Meet and Greet

been coming here for a while now - like to think I learn something new every day. I'm almost 47, been playing on and off for about 30 years and never bothered learning how to play properly - all I've ever learned has been from books & watching other people. Then something happened last year that made me realise life is too short for "I wish I'd" - so my mission in life now is to play the guitar properly and more importantly to know why I'm doing what I'm doing - the dreaded theory! I'm picking it up little by little but the big thing is that now i'm actually enjoying stretching my mind ( and fingers!!) to encompass a whole new range of opportunities. To simplify that a little, the guitar is my overriding passion in life - has been, really, since I was a kid. When I was 6 yrs old and the beatles and stones were my first loves, I've moved on thru the Who, Dylan, The Kinks, Creedence, Mott, Nazareth, Led Zep and U2 - I like other types of music as well, especially sixties soul - but guitar bands have always been top of the list! Apart from that, I live a quiet life with the wife (who always asks for "3 Steps to Heaven) the daughter (17 going on 50 and hopefully going to university next year) and the two dogs. I work from home - I say work, it's actually meaningless form-filling that will never benefit anybody - but don't tell the Boss! I've learned so much since i found Guitarnoise it's unbelievable - if I'd learned as much at school i'd have at least 3 nobel prizes by now! (Music, Peace and Music again!) The one horse town where I live - in England - is exactly half way between Liverpool & Manchester - at least it was a one horse town but even the blacksmith left!! Celebrities from here begin and end with Rick Astley (Stock Aitken & Waterman clone, crappy 80's pop) and Colin Welland  - very cool guy, wrote the screenplay for "Chariots of Fire". See you in the forums, and be patient with me if what I ask seems like a stupid question - we all have to learn, I just wish I'd done it a whole lot sooner!!! Good luck & good rockin, ...Vic.

Hey, people...

I'm thirteen and I just picked up a guitar late last year and decided to start playing. Been loving it ever since :-D I'm a junior high girl in Illinois, so... yeah. Email me, IM me, whatever... especially if you live in Illinois too, maybe we can jam or something... I dunno...

Hi,
My name is Chris, I've been playing guitar at home for the past year and just wanted to say thanks to David Hodge for the great beginners songs.

I once had a go way back when I was 18 but gave up due to being left handed and only having a right handed guitar at the time. Now 32 years later I have a left handed Epiphone Gibson six string.

Iv'e picked uo `Horse With No Name' so well using your lesson and mp3s. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love this song. And now to be able to play it takes me right back to 18 (I don't have the hair now but I still feel 18). Even `House Of The Rising Sun' is easy with the Fm7 chord.

Keep up the good work David, its real fun and a pleasure to learn in your unique style.

Peace back at you,

Chris

p.s.

I live in Cheltenham UK, am married with two son's.
musical hero's are Beatles, Chuck Berry, Eagles, America,
Dylan, Joni Mitchel and Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel to name but a few!

Welcome to the Asylum for the Musically Insane!  Glad you're here!

He's the welcomer.  

I am Izabella.  Ive been here for about a year (but was gone for 3 months plus around 1 month so four months.) and I love this site.  I began playing guitar when I was 11 (I think) and im 15 now.  I know no theory and am quite terrible.  I enjoy it though and plan to make a career outta it, however mediocre it may be.  I also play bass, Piano (a little bit, dont know much at all, no lessons :(), and I sing with the cats out back.  I am also very helpful around here (:P) and enjoy talking to GuitarNoise people online.  I've taught a few things to some people but nothing long term.  I hope to begin recording my first album within the next year or two.  Thats most about me.

My AIM is MontyPython1881.  Talk to me.  I'm always on.

Hello!

I stumbled onto this site by accident about 7 months ago.  I've posted in the other forums (mostly the word association post) sporadically since then, but now I've decided that it's time to happily work my way through the lessons.  Which brings me here...

The basics:  I'm a 23 year old lady chick of the female persuasion from Peoria, IL.  I love the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000, I'm a terrible speller and I'm addicted to the guitar...

A breif history:  I fell in love with the guitar when my mom sold her old acoustic at a garage sale when I was about seven.  Unfortunately, I didn't get my first guitar until One Year Ago yesturday (and yes, I did throw a party honoring the occasion...).  I've been practicing constantly ever since.  I tried to 'teach myself' using books ("Guitar for Dummies") at first, but quickly decided to take lessons.  I plan on using the lessons here as a compliment to my 'live' lessons...

My musical tastes vary widely and I will listen to almost anything at least once.  My 'favorites' are (and this list is horribly incomplete), in no particular order,

Simon and Garfunkel, Paul Simon, The Beatles, The Bangles, The Who, Clint Black, The Donnas, Cream, The Monkees, Led Zepplin.

I'm the type of person who goes through music 'phases'  Right now, the artist I listen to most is Paul Simon (and this is funny, as I type this, Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter" is being piped in through the sound system here at work") This "Paul Simon phase" has been going on since I saw his Kodacrome clip on the Timelife Singers & Songwriters Infomercial.   That doesn't mean that I don't listen to anything else...

Right now I work at a phone center during the day and I might take a weekend job flipping burgers or working at the local Kinko's long enough to pay off my car ahead of schedule.  I'd like to join/form a band, but I hesitate to do that before my car is paid off.  Why?  I don't know.

