Why are you a guitarist

Hmm nothing really earth shattering about wanting to play. I got into it in I think 6th grade. At the time I was playing trumpet in the school choir/band but didn't really enjoy it that much so I thought guitar would be more fun...Nahh

I got a cheap acoustic not even sure where we bought it and I'd have to walk a couple miles once a week to my lesson. I just remember how much I hated making that walk and I don't think that I ever learned a chord it was all single note melody stuff like MAry had a Little Lamb. I was "forced" to practice everyday and all I can remember is looking out the window wishing I was outside playing football or baseball. That didn't last too long before I quit. None of my friends were into playing and peer pressure is high at that age.

Didn't pick it up again until about 6 or so years ago, not really sure why, I think manily because I was bored and had some free time to devote to practising. I would never been able to do this when I was in my teens or 20's or probably even my 30's there was just too much going on in my life between the kids and sports that I wouldn't have time for it all.

Now I play once/twice a week with the "band" that I've formed with 3 other guys. We haven't played out although we have enough material to do it we need to find a singer for that.

Short of going on some crazy out door adventure to a new place i have never seen before; nothing brings me more joy than playing lead guitar :)

Thanks for all the repsonse guys and gals. Sorry I have been absent. So I have A,D,E and the minors,as well as G and C, meaning I can grab the guitar finger them from memory strum, pick, strum and they sound great and as long as I give myself 45 seconds between chords I can change them clean otherwise its strum, strum, strum, FLAT, less Flat, strum...... :lol: I'm still trying though. Fingers as still sore, but not as long though after playing and I am getting further into practice before they start acting up. One other geeky thing I guess I have name Moms last guitar Ghia, because she was always a fan of the Karmenn Ghia and it has an additional benefit of my wifes name is Carmen so its a win, win. :lol:

Thanks again for all the support during this, it is greatly appreciated

Mezzy

I'm the furthest thing from a guitarist. My biggest two reasons for wanting to learn to play the guitar are this weird connection i feel for guitars and Prince. I don't have a strong desire to play in front of an audience of any size. Its just for me. I know Prince doesn't make MOST greatest guitarist list but when he rips into a solo or sometimes when he's just playing rhythm guitar he looks like he's leaving the bldg. I guest its that emotion or that feeling that i want. I may not get there but I'm gonna try to enjoy the process any way. Worst case scenario...I become a better guitar player. I'll take it!

Well..... The reason I started playing??????

Well the story starts in high school. I was bullied like the whole way through, and all the cool kids played guitar. Not very well mind, but still. When I left high school i thought i would see what all the fuss was about. I found it to be a great stress reliever, and a good way to deal with the anger problems i had developed, and it spiralled from there. Now i'm more of an entusiast than most of those so called cool kids from high school!

This is a good topic for my first real post...

I started learning when I found out my wife was pregnant.

I wanted my child to have a real appreciation of music. I thought it would be cool to sing some good songs rather than Barney and Raffi songs. Hence my first songs have been 'Sweet Child o' mine', 'wonderwall' and 'Live Forever'.

I also thought it would be good to see her father learning (and struggling!) with something, and still loving it.

They say that what a child hears in the womb calms them when they are out. In which case she's going to love out of tune singing, raggy chord changes and he sound of unintentionally deadened strings...

Hey man.. Sorry to hear about your moms passing. Lost mine when I was 12, so I totally get it.

For me, guitar replaced my ex wife but mostly my kids. After 12 years of marriage, I felt like I couldnt take it no more but once I was out I had to deal with the fact that I left my kids with her.. I had, and have, TREMENDOUS guilt for that. So, I purchased a guitar and I found guitarnoise. Been learning and playing since then.. almost 5 years. I play in a praise and worship band every Sunday, I've played in rock and blues bands..

Main thing. Learning guitar is a very mental challenge. Thats probably why your mom found it very difficult. But if you can get over each step of the mental challenge and begin each new day as a student.. you WILL learn guitar. Its ONLY when you give up, that you failed to learn it.

Be praying for you and your mom.

