Intro to Music

[luyu]

Luyu shuffled the papers on her desk. She had 15 minutes until this class started, and she was not completely sure what to expect. She was not a teacher, but having her PhD made her automatically qualified to teach, according to the education community. Standing, she moved around the room. The chairs were in a neat semi-circle, she hated the way lined up desks looked. Too much like blocks, they had too little flow.

Going back to the front of the room, she wrote her name on the chalkboard, as she had seen her teachers do.

Dr. Luyu Kodiak

It looked strange, yet authoritive. She smoothed her brown pencil skirtwww.bananarepublic.com/browse/product.do?cid=5022&pid=564576&vid=1, then adjusted the cuffs of her matching jacket and undershirtwww.bananarepublic.com/browse/product.do?pid=564694002, the vest needed no adjustment.The Dr. was much better than a Ms., she decided. Turning back around, she leaned on her desk and began to sort through the music she would pass out. Hopefully the students all had their instruments, if not though, she had a few that she could lend out. It was now ten minutes until class started.

[joar]

The boy walked down the hall. He held onto the average sized black case that rested at his side. He wore something else today, a long sleeve black dress shirt that was silky smooth and cargo pants along with his black DC's. His jet black hair hung down straight at his jaw level, his mud brown eyes observed his surroundings as he got used to the new school and its area.

The boy then entered a room that was quite large and had many chairs and a few isolated instruments, either the schools or students who had left them there so they didn't have to carry them every day.

He looked over to to chalkboard and the woman that sat at her desk near it. Evidently, it was the band teacher. Dr. Luyu Kodiak. He half laughed, so his band teacher was a doctor, sounded kind of odd but he would go with it. You just never expect a band teacher to have a PHD in this subject.

He walked over to a chair in the back and set down his case. He pulled out a small bundle that was under his shirt and hanging around his neck and began to play it. It was the Syrinx that he liked to play when he was alone and had nothing better to do. He played a soft melody he had heard his relatives play when he was younger.

(This is the song - youtube.com/watch?v=yOaoUx0Mc0Q )

[Matrim]

Matrim made his way to class, it was music class. His father would be proud. Matrim decided he'd bring his father's old acoustic. According to his father it was a solid body making it sound really good. Matrim knew how to play a few songs his father had taught him by bands he'd never heard of, but other then that music was his fathers thing. Fighting was Matrim's.

"Damn it, I hate the fact I'm used to this," Matrim used his MAC to open the classroom door. He was feeling oddly friendly today, so instead of sitting in the front, he sat in the back next to another kid playing a very weird instrument that Matrim had never seen before. He sat down, opened the guitar case and pulled out the acoustic while putting the strap around his neck. He wasn't going to play it and show off, in all reality he sucked. Such is life, but he thought he'd show the effort to actually bring an instrument.

Matrim looked over to the teacher, a female who dressed rather trendy considering she was a Dr.

Dr. Luyu Kodiak huh? Cute teacher.... Definitely a teacher.... definitely out of my league.... definitely totally way out of the realm of possibility or any realm close to that....

Matrim hung his head in defeat.

[Alex]

Alex made his way down the hall, his footsteps schoing softly. Today he wore a white t-shirt, blue jeans, a hooded jacket, and his black Converse shoes, worn down from use. Slung over his shoulder, resting on his back was his archtop guitar, an Epiphone Emperor. This was one of two guitars Alex owned and played in his spare time. Alex checked his cell phone clock, he had 5 minutes until class started. He reached the classroom door and automatically pulled out his MAC to open it. Pulling out his MAC had become a reflex for Alex, he could almost do it without having to think about it.

He walked into the classroom, and the sound of a melody that sounded like a flute but not quite that greeted Alex, as he sat down in the middle row, he slipped off the case, putting it down on the ground, looking up at the board, he saw a name had been written on it. " Dr. Luyu Kodiak." Alex couldn't help but smirk slightly, this was another teacher his father had picked and hired. He bent down and opened the case, gently pulling out the Epiphone.

Resting it on his thigh, Alex began to strum the strings softly, playing a melody that he heard his father play before. The sound that resonated from the guitar was calm and gentle, almost relaxing you could say. As he sat there playing, one could not help but notice that he looked in every way, almost like his father, albeit younger. He looked over to the teacher, who was currently sorting through the music she had on her desk. Alex smiled slightly, class was almost in session.

[luyu]

Luyu glanced at the students as they walked in. She looked more at their instruments than at them, picking out sheets of music for them and placing them in piles. The bell rang and she straightened, finally giving them each a solid look. Her gaze passed over a boy who played the syrinx well, and she pushed back her smile. He would make an interesting student. Then there was another boy, who held a guitar. It was a fine thing, she had not seen the like in many years. Finally her gaze linkered on the third boy and her heart nearly skipped a beat. He looked so familiar to her, and memories threatened to coming pounding back. She held them at bay, though, she would have him for the rest of the year, there would be time for thoughts and questions later.

