Due to some crazy scheduling issues, we decided to put 2 lessons into one week. The first was a playing lesson where I learned the basics of power chords. Little did I know those chords were the basis for all the great songs I listened to growing up. Even more interesting was my 20 something teacher enjoys music from that era.
The calluses on my fingertips, however, are beginning to get in the way of my playing. It seems the edges of them are lifting up and catching on the strings which really makes changing chords difficult. Then I realized it was all part of the process and was reassured that the calluses would remain but the scaly tips would wear away. Whew...glad to hear that as I don't want to go through rebuilding those babies again.
Lesson # 2 this week was a non-playing lesson. I learned how to restring a guitar as well as learning some basic guitar care and maintenance. This was also a chance, with the strings off the body, to get a closer look and the hollow box that is the acoustic.
Gregg
Monday, September 29, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Week 3 and 4
I would like to say my blogging has fallen behind due to the overwhelming amount of time I've spent practicing. The real truth of the matter is I'm not accustomed to journaling or blogging on a regular basis and just flat out keep forgetting. I'll try to do better in the future - promise.
In my last post, I had to discontinue my lessons w/ Josh due to my own scheduling difficulties. While there are tons of on-line resources available to the budding guitar player, there are also cesspools of information that are either out right incorrect or, at best, inaccurate. A gullible mind like mine needs pretty clear cut direction. Show me how and explain why and I'm a happy camper.
Armed with that knowledge of how I learn best, I knew I was going to somehow need to find a personal instructor that would be able to work around my crazy schedules. Enter neighbor and friend, Britton. When I approached him about helping me out he readily agreed, but was painfully honest in admitting he had never given a guitar lesson in his life. The fact that he brings this honesty to the table impressed me. What impressed me even more was a) he spent time understanding why (and what style of music) I want to play and b) he took his role serious and mapped out a plan of action.
Over the past 2 weeks, I've been introduced to other I IV V progressions along with some riff exercises to help my short (but calloused) fingers find individual notes on the strings. Besides, playing a few melodic lines helps take the boredom out of simply strumming chords. Most recently, I've been working on the 12 bar blues progression. Although I have no Basin Street roots, it's going pretty well.
Next, I'm looking forward to introducing some strumming rhythms into the mix soon.
Gregg
In my last post, I had to discontinue my lessons w/ Josh due to my own scheduling difficulties. While there are tons of on-line resources available to the budding guitar player, there are also cesspools of information that are either out right incorrect or, at best, inaccurate. A gullible mind like mine needs pretty clear cut direction. Show me how and explain why and I'm a happy camper.
Armed with that knowledge of how I learn best, I knew I was going to somehow need to find a personal instructor that would be able to work around my crazy schedules. Enter neighbor and friend, Britton. When I approached him about helping me out he readily agreed, but was painfully honest in admitting he had never given a guitar lesson in his life. The fact that he brings this honesty to the table impressed me. What impressed me even more was a) he spent time understanding why (and what style of music) I want to play and b) he took his role serious and mapped out a plan of action.
Over the past 2 weeks, I've been introduced to other I IV V progressions along with some riff exercises to help my short (but calloused) fingers find individual notes on the strings. Besides, playing a few melodic lines helps take the boredom out of simply strumming chords. Most recently, I've been working on the 12 bar blues progression. Although I have no Basin Street roots, it's going pretty well.
Next, I'm looking forward to introducing some strumming rhythms into the mix soon.
Gregg
Monday, September 8, 2008
Week two
OK, so I'm a bit behind on my updates. My second lesson with Josh also turned out to be my last due my own scheduling conflicts. Having said that, however, it was none the less a productive week as I learned a few more new chords and some new chord progressions to practice. Maybe one day I'll understand what the whole I-IV-V thing really means. For now I'm just happy to be able to strum a handful.
The only thing worse than a beginning guitar student is one playing on an out of tune instrument. Although still banging away on a rental, I went ahead and purchased a tuner and metronome. I figured the second worse thing about a beginning rhythm player is someone who has no sense of timing....hence the metronome.
