Musical Instruments: A Necessary Diversion

By Jebodiah Eaton, great grandson*

*relation to Andy and/or Flora Lehr

Introduction

I am Jebodiah James Eaton, son of Mark and Jacqueline Eaton.  I served for 20 years in the United States Air Force as the Producer for the USAF Band.  I reside in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with my wife Shanti and our 2 children Grace (2) and Bodhi (4 months).  My oldest son Dakota (27) remained in Maryland, after I retired.

Jebodiah James Eaton, Chief Master Sergeant United States Air Force (retired)

My Instrument, A History

My first recollection of playing a musical instrument was in elementary school.  The recorder was our weapon of choice. Back then, it was part of the curriculum.  At the time it seemed like a fun distraction from the banal routine of the basic core of math, science, history, and English.  Today, I believe it planted a seed of interest that remains with me to this day.  I am quite thankful for my teacher tolerating the cacophony of noise that filled the classroom every week.  My perceived importance of music is reflected in my parenting.  I was resolute in my insistence that Dakota play an instrument.  I let him choose what to play, however he was not allowed to quit until he finished high school.  He chose the violin.  I supported him with a quality instrument and lessons to keep him progressing.  Grace attends a Music for Toddlers class each summer.

As a child I watched the Muppet Show.  The show featured a band called, “Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.  The band had a saxophone player named Zoot.  He inspired the notion that the saxophone was for me.  I played alto saxophone in the 5th grade before we moved.  In my new school I transitioned to Baritone Saxophone as the Alto section was full.  I really enjoyed playing for a time.  However, we moved to a new school and the band program was more advanced than my previous experience.  I was intimidated by the counting method that was being used.  I was too shy to ask for help.  Unfortunately, I did not play saxophone after that school year.

Late in my high school years, my parents bought me a guitar and I took a class for a semester during my freshman year of community college.  The guitar never stuck with me. I believe it was a lack of dedication on my part coupled with a lack of a mentor or instructor.

During my junior year at the University of Kansas, I took drum kit class as an elective.  As I recall, I passed the class, however I don’t remember a lot of practice on my part.

My involvement in musical instruments took a sabbatical for a spell, 17 years to be precise.  From 1999-2019, I worked with some of the finest musicians in the world.  These people spent thousands of hours in a practice room honing their craft.  Even though I did not believe I could attain their level of playing, I grew inspired by their talent and decided to learn the Uilleann Pipes.  I was 38 when I found a local instructor who was kind enough to loan me a practice set.  I studied with him until 2019.  As a single father, I struggled to make the time to practice.  I utilized the pressure of a financial commitment to my instrument and instructor to allocate time as often as possible.  The Uilleann Pipes are a difficult instrument to play.  It is quite physical and requires coordination of hands on the chanter, while pumping air with the bellows and pushing air with the bag.  It is said that to become a Master Piper, takes 21 years.  (7 years to learn, 7 years to practice, 7 years to play)  Talk about a daunting hobby.  Though not a great musician, my hard work paid off and I was fortunate enough to play a few gigs with a local Irish Band.   I must share with you, that I am always my worst critic.  The musicians I played with far exceeded my capabilities.  However, on St. Patrick’s Day at a bar the audience can be forgiving when playing a wrong note here or there.

In the fall of 2017, I decided to add the Highland Pipes to my arsenal.  I was lucky enough to study under the Premier Bagpiper of the United States Air Force.  Some of my skills from the Uilleann pipes were helpful with the Highland Pipes.  Interestingly most of the musicians I have known are able to play more than one instrument, having built a musical foundation.  After moving to OKC in 2019, I joined the Oklahoma Scottish Pipes and Drums.  I attend band practice every week and gig from time to time. 

Oklahoma Scottish Pipes and Drums, Jeb is third from the left

Making time for practice, has been and will always be a challenge.  However, like anything in life, you can use mechanisms to help you complete the task.  For example, I tell myself that I will set up my pipes, get my music, metronome, and other essentials ready for practice.  Then if I don’t feel like practicing, I can put it all away.  Of course, since I spent the time and set the stage for practice, I might as well blow for a while.

Music is Fun – Thoughts on Playing and Instrument

There are always excuses to not learn an instrument, but are there reasons?  With the advent of YouTube/Zoom for lessons, apps for learning how to read music and the vast online marketplace for instruments, it has never been easier to start.  In my life, I have met a thousand people who have said “I wish I could play an instrument.”  Conversely, I have never met a person who said, “I wish I couldn’t play this instrument.”

