Reading versus Playing by Ear

Not too long ago I was enjoying listening to my friend Francine singing in worship. She has this ability to sing all around the melody and make it sound good. She also has the voice to go with the ability. I, on the other hand, have gone from the mezzo-soprano I was as a youth to barely an alto now. Almost everything they sing in church is written for tenors and sopranos, leaving those of who can't sing those notes looking for really good harmonies in our range.

Now, I grew up in a noninstrumental Church of Christ, and our congregation was blessed with a song leader who was willing to teach music. So I learned music theory and I learned to read music, and I learned to sing alto! But I have to have the music in front of me. If I can hear an alto line, I generally learn it and sing it by ear. But I sure can't make one up!!

This leaves me in awe of those who can "sing around the melody".

But I find that that is true of me in life in general. I'm really good with details. Give me a specific job and I'm happy to do it. But give me something too general and I just stand there not knowing how to tackle it.

I think there are two kinds of people. There are the kind who can take a big job and tackle it and break into small pieces and either delegate or do it themselves. (They tend to get the "bossy" label and they also tend to get frustrated with the rest of us, who don't have that amazing ability.) And then there are the rest of us who can't see the trees for the forest. My kids are both like me. I learned long ago that "Go clean your room" was hopeless and frustrating to both sides. "Make your bed." "Put your horses away." "Fold your clothes." These were much more effective commands. I think my mom understood this to some extent. Saturday was always housecleaning day, and she would always write out lists of things for us girls to do. I remember my Aunt Elsie telling my mom once, "If I could only get them to SEE what needed to be done." Apparently, both my mom and her sister got the "big picture" gene, but I think most of us cousins got the "just the details" gene. I'm not sure that it is something that can be trained into a person. I think it is a gift. You have it or you don't.

My friend Francine also has the "big picture" gene. She has the amazing ability to walk into just about any situation and see what needs to be done. I'm completely happy if someone gives me a specific task. I'm completely frustrated, and will stand dumbfounded, if someone gives me too general a command.

I see this difference also in our little homeschool group. The people with the "big picture" gene get a little frustrated with us "just the details" types, because they feel bossy if they tell us what to do, and yet, we are more than happy to have it broken down and divied up, because we lack that talent. Perhaps if we understood that this is the way God made us, and it's okay to be different, we might get along a little easier....

But I still keep trying to play by ear. Maybe at the very least I'll get a little better at it, although I still admire the ability of those who come by it naturally....