What Got You Playing and What Keeps You Playing Guitar?

Always enjoyed music, but never played. My best friend does and always wanted a Martin so year before this last I went out and spent several days putting slaesman to the task and bought him one. The experience kinda got me going on it and about 6 months ago I found a good used Dean Icon electric and bought it and a peavey 40 watt amp. I have since purchased 2 acoustics (an esteban and and another Dean). Been having a great time. The guitarists that keep me going are Chuck Berry, Keith Richards and Eddie van Halen. I'll never be as good but it doesn't stop me from trying.

Hi Fellas ,my real names Bob ,im 63 and retired and live in Southern California I have 2 children(adults now)1 in Las Vegas NV.and the other in AZ.I retired several yrs ago after a life in the Propane industry(35 yrs) During my Blessed life I have done many things from Driving Big Rigs,to actually getting to fly a lear jet as a close friend was a pilot and he would let me take after we were airborn(what a thrill)I owned several Harleys and rode daily most of my life.
I learned to play a keyboard years ago as my mother played a piano and would teach me some songs( but I have suffered from dislexia all my life and have found it to difficult to read standard music So I gave my keyboard to my son ! when he was young we raced rc cars and won many trophys then I got into rc planes and ended up teaching newbies for about 5 yrs on the weekends I moved up to rc hellicoters and still fly them occasionally. I got into Computers in the 80`s and started building them for my friends then for the company I worked for(believ it or not people with dislexia can aquire great mechanical skills).
I think becuase they solve thier problems with self tuaght logic ,at least I do) Any way I have always admired people that play guitars becuase of the skill
it requires and the great music they produce,So at 63 I decided to give it my best effort after stumbling across guitarnoise and listening to Dave Hodges.
I was absolutely besided myself when I saw tablature as a guide to learn(never knew there was such a thing)and I could actually figure it out.So for the last
Month Ive been practicing about 4 hours aday and actually playing a few songs....Thanks you guys for cheering and old man up!

I'm 14, and have been waiting to buy a guitar from a very very long time.

I'm waiting for my exams to get over so that I can buy one and learn to play.

I stumbled across this site while looking for tips on buying my first guitar.

What made me think of starting? A passion for music, and the guitar. I can't wait till I get mine, then I can join in the fun!

I've always played instruments since I was very young. I picked up the guitar about five years ago. My main motivation was to write my own stuff and still is. But I can't imagine my life without music. I guess it almost a spiritual thing. The way music gets me, just isn't rational so it must be.

It's not just that I want music to be a part of my life, which I do, it's more that I couldn't do without it. And I can't think of a better way to make music integral to my life than to create it.

Pete. :)

Eric Clapton's Layla is what got me playing guitar. Hearing him play at the Concert for NYC (october, 2001) led me to the blues.

Jamming and improvisation is what keeps me playing the guitar.

I started when I was around 8. Learned Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Hot Cross Buns. Even had a gig. :lol: Then my teacher quit, and I stopped.

Fast forward a couple of years. My mother and my sister give me guitar lessons for Christmas. I pull out the old Yamaha Junior and I'm hooked after the first lesson. That Easter, my mother buys me my beloved Oscar-Schmidt Acoustic-Electric with a hard shell case. I am estatic.

Fast forward again to Christmas of this year. My sister has taken up drums (go figure :roll: ) and gets a nice little bass amp for her digital drumset. I, however, get the object of my obsession, an Arctic White Epiphone SG, direct from the custom shop, with a set of active EMG pickups.

In case you haven't guessed, I have the best family ever :P

I'm playing guitar because I've always wanted too!. I'm 55 and since high school band days it has been one of those things that I've kept putting off, primarily because of time and expense. I just decided it was time and that I'd give it a go. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made....as my wife tells me, you've got a hobby now. My goals are simple, I want to play reasonably well and to have fun doing it. I know I'll get there.

Hi everybody,

I'm originally a singer and had somebody play the guitar for me. Last summer I wanted to perform at a local event and had nobody to play for me. So, I got frustrated enough to teach myself, along with the help of GN and friends. Since I started here at GN, I have have bought my Luna Guitar (I know, I know, it's girly, but pretty), played it in public and now I'm releasing my CD (my original songs) at the end of this month. Check out http://www.myspace.com/gwynnedesautels

Writing songs keeps me playing the guitar and I always got alot of great feedback here. So, now hopefully that my CD is done, I'll be able to post a bit more. Gwynne.

Interesting question and one I haven't given a lot of thought to for quite awhile. Short answer: Neil Young first came After the Gold Rush followed by Harvest which pretty well sealed it. I had to go bum money off my father and promise to pay him back as I had (still have) a habit of picking things up and moving on to something else (just enough knowledge to be dangerous). With $150.00 Cdn (in 1972 that was a lot of money for a high school student - a Martin D-28 was roughly $500.00 Cdn) all I could afford was a Japanese acoustic (Yamaki) which I still have and like to play as a beater. After a 10-12 year hiatus, I recently bought a Gibson J-45 and getting back into it - still want to play Neil Young's music

The reason that i have started to learn how to play guitar (Have not been at it very long) is because of my cousin who lives in another state who plays around the campfires at our yearly family reunions. Everyone loves to listen to him play. From the youngest to the oldest they all seem to be entranced when he plays including myself. That has to be a great feeling . I am hoping to be able to play along with him one of these days and feel that feeling myself :)

great thread man...

since i can remember myself, music is a huge part of my life. i've always wanted to play music not to preform but for myself.
the first time i heard a guitar play classical music was an incredible expeirience for me, the unique sound was different then guitars i heard before, i believe it was "trio in A minor" by vivaldi.
i started playing when i was 10, it was a bit too early and i was a bit lazy... the teacher sent me home after 3 monthes or so...

i really started playing three years ago when i was 13 and since then the guitar filled my life completely, i spend nearly three hours a day practicing and i just started prepering for my final exem to get a bagrut (the israeli high school diploma) in classic guitar.
i play almost only classic, and while it's a bit fraustrating to see my friends (who are great prog-rockers) preform on stage' i prefare to play a recital.

recently, i began exploring other aspects of the guitar, new styles and other ganres, to expend my repertoire of skills.
very recently, i stumbled across guitar noise and joind the forums to learn from the great guitarists over here, it's a great site and a friendly place to ask questions.

oh by the way, i really love progressive rock, i think that's where i want to go next because it's a type of rock that has allot of classical motifs, it's complex and rich and deep... i just love it.

ok, that was my story, hope you like it. (i did :P)
again, genius thread