Most of us will not be professional musicians.  However, playing an instrument offers a lot of benefits for the most basic of players.  Here are some that spring to mind:

Mental Focus: Proper practice is focused.  Free from distractions.  You should be concentrating on one thing and in control of your mind.  This is also fundamental when meditating.  For me, it develops my mental discipline. 

Accomplishment:  Improving playing ability is gratifying.  Each day you practice you have improved yourself from the day prior.  No matter how small the improvement, you are a better musician.

Timeless:  This ability is timeless.  You may get rusty, but you will keep it with you if you wish to give it some attention.  It is something to share with your children and grandchildren.

Socialization:  Most musicians spend hours alone to develop their skillset.  Once that time has been invested, you can always find a person to accompany or ensemble to join.

Discipline:  The habit of practice develops time management skills and the ability to prioritize your resources.

Personal Growth:  Performing in front of others can be very uncomfortable.  Overcoming those fears by facing them, helps us expand our capabilities.

Good Music is Hard

Playing an instrument for personal enjoyment is rewarding.  At some point you may find that you are listening more intently than you had before.  This will lead to your desire to become better at playing.  Please remember that this is self-paced.  The pressure is yours to control.  There is no need to be overwhelmed.  Set your goals.  I use the following approach:

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting:

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Attainable

R – Realistic

T – Time Bound

Finally, I remind you to be kind to yourself, but do not be complacent.

Music is for Everyone

It is never too late to start learning an instrument. Spend a little time or spend a lot.  You will not regret the decision to start the journey. If you are still hesitant and think that it is too much, I encourage you to check out the TED talk “The First 20 Hours” with Josh Kaufman. In the talk he postulates that the first 20 hours of practicing a new skill sets the foundation for success.

Ted Talk Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY

Please add your musical instrument memories in the Reply/Comment section below

2 thoughts on “Musical Instruments: A Necessary Diversion

  1. By A.J. Eaton, Great Grandson*

    *Relation to Andy and/or Flora Lehr

    Cousin Jeb was the first salute that I received when I commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. It was a tremendous honor as a Second Lieutenant to have a Chief Master Sergeant as part of such a special moment. Tradition holds that the 2d Lt present their first salute with a silver dollar. Also there for the big day was my maternal grandpa, Grandpa George. He had bought me my first trumpet many moons ago when I was in elementary school. Pops was my biggest supporter and made sure to be at all my concerts.

    Those Middle School concerts were more unique than I realized at the time. My band director, Mr. Jim Leacox was brother to Willie Leacox—drummer for ‘America.’ So we often had some rock-n-roll accompaniment! It struck me how much they enjoyed making music with others who shared their passion—even though we missed a few notes ourselves!
    Middle schools are notorious for their impatience, and I can only imagine what I put Mr. Leacox through. With the advantage of hindsight, I can see that the Band gave me a chance to experience the benefits that Jeb described so well. I hope that as my daughter Abby grows, we will have the opportunity to expose her to many instruments and styles of music. Her current favorite is a Fisher-Price keyboard she can play with her feet!

    By way of a coda: Dr. Teeth is still going strong! The ‘Muppets Mayhem’ TV show just dropped on Disney+ and we are off to watch some episodes with Abby!

  2. By Roger Eaton, grandson*

    *relation to Andy and/or Flora Lehr

    At the ripe old age of six, my mother decided that it was time for piano lessons. She found a teacher for my sister and me. Millie Oliver was in my brother Joe’s high school class and provided piano lessons to youngsters like Maggie and me. During the summer, we didn’t have to attend Catholic catechism on Saturday mornings. That seemed a good opportunity for piano lessons – to our mother.

    At that time, we had three television stations. Our TV was black and white – no color. Cable TV and video streaming services didn’t exist. Cartoons were scheduled for Saturday mornings. If you missed them, you had to wait until the next week. Saturday mornings were for watching cartoons! We weren’t eager to spend our Saturday mornings at piano lessons.

    My days were filled with playing in the dirt with my toy trucks and plastic army men. I climbed trees and played with the family dog. I wasn’t aware of the Pig Pen character in the Peanuts comic strip, but it accurately described my appearance. Our teacher was energetic and patient. Upon arrival, she directed me to wash my hands. To me, washing my hands was a waste of my time, but I complied.

    Several times over the summer, Millie hosted recitals. All of her students played their pieces for each other. She would have Kool-Aid and cookies for us. As the summer gave way to fall, our Saturdays were once again dedicated to catechism and our piano lessons became a fond memory.

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