My library of musical muses
I recently made a list of musical instruments I would like to learn to play before I die. A theme is taking shape. I have this silly little dream of being in a band. That’s my American Dream. A rocking chair in the front yard and my band in the basement.
To give the list some life, I thought I’d share stories and videos that inspired my decision to select each instrument. Think, a library of musical muses.
Ukulele
The kickstarter of my love for instruments. I’m thankful to the couple of people in my life who would visit me in my apartment in east London and play their ukulele in my living room. They made the idea of owning an instrument feel tangible. And shoutout to Fender’s back-to-school sale in the fall of 2024.
Check out these beautiful covers:
- This duet cover of Absolutely Cuckoo by The Magnetic Fields is so charming.
- And this one of Friday I'm in Love by The Cure features an electric ukulele. I'm really looking forward to the day I finally take the plunge and get myself an amp and explore the world of electric ukulele!
Guitar
I took a six-week course earlier this year and quit two thirds of the way in because I let anxious thoughts get the better of me. Which is to say, I don’t know how to play the guitar but I did play around with a Taylor for a couple weeks at some point.
These guitar covers warm my heart so much:
- Karissa Lawrence’s cover of All I Wanna Do played a big part in my falling in love with The Beach Boys.
- And the Rockabilly family’s cover of Stray Cat Strut is so wholesome that I can't even watch it during my luteal phase.
Drums (+ Darbuka) (+ Riq)
I’ve never played drums but I have a feeling I’d really enjoy playing them. James Brown says to think of every instrument as a drum. That's helped me pay more attention to rhythm and appreciate just how much maths that music demands of us.
The darbuka and riq hold special places in my heart because of how often they’re featured in the SWANA music scene. I had an English friend ask me years ago how Arabs find it easy to dance sober in weddings. I gave a non-committal answer at the time but if I were asked this today, I’d say: they don’t need alcohol to dance, they have darbuka.
I’m always looking out for the percussion in music but:
- This live session from Donia Wael is mesmerising. I’m a big fan of Donia and this song is yet another testament to her talent.
- Speaking of people I’m a big fan of, Alaa Wardi is in a band called Hayajan. I love this song because you can tell they’re having a blast.
Bass
I have a whole playlist dedicated to songs with a groovy bass that give me so much euphoria. It’s probably the playlist of mine I listen to the most.
The one that stands out the most is definitely:
- Orla Gartland’s Late to the Party.
Okay, I can’t not mention one of my top ten most listened to songs this year:
- Weight of Love by The Black Keys.
Oud
I own an oud. I can’t really remember why I wanted one. I think I was listening to a lot of Fairuz and then attended an exhibition about Mohamed Abdel-Wahab and thought: here’s an obvious way to connect myself to these legends. Now it sits in a corner of my room and I tell myself that I cannot touch it until I've mastered the ukulele.
It is a beautiful, intimidating instrument that I will learn one day. In the meantime, I’ll continue to enjoy oud covers of my favourite Fairuz song.
Piano
I was having a drink with my friend on a floating bar when I sought his advice on places to check out in Brussels. I booked it as an impromptu trip to let myself experience the Eurostar even just once before leaving the UK and had the faintest idea of where to go.
He recommended I visit the Museum of Musical Instruments and I'm glad I asked because that visit may have been the highlight of my trip. There was an entire floor dedicated to keyboards, the West’s musical stamp of pride. Pianos and organs and harpsichords as far as the eye can see.
In an episode from the podcast Life and Art from FT Weekend (RIP), Nadia Beard talks about taking up piano in her 30s and the value of amateurism.
Here’s an excerpt that stuck with me:
When you have free time and you spend it doing something challenging, that’s not considered usual. At least it’s not conventionally relaxing. And I have to say, it’s not relaxing. You know, [that] kind of practice, for example, is actually not relaxing, but it is extremely rewarding. It’s just another way of experiencing the world… The experience of creation is completely exhilarating to me. And it’s one of the few things in life which I think is completely and perennially unpredictable. You know, creation is completely mysterious, and I think everyone should have access to that experience. And so if amateurism is a way to do that, then fantastic.
By the end of the episode, I wanted to take up piano!
Accordion
There was a guy playing the accordion outside of a beautiful park in Amsterdam in the peak of the spring. He looked happy, at peace, even grinned at us when we looked his way. And like that, the accordion was on the list.
Violin
I used to live with a girl who owned a gorgeous piano and often attended classical music concerts. She’d tell me stories of growing up with the violin and how she had one in Italy that was passed down to her from her grandfather.
Once, she was unable to make it to a concert and gifted me her ticket. I was mesmerised by the fusion of the violin, viola and cello on the stage. The violin looked to be the least intimidating of the three.
Harp
In a recent episode of a YouTube series called Royal Court, Brittany Broski asks Jessie Buckley: “In Wicked Little Letters, your character reprimands her daughter by saying: nice girls don’t play guitar. What instruments do they play and why is it the harp?”.
Banjo
The banjo makes a sound that is so unfamiliar to my ears and playlists that I’d really like to explore. It also just looks sick! Don’t get me started on banjoleles.
What's in your muse library?
I’d love it if you shared with me what pulls you toward creation. And what’s your version of the rocking chair in the front yard and the basement band?