I’m new to the community and have been following along with Justin’s online course since the end of May 2024. I’m currently in the “Beginner Course, Grade 1, Module 4.”
I’m 63 years old, so yes, I’m an old dog learning a new trick. A bit of background: when I was a young child, I really, really loved drums. My parents purchased a few percussion instruments for me to play, but I had a hard time keeping a steady beat. When I was 12 years old, my dad brought home an upright piano and signed me up for lessons. I spent two years learning to play the piano and read music.
While I was in junior high school, I had a close friend who played the saxophone in the school orchestra. He was a very good player, and I really liked the sound of the sax. He convinced me to join the school orchestra and learn to play the sax. On the very first day of class, the instructor asked me which instrument I wanted to play. I hesitated for a bit, then responded with, “The drums!” “Drums! Everyone wants to play the drums!” the instructor shouted. He asked me a few more questions, and I told him I could play the piano and read music. He responded, “Perfect, you’ll play the keyed percussion instruments.” I spent the next four months playing marimbas, bells, timpani, keys, xylophone, and I loved every minute of it. This was the first time in my early life where I loved going to class, and I would spend every spare minute I had in the orchestra room.
Just after the winter break, at the beginning of the third quarter, the instructor was putting together a group of students to replace the outgoing upperclassmen for the stage band. The stage band was similar to the jazz band but played more pop-oriented music. He approached me and asked if I would like to join the band and learn to play the drum set. I was flabbergasted; I couldn’t believe it! One, I had never played the drum set before, and two, there were other drummers in the orchestra who were much better than me. Why would he ask me?
That started a life behind a drum set. I played in my first rock band at the age of 17 and continued professionally until I turned 26. After eight wonderful years of playing clubs, bars, dances, and rehearsing day after day, I burned out. I couldn’t do it anymore and walked away from something I truly loved doing.
I replaced my musician life with a new gig. I became a professional photographer and have worked in the commercial visual arts for the past 37 years. I love it as much as I loved playing the drums, and I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to be able to work and make a living in the arts.
So, about the guitar. While I was playing in various rock bands, I was, of course, surrounded by guitars and basses. Over those early years, I managed to learn to play a few things on a few of the axes of my fellow bandmates. When I was 19 years old, I purchased an acoustic guitar with the full intention of learning to play. That never happened. But that guitar has followed me around for the past 44 years. I’ve offered it to each of my four children, telling them it would be theirs if they learned to play it. None of them ever took me up on the offer. This past May, I had my 63rd birthday, pulled the guitar out, and got to work. I’m loving every minute of it.
Cheers, Robert
), but so, so satisfying to play.
