There's a million other things I wouldn't rather be doing. ;) I'm Lee Fentress.
My parents have been very influential in my life especially in music. My mother, Evie, is a music teacher at J.W. Wiseman Elementary School in Portland, TN and was voted this year as Teacher of the Year out of the whole state I believe (or was it just the county? not sure) She's been giving piano lessons ever since her teen years. Amazingly, to my knowledge she's composed little to no music of her own that she's written down or recorded, although she does have the ability. Before long I'll have her composing, recording, and uploading to all these music sites like Soundclick. She started teaching me piano from a very young age, but she didn't force me, so when I decided I didn't want to play the piano, she didn't make me. A couple of years ago, however, I decided yes, I do want to play piano afterall; but I have yet to seek mom's teaching expertise in the area. Soon, perhaps, I might.
My dad has been playing guitar and singing ever since his late teens. He's encouraged me time and time again to sing, to play, and to lead worship at church; i don't know where I'd be without him.
I've been playing drums longer than keyboard. I wanted to play drums ever since i can remember. So I picked that up somewhere along the way; started off with a drum machine which i played live tapping the little non-pressure-sensitive pads, and at some point transferred to an acoustic set, learned how to use my feet, and then to an electronic set. I also play saxaphone--had sax lessons throughout middle-school years, my sax teacher was this awesome sax player, Al Markum. And I sing, too. Been doin that forever. I know few chords on the guitar, too but am no expert.
Al always used to say "You've just got to develop your ear." I always thought having a good ear was just something you were born with. I used to always be so amazed when Al would sit down at a piano and pick out chord progressions to songs and pittle around; he wasn't really a piano-player mind you, he just had a good ear, that's why it amazed me. To think, piano-playing wasn't something he did consistently. He didn't practice, he just pittled. And somehow he used his ear to poke around and find the chords he could hear in his head. I guess I was never so amazed when mom would do the same thing so fluently as it was second-nature to her because afterall she'd been playing all her life. So, in the end I believe you're born with a certain amount of talent, and a whole lot of potential; it all mixes in there and if you practice and learn, there's a whole lot you can do. Here I am now, basically able to do the same thing as my mom and Al (somewhere between their skill levels) and if you're musically inclined at all, you can do the same; it just may take more or less practice depending on your talent-level to build the skill level you want. You can even learn to improvise, to compose, and all that, even if you aren't born with it. I guess it's easier when you are though.
I play live--I'm on the music team at church, Living Water Fellowship--website is http://www.lwfi.org. I sing, play keyboard and drums.
Jesus Christ, some bands here and there, my mom and dad definately, and Ryan Farish, Grundman, Paul Spaeth and this dude whose name I can't remember who composed the music on the Lifescapes - Daydream CD I bought at Target.
My custom built PC. M-Audio Keystation Pro 88, E-Mu Proteus X sound card/module. As for software, I currently use Reason and Fruity Loops. I just started into electronic music about a year ago, and have barely tapped into even exploring the potential of these programs. It's amazing how fast time flys.
Without sounding overly arrogant or boastful, I'm an awesome guy! :) I'm very unique. And cool. And GOODlooking, as they say in Zoolander. okay... whatever, heh heh.