Editing Getting the Band Together (section)

==='''Exploring Musical Knowledge'''===
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As the jam session wound down, Eddie leaned back against the wall, his guitar resting across his lap. He looked around at the group, a thoughtful expression on his face. “So Holden plays the ukulele, and I assume Gadget does too because it’s hers. It’s funny; we’ve been playing around each other and now with each other for a while. What other things do we play? I play guitar, obviously, played standup bass in Jazz Band, as well as tuba and French horn in the orchestra back in junior high. Tiffy’s tried teaching me violin. I can mostly not embarrass myself on harmonica. What else?”

Tiffy smirked, setting her flute down. “Violin, viola, cello, flute, and a number of those like recorder, fife, some woodwinds. Some brass, but I couldn’t get the hang of them. And… ah… well… the piano.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow. “You never mentioned most of those, but… the piano? Are you any good at it?”

She nodded, a small, proud smile playing on her lips. “Yeah, I’m pretty good.”

Jax chimed in, tapping lightly on his snare. “I toyed around with sax but left before I did a lot with it. Played the xylophone a few times. Just like they’re drums, ya know. Did a bunch of other percussion before Cali and I ran off the first time. Ya know, any of us could play stuff like tambourines, maracas, other percussion noise makers.”

Holden added, “Guitar, ya know. Some bass. The ukulele and ah… banjo. I actually started as a little punk on the banjo. But Mom loved that, and Dad hated it. When she died, he got rid of all her stuff, including the uke and the banjo. After that, it was guitar.”

Cali shrugged, her bass resting against her leg. “Bass, some guitar, but I loved the low sound. Jax taught me bongos pretty good.”

They all turned to Gadget, expectantly.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “Well, mainly kazoo.” The room erupted into laughter and good-natured goading.

“Bass. Lead guitar. Ah… Irish folk harp. Dulcimer. Flute was my first love, but it brings back memories for me I avoid. But recorder, piccolo, fife, a few of the woodwinds. Ya know, a conch might be a good addition to our sound. I’ve tooted them.”

She paused, as if hesitant to go on. “And damn… I’m pretty good on the piano. Spent some time on the road with a hell of a jazz piano player. Learned a lot from him… ah, too much… too much drinking… too much… well, he was the first I let. Not my first, but the first I let…” Her voice trailed off, and Cali reached over, gripping her hand, understanding now why she felt so comfortable with the wild girl; shared grief and experiences.

Holden put his hand on her shoulder. “I hope I get to meet him someday, if he was kind to you.”

Gadget nodded, implying he was. “Holden, if you ever meet him, we will know a hell of a lot more about each other than you could possibly imagine.” She chuckled, thinking of her piano man, the Lord of Chaos.

They talked for a bit longer, sharing stories and jamming a little more before eventually drifting off to their respective corners. Brute, Gadget’s massive dog, wandered over to lie near Holden, while Gadget herself settled down with a thoughtful expression.

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