11990/Music Lessons

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Music Lessons
Date of Scene: 13 August 2020
Location: Rec Room - Xavier's School
Synopsis: Just a little, impromptu jam session
Cast of Characters: Ted Gammage, Nightingale




Ted Gammage has posed:
There's a rare moment of quiet around. Most of the school is off studying, resting or doing other things. Ted's taken advantage and slipped to the rec room with his guitar, a nice looking, if a bit well used, instrument. He plays it idly, pausing on occasion to tighten a string, before resuming. The tune is soft, slow, like an old country music tune almost. Its clear he's played this before, and is actually, briefly, distracted by his own thoughts as he strums, not a indulgance he often gives himself.

Nightingale has posed:
     It's a moment of quiet, too, that finds Shannon in the rec room in similar circumstances. Her PJ's are in evidence, in the form of red tartan sweatpants, a baggy grey tank top, and floofy Old English Sheepdog slippers. Her instrument is a bit newer, and in tune as she practices some scales. Her fingers upon the neck of the instrument are perhaps a bit less practiced, yet when she does take up what seems to be an actual song, her confidence grows. It's a familiar old tune in a haunting minor key, with the strings plucked in a gentle triplet rhythm.

"There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
It's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one...."

Ted Gammage has posed:
The other song brings him from his reverie. Ted tilts his head, stops his playing for a few moments, listening to the song. He gives a faint smile, angling his head back just a bit and ...listens. While listening, one hand gently moves, mimicing the chord changes as Shannon does them, as if trying to keep up, or keep time with it, for the moment his own playing forgotten. He looks over at her after a few moments of it and smiles quietly, just watching.

Nightingale has posed:
     It was so easy to become lost in the music, no matter how one's fingers fumbled on their chosen instrument. There is no pick in her right hand, the winged teen plucking each string and swaying gently in time with the melody. When she hears someone else joining in, however, it brings her to a fumbling halt, a discordant jangle of mis-played strings taking the place of the lilting, plaintive accompaniment. "Ack!"

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Ack? I'm not sure I know those particular lyrics," he says mirthfully. "Also, didn't realize you played. Though I suppose its not surprising. Honestly I suspect a lot of folks probably play some instrument. Kind of helps take us away from all tha..." He waves his hand in a arching gesture. "Tha...stuff. Makes folks feel normal a while. S'why I do it at least. That an' for some reason...helps with th' strength thing. I don't have to focus to not just crunch the guitar for whatever reason.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles a bit sheepishly, chuckling as she looks over at Ted. "Truthfully, I've only been playing guitar since oh, around just before this past Christmas. My primary instrument is actually the piano, and I compose music on my laptop, too." Lifting her shoulders in a little shrug, she gives a flick of her wings, settling them in at her back. "Though to be honest, I had a few sources of inspiration to even begin trying. Cap... Andrea... Alexis... Bean... just to name a few."

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Ah, Piano? Ah'll haveta hear y' play sometime." Ted picks his instrument back up. "Ah picked this up a couple years ago. Realized it...helped," he says, "An ah had a few teachers." He plays the slow melody, "Mah first one had me learn these slower songs t'start with. Old Country. Ah think he was a fan, t'be honest." He picks up the pace a bit, turning into more of a traditional Three-Chord-Song, "Ah spent a few months playin' songs ah heard on the radio durin' my downtime at th' farm." It changes again, peppy, energetic music sounding kind of like a spanish style, mariachi. "An' mah dad had ah few... seasonal laborers," he says, wincing a bit at that. He's not real proud of his dad exploiting people. "But ah couple of them knew songs and taught them to me." He stops and then just idly taps the front of the guitar, keeping the beat.

Nightingale has posed:
     While Shannon can't play the guitar quite as well as Ted can, she can keep a beat. Turning her instrument to other uses, she drums and taps her fingers in a lively flamenco-style beat, the hollow sound from the body of the guitar almost like a drum made entirely of wood. "You play really well," she says, smiling. "If you can learn to control your strength and play like that, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to maintain that control. Muscle memory and all."

Ted Gammage has posed:
"I don't know why it works like it does," Ted admits, keeping the beat a few moments before it turns back into the spanish-sounding number, strings plucking that peppy, energetic melody. "This style always makes me smile ah little," he admits after a moment. "An' the folk that taught it... they're good folk, ah think." He chuckles, "An' thank y' for the compliment. Just been doin' it a bit, is all. It's fun," he shrugs, "And makes m' feel almost like ah can be around people, an' have friends and all that fun stuff I had back before ah could toss a car int' space."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's own smile widens, the ears and floppy pink tongues on her slippers bobbing and flopping about as her feet begin moving in time with the music. "Wish I could play like that. Maybe someday." She lets out a wistful sigh, just letting herself listen to each note, humming along as best she can for a few minutes. As Ted keeps playing, she begins humming a harmony, improvising around the tune he plays.