Jim

Hey Mezagog, first off, my condolences for the loss of your Mom. Secondly, welcome to the best dang guitar forum known to the modern world.
My story goes something like this.....I had long dreamed about taking up guitar. When I was a kid, the Ventures were popular and my Dad had several of their albums. They always sounded good to me. I was too busy being a goofball as a teenager and after I got married and my wife and I had kids, that I would do it “someday.” In September of 2006, I had to undergo the first of three procedures to have stents put in blocked coronary arteries. At that time, I figured it was now or never. That Christmas, I got money from my mother-in-law and went to GC on December 26 to buy my first guitar. I took lessons for about a month and-a-half before I decided my teacher and I weren't meshing. I was trying to strum some chords and he would be playing solos to songs I wasn't learning. I think I was supposed to be impressed with his skills (and he was good, but that's beside the point).
I have worked through some of David Hodge's great song lessons on this site and half-learned a few of them. I have tried to throw in the towel more times than I can count. But there is just something about picking up a guitar and strumming whatever that makes my pulse race, even just a bit on a bad day.
I don't know if I will ever be any good at it, but man I sure do like it.

Jim

But there is just something about picking up a guitar and strumming whatever that makes my pulse race, even just a bit on a bad day.
I don't know if I will ever be any good at it, but man I sure do like it.
Jim

And that's the whole point right there. 8)

Tried playing Guitar Hero with my wife and sister/brother in law, and say what you will about those games......(etc)

Hmmm - read a lot of posts lately about how Guitar Hero has made people want to go out and buy a REAL guitar and learn how to play. So, no negative vibes here - anything that makes people want to go out and buy a guitar is fine by me!

:D :D :D

Vic

I used to play Guitar Hero before I bought a guitar myself. It factored into me wanting a real guitar a tiny bit because the reason I got myself a guitar was because my nieces got guitars which they wanted for Christmas because they had been playing Guitar Hero a lot.

However the movie August Rush also factored into the equation, as did my innate need to play a musical instrument and also the fact that the Ocarina I got earlier this year did not meet those needs very well due to a very small range.

There's also the fact that buying a decent starter guitar/accessory pack from a reputable company is cheaper than buying a saxophone from one of the reputable companies... And even the reputable Sax companies have super cheap models that are not very good at all...

What a great question! First of all, I am not sure what I am doing, but I know that I am loving it so far. I just made a year of learning to play guitar, and to celebrate my anniversary, I bought my first electric guitar. Back to the question at hand, I think I started learning to play guitar because life can get out of control, and it is nice to have something that allows me to regain some focus in life. I love music, all kinds of music, and I have always revered those who had the patience an aptitude to play it. I decided to stop listening and start playing. My guitars have been great additions to my home. I hope this all makes sense. Thanks for letting me share!

Angus Young and Kirk Hammett are the two guitarist that inspired me to play. Ever since I heard that first chord in that first AC/DC song, I have been interested in the guitar. I honestly have only been playing for three years, but so far I'm pretty good at it.

as a kid, my friends and I would put on "we will rock you" by queen and be a band. We had two tennis rackets and a plastic garbage pail that we turned upside down. We were the band. I love music in all forms and always wanted to have that rock star lifestyle. I've had my fair share of playing in bars in my earlier years and now I'm more about writing my own stuff for my own enjoyment and for my kids. Although I wouldn't mind getting together with some 40 somethings in the area and jamming out.

So, I guess love of music and creativity are my main reasons as well as something I can do by myself and with others

I wanted a guitar when I was in High School (4 decades ago). I played cornet, trumpet, baritone and tuba in band. My father was not too pleased that I wanted to switch to guitar, I guess he thought there was a future in big band music.
He bought me a cheap Uke instead and said that when I learned to play that he would get me a guitar.

Two years ago, my wife bought me an acoustic guitar for Christmas. I took it back and bought a real nice Concert size Koa wood Oscar Schmidt Uke. I got to where I can get some music out of the thing. About a year ago, I told my wife I was ready for the guitar so she bought me an all wood Blue Ridge for my birthday.

Since then, I stumbled upon the GuitarNoise lesson podcasts. I find that I can use much of what David teaches on both of these instruments.

BTW: I have retuned the Uke so that it has low G rather than re-entrant tuning. This allows me to play it as though it is a soprano guitar with a capo on 5.

C'mon.....the chicks....

:lol: I don't know what it is about a guy with a guitar that makes us ladies swoon...

The guy can be optional... :lol: