened to Mr. Edelstein intently, feeling a little bad about subtly badmouthing the instrument he held in his hands. The idea of giving instruments relationships like people amused him and he could tell his teacher was passionate about the subject. Thinking back he tried to remember his own grandparents. Not much luck, both had died when he was young.

The short lecture was interesting but didn't do much to help his confidence. He had a tendency to put himself down and if it was the quality of the player that mattered, well he wasn't sure what kind of quality he was. Surely the best ones were the players who were passionate.

"May I?" Taking note of the instrument he held in his lap he gently placed it in his teachers outstretched hand.
"Sure..." There was no doubt in Raivis's mind that he'd be able to get a better sound out of it that he ever could.

[Roderich Edelstein]

After receiving the boy's approval he took the recorder and blew a few quick notes. He paused and adjusted the little section between the mouthpiece and body. Then blowing a couple more tuning notes, he nodded satisfied and started playing low and soft. It was a lullaby his grandmother used to sing, then after a minute, he moved into a new tune. Holding out one note he continued on in one breath letting his fingers fly up and down the holes as he flipped into a quick sailor's rig. He ended with a particularly high breathy note.

He smiled involuntarily, clearly enjoying himself, as he pulled the instrument away from his lips. He gave Raivis a little wink. "Don't look so impressed, it won't be long before you'll be able to do that too. Shall we start learning some notes and get you started on your way?"

The boy looked liked he seriously doubted his teacher's statement but finally nodded and timidly held out a hand patiently waiting.

Roderich finally remembered he still held his student's instrument in his hand. "Oh sorry, just a moment and I'll clean it off for you."

He wiped down the mouthpiece and then looking it over a little before handing it back to Raivis, he said, "It seems to be a fine little instrument you have here."

He handed back with a fond smile. "Seriously, I am glad you picked it though. I hope you'll wait a bit before making a decision on whether to stick with it or not and give it a chance. I've always loved the sound of this under-appreciated little guy. I just wish more musicians felt the same."

[Raivis Galante]

Hearing the sounds the recorder made he smiled. Mr. Edelstein made it sound a lot better than the few awkward notes he'd tried to play at home.

"You're really good," Raivis smiled as he finished, sat forward in his chair eager to hear more.
"Don't look so impressed, it won't be long before you'll be able to do that too. Shall we start learning some notes and get you started on your way?"

Raivis took a quick glance to the side. He wasn't so sure about that, musically he was pretty awkward and even just using things like wooden blocks or the triangle at the music lessons in school he found it hard to keep in time. It would be easy to voice this all out but he figured there was a time and place for that. Instead he bit his tongue and gave a small nod as he held out his hand to receive his instrument back. Patiently he waited as Mr. Edelstein cleaned off the mouthpiece and placed it back in his waiting hand.

It may have seemed odd, but as soon as he called it unappreciated Raivis couldn't help but feel a small connection with it. It was silly. It was just an instrument, one he wasn't even sure he could play yet but it seemed like just the right fit for him. Overshadowed by most other people but still special in their own way. At least that's what Raivis liked to believe of himself, it stopped him from hating himself completely.

"Well, you made it sound really good so... But I bet you're good with all sorts of instruments," he mumbled, kicking one of his heels against the leg of the chair.

[Roderich Edelstein]

"Yes, I do know how to play several different instruments, but that's because I've been training and studying for several years, so I can teach students just like you how to play. But trust me with every new technique and note you learn, you'll get better and become more confident in your abilities. I once started out just like you. I wasn't born knowing how to play."

"As far as how well I can play all the instruments I'm familiar with?"

He paused for a breath and to think. He shook his head with a slight smile.

"Well that's up for debate on some of them according to my own mentors. And since this isn't my main instrument, I'll actually have to practice too, if I expect to keep up and teach you anything."

[Raivis Galante]

Raivis couldn't help but feel a little guilty at that last comment. Maybe he should have picked an instrument his teacher would be more familiar with. He tried to shake the thought from his head. It was silly to think like that, there was no way of knowing which instruments he was most skilled at. Besides, it seemed simple enough. If Mr. Edelstein could play several different, probably more complicated instruments then this would be no problem.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I'm sure you'll be able to teach me just fine though," Raivis said with a small smile. The recorder was clutched tightly in his hands, the plastic warming from the heat from his palms. He'd never thought of teachers studying before, they just seemed to have all the knowledge. It was things like that that made Mr. Edelstein seem like less of a teacher and more of a musician. That guilt started to creep back up in thinking that he was bothering his tutor and wasting his time but he quickly forced it to the back of his mind.

[Roderich Edelstein]

Roderich berated himself for his slip of the tongue. He meant to set the boy at ease by trying to show that his teacher was not some god of music and was simply human. Instead he seemed to have made the boy feel guilty for choosing the instrument he did.

He smiled, "Of course I will, it's not a problem at all. I was just kidding around to break the tension a bit. It's kind of a scary thing to meet a new teacher and do something new."

'Oy vey' he sighed inwardly. He was definitely going to have to think twice before opening his mouth to this student. In which case the best method in such situations was always talk less and teach more.

"So let's get started then." He spoke in an excited voice changing modes as he clapped his hands together with a quick rubbing motion.

