Anyone learning to play the guitar?

[Rebecki]

Very nice guitars you all have! I'm thinking about purchasing a small acoustic so that I can practice out in the living room, or anywhere for that matter. I get tired of being cooped up in the office practicing, or dragging out my amp and all my stuff.

[Wally]

Berks Jazz Fest is kicking off soon, Bela Fleck and Victor Wooten will join many others as Reading turns back into the Jazz Capitol of the World for a few days. Check it out.

[Praise Warrior]

Hope everything is going well...

I haven't used my amp much at all. It is heavy, it is really too loud to practice with in my apartment and is also overbearing when nobody else uses an amp.

I have an audition coming up with our worship leader within the next two weeks, so I've been practicing a ton, squeezing in time with my music instructor, and trying to coax out the last of lingering chest cold I've had so I can reach my full volume and vocal range. I'm probably driving my neighbors nuts.

I'm already a bit nervous...I get so nervous when I know I'm being evaluated or auditioned like that. I wish I could overcome that because I lose even more support and volume. I've been burning some of the energy by practicing, but I can't practice all the time and unfortunately it is still easy to think about.

[Kliska]

Fractured - Cool Pevey. I know their amps are great. Now work some blues rythms and have a ball!

Kliska - has your instructor shown you harmonic tuning? I believe you tap the 7th right on a fret and the 5th fret on the next string up (3rd G to 2nd B is difficult and I forget which frets you use -8th 5th?)

anyway, listen for the harmonic to resonate. If you here a wave -wawa sound then adjust until it is one solid tone. Great for fine tuning.

I like doing the Westminster Chimes on my banjo - it really rings, and some songs sound so cool on a harmonic end note.

It's just something to play with, unless your Victor Wooten playing Amazing Grace in harmonics on the bass. (Flectones - Live Art)

I haven't used the harmonics to tune yet, though I know what harmonics are, I'll have to give it a try!

I'm really liking my new guitar, and have drug my amp to church to hear how it sounds with the acoustics in the sanctuary. I think everyone will actually be able to hear me play with the piano, unlike last time...I don't know if that is a good thing?! ;)

Praise Warrior, I'm sure you'll do fine, but I said a prayer for your audition anyway! :) :pray I'm sure it'll all work out to His will!

I went to a really neat acoustic guitar concert at a coffee shop, it does add a lot to the experience when you can actually play a little bit, and know the different types and brands of guitars!

[Rebecki]

Well, I'm frustrated. I mentioned to you all that I was going to begin lessons with a new instructor, one that my husband will see for bass lessons. The first week I waited 10 minutes past my lesson time and he never showed up. He called at 20 after to tell me he was running late due to traffic. Then last Friday he called to cancel all lessons that day (both mine and hubby's) because he had to be out of his apartment by Saturday.

:thinkingI'm wondering if this is an indication of something? I hope that this is just some unforseen circumstances and that he really is more reliable.

Since I haven't had any lessons I've just been practicing what I have. I've been working on doing the E major scale with PIMA and I really enjoy doing that. I've been messing around with the order of notes and it sort of sounds like a song, so I'm excited about that.

Still considering an acoustic though.

[Kliska]

Sorry to hear about your instructor, hopefully it'll iron out. I really like having both kinds of guitars and learning on both at the "same time." Each one fits my different moods, and the different songs.

[Praise Warrior]

I'm sorry to hear that...I haven't had much luck with guitar instructors either. The best use of my time for learning what I needed to learn wrt guitar has definitely not been with formal guitar lessons.

[Wally]

Well I got a surprise the other night.

DD2 has got herself an electric guitar. (beginner Strat by Fender) Included tuner and amp (hooked my Seagul up and man is the amp nice!) She really wants to learn so away we go....


DD1 is getting a cello to augment her harp playing. ( the cello is on a lease just to explore her interest. YoYo look out....)


DS is whining about why he can't have a full drum set - no room son! We are willing to work on the electronic type with him......


I hope everyone is enjoying their music. What a gift, Thanks Jesus!

[Kliska]

Wow, Wally, what a spread! :heh

I'm going to try to get my niece and nephew on my side of the family hooked on some kind of instrument (they are both too young yet, but very soon my niece will be old enough). My niece on my husband's side, I think she's 10, has a beginner fender and amp and started lessons about five months ago. She's coming this weekend, and wants me to show her some stuff again, so we'll see how that goes.

Yes, music is a great blessing! I can't wait to see if King David has been composing new material, and if we'll be able to play our guitars, or glorified guitars :madgrin , in Heaven!

[Rebecki]

Wow, Wally, your family sounds like mine. My DD has been playing the guitar (accoustic & electric) for about 5 years now and prefers to play the accoustic the most. I also just purchased a nice full-sized electric keyboard for her. She composes beautiful music so it was nice to be able to get that for her.

When I bought myself the Jackson guitar I also purchased a used Ibanez bass for my DH, and a beginner Fender Squire set for my son. He already has a full drumset in his room and drums are his main instrument but he wanted to learn the guitar as well.

We tease our friends about us being the Partridge Family. :lol2

I had my first lesson with my new instructor today. I think I'm going to like his teaching style. I told him that even though I've been taking lessons for about 6 months to just treat me like a beginner, like I've never touched the guitar before and he was thrilled with the idea. So he showed me proper positioning of my left hand (I didn't learn this with my previous instructor), strumming (again, I didn't learn this before), simple finger exercises (yep, again, I didn't learn this before). He's happy to teach me music theory and to get me started on the right foot. I have to make him a CD of 10 of my favorite songs; 5 that I think are hard, and 5 that I think are easy. Then we can work towards those and try different things with them. He said I'd be suprised at how some of the hard ones can be easy and how some of the easy ones can be hard. I'll put a couple of Stevie Ray Vaughn on the "hard" list. I'm sure they will still be hard. :lol2

I'm excited.