"Good morning, class, and welcome to Introduction to Music." She lifted the sorted papers on the desk and walked to each student, handing them their pile of music. "I expect you to treat your music as if it were your instrument. All of these pieces are originals," she wondered if the students noticed that she had composed each piece,"and I expect them back at the end of the year in the same condition that I gave them to you. Marking is permissable, as long as it is in pencil." They were simple pieces, all of them, for this was an intro class.

"Now, I will tell you the rules for my classroom. I shall hear no voices, only instruments. If you have a question, then you must raise your hand and ask me, otherwise I will tolerate no talking unless I ask for it. I hope I am understood."

Luyu had reached her desk and she turned on her heel, placing one hand on her hip and the other on her podium. "Now, you shall take turns telling me your names and your musical experience." Her eyes grazed over the students again, once more lingering over the boy who looked so unnervingly familiar.

[Matrim]

Matrim understood what she said, and he tried his best to remember the music his father had taught him. It had been years since he had played the Guild Acoustic Electric. All he remembered was a few songs, and a little bit of music theory.

"My name is Matrim Gallagher, my father taught me to play the guitar, he was a famous musician, along with my grandfather, so I'm ok considering who taught me, but I'm no where as good as either of them."

Matrim then decided to shut up before he babbled on.

I wonder if my dad hadn't died if my life would have been more music driven then fighting based....

[Alex]

Alex looked up from his playing, lettiing the final notes he was playing resonate before softly fading out, he saw the teacher look over the students that were here, but her gaze lingered on him longer than the others, which confused him slightly, was something wrong with him? He didn't have time to worry about that though, class had started. She began handing out sheets of music, and then told them the rules. Alex nodded his head, yes, he understood every word she spoke. Then came introductions, again the teacher looked over the students, her gaze lingering on him again. The first one to speak was the boy in the back, the one with blue hair.

"My name is Matrim Gallagher, my father taught me to play the guitar, he was a famous musician, along with my grandfather, so I'm ok considering who taught me, but I'm no where as good as either of them."

Matrim huh? Alex made of a note of that, and after looking around and seeing no one else speak after Matrim, he decided to introduce himself. " My name is Alexander, or Alex, Hikari." Alex said, as around him, whispers broke out. He ignored the whispers, he was used to them by now. " I took lessons to play the guitar, ever since I was 9, I'm pretty good, I can play quite a bit of songs, ones I heard or if there's music sheets in front of me." Alex finished, as he continued to look at the front.

[joar]

The bell had rung and students had come in in the nick of time. Currently there were only three of them. Himself, A boy by the name of Matrim, who had an acoustic guitar. He said he was born to two famous musicians. He knew not who they were but would take the boys word on it.

He set down the syrinx once the boy sat down. He then stood up and brushed a strand of hair from his eyes. The mud brown eyes gazed mystically towards the teacher. Not that he liked her, he didn't know her beyond her name and what she did but the simple fact that he knew she had a passion for music as he does.

He smiled, showing his pearly whites and bowed his head slightly, "I am Joar Addam Nessosin, and my history in music...well is a bit odd." he said with a shrug, showing his thick Romani accent. Yeah, thats right, he was a gypsy. "I play the Syrinx, the violin, and the spanish guitar. I also am currently learning to play the piano, lute, harp, and the Irish flute." he added calmly and with little emotion.

No sooner had he stopped a winged creature landed on one of the branches outside the window. It blended in almost perfectly with the leather leaves on the tree it landed on. He knew who it was, it was his little messenger boy, Loiosh. He didn't look to him just let him sit there until after class when he could follow Joar once again.

[luyu]

Luyu studied her three students. The school was small, so she had not expected a large class size. She studied each boy after his response, taking in his name, face, and history in music. Each seemed adequately prepared for her class, though she knew that the introduction to music would be a bit boring for them, as it seemed they all knew the rudimentary of it.

"It is nice to meet you all, though I am afraid that this class is an introduction, so you may be a bit bored with it." She said this with a twinkle in her eye. Luyu looked at each student once more. Joar with his syrinx, it was a lucky thing that she played it as well, for she composed music for the instrument. Matrim, the son of famous musicians. He didn't seem to think that she would be impressed, which was good because she wasn't. He didn't seem to take advantage of his paternal musical talent, so she did not judge him harshly.

The third boy, though, she would have to ponder more later. His last name, it evoked memories from when she was in High School, of a boy that she had fallen in love with. Luyu had also realized that that was why he looked so familiar, he looked just like her first love. There would be time for thought on that later, though.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, as you can see my name is Dr. Luyu Kodiak. You may call me Dr. Luyu or Dr. Kodiak, either one. The Dr. makes me feel important, and I earned it, so don't forget that part and you shall be golden." The twinkle in her eye intensified, Luyu always enjoyed lightening the mood.

Lifting the first sheet of music, it was one of her first compositions, a simple piece that the students should grasp easily.

"Now, because it is the first day, I want to gauge your ability to read music. This class will not necessarily be based solely on reading music, but it is a good starting point."

She scanned the page she held in her hand, "Who can tell me what key this is in?"

