Hey everyone I hope this is not too long.
I wanted to finally make an introduction page. I have been around since beginning of November 23 when I started my journey, mostly just lurked while I did the lessons. Slowly I started posting a few messages.
So my story is I am early 50s, my wife and I are now empty nesters. I picked the guitar up after my daughter moved to the dorms for her first year if collage at the University of Arizona. We had gotten her a guitar a number of years ago when she expressed interest, but she was always so busy she just never really played, so it sat up in her room for the last 2 1/2 years.
In November of 2023, after 2 months of the kid being gone, I decided that I might as well get some use out of that guitar and so I picked it up and found Justin. Off I went.
I sang as a kid in the Chicago children’s choir and the Tucson Boys chorus. I played a trumpet from 6th grad to HS where I played band and was in a drum and bugle Corp playing the 2 valve saprano. I had tried to put a band togeather in High School singing and playing guitar. My mom helped my buy an electric guitar, a mic and mic stand and an Amplifier. I had played for maybe a month and was trying to learn, unfortunatly my guitar, mic, amp, all my gear was stolen from my car while at work at a sandwhich shop. I was very soured by that and I never did anything with guitar after. Later, In the early 90s after moving to the Lake Tahoe/Reno Nevada area I did a little horn back up with a Punk Ska band but really, I just was not into playing horn any more. Also I was too busy snowboarding and doing sports that was the end of things musically. I went on with my life, very much loving music never to return until now.
I have a wide range of musical taste even if it only appears that I like grunge style (I hate that term) and punk. Since I have been learning guitar I have absolutly learned to respect the old folk singers, even the country western music writers and even the pop music writers. It simply amazing the foot tapping music they can make with just a few open chords. I have been really enjoying trying to learn the travis picking style. Very tough but I am getting closer.
So where am I at today? I ripped through grade one lessons learning a ton and then I tried to slow down through the Grade 2 lessons. I did finished the Grade 2 at the begining of February and started consolidation. I decided start the music theory class around that time as well. One of the things I have really tried to do is make good use of the practice routines, which I love. An ADHD person like me really needs to have a structure, so this has been absolutly vital. I have also been setting up new items in my practice routine from the Music Theory classes such as the triad chord practice routines.
So during my consolidation I have been working on the following:
- Songs, songs, songs
- Music Theory modules 1-4.1
- Making sure I have all the chords down pat, including all the Fs, the slash chords, and the open 7th chords. And use them in songs.
I am dying to move on to Grade 3 but I guess I will wait utill I get a little more Music Theory done. I could move on, and I do feel fairly comfortable about going on now but I feel i need to stick with my original plan and get all the way through Music Theory module 4.1 so. I know there is a ton to learn in beginner grade 3.
I have really learned a lot from a fair number of the regulars. It’s always the tips they have given others in the past obviously. I read to thread after the lessons, the questions I have, if any, are almost always answered in the discussions already. Just a few people I remember off the top of my head are Richard, Sclay, David, Jkahn and Jeff. So thanks to you and all the others. I have had such a blast these last few months. Learning to play some of my most favorite bands music. I am absolutly stoked and very thankful to Justin and the community here for helping me with something I have wanted to do my whole life.
Anyway that’s me, thanks everyone.
Jason Hathaway
!!!
but they’re only doing a couple of festivals in the UK…