Hello everyone... I thought it would be cool to listen to how people got started playing guitar. What made you want to play? How did you start actually playing? How did you buy that first guitar?
I'll start...
I've been listening to music all my life - like most of you. Unlike most of you I had become quite a proficient "air-guitarist" over the years. In fact, if you saw me at a concert you would most likely have thought I was a great guitar player. Yes - that good.
I made a vow to myself to learn to play the guitar by the time I was 35. For my 30th birthday my wife bought me a Takamine G-series acoustic guitar and a bunch of lessons. I took the lessons for a while, but after I mastered "Good King Wenceslas" I grew bored. I ran into a friend from college who is a GREAT guitarist and the two of use meet every other week to play. He got me into playing electrics, amps, customizing guitars, re-building guitars, etc...
Still not 35, so I'm still within my vow's timeline!
-=- Steve
"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"
"Rock And Roll Ain't Noise Pollution"
Well, somewhere over 20 years ago, I "bought a beat up 6 string in a second hand store. Didn't know how to play it..."
And then I picked up a couple of "how to play yer guitar" type books, and noodled around for a while, then kinda set it aside.
For years I did stagehand/sound/lighting gigs, and worked for a lot of years as a tech in radio and TV, and spent a lot of time hanging around musicians. I had lots of opportunity to have someone show me things on the guitar. But, for some reason, even though I thought about that old guitar sitting in it's case, I never got around to pulling it out. :cry:
Then in January of this year, after my 5 year old had started taking "intro to music" lessons on a rented keyboard, I started getting inspired, and I dusted off that old guitar, got some new strings, and started learning. :D
Part of what is keeping me interested now it showing my son that sticking with it is important. And part of it is that I'm actually having fun with it this time.
I now understand that it'll take time to progress from "knows nothing" to "barely adequate". Who knows, maybe I'll eventually get good enough to play something and have people actually recognise it!
Here's that "old guitar" that I've been moving from closet to closet for 20 years..
Cost me $50 back in about '84.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
how do I get 'into' playing guitar? spliffs help.
seriously, I began in 1965. havent stopped at all either.
I think the music that was around got me into air guitar first.
then my parents saw that I had an interest. we shopped for guitars.
the 65 SG was to big for my hands. I couldnt afford the 175 dollar Fender strat.
so I got the 100 dollar Mustang.
god I feel old all of a sudden.
Just thought it was about time I learnt how to do something properly. So I chose guitar as I always had a hankering to play. I used to be excelent on air guitar and thought well I must have the basics already :lol: :lol: :lol:
Oh how wrong I was :?
Anyway seem to be finaly getting the hang of it. :wink:
Be excellent to each other & party on dudes!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=686668
i did it for the girls 8)
even god loves rock-n-roll
Ditto... :)
At this time I would like to tell you that NO MATTER WHAT...IT IS WITH GOD. HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS WAY IS IN LOVE, THROUGH WHICH WE ALL ARE. IT IS TRULY -- A LOVE SUPREME --. John Coltrane
me too. :P
-=tension & release=-
I thought it might help me develop carpal tunnel and get some disability pay.
I was wrong, and now cannot stop.
I bought a Fender San Luis Rey acoustic about 15 years ago with the intent of learning the guitar. Well it sat in the closet in it's case for 15 years. I'd toy around with it from time to time but not really learning anything. I am an elementary school teacher as most know and have summers off. I didn't have any summer work lined up this past summer and got bored by the July 4th weekend. I went to the House of Guitars here in Rochester, NY with the intent of getting some new strings for my acoustic, a metronome and some picks. I walked out with the Behringer Strat Starter pack for $90. Well, if you look in the Post your Gear thread you'll see that I have acquired MUCH more gear in the 8 months I have been playing and I have even more than is in that picture. The electric guitar gave me that spark to motivate myself to play again. Now I play both electric and acoustic depending on my mood. I still get times where I just want to quit (and did for a month & a half) but if nothing else, my investment in my gear motivates me...along with the joy of playing.
I too used to play in an "air band" and we even won several air band "contests" when I was younger. I used to have the big "Bon Jovi" hair when I was 15-18 years old!
ok. I think Ive told this story back on that previous thread but here it goes..
When I was about 11 (16 now) I thought Rap was the greatest thing ever. I thought metal and rock was just a bunch of noise but it was definatly my choice if no rap was on.. Anyways, one night my dad (a total led zeppelin rocker for his whole life) took me along with him to repair this guys computer ( hes a pc repair guy) and I sat in the car listening to rap and then all commercials. I changed it to our classic rock station, and the song Paradise city was on. I listen to the whole thing, and After feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up, get goose bumps, and feel moved by that solo I HAD to have more. I asked my dad about it. The rest was history. My dad being depressed that his son was into rap when he was brought up a metler was so happy and told me he had been waiting for this day for 15 years. We went home and he started bringing up his music file, Led zeppelin, Metallica, Ozzy, pink floyd, all the classics he went on and on. I got addicted to it. The way it touches my spirit and moves me. The music is so powerful to me. So here I am, MetallicaMan. lol.
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
mettallicaman,
kuddos to your dad, and to you also for leaving the dark side of the force,
rock on my boy, rock on :P
even god loves rock-n-roll
Totally man. To the music!!! :twisted: :twisted: :P
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
ok. I think Ive told this story back on that previous thread but here it goes..
When I was about 11 (16 now) I thought Rap was the greatest thing ever. I thought metal and rock was just a bunch of noise but it was definatly my choice if no rap was on.. Anyways, one night my dad (a total led zeppelin rocker for his whole life) took me along with him to repair this guys computer ( hes a pc repair guy) and I sat in the car listening to rap and then all commercials. I changed it to our classic rock station, and the song Paradise city was on. I listen to the whole thing, and After feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up, get goose bumps, and feel moved by that solo I HAD to have more. I asked my dad about it. The rest was history. My dad being depressed that his son was into rap when he was brought up a metler was so happy and told me he had been waiting for this day for 15 years. We went home and he started bringing up his music file, Led zeppelin, Metallica, Ozzy, pink floyd, all the classics he went on and on. I got addicted to it. The way it touches my spirit and moves me. The music is so powerful to me. So here I am, MetallicaMan. lol.
That's a nice story.
I had a rap phase too, it's embarrassing. My dad must have been considering suicide.
I had a rap phase too, it's embarrassing. My dad must have been considering suicide.
... or a mercy killing.
-=tension & release=-