Well, I'm sure you're all sick of reading this post so I'll wrap it up...

I didn't know anyone besides my brother and I knew of Doctor Clayton Forrester's evil plan to rule the world!
;)

Welcome aboard! And Iz isn't anywhere nears as bad as he thinks he is!   ;)

Peace

Hi, my name is Steve, I'm from Ottawa, Canada and I'm a guitar-a-holic.  
I played and progressed quite far when I was about 12 years old, then it lied dormant in me for many years while I got interested in women, married, raised a couple of kidlets and got a steady job, not necessarily in that order.  Now, the bug has got me and I can feel it is more than just a bug and I don't ever plan on letting that bug go.  

Guitar Noise is the best site that I have found for excellent lessons on the 'Net and thanks to all who make it happen.

That is all, good day.  
  8)

Welcome to the Madhouse.  We're all unrepentant Guitaraholics!  You're in good company!

Greetings! My name is Mike. I am 46 years old, living in the bayou country of Lake Charles, Louisiana ("where little Bessie girl I once knew..."). Moved here from my home town of Baltimore, MD just over a year ago.

About 3 weeks ago I dusted off the old acoustic guitar that has been sitting in my attic since about 1987. This I would count as my 4th attempt during my lifetime to learn the guitar. Prior to '87, I tries as a college senior in 1979 and prior to that briefly during the seventh grade. The guitar from the attic I bought during my 1979 go-round. So the guitar I am working with is dated, it may not sound the best or be easiest to play, but it is getting me going, and I will probably pony up to buy something else once I prove to myself I'm going to stick with it this time.

This I did to address what my wife is telling me is a mid-life crisis, but I think crisis is too strong a word. After having moved a year ago and now both kids out of school (but still living at home), life is going through some changes. So my wife says I should find another interest, it doesn't matter what so long as it's not younger women. :wink: I have always wanted to play the guitar even in those times it was in the attic, so here I go again.

I am basically a 60's-70's rock and roller and like all kinds of rock from that era with paricular interests in two sub-genre: - one, I am and old Deadhead and also follow the current jamband scene, which kind of eveolved from the dead and similar bands. Second, I love progressive rock, e.g., Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, et. al. and some of the newer progressive bands.

So far in 3 weeks I have learned about 4 songs, including the first two for beginners, HWWN and FWIW and can get through them fairly well. main thing now is to develop more hand strength as I get fatigued before I finish the songs. I must be doing OK because while I was practicing Wish You Were here to the CD my daughter commented that it sounded good. And no one in the house is laughing at me or telling me to get lost.

I feel very fortunate to have found this web site so early into my picking it up again. I am very heartened to discover through this forum that there are apparently quite a few fourty-somethings (and higher!) like me who are just getting into this. Lots of good stuff here.

I especially want right now to learn Bob Dylan tunes and be able to play them among friends who sing along. Later when I develop some skill I'd like to try playing with others, although I'm sure that's several months off.

I do find time so far to pick it up every day, most days at least an hour- I've got some real good tips from this site on songs and how to practice and such. I'm not taking any lessons yet but am relying for now on a few books, an instructional DVD, and this site.

Wish me luck. Good to be joining you all out there.

Welcome to the asylum for the musically insane.

Here's a good Dylan site for you:

http://www.dylanchords.com/

Hello, my name is Rich. I'll be 40 in about a week and a half. I'm married and have two kids - George (6) and Samantha (3).

I started learning about 3 months ago - it's something I've always wanted to do but thought it too difficult. Well, now I've buckled down to learn and I'm pleased with my progress so far.

I like fingerstyle blues and I'm working my way through the Arnie Berle, Mark Galbo book. I sound like trash but I'm getting better.

Thanks to GuitarNoise for the great lessons and the forums. The internet in general and this site in particular has been a great support to me while I try to train myself to do that magic thing - create compelling music.

Rich

Hi,
My name is Joe I'm 47 and live in Pittsburgh PA and I've been playing guitar on and off for about since I was about 15.(My father still asks me when you going to learn how to play that thing? Love Ya Dad) first guitar was an acoustic I got for christmas don't remember what brand it was
my first electric guitar was a Gibson SG, that I bought for $150 used when I about 20 sold it 3years later. God I wish I still had if but I was young who knew??
My main guitars now are my Tokai 12 String acoustic, which I bought from a fellow employee about 14 years ago. (WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFO ON TOKAI ACOUSTICS IF ANYBODY KNOWS ANYTHING I CAN ONLY FIND INFO ON THEIR ELECTRIC)
As for my electric I use a Gibson L6S
I also have Ibanez Les Paul copy and a Fender Musicmaster which my brothers Mother inlaw (such a nice lady) gave me, said she got it when she was younger.

worked and played in a couple of band when I was younger
Then I had to get a real job had to pay the bills.
Always wanted to do orginals hated doing covers hated learning them.
now I just play for fun write a song now and then Jam with friend when the opportunity comes along.

Hi guys and welcome to the asylum for the musically insane.

I have not visited this post in quite awhile. It's refreshing to read about all of you. It's especially encouraging for those who played, quit, and came back. I know prison recidivism is bad but it's a wonderful thing in the guitar world. Like a soul being saved.