How I got into Music

Hmmm...  (this is kind of long but it's my story)
I will start incorporating a little bit of music... since some have wondered a little about it. I will start with "how I got into Music?"

Treble/Bass heart
by the way if I ever got a tattoo (which i'm not) this would be it. 

I was 4-5 and my dad bought/rented this stand-up piano/organ...Which he bought at a mall (Monterey Mall on San Gabriel Blvd off on the 60, in Ca- not like it matters haha) I don't even know what it was I think more of an organ because it had so many buttons. Anyways, so with it came lessons... well not privately but that a class a week. They talked and people listened took notes and had a piano in front of  them. It was my dad, my mom and I was 4-5 and my lil sister was 2-3...  So we would go to these classes and they gave me a pencil and my dad gave me staff paper... I started taking notes... my first attempt...
Next when we were a lil older my dad put my sister and I into voice lessons... I think I was like 7 or so... I can't remember... I do remember (now realizing) there were so many requirements and I didn't quite understand and being young I didn't like the restrictions... The guy said: No drinking cold drinks, no ice, no clearing throat, and I know  there was more but those were what I remember... then came trying to teach us how to use the diaphragm and take in enough air, and not to mention the support which is keeping your lower stomach tight... (btw if used properly, or supporting sometimes it make work out like you have done crunches) Anyways, I was so young and I didn't understand what he was trying to say... He had my lil sis lay down and put books on her stomach to understand the concept... I didn't like the idea... I quit!!
Time progressed and my dad also played violin so I would get it myself and try but he never taught. He only knew how to play by ear and didn't know which notes...
When I was in 4th grade he started teaching me a little of the keyboard he had actually bought one (he lost the other) and he taught me everything he knew... I knew the notes in form of (Do Re Mi Fa So La Si Do) and I was able to play everything he taught me and I started singing a little while playing the keyboard... I left happy I was able to do both... And he told he that I had to learn theory so I embedded that in my mind... I started to pick up and well I thought it was nice to know info.
IN 5th grade was the time when you had the ability to choose and instrument to play. I was so sure I was going to pick the Violin. It had been in my mind for years... but, the middle school band came to play for us and the music teachers from Middle School and High School came... well I saw
The Clarinet


I fell in love with this beautiful instrument... I had never seen anything like . I thought it was perfect, it was me!!


I was very stubborn and question a lot... to say the least I took a few lessons from a kid in Middle school or high school, I can't remember anymore and I questioned everything he was telling me... haha I was a lil jerk... he was trying to teach me emboucher and tuning... failed...
I wasn't bad actually i was pretty ok in middle but then we had to move by my 8th grade yr and the music program wasn't strong I was self teaching me the altissimo range of the instrument ... those almost broke glass and torn ear drums but I needed to start doing something... I felt like I wasn't learning and I was self motivated... I also worked on the Chalumeau register (which is the lowest the instrument plays) , it use to make my head spins and vibrate with the really low notes... took some adapting...
Can I say I practiced and practices... Anytime I had the opportunity to get that instrument in my mouth I would... In high school I started learning more... I knew more... so I made sure I was the best... I practiced... made sure I always had books to play... so I would sight read, I would compete against myself so I knew my scales, I learned rhythms... anything to make sure I was doing ok... I was a great leader and expected a lot some my section. I was section leader.. The shyest one but a very powerful domineering one too...
I picked up Tenor sax in high school and played it in the Jazz Band... I took theory my senior year in High School and i knew more than the other students and picked it up like a second language. I loved it all... The music director saw my love for music and suggested I check out University of Redlands... he actually MBM there... (Masters) and I auditioned... didn't go well at all... I didn't know how to audition... I also went to Santa Barbara... U of R gave me more money... I took it...

I was in college I loved theory but hated sight singing/ear training ... still kind of traumatized with that class and  I didn't like the teacher... he kept calling me another name most of my time there... We were 2 mexican girls in the class and she called me the other girls name.. I put up with it until the other girl wasn't in the class the next year and she still called me that name... I couldn't handle it so I dropped my BM in Education... I went to BA in Music with a double in Psychology...
I learned to perform in front of peers.... hey it was even a requirement to be pretty proficient on the piano so I can kind of play also... When I changed my major all of a sudden I had to catch up with general ed class... see as a BM major all classes were music except a few... a music student overloads every semester except it doesn't seem like it. Instead of taking 4 unit courses they dropped them to 3-2-1 or ever 0 credit classes but they were still required... So I was still taking those but now taking other classes. At first I regretted it but I loved psych too...
I ended up dropping my psych major. I ended up pregnant had son (could be another story, lol)
So I graduated in 4 yrs with a BA in Music... emphasis on The Clarinet!!
My senior year I started giving lessons and have been the last 4 year... I love music, it's a passion! But, I've lost some hope...
My music was encouraged by my dad and he was there supporting me in every step of the way... I chose music because it made him proud... I paid him back with some disappointments but it's a part of life.
So this is my music story... Most of it... the basics on me since I was lil until now...