The Joy of Music

From Josh

Hey, people! I figured I’d write you guys since you asked me to. I just want to say that when I was about 12 I took some guitar lessons and didn’t do very well, because I wasn’t really into it. It was like a fad to me. But recently my mom gave me this sweet Gibson acoustic with electric hook ups. It’s all cherry and sweet. Every now and then I would pick it up and just tinker with it. Every time I picked it up I liked playing it more. Now the problem is putting it down.

I’m not really that good, but I’m getting there. I got my calluses back! I don’t really play songs that much. I just sit there and play. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes I get to playing and it sounds good, so I keep going and pushing it and it seems like I’m not even thinking or playing; it’s like my soul is pouring right out through the notes. And that’s why I love playing guitar.

I’ve been trying some of your lessons and I think they are very helpful and informative, so keep up the good work and keep it free. There! I wrote you guys! Are you happy now?

I played my first real performance last night, only two songs, at the school’s end-of-year concert. There was probably about only fifty people there. A bassist, drummer and me on guitar were to play after a couple of other instruments’ solos. While I was sitting there with my guitar waiting for the others to play I could feel my arms and legs being so heavy and shaky.

Eventually the solos were over and it was our turn. So I stood up with my guitar (which I love) and we began. While playing the melody I forgot one of the lines, so I just improvised a new lead for a little. This made me laugh, truly laugh. Then I had a minute of soloing. By the time I was done soloing I had no arms and legs. I don’t mean they were heavy; I just didn’t consciously think about them. All I thought about was the music. During the improvised solo (which was supposed to be improvised) I just thought of the sound I wanted and played the notes. There was no picking the strings or fingering the notes; they just happened. All I did was conduct the music and enjoy. I was watching myself playing and I could hear my finger vibrato going crazy. It was cool.

During the next song, the drummer had to pause for a moment to pull his drum kit back towards him because it was moving away from him. During the whole song I was smiling and laughing while I was playing, I was having so much fun bouncing along with the song. It was probably the best music experience I’ve ever had. I’ve played guitar a lot better but never have I had so much fun. I was amazed that I didn’t need to think about playing the rhythm, chords and notes. I was just there enjoying the music.

Our school doesn’t have many guitar players. I’m the only one people really know about. It was amazing that, at the end of the performance, all these different people and parents were congratulating me on playing so well, even though I know I screwed up a fair bit, which I covered well. But what I noticed most was what all of them said, “It was really good. It looked like you were having so much fun.” Some added that it was much better than everyone else, who just played the notes off the staff. (I memorized my stuff). So even though there were probably better players there, on that night people liked my stuff the best because they got to have fun watching someone else truly enjoying themselves without a care in the world. I can’t wait to do it again.

A school paper by Robert (age 11)

Why is music important to me? Music can change your mood. Music can show your pride in America. Music has many different styles. That’s why music is important to me.

Music can change your mood. It can make you feel good or sad or excited. It depends on the style and the mood. The blues can make you sad while jazz makes you happy. Music can make you feel a certain way.

Music can also show pride in America. Songs like “God Bless America” and “Proud To Be An American” show pride. There are many songs about America. These songs help in times like these. Pride in America is something music can show.

There are tons of styles of music. There’s jazz, pop, R&B, blues, rock, and classical. Out of all these there’s gotta be one you like. There’s also tech, heavy metal, rap, soft rock, hip hop, and punk. There are so many I can’t fit them all on this paper!

These are the reasons music is important to me. Music can make you feel happy, sad, or joyful. It can show pride in one’s country. With all the types of music, there’s gotta be one you like. I’ve only showed you some of the reasons music is important.

I have been flirting with the guitar since I was about 11 or so. But, like many others I’m sure, I never got real serious about playing.

I am now 31, and in January of this year I was diagnosed with cancer. This is my second fight with it. I was first diagnosed in Feb, 1996. I had a golf ball sized tumor on the back of my brain. I spent most of the year recovering. When I was better I just went back to normal life.

I was one month away from my 6th anniversary of being cancer free when I was diagnosed again just this past January.

The first part of the year was not good for me at all. But around June I started to get my strength back. So I decided one day to pull my guitar out and just mess around. The problem was that the medication the doctors had me on made my hands shake. It was so bad I couldn’t hold a string down long enough to make the note ring. Needless to say I was disappointed. But at least I had tried.

But once I was off that medicine, I began to get my dexterity back. So I started to play again. Then I learned about a class at a local music store. I signed up for the class and found myself actually practicing. Not because Mommy said I had to, but because I was enjoying it. I am learning to read music for the first time ever. I am having so much fun.

Some day I want a “Les Paul Custom.” It’s kind of hard to get one without being able to work. But I’m saving my pennies.

Thanks for a great web site. I have yet to take advantage of all its features. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, and God bless.

I bought my first guitar when I was at university. I had made friends with a really good guitar player, and I could sing and knew plenty of lyrics, so we turned into the unplugged beer-bash sensation of that period. We later formed a band with three other guys and played several gigs, often for hundreds of people. The girls loved us (at least that’s how I like to remember it). Looking back I feel great for making the dream of performing happen.