Armed with a couple of new gadgets, I went back home and immediately tuned the strings. All was well until I got to the high E (that's the skinny sting on the bottom which for some odd reason is called the number 1 string in case you were wondering). According to my new digital high tech tuner, the arrow indicated it was playing a bit flat. Unfortunately, I was not aware that a little turning of the tuning peg goes a long way. I'm also not sure what happened next except to say that my dogs were not amused when the tension on that little steel cable caused it to snap. My wife, however, found it somewhat amusing. Bless her heart, she really did try not to laugh out loud.
After cleaning up the mess the dogs made, as well as changing my own shorts, it dawned on me I should've probably taken up the salesman on his offer when he asked if I "needed any strings". I'm betting he knew what was going to happen.
Gregg
The only thing worse than a beginning guitar student is one playing on an out of tune instrument. Although still banging away on a rental, I went ahead and purchased a tuner and metronome. I figured the second worse thing about a beginning rhythm player is someone who has no sense of timing....hence the metronome.
Armed with a couple of new gadgets, I went back home and immediately tuned the strings. All was well until I got to the high E (that's the skinny sting on the bottom which for some odd reason is called the number 1 string in case you were wondering). According to my new digital high tech tuner, the arrow indicated it was playing a bit flat. Unfortunately, I was not aware that a little turning of the tuning peg goes a long way. I'm also not sure what happened next except to say that my dogs were not amused when the tension on that little steel cable caused it to snap. My wife, however, found it somewhat amusing. Bless her heart, she really did try not to laugh out loud.
After cleaning up the mess the dogs made, as well as changing my own shorts, it dawned on me I should've probably taken up the salesman on his offer when he asked if I "needed any strings". I'm betting he knew what was going to happen.
Gregg
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Week one's practice
So far so good. I've managed to practice an hour each day. It's usually 20 minutes in the morning followed by a couple of 20 minute sessions each evening. The second round of evening exercises, however, begin with mucho fingertip pain. It's akin to running hot water on a sunburn. Ouch. That said, the pain has lessened considerably this past week. Unfortunately, everyone I've talked to said it will be a good 6 months for the real callouses to develop.
Right now, each lesson begins the same. I start by playing along the first 4 frets on each string with the first 4 fingers. Basically it's a chromatic scale. It might be a bit boring, but it's also where I've noticed considerable improvement on my dexterity and note striking (or would that be strumming?). Even my speed is increasing.
Once I run through this a few times, I move onto the C major scale. Again, noticeable improvement in accuracy and clean notes. Up the scale....down the scale...up the scale...down the scale.
Next, I simply practice the 4 chords Josh taught me in lesson #1. C...G...D...A. Nothing fancy here, just strumming them as whole notes. After fingering the chord, I pick each individual string to make sure they all ring out clean and true. For the record, they usually don't.
My transition between chords is nonexistent and that's a big source of frustration. Hopefully muscle memory and practice will speed this up. Otherwise, I'll need to stick to realllllyyy sloooowwww songs.
Finally, I finger pick Amazing Grace. It's a favorite of mine and has an easy enough melody. Toward the end of the first week, I got brave and actually resolved the song with a full out G chord. Whooo Hooo. Hey, it's the little victories.
Lesson number two's coming up!
Gregg
Right now, each lesson begins the same. I start by playing along the first 4 frets on each string with the first 4 fingers. Basically it's a chromatic scale. It might be a bit boring, but it's also where I've noticed considerable improvement on my dexterity and note striking (or would that be strumming?). Even my speed is increasing.
Once I run through this a few times, I move onto the C major scale. Again, noticeable improvement in accuracy and clean notes. Up the scale....down the scale...up the scale...down the scale.
Next, I simply practice the 4 chords Josh taught me in lesson #1. C...G...D...A. Nothing fancy here, just strumming them as whole notes. After fingering the chord, I pick each individual string to make sure they all ring out clean and true. For the record, they usually don't.