"If you'll open your book to page one, I'll teach you to read the note on the page and what fingering to use to make that note. By the end of today's lesson we'll get through the first four notes in the concert C scale. Then I'll give you your homework to practice for our next lesson. Okay?"

[Raivis Galante]

Raivis nodded along with his teacher and the lesson began.

The notes on the page seemed strange to him at first, almost like it was another language. He started to get the hang of reading them quickly, even if he did slip up form time to time. The notes that came from his recorder were quiet and uneasy. There was a part of him that didn't want Mr. Edelstein to hear how bad he was, he didn't want to disappoint him, or his parents, or himself. It wasn't that his playing was bad, just that he lacked the confidence to do so. He couldn't confidently blow a steady note or confidently hold his fingers over the holes. At one point his shaking got so bad he almost dropped his recorder.

Despite his clumsiness Mr. Edelstein was patient. Raivis couldn't help but feel guilty at each little slip up, pretty much ignoring the progress he'd made no matter how small.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled as his fingers slipped again. Repositioning them he tried his best to hold the instrument firm and played, managing to get the correct note this time.

[Roderich Edelstein]

He was never sure what kind of student he might get when a new one was signed up. But he was pleasantly surprised by Raivis. The kid had innate musical talent though it became obvious that the boy couldn't see that himself as he suddenly lost confidence in his ability whenever he struggled to complete the task at hand.

The note reading lesson was harder, but that was to be expected. Roderich simply walked him patiently back through the lesson again. He saw the boy smiled as he suddenly connected the image on the page to the fingering on the instrument.

Then he taught him how to read how long to play the note. That was more complicated as the length varied with how fast the tempo was set. It's sort of like taking a second and sub-dividing it to set the marker for your time. But if that second is shortened or lengthened so is your subdivision. It can be complicated concept for the young students to understand, but Raivis picked it up right away. He seemed to be rather good at math. He was puzzled when the boy said it was a lot easier to understand than algebra. He asked his year in school and was shocked to realize that boy, er, teen was several years older than he had originally guessed.

They ran through a few more practice runs of the scale. He noticed that Raivis' biggest obstacle seemed to be a lack of confidence. What little he had continued to deteriorate the more he played until he was shaking so bad from nerves that the recorder nearly slipped between his rigid fingers. Roderich saw it and caught the little instrument in time before it hit the floor. He tried to hand the instrument back but Raivis wouldn't take it or look up at him.

He took his right index finger and lightly tapped the young teen's hands to get his attention. Raivis glanced up finally at Roderich.

Roderich smiled at him as he handed the little instrument back, "You're doing fine, Raivis. I believe you've got natural ability. Now you just need to believe it yourself."

He paused to let Raivis weigh his words.

"Shall we run through that scale one more time?"

Raivis finally nodded and put the mouthpiece of the recorder back up to his lips. He ran back through the scale pausing to apologize when his fingers slipped up fingering the wrong note twice in a row. But this time instead of giving up he doggedly tried a third time getting it correct finally.

Roderich clapped his hands and smiled as he said, "Great job Raivis, you made it through your first lesson. It's a lot to absorb and you got through it all."

"Go ahead and pack up recorder while I get your assignment for next week." Roderich grabbed the assignment book off the stand next to him and made a couple notations and then took Raivis' music book and marked two of the pages.

"All right Raivis, here's the things that I want you to practice for next week." He pointed out the pages to Raivis before he closed up the music book and handed both to Raivis.

He gave Raivis a warm congenial smile as he showed him out to the front of the shop, "Well we better not keep your parents waiting. I look forward to seeing you again next week."

[Raivis Galante]

Raivis gave an uneasy smile as Mr. Edelstein complimented him. By all means it sounded completely genuine but through his low confidence Raivis still couldn't quite take it in. It was probably something he said to all his students when they were finished. Silently he packed up his recorder.

"All right Raivis, here's the things that I want you to practice for next week." Raivis quickly scanned over the pages pointed out to him and took the book from his teacher. It didn't seem too hard, none the less Raivis kept telling himself he would practice as hard as he could and get his skill to a decent level. Gathering all his things together he couldn't help but let out a small yawn. The air in the room had become a little stuffy and focusing so hard for so long had worn him out. As he got up he stretched, letting the stiffness in his arms and back melt away.

As the two of them walked through the store the scents and sights still seemed as new to him as the day he first walked in. Absentmindedly he wondered if they'd become familiar. His lack of confidence was still apparent, his body language was withdrawn and his steps were light and cautious but the shivers that normally wracked his body had ceased for the time being. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was finally opening up to the idea that he might actually be good at this if he worked hard enough but years of conditioning himself to think of himself as a worthless person were making it hard for that thought to be heard. Through the glass windows of the storefront he could see his mother smiling at him, waiting by the parked car at the side of the road.

"Thank-you for the lesson today," Raivis spoke with no hint of hesitation as he turned to face his teacher. He'd been planning the words to say for a while, but only because he wanted them to be sincere. "I promise I'll practice really hard."

A small smile crossed his face and he pushed his way through the door of the music shop. Outside as he greeted his mother then seemed to chatter gleefully. Before helping himself into the car Raivis looked back through the window and waved goodbye at Mr. Edelstein before departing.