Where are you at ..music playing wise ??

I owned a guitar at the age of 13 took lessons for 1 year then gave up on it, don't remember why. But I have always wanted to play electric guitar and sing, so 5 years ago when I retired at the young age of 60, I said to my Wife I wanted to get back into playing guitar. She told me to go for it. So I got an Instructor and went at it, I have a strong desire to play and now that I am older I believe I am focused more than ever and I have the time to practice which I do. I practice 2 hrs each day and I have been taking instruction now for 5 years. I have taken a couple of years of music theory, but I concentrate more on guitar theory. My new instructor I have had for the last year and a half. Him and I hit it off from the get go. He is well known in my area as a great guitar player and a very good teacher, I feel very fortunate to have him in my corner he has taught me a lot about playing, he is encouraging and makes it fun. An important part for me is he teaches me what I want to learn and he listens, but he is no push over he is straight up with me, I like that. I like to be challenged he makes learning fun, like he says that's what its all about. Him and I jam every session, he will play lead I play rhythm then times I play lead and he plays rhythm. He is teaching me to be a better all around player and I have become a much smoother player. He is the same age as I am, we relate good together. In the fall and winter I do some gigs on my own and it gives me satisfaction. I play and sing Classic rock and play electric guitar only just my preference. I have watched as my playing has become better and better and am thankful for what I have achieved so far. I take no Instruction through the summer months now, only through the winter and will be starting back in October looking forward to it. I play for friends throughout the summer at the campground and continue to practice every day. I am thankful for my wonderful Wife who has supported me through this journey, I am sure I drive her crazy playing music every day, she never complains. I put the headphones on from time to time and play very quietly to give her a break. When I get the urge to really crank it up I head over to the Church building when know ones around. I might at sometime get together with a few guys in a garage, who would like to get together once a week just to jam, will see til then happy doing what I"m doing for now. I have quite a few songs in my repertoire and am learning some more as I go along.
 
Session 5 said:
I owned a guitar at the age of 13 took lessons for 1 year then gave up on it, don't remember why. But I have always wanted to play electric guitar and sing, so 5 years ago when I retired at the young age of 60, I said to my Wife I wanted to get back into playing guitar. She told me to go for it. So I got an Instructor and went at it, I have a strong desire to play and now that I am older I believe I am focused more than ever and I have the time to practice which I do. I practice 2 hrs each day and I have been taking instruction now for 5 years. I have taken a couple of years of music theory, but I concentrate more on guitar theory. My new instructor I have had for the last year and a half. Him and I hit it off from the get go. He is well known in my area as a great guitar player and a very good teacher, I feel very fortunate to have him in my corner he has taught me a lot about playing, he is encouraging and makes it fun. An important part for me is he teaches me what I want to learn and he listens, but he is no push over he is straight up with me, I like that. I like to be challenged he makes learning fun, like he says that's what its all about. Him and I jam every session, he will play lead I play rhythm then times I play lead and he plays rhythm. He is teaching me to be a better all around player and I have become a much smoother player. He is the same age as I am, we relate good together. In the fall and winter I do some gigs on my own and it gives me satisfaction. I play and sing Classic rock and play electric guitar only just my preference. I have watched as my playing has become better and better and am thankful for what I have achieved so far. I take no Instruction through the summer months now, only through the winter and will be starting back in October looking forward to it. I play for friends throughout the summer at the campground and continue to practice every day. I am thankful for my wonderful Wife who has supported me through this journey, I am sure I drive her crazy playing music every day, she never complains. I put the headphones on from time to time and play very quietly to give her a break. When I get the urge to really crank it up I head over to the Church building when know ones around. I might at sometime get together with a few guys in a garage, who would like to get together once a week just to jam, will see til then happy doing what I"m doing for now. I have quite a few songs in my repertoire and am learning some more as I go along.
Click to expand...
That’s the fun aspect of it all and I love it,especially when you can share with some buds and just have a great time.
Cheers Mitch
 
I forgot to mention I was in an afterschool program (there was no internet, or consumer level computers, medieval times bros) in the 4th grade with a really cheapo acoustic I carried (walked) to school with in a plastic garbage bag.
I think someone gave it to us, it was not new.

I did learn some chords and could read some sheet music.
I think i continued into the summer after and drifted away from it.
After that I got into rock music as a young teen.
As a young adult, I always wanted to pick it up again, and tried briefly a couple of times, as my younger brother was playing.

That continued to gnaw at me over time.
I started mentioning this to my wife 5 or so years ago and eventually, jumped in.
 
I started playing around 14 years old.

I still play, 'cause that's just what I do.

Almost lost all my fingers on my left hand in 2016 in a farm accident. By some miracle, I didn't lose them. (Looooonng story, kindof) I decided then and there that I wanted to do something more with my music than just play to my couch.

We'll see how that works out lol
So far all it's gotten me is a bunch of songs that haven't been 'cured' enough for serious gigging....yet. Original heavy numbers....the other bandmates don't really like the idea of doing covers at all.

Should be fun no matter what happens though.
 
mcblink said:
I started playing around 14 years old.

I still play, 'cause that's just what I do.

Almost lost all my fingers on my left hand in 2016 in a farm accident. By some miracle, I didn't lose them. (Looooonng story, kindof) I decided then and there that I wanted to do something more with my music than just play to my couch.

We'll see how that works out lol
So far all it's gotten me is a bunch of songs that haven't been 'cured' enough for serious gigging....yet. Original heavy numbers....the other bandmates don't really like the idea of doing covers at all.

