Thursday, March 01, 2007

Picking An Instrument

Checked out that beauty again in the shop at Esplanade today and I was more enamoured with the charming singing voice of her than ever. I knew that was the instrument that I wanted for myself, especially after trying out a range of instruments from S$3k to S$7k at another shop a few days back. Finally, I've found my guitar! Beneath her humble price tag of slightly below S$3k hides a most mesmerising sound. Of course, being with a badly-intoned instrument for the past 3 years, I was desperate to make sure I choose one which has a flawless intonation. As such, my requirements running through my head were as follows: flawless intonation, pure and refined voices from the lowest registers to the highest registers (I didn't believe I would come across such an instrument at this price range until I tried this instrument), versatility (a silky, velvety sound or a stunningly brilliant sound whenever the music calls for that sort of tone colour), a sound which seems to blossom over distance, a pure sound that allows the soft passages to project beautiful across a distance, responsive to the slightest changes in pressure and contact. Not to mention that the instrument has to be aesthetically pleasing as well. The beauty in the shop actually possess all of these rare qualities, at such a price.

Thanks to the immense generosity of Ivan, my fellow ensemble musician, and the kindness of the ladies tending the shop, I was able to get the beauty back home by paying for it with installments. Finally, a dream instrument to call my own! Shall work doubly hard on my technical and musical aspects to be a worthy owner of this instrument.


3 comments:

IVAN LIM said...

It was a joy watching you select your instrument - you were so delicate and so detailed. And now that you have an instrument worthy of your talent, you need no longer look on with envy! So do you still think it falls short of the glory of the Bernabes and Contrerases? Apart from, erm, maybe ... the machinehead ... I'm sure the Hofner stands proudly with that lot.

joan said...

it's always wonderful to watch you playing. i wish you could bring her on your travels, as it seems such a pity to leave her lying there for 3 weeks. still, you'll have the months ahead, after your trip, to get to know her even more intimately. she looks so gorgeous...

Ivan is such a nice guy... remember that he sees the talent in you, so you must push yourself to be even better. you have my support to make the most of your God-given talents =)

can't wait to see her when i get back to Singapore!

hautzeng said...

you've got to let me listen to her sing someday! too bad i can't get a better pair of vocal cords. i'd love to hear you play the chaccone. you're really good. keep it up!