My transition between chords is nonexistent and that's a big source of frustration. Hopefully muscle memory and practice will speed this up. Otherwise, I'll need to stick to realllllyyy sloooowwww songs.
Finally, I finger pick Amazing Grace. It's a favorite of mine and has an easy enough melody. Toward the end of the first week, I got brave and actually resolved the song with a full out G chord. Whooo Hooo. Hey, it's the little victories.
Lesson number two's coming up!
Gregg
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The first Lesson
I felt like a school kid again as I sat in the front room of the studio, rental guitar by my side. The fact that I was older than all the fathers who were waiting for their kids to finish their lessons didn't go unnoticed. My good friend Dave reminded me that perhaps they were looking at me, wishing they had taken up guitar. Maybe you're right buddy. At any rate, I was a bit nervous and briefly thought about sneaking out the back door....except I couldn't find it.
After a short wait a young man emerged from one of the classrooms and called my name. I won't say anything about his hair or clothes because if I do, I will have officially turned into my dad, may he rest in peace. Josh was to be my instructor. A 20 something, known for having great people skills, and one of the teachers at the Flying Hands School of Arts.
After the handshakes and hello's we got down to business. He assessed both my musical as well as guitar background and charted a course of action. What impressed me most about Josh, was his ability to relate to his own experiences, as a one-time beginner, and let me know all the mistakes I made were common. Well, that and the fact that he didn't laugh.
30 quick minutes later I left with a handful of exercises and an excitement that this little journey's final underway. I also left with very sore fingers.
Gregg
After a short wait a young man emerged from one of the classrooms and called my name. I won't say anything about his hair or clothes because if I do, I will have officially turned into my dad, may he rest in peace. Josh was to be my instructor. A 20 something, known for having great people skills, and one of the teachers at the Flying Hands School of Arts.
After the handshakes and hello's we got down to business. He assessed both my musical as well as guitar background and charted a course of action. What impressed me most about Josh, was his ability to relate to his own experiences, as a one-time beginner, and let me know all the mistakes I made were common. Well, that and the fact that he didn't laugh.
30 quick minutes later I left with a handful of exercises and an excitement that this little journey's final underway. I also left with very sore fingers.
Gregg
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Apparently one of the first things you need when learning how to play the guitar is....well....a guitar. On the advice of a few friends, I decided to rent one for the first month or so. Armed with enough knowledge about guitar choices to be dangerous, I set out for the Doo Wop Shop to see what they had. Afterall, they sounded pretty helpful on the phone.
Thesalesman musician that met me at the door asked the time honored question; "Can I help you"
"Yes you may", I responded, " I would like to rent an acoustic guitar."
"How much do you want to spend?"
"I'm not sure, what are my options?"
"That depends on how much you want to spend"
(This could be a long evening in the used musical instrument section.)
"Let me start over", I said, "I've never played a guitar before and want to rent one in order to take lessons"
"I see", he replied, "The best thing to do then is try a couple out until you find one you like"
(Is this logic lost on anyone else?)
"Again, since I don't know how to play, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to tell much from the sound it makes when I drop it..." OK, I didn't really say that last part out loud. "...would you mind demonstrating a few for me"
He obliged and I settled on a Washburn D10S model with the traditional rental case. One thing's for certain, that guitar sounded good in the hands of talent.
After processing all the required paperwork, he sent me on my way with with a handful of picks and that "good luck" look.
OK, I'll admit I did spend a moment or two on-line trying to get a head start. I figured out how to play an A and G chord as well as finding my way around the melody line of Amazing Grace. So....with guitar, picks and checkbook in hand I am now awaiting my first lesson.
Gregg
The
"Yes you may", I responded, " I would like to rent an acoustic guitar."
"How much do you want to spend?"
"I'm not sure, what are my options?"
