Training your algorithm

The spontaneous joy is the key

Video still of the first Piano Man TikTok that started this whole thing. Korynnn … The question posed “why do you have this in your purse?”

I accidentally trained an algorithm a few days ago.

I came across this TikTok video the other day as I was sitting in the park, puttering around on my harmonica. Within hours, TikTok had served me up pretty much every video of women playing the intro to “Piano Man” on harmonica. It’s still finding new ones, and I’m not mad about it. If this is the newest TikTok trend, I’m here for it! Now, I’m wondering if they would all like to join the band, 100Harmonicas and how a middle-aged man can invite them without making it weird.

The “Piano Man” intro is a simple tune that most experienced harmonica players would dismiss as super basic. Because it is — no bends, uses just three holes, sounds ok when played from a neck holder, sounds great at pretty much any speed. I have the same feelings when someone asks me if I can play “Piano Man.”

“Of course, it’s one of the very first pieces anyone learns on the harp,” my experienced harmonica player brain says. Only, I don’t say that out loud; I just simply oblige. The average person has no idea how easy the piece is to learn and play and arrogance is never a celebrated quality. They think I’m a genius after I play it for them. I don’t argue.

What struck me as I scrolled through these videos was that people were learning and celebrating what to me is a very simple skill. The pure joy in their faces as they performed for themselves, their friends and family — and me peering into and beyond my phone screen. The unconditional support, surprise and awe from their friends is infectious as I found myself smiling and cheering their performance. Music bring joy, but creating music is addictive unbridled joy, especially when your friends and family all celebrate your spontaneous joy with you.

The pure unbridled JOY in Melanie’s face

By the time Billy Joel released the song in 1973, I had been playing the harmonica for almost 5 years already and the pop song to learn then was “Love Me Do” by the Beetles, released a full decade before Joel belted out the “Piano Man” lyrics into a beer-soaked mic. I don’t recall learning the harmonica intro, but it was one of those pieces that didn’t need tab because my ear just picked it up. And of course, there was the harmonica in “When The Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin. I’m not sure if knowing how to play that harmonica bit made me more popular in high school, but it probably didn’t hurt, especially when I went through the last three years with the nickname “Jimmy Page” (I know, Robert Plant played the harmonica intro… maybe I’ll write about my high school nickname eventually. In the meantime, enjoy this rare photo of me from high school.)

A common note on many of these TikToks is the harmonica as a “party trick” which reminded me of a student¹ I had a few years ago when I asked her why she wanted to learn to play. She said she wanted to be able to surprise your friends with a party trick, a hidden talent that none of her friends would ever guess she had. It was the first time I heard that as a reason to learn the harmonica and I admit, it sounded like an odd reason. But watching these people break out the harmonica at a gathering, I get it now!

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I realized a while back that I have been failing to record the genesis of these posts, so I’m going to try and be better. This particular post sorta wandered into my field of vision in a Zoom chat with

Mike Sowden

this past week. I quipped that I had accidentally trained an algorithm and then I had to explain that and then we talked about music and things that we each found simple and commonplace but that sparks joy in others, that we miss a lot when we don’t recognize the joy in others from the small things — which are apparently quite large to them! There may have been other lessons learned, I’m not sure if the conversation was recorded… it was 4:30am. BUT, Mike did commit to learning the harmonica and I am 100% convinced he can learn to play “Piano Man” in only one short lesson. Hell, now that I think about it, maybe he can drag

Alex Dobrenko`

along and they can continue their little Substack spat competition with a live of them fumbling around on the mouth organ. We logged in to watch Alex edit a story this morning, so logging in to watch Mike smoke him in a harmonica lesson should put that man’s ratings over the top, maybe lose him a few dozen followers, too! 😀😀 At worst, they would each be able to create a TikTok video of them playing “Piano Man,” though I’m not sure what that would do to the algorithm I raised from a caterpillar.

1. She also didn’t want to tell her boyfriend she was learning how to play the harmonica and we were several lessons in on Saturday mornings outside the local Kombucha bar when things got… awkward… when he just showed up. Dude, not only was nothing going on, but you ruined her surprise for you! He then wanted to learn, too, but she wasn’t interested in a couples band as she wanted this skill just for herself. We’ve since lost touch. Guys, don’t be this guy, please. You just ruin joy.