I never played guitar in the band; the other guys were just too good, or so I thought. I figured I should strive to become a rhythm guitar player, in order to accompany myself singing. (We still did lots of impromptu, unplugged mini-gigs.) My friend taught me a few chords and I hacked away, even wooing my future wife on my Fender acoustic. But all in all, I never got myself past the threshold of my own credibility, never got to the point where I could call myself a guitar player.

Then, in December 2001, some ten years after buying my first guitar, something changed. I was working, happily married, and had been completely out of the music scene for ages. The Internet had become a household thing. I had instant access to all kinds of knowledge about playing guitar, and started to use it. I finally decided that I was the only one who could make myself a guitar player, that I myself had to find out what had to be done and to put in the work. This past year has been wonderful, with all my spare time occupied with all things guitar. I improved a lot and felt good about that.

But it didn’t stop there. Looking back, I realize that to a certain extent I was making music serve some other purpose (like getting the girls to love us). Even later on, the goal of “becoming a guitar player” was more important to me than the music itself. It was about “credibility,” I guess. Now, I’m opening up more, and not caring as much about how good I eventually get. It’s not about “getting somewhere,” it’s about “enjoying the scenery on the road to somewhere.” I enjoy my own music now more than ever before, by applying myself and just letting it happen. I realize now how much my audience has enjoyed my music in the past. The songs I write are few and far between, but they are great!

Thanks for all the inspiration.

I’m a new reader to the site, but in the last few weeks, the articles and tutorials have helped me greatly! Keep up the good work! When I read the “Joy of Music” articles, I knew I simply had to share a recent music experience I had.

I’ve been involved in music for about 10 years now, having picked up guitar and bass in the last 6. I’m 20 years old and play lead guitar for a youth worship band at my church. Being involved in the kids’ lives and playing in the band has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It’s a great feeling to help others have an incredible experience through music.

Our band recently decided that, on one of our weekend camps, we’d try something new. We always play contemporary rock-style Christian music, and the youth group really has a fun time. We decided that we’d stretch ourselves a little bit this weekend, and try to play a difficult song that featured a lengthy guitar solo. We’d never played a song that incorporated a solo into it. I spent hours memorizing and practicing the exact notes, wanting to cover the solo exactly as it was played by the original artist. I also spent a lot of time reading articles from Guitar Noise.

When the night finally came, I found myself on stage under hot floodlights. My hands were trembling in anticipation. I looked into the crowd of young people who had sacrificed their weekend in the hopes of finding something more valuable.

We opened our set with the new song, and it absolutely rocked. We caught the audience totally by surprise. The band was together. Somehow, my sweaty hands managed to bang out the 20 second solo, and the audience went crazy. It was literally a dream come true for me. The youth group screamed my name; they asked for encores afterwards. We’ll be playing the song for the third time tonight at our Church.

Being in the spotlight is always fun. However, the more rewarding experience is using music to elicit a response from the listener. Bringing about emotion and excitement, and making an environment where the audience can experience God. The tingle in my spine and the smile on my face are side effects of creating that atmosphere. The Bible says that God “manifests Himself in the praises of His people,” and I consider it a privilege to be involved in that.

Thanks for listening, and keep up the great articles!

This isn’t a submission as much as a thank you. I am a computer professional in my upper 30′s now. Played guitar as a teen and took lessons for about 3 years. Set it down and haven’t been back since. That is until now. My two oldest children now play trombone in the middle school band and several trips to the music store for one thing or another sparked the interest again.

Next my mother-in-law was saying how she always wanted to play the guitar but never did. I simply commented that she should just go ahead and get one start lessons. Well she did. The very next day came she running over to our farmhouse with new guitar in hand and no clue how to tune it. I’m glad I remembered how to and soon was playing a few old songs I still remembered.

Well that was all it took for me. I talked it over with my wife and she agreed to let me get a new guitar for my Christmas present. Back to the music store and a few chats with the staff there. I found these guys very easy to talk with and put me at ease about getting back into it. Bottom line was money though so we went with a Squier Strat Pack (I always wanted an electric). The guys at the store were good enough to go through two guitars before they found one that they were happy with before I went home with it and was having fun playing it at the store.

Which brings me to my current problem: I am now two weeks away from my Christmas present reading all the articles I can digest. I have been very glad to have found your website and your lesson articles seem so well laid out that I feel very confident that I made a good decision to get back into playing. Reading through the Joy of Music articles and other stories seem to touch us all especially around this holiday time. Things have been pretty tough in our economy lately and it is hard to not worry but we seem to relax a little easier when we are playing or listening to music. Even a 13 year old practicing her trombone. So if anything can be said about the joy of music my little contribution was to listen to my daughter play happy birthday for me last week. She had to transpose the music to her bass clef but she did it and surprised me with a little song. Now we watch our 13 month old son bang away on his piano and hope for the best there. It is in our children that we see our future and mine looks very bright indeed.

Merry Christmas!