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Hah," Ted says, "You play fine for someone who's not been at it long. Plus y' already have ah music background, an I'm told once you know one or two, the rest are...easy t'pick up." He shrugs his shoulders continuing to play for a few minutes, eventually coming to the end of the song. The last strum lets the strings just hum a few moments. "Ah'd offer t' help teach but ah'm not sure how good a'teacher ah'd be. But y'know, if y' wanna play together sometime, ah'm always here."

Nightingale has posed:
     "I guess... thing is, when Alexis showed me just a few chords, she had me playing 'House of the Rising Sun' in less than an hour. But it's been a little harder to pick up since. Piano was easy for me. Reading notes on a page is easy. Reading tablature? That's another kettle of fish entirely." As Ted's song comes to an end, the last notes fading into silence, Shannon just smiles. Setting her guitar down in her lap, she applauds the master at his craft. "You might be surprised. Heck, any pointers would be a help."

Ted Gammage has posed:
He is quiet a moment, pondering, then shrugs, "A'ight, though mebbe not t'night. It's late an' ah got a real, stupid early class." Ted grins, "Though ah bet you'll have it down easilly soon," he says. "Maybe ah should get an idea of what y' like to hear, then you'll know what y'like to play. Its always easier when y'like it," he notes, though does stretch his arms up, giving just a little bit of a flex as he works his arms before yawning. Its after that, he starts to place his guitar back in the case.

Nightingale has posed:
     There is an upright piano off to one side of the rec room, having been moved in there over the past year to accomodate the seeming influx of students with musical inclinations. It's not uncommon to see Shannon at this instrument, and this is no exception. She moves over to the piano, leaning her guitar carefully against the wall, and sliding onto the bench. "I've got a pretty wide range of tastes in music... but this one's always fun to play."

     With that, she launches into a jazzy, almost ragtime sort of piece--and one easily recognizable to any sci-fi fan worth their salt. For a moment, it seems as if they are in a galaxy far, far away, and not in the rec room at the mansion.

Ted Gammage has posed:
Ted actually pauses as he is closing his case, recognizing the tune. "Ah, yeesh, that's a'lotta hand-work there," he says, watching her play a few moments more. "How long'd that take yah t' pick up?" he wonders. "Mm, ah don't think they played it quite th' way in th movie, did they?" He stands behind her as she plays and taps his foot along a bit as long as she keeps playing. "Is Sci-Fi ah music genre?" he muses playfully.

Nightingale has posed:
     "It's... close. That arrangement has part of the song missing, but I'll learn to fix that soon enough." Shannon grins as she plays the final chords, not even breaking her stride as her hands dance over the ivories. Her wings flutter and flap behind her, as if dancing to the lively tune. "It took me about three months, that one. 'Duel of the Fates' took me about six. Most of the other stuff is relatively easy. Those were /really/ hard pieces. But yeah, movie soundtracks, I guess you could call those a genre. I like classic rock, too. Stuff from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, mostly. 90's on up, forget it! New Age... newer country music... traditional ballads..."

Ted Gammage has posed:
He chuckles a bit at the tune, and the excitement behind the person playing it. "Well," he notes, "It's quite good. Entertaining and you seem to be enjoying yourself. You're a true musician. I'm just ah goober playin' a guitar." He smiles, "Not that there's anythin' wrong with that, ah wear it well." He actually, after a moment, gently pats her shoulder, probably VERY gently for him. "I like you. Your music, I mean," he adds quickly before starting to withdraw his hand. "It's good," he notes, "Ah'll haveta listen to more another night. An', next time, maybe ah can show y' what few tricks ah know on th' six-string." He goes and picks up his case, slinging it over his shoulder via a strap on it. "Ah think it's 'bout bedtime. G'night Shann."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles as she looks back over her shoulder, holding very still. She doesn't flinch, and as Ted draws his hand away from her shoulder, there is no sign of injury whatsoever. "Be happy to. Maybe I could teach you a little piano, and you could show me some things on the guitar. That'd be fun." Her cheeks flush lightly and she ducks her head a bit shyly at his compliment. To her music, that is!

     "Sleep well when you get there! This was fun, thank you!" As Ted slips out of the rec room, an old familiar classic can be heard on the piano--Queen's true magnum opus, the notes filling the silence of the night.