Seventeen year old me would be so embarrassed. Seventeen year old me would have serious issues with some / many / all of the songs I now play.
2 Likes
Hi Tony, what a fantastic story. To think 10 years ago you were where I am now. My story won’t grow into a lap of Australia but then it doesn’t need to- I can read yours.
You’ve written your story so extensively. Your successes your struggles your thoughts. Live and raw like you said. Beats recordings every time.
Cheers Tony, looking forward to your next 10 years.
David
@BurnsRhythm - Hey Dave, thanks so much for your kind words. It’s been a real hoot and will continue to be no doubt. Keep at it, it’s so worth the effort.
Hey Tony,
I just re-read your story in its entirety. What a wonderful tale of love, inspiration, dedication, frustration, depression, and tremendous musical expression. Thanks for sharing it with us mate.
As a fellow Aussie, your travels and tales in this great land are inspiring. And to be doing it all with a guitar in one hand and your lady in the other - now that’s livin’!
Maybe I’ll see you on the road one day.
Cheers, Shane.
1 Like
Thanks Shane, you’ve definitely covered all the topics. Look forward to seeing you.
Hi Tony, than you for sharing your story. I read it completely. Good to see you are enjoying the RV adventure with the guitar as a central part of it. I enjoyed your cover of Blowin’ In The Wind.
Thanks Andrés, life on the road is a lot of fun.
Tony, wow! I am learning so much from reading what is indeed an awesome, “full history of the learning process” you’ve been on. What an enjoyable read! I look forward to returning to your learning log again and again. Now that I’ve finished reading, I’m going to circle back and listen to some of the videos/music you posted. Have a beautiful day!
1 Like
@zys thanks so much. The guitar journey is a wonderful journey, full of delight along the way, glad you got some good stuff from it.
1 Like
Wow, what an awesome and well written story. It is great to see how music has become an integral part of your life. Your recollections about playing for and with others are great for those of us who are in the less confident earlier stages, being aware of how we think we sound. Thank you and look forward to reading more. The big lap sounds like a great adventure.
1 Like
Yeah, and thanks. There are times as a beginner when you feel like a real goose playing around more experienced players. Don’t let those fears stop you from progressing. There are also many great pinch yourself moments when you realize you really are a musician.
Hi Tony
I just found your excellent story.
When i first joined this community in January this year i pointed out i was on my first guitar learning experience and in my early 60s.
You reached out to this other Aussie and you put me in touch with Sunshine Coast Acoustic and camping groups.
We love the acoustic group fantastic people so encouraging.
This weekend we went on our first camp. The one you suggested m. Just loving it. Husband Allan is having a ball too.
Iam loving the guitar play in another acoustic group as well. Some weeks im playing songs for two hours in our club sometimes plus. Plus at least three hours practice per week.
We are doing our first nursing home gig next week. we used to play with ukes now im going with my guitar.
Ive realised a dream i thought impossible to achieve.
This afternoon im off to collect a second hand mandolin. An even longer held ambition.
Thank you so much
4 Likes
Thanks SO much, you’ve really made my day with your kind words.
I feel so fortunate to live where we do in the greater SE Qld area, the different clubs and gatherings are just super. So many people with a love of live music and eagerness to share it with others.
I can so relate to that. There are times I’m sitting there on my own playing a song and I just have to pinch myself afterwards realizing, yeah, I am that musician I long dreamed of being. Fun Fun Fun.
Give Chris a big hello when you see him, his enthusiasm is so good.
That Woodford gathering looked pretty wet. Get on to the bowls club there every Thursday night for an amazing open mic. It’s so popular they limit players to 2 songs. Played there twice last year and got invited to a weekend jam at RIcki’s place, keep an eye out for her, good fun there too.
Great story Tony. Very inspiring. But this made me gulp:
I’ve just moved onto position 2 of the major scale. Only 13 more shapes to learn. Yay! I hope I don’t come out the other end feeling I wasted my time. But I won’t know until I’ve learned them I guess.
Cheers,
Chris
1 Like
Hey Chris, I debated about putting that comment in there. Do keep in mind everyone is different and I’m sure there are plenty of other guitar / singing things that I find easy and worthwhile that others struggle with.
Since it’s my own / personal learning log I decided to put it in there in case it resonates with others who’ve not gained what they hoped from scales.
1 Like
No worries. I appreciate it. Nothing worse than thinking you’re the only one who is struggling with something.
1 Like
I’m curious about this, since after being a basic strummer for many years, I’ve been working on learning lead stuff over the last 3-4 years. I have embarked on this by doing Justin’s Blues Lead 1 module (now also working on Blues Lead 2). Those modules involve learning scales (minor pentatonic in 5 positions), but most of the time is devoted to learning specific licks.
I wonder if you feel like you’ve over-emphasised scales and should have been doing something else to learn to play lead.
1 Like
You pose a good question and I do plan / hope to work on it some more.
I bought Justin’s Master the Major scale course quite a few years ago and got to where I could play 2 or 3 of the positions / patterns in a reasonable tempo to the metronome. Also worked on doing the scales in 3rds. Did a fair bit of improvising in the scales which my wife said sounded quite good but it really didn’t grab me or sound like the improv I hear when others do a lead break (and my wife is not one to tell me something is good when it isn’t).
I have learned the lead break and play it regularly for one song that I play and plan to do that with several others.
I recall a conversation with another experienced player who has at times done a lot of lead work and now doesn’t do much. He expressed that it takes a fair amount of deliberate effort to maintain the proficiency and he likes more to focus on extending his repertoire of full songs (rhythm and singing) as compared to solos / improv.
Extending my repertoire of full songs has been what I’ve enjoyed immensely and it gives me great rewards. It’s a bucket list dream to be able to solo more. Thanks again for your thoughts.
@tony if you want to learn the A shaped D major scale learn this Led Zeppelin Thank You (guitar solo) (cover) - YouTube I
it beat going up and down scales. usual warning learn it slow, learn it right then speed up
1 Like