Should be fun no matter what happens though.
Click to expand...
I am in a similar situation, in the early 90’s I didn’t want to play covers, and the 3 tunes I have posted with the date 1993 on the front of the song title is the results of that time, I am still in the camp of not wanting to play covers , my problem is with finding a couple of more cats with the same goal!
93/94 is when I quit for the second time, and I didn’t mess with a guitar till 2008 , so here I am.
 
I started at age 4 violin 2 hour lessons 3 times per week at age 7 I played my first performance got a standing ovation
7th and 8th grade our school had a guitar class classical guitar 9th grade I was in my first band 7 piece horn section
I played guitar and lead vocals at one of our shows I met John Kay Steppenwolf John took me under his wing had me learning Black Sabbath songs
and how to play linear a 5 watt champ amp and let me use his 1957 LP gold top I told John I love this guitar John said I bet you do.
I had a cheap Kay guitar John said I will let you use the 1961 LPSG you will need it for this next lesson the next day I went to John's apartment
he was gone moved out. Next we started a 3 piece band We played a high-class party I met Tony Iommi Tony asked me what I did My bands playing
today at this party Tony asked what do you play guitar so do I can I see your guitar sure Tony checked out mt 61 LPSG said that's a nice guitar
only one thing wrong with it it's not left handed first set I played Iron Man War Pigs and Paranoid Rare earth and others all these girls were jumping
in the pool naked Tony said if I were you Steve I would join them what about you I have to go do a sound check were playing tonight
at the Seattle arena Ill put you on the guest list next I went into the sauna 13 stunning young women had their way with me.
Then my band played 3 more sets eating dinner this 10 lady asked if she could set with me sure I asked her if she was driving yes
want to go to a show downtown we signed in got backstage passes security escorted us to the dressing room we walked in Ozzy went
crazy WTF is this kid doing here Tony said I invited Steve and his date. Next year I took my required classes in high school and had a job
working swing shift 2:00 to 10:00 I wanted a 1957 gold top LPS bad I worked 3 double shifts and school I had to crash my mother kicked me out
of the house I moved in with my girl friend never went back home. I was 15 years old My girl friend hated my guitar playing I worked finished
school at 17 I wanted to get away I joined the US Navy I scored a 98 on my entrance exam I told them I didn't want to be on a boat Mineman
is a shore duty but you will have to pass a FBI background check when I was in A school I did payday loans top of my class so I picked
Long Beach CA My girl friends father said were getting married at 17 years old I don't think so he said would $50,000.00 change your mind
OK. After we were married my father in law said I have a better deal give me back that check and I'm just finishing a custom water front house
in Washington when you get out of the Navy you will have a house paid off sure. We moved into Navy housing what a hell hole
i just turned 18 went to Wells Fargo I need a loan for $80k they told me to F... off OK I will take my $200k out of savings I want to buy a four-plex
on 2nd street and I own a house I rent out at $1750.00 per month paid off. I got the four-plex we paid it off in less than one year
I missed playing guitar I called my father told him he told me to call Carol Kaye I started taking lessons then I met Lee Ritenour through my wife
Lee said your good enough you want some studio gigs sure but one of our cars was stolen and lost my Les Paul Custom and my guitar amps
Lee said I will sell you a Fender black face Deluxe with a Altec 417-8H speaker sounds killer Billy Zoom just serviced it.
Next Lee set me up with Phillip Bailey you all can call me MR Disco I was able to buy more guitar amps and have Billy Zoom fine tune them.
I borrowed a 1952 Telecaster from Lee when I needed it. Then the Navy sent me to Canada with the UDT diver's team I love Canada
Got back to LA my wife was pregnant and a crack addict all our savings gone in 3 months not my baby
I was discharged from the Navy went to downtown LA for a job 3500 people in line in front of me this guy grabbed me by the arm
you must be here for the sales manger job 8.5 hour interview got the job 4 months I paid off my condo on Ocean BLVD.
My grandfather called me needed help with his business in Seattle I moved I went to see my father in law told him what was going on
I tried everything what's you plan I'm going to collage I have a deal for you give me five years I buy apartment complex's we turn them into
condo's then you can go to any collage in the world and any degree you want. I put my self through collage I had 4 jobs one was running sound
for the big concerts $350.00 a show I got a great job working for BMW Marine the distributor for north America we supplied all the dealers
We were also a Volvo Penta Marine dealer I was trained at Alaska Marine Diesel for Volvo Marine and Northern Lights marine.
I was dating the owner Harold Johnson's daughter Harold told me that Volvo and BMW were doing a trade agreement BMW was pulling
out of the USA and if I would move to Juneau Alaska and fix $75 million in warranty fraud he would make me vice president of Alaska Marine
diesel I went for it I thought time stopped I would fly back to Seattle every two weeks to see Julie Johnson after two years I watched Seattle turn into
LA Julie would not fly to Juneau set on her ways I finished the job and wanted to stay in Alaska so I did.
I have had music teachers through my life I met Steve Rice at the music store same started at age 4 drummer I went to his studio we jammed
Good God you have to teach me to play like that 10 years lessons 3 times per week practice 6 hours per day
2008 Tag died we played a fundraiser for his wife I walked in my friends guitar players I asked if they were going to play hell no look whose
on stage so what my guitar teachers they all have Grammy awards I got on stage bass player has his back to me Jeff played guitar for a few songs
Doug my keyboard player was on the other side of the stage smoking hot Sax player out of New York so I jammed with him it worked out
I didn't know any of the songs Tag had wrote them all Jeff had five high definition video cameras on us I never did see the DVD not for $120.00
Days go slow but the decades go fast Doug and I have been in bands for 25-30 years I'm not sure I have Doug on drums now for the last five years.
So much for my rant.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top