"That depends on how much you want to spend"
(This could be a long evening in the used musical instrument section.)
"Let me start over", I said, "I've never played a guitar before and want to rent one in order to take lessons"
"I see", he replied, "The best thing to do then is try a couple out until you find one you like"
(Is this logic lost on anyone else?)
"Again, since I don't know how to play, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to tell much from the sound it makes when I drop it..." OK, I didn't really say that last part out loud. "...would you mind demonstrating a few for me"
He obliged and I settled on a Washburn D10S model with the traditional rental case. One thing's for certain, that guitar sounded good in the hands of talent.
After processing all the required paperwork, he sent me on my way with with a handful of picks and that "good luck" look.
OK, I'll admit I did spend a moment or two on-line trying to get a head start. I figured out how to play an A and G chord as well as finding my way around the melody line of Amazing Grace. So....with guitar, picks and checkbook in hand I am now awaiting my first lesson.
Gregg
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Beginning
What better place to start than at the beginning. If we're honest, we all probably have some goals in life we hope to accomplish before it's too late. Yet most of us have no real plans on how or when this is going to happen, relying instead on our one day mentality. Simply hoping that one day we'll have the time, energy or money to get around to it.
Once a guy reaches a certain age, he can be pretty sure the Chicago Cubs won't be calling him to play second base. The next best way to experience major league baseball is at a Sports Fantasy Camp. While not my idea of a good time it is, for others, a way of fulfilling that dream...but only if they request a weeks vacation, pay the $3495 and buy a round trip ticket to Mesa, AZ. My point is, we generally need to take action in order to accomplish anything outside our routine here on planet Earth.
Since no one sets out early in life to experience the mundane or unpleasant (seriously, does anyone think one day they want to have a colonoscopy for the sheer pleasure of it?) it's safe to say these bucket list items would be things we think we might enjoy. If it's important enough to be a fun or exciting goal, dream or once in a lifetime moment then isn't it important enough for us to take action to make it happen?
One of my bucket list items is learning to play the guitar. Just mentioning taking up the guitar to others causes me a slight bit of embarrassment. Why? I don't know, maybe because it's a personal desire with no clear benefit. Maybe it's because 12 year olds across the country have already mastered it and I barely know a capo from a pick. At the age of 50 I certainly have no aspirations of a career on stage but I still have that inner teen wanting to pull out a 6 string and strum a few songs. Besides, it's cheaper than bagpipes and no kilts are involved.
What's this have to do with starting at the beginning? Well, this past week I took action to see where this guitar journey takes me. If you care to follow along, then here's where we start.
Gregg
Once a guy reaches a certain age, he can be pretty sure the Chicago Cubs won't be calling him to play second base. The next best way to experience major league baseball is at a Sports Fantasy Camp. While not my idea of a good time it is, for others, a way of fulfilling that dream...but only if they request a weeks vacation, pay the $3495 and buy a round trip ticket to Mesa, AZ. My point is, we generally need to take action in order to accomplish anything outside our routine here on planet Earth.
Since no one sets out early in life to experience the mundane or unpleasant (seriously, does anyone think one day they want to have a colonoscopy for the sheer pleasure of it?) it's safe to say these bucket list items would be things we think we might enjoy. If it's important enough to be a fun or exciting goal, dream or once in a lifetime moment then isn't it important enough for us to take action to make it happen?
One of my bucket list items is learning to play the guitar. Just mentioning taking up the guitar to others causes me a slight bit of embarrassment. Why? I don't know, maybe because it's a personal desire with no clear benefit. Maybe it's because 12 year olds across the country have already mastered it and I barely know a capo from a pick. At the age of 50 I certainly have no aspirations of a career on stage but I still have that inner teen wanting to pull out a 6 string and strum a few songs. Besides, it's cheaper than bagpipes and no kilts are involved.
What's this have to do with starting at the beginning? Well, this past week I took action to see where this guitar journey takes me. If you care to follow along, then here's where we start.
Gregg
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