Greetings.
My sob story.
I have played electric guitar since I was about 15. Self taught and played in various pop groups until
about age 55. Party music. I liked to pretend I was pritty goood.
Sometimes people even said so. Some meaning it, some
with that "look" while saying it ..if you know what I mean (other players).
It was the not the kind of music you can entertain your family around the camp fire
or amuse ones self just playing guitar. Ya.
Mony moooony. Mony mooooaaany.
Constant noodling year after year in Am pent at home on my junky acoustics and getting nowhere.
I was no longer amused.
About age 50 I became interested in Jaz. So I jacked around awhile trying to play
songs like I did in the past. Oh that's played bar chord somewhere in here.
Didn't really get anywhere. So I tried to get serial, stuper serial,
and buckle down and learn JAZZ chords. I could fake some stuff but....not sticking.
That's when I discovered I have been playing guitar for 40 years
and I didn't know a darn thing about the guitar. Listening to recordings
of my bands confirms it to myself. No wonder I can't stand to listen to them.
They are ok but....wince.
I'm a poseur.
I had learned how to play songs, not the guitar.
I have been claiming to be a guitar player most of my life, and darn it I am determined to actually die one.
So I am unlearning and relearning........everything.
Unlearning things that are ingrained is veryyy difficult.
Ear training, Scales, arps, triads, quads, intervals, ..... everything.
Master the fretboard. Concentrated on left hand.
I listened to almost no music during this time, just what is coming out MY guitar.
One thing going for me, I didn't have to relearn technique. That I had managed to discover
over those years.
After hundreds of hours of reps of all kinds. It's all coming together.
I am beginning to just snap things in my head to the fretboard.
I can construct chords on the fly. I actually know what a 13 note IS and what it means.
Its getting harder to hit a wrong note anywhere on the board.
Why why why didn't I do this when I was 17??? Because it was hard.
So about about a year ago I rewarded myself and bought a Taylor CE414.
I am not sure if I love it yet, it is so very different than the electric world.
Most money I have ever spent on a single instrument ever (PA equipment aside).
(And I spent tons searching for "grail" tone in electric land).
So now I am switching to right hand and starting to learn songs.
I've started with "Black Water" doobies. cool song.
So .... that's my sob story. Don't let this be you.
tc