[Matrim]

Matrim looked at the page. His father taught him to play the piano, he taught him to sight read a little. Of course, he didn't understand what his father meant by Major and Minor keys, or relative Majors or relative minors. It was all the same to him. He learned how to tell the key by the key signature, which had 3 marks which looked like b's.

b is flat.... three flats... something about the order of flats is.... b...e...a...d.. I don't remember past that.... so... its b, e, and a.... the second to last flat... is... the key name?

"E Flat Major." Matrim spoke up. He knew very little of music theory but he definitely knew stuff like this. Of course, it could have been a minor key and Matrim would be lost at that point. Something about taking three steps that he didn't remember.

Why didn't I pay more attention to my old man?

[Alex]

After everyone had made their introductions, the teacher made hers. "It is a pleasure to meet you all, as you can see my name is Dr. Luyu Kodiak. You may call me Dr. Luyu or Dr. Kodiak, either one. The Dr. makes me feel important, and I earned it, so don't forget that part and you shall be golden." He made a note of that, mostly out of habit, he made notes of everything. She started off the lesson with something pretty basic, it was an introductory class anyways.

"Now, because it is the first day, I want to gauge your ability to read music. This class will not necessarily be based solely on reading music, but it is a good starting point." Alex looked down at his music sheet, to those who probably had no musical experience, they'd probably have no idea what the teacher was talking about. Alex, however, did, and so did Matrim, who answered.

"E Flat Major."

" Not bad." Alex thought, as he continued to look at the sheet. He definitely knew his stuff. Alex leaned back in his chair, his guitar still resting on his thigh.

[luyu]

"E Flat Major." That had come from Matrim. It had only taken him a moment or two to spout it out, and the other boys looked as if he had just beat them. "Very good, Matrim." She praised the student for a job well done.

"Now if you please, boys. Since you all seem to know so much about playing, please play the first four bars. I shall give you all your first note." Luyu opened her mouth and it was as if all three instruments were playing, though none of the boys had moved to play. She closed her mouth and added, "I'll cut you off at the fermata."

Luyu waited expectantly.

[joar]

Joar looked at the blue haired boy. Matrim if he remembered correctly, he didn't really pay much attention to names, mainly just music. He had been just a fraction of a second behind Matrim when he said E flat Major. He closed his mouth when he was about to say it as Matrim had already done that.

Dr. Kodiak then told them to play the first four bars. Simple enough. He put his Syrinx away and pulled out the violin sitting next to him. He rested it under his chin and began to play the bars.

He played them fluently as if it was as natural as breathing. He then got an odd idea which he would later wonder why he had done it and threw in a little something extra in there. He played the song the Aegean girl had played from Queen of the Damned. His family had liked vampires, a bit too much and often they wished to change their last name to Ravnos. While it was cool they never did it.

He had seen the movie quite a few times and knew the movements and notes to play it and did it extremely well in his opinion, once again with as much naturalness as breathing.

(for those that haven't seen it this is the tune he played
youtube.com/watch?v=TUOOfJ1w3FE&feature=related )

[Matrim]

Matrim played along as best he could. When it came to guitar he was a bit better at reading tab as far as the music theory was concerned. He didn't play the first measure, but came in on the second playing through the rest of the song accompanying the kid named Joar with the melody on the higher strings while keeping a Basso Continuo style rhythm with the lower strings which helped provide the harmony.

The other kid was very talented, far more so then Matrim. Of course, Matrim was still a load better then most people were. Especially most singers, who were born with talent, they didn't have to work as hard. Of course, Matrim had a good voice himself, he was just way to shy to sing.

Well thats over with.

Alex may have played something in that time, but Matrim was paying too close attention to his own music to have heard him come in.

[luyu]

Luyu smiled, the boys were doing excellent at the song. She nodded her head slighlty in time with the music, the rhythm going through her head. Opening her mouth, it was as if a piano had joined in with the three boys, playing beautifully. Cutting them off, she opened her mouth to comment on their work. Instead of the silence she expected, though, Joar played a different rhythm.

Dr. Luyu Kodiak's eyes narrowed. It was a good song, she was not afraid to admit it, but he had played it out of turn. Tapping the slim piece of bamboo she used to conduct against her thigh, Luyu leaned against her desk, eyes boring into the boy.

"You did well, boys." She paused, taking in a calming breath. "Joar, there is no playing out of turn in my classroom. If you truly want to play music, then you must learn that impromptu work is acceptable at the right time and place. When playing with a conductor, it throws off the rest of the trio to continue on your own." The woman could not keep the ice out of her voice. It brought back memories of a more recent performace of one of her pieces, when a cellist had added his own little ditty in what should have been the hold in a fermata. Well, Luyu was pleased to say that his eardrums could no longer handle the vibrations of music and he lived a very silent life.

The rememberance had only taken a few seconds, and in that time, Luyu had walked to the board. "Now, I shall write a few key words on the board and I would like you to take them home and study them. Next class there will be a quiz."

Luyu proceeded to write down musical terms that the boys should know; Fermata, Crescendo, Decrescendo, staccato, accent, eight-note, half-note, repeat, etc.