Learning to play....
Posted by: Exiled Highlander on 10 August 2008
After many, many years thinking about it I finally took the plunge yesterday and bought this...
It's an Alvarez AD80SSB for those who know anything about guitars, although they are not that well known. I have no clue how to play (any instrument) but I'm determined to give it a go and even got some sounds out of it last night that didn't make the dog run into the backyard...oh wait the door was closed she couldn't!
Buying it was interesting too. I first went to the Guitar Center (big US chain) which turned out to be like going to a mass market High St Hi-Fi retailer as the spotty faced "sales" guy was utterly useless, I mean absolutely and utterly pathetic. So, I went outside, surfed the web on my Blackberry, found a local specialist dealer (Naperville Music) and spent around 1.5 hours with a really patient and enthusiastic salesman (and the bugger couldn't half play!!) - now I am the proud owner of this sunburst dreadnought and my fingers are already sore after one nights practice!
This will be fun.
Cheers
Jim
It's an Alvarez AD80SSB for those who know anything about guitars, although they are not that well known. I have no clue how to play (any instrument) but I'm determined to give it a go and even got some sounds out of it last night that didn't make the dog run into the backyard...oh wait the door was closed she couldn't!
Buying it was interesting too. I first went to the Guitar Center (big US chain) which turned out to be like going to a mass market High St Hi-Fi retailer as the spotty faced "sales" guy was utterly useless, I mean absolutely and utterly pathetic. So, I went outside, surfed the web on my Blackberry, found a local specialist dealer (Naperville Music) and spent around 1.5 hours with a really patient and enthusiastic salesman (and the bugger couldn't half play!!) - now I am the proud owner of this sunburst dreadnought and my fingers are already sore after one nights practice!
This will be fun.
Cheers
Jim
John
As part of the deal I got one free lesson and I will almost certainly have more - I want to get to the point where I can play a decent tune or two and then understand enough about the theory to start to think about experimenting with my own - one step at a time though!
I did make the mistake of wandering into the up-market guitar room - the $24,000 Gibson was something else - unbelievable tone!
Not for me though!
Cheers
Jim
PS. I'm so glad I found a good dealer....sound familiar?
As part of the deal I got one free lesson and I will almost certainly have more - I want to get to the point where I can play a decent tune or two and then understand enough about the theory to start to think about experimenting with my own - one step at a time though!
I did make the mistake of wandering into the up-market guitar room - the $24,000 Gibson was something else - unbelievable tone!
Not for me though!Cheers
Jim
PS. I'm so glad I found a good dealer....sound familiar?
Hi Jim
Both my children are learning to play fiddle & chanter (pre bagpipe) at the moment.
From watching their skills develop I'm sure you'll get much more out of your guitar with a good teacher.
A $24000 Gibson; that will be irresistible if instrument upgraditus strikes!
Cheers - John
Both my children are learning to play fiddle & chanter (pre bagpipe) at the moment.
From watching their skills develop I'm sure you'll get much more out of your guitar with a good teacher.
A $24000 Gibson; that will be irresistible if instrument upgraditus strikes!
Cheers - John
Nice one!
I can say that it will come with practice. A top tip is to ensure you are actually concentrating on your practice, rather that just saying 'oh I've done my hour' etc.
Andy c - sightreading grade three piano practice at this time...
Oh, and try getting some lessons from a teacher you like! I have, and its priceless.
I can say that it will come with practice. A top tip is to ensure you are actually concentrating on your practice, rather that just saying 'oh I've done my hour' etc.
Andy c - sightreading grade three piano practice at this time...
Oh, and try getting some lessons from a teacher you like! I have, and its priceless.
Andy/Chris
I have my first lesson tomorrow evening and I must admit I'm frightened of making an even bigger arse of myself than usual!
These are individual lessons and not too expensive (actually much cheaper than I thought) so we'll see how me and my tutor get on!
Yeah, the Alvarez looks great - it's just a pity it has a mind of it's own apparently! Actually, it is supposed to be pretty high in the playability side of things which is one of the reasons I bought it.
I suppose playing at all the worlds great venues would be better than trying to win big IT contracts - so I'd better stick at it if I want a career change!
Cheers
Jim
I have my first lesson tomorrow evening and I must admit I'm frightened of making an even bigger arse of myself than usual!
These are individual lessons and not too expensive (actually much cheaper than I thought) so we'll see how me and my tutor get on!
Yeah, the Alvarez looks great - it's just a pity it has a mind of it's own apparently! Actually, it is supposed to be pretty high in the playability side of things which is one of the reasons I bought it.
I suppose playing at all the worlds great venues would be better than trying to win big IT contracts - so I'd better stick at it if I want a career change!
Cheers
Jim
Let us know how your lesson goes.
my teacher is brill - he's classically trained but has theory knowledge by the bucket full - and I'm one of the few adults he teaches so my lessons always go over the scheduled time...for some reason i seem to be able to make him laugh???
my teacher is brill - he's classically trained but has theory knowledge by the bucket full - and I'm one of the few adults he teaches so my lessons always go over the scheduled time...for some reason i seem to be able to make him laugh???
Chris
It's not you!!.....although the current pursuit I'm on is the most fun I've had in a number of years...
My email address is in my profile...drop me a note and we can figure out if we compete or not!
Cheers
Jim
quote:I suppose playing at all the worlds great venues would be better than trying to win big IT contracts
Jim
After 30 years of the latter I'd have to agree! Is it me, or has the fun gone out of it now?
It's not you!!.....although the current pursuit I'm on is the most fun I've had in a number of years...
My email address is in my profile...drop me a note and we can figure out if we compete or not!
Cheers
Jim
quote:Originally posted by Chris Kelly:
Jim
Good for you. I had the whole mid-life crisis thing in the mid90s
Bloody hell! How long do you think you're going to live!!
He's in IT Sales so it will be a pretty short span!
Jim
Jim
quote:Originally posted by andy c:
...for some reason i seem to be able to make him laugh???
Perhaps you're showing him more than he's showing you, Andy!
Well done Jim!
Practice is the key though. As for looking old compared with other students...totally irrelevant! You're only as old as the guitar you feel....
Practice is the key though. As for looking old compared with other students...totally irrelevant! You're only as old as the guitar you feel....
Chris
What was really galling last night was to see my 17 year old daughter (who plays viola in her school orchestra) pick it up and immediately start playing a tune.
As I looked at her with some incredulity (i.e. glared), she said, "Oh, that was just a tune I put together on Chelsea's guitar a few months ago." (Chelsea being her friend next door).
I am crestfallen. She has never had a lesson, rarely picked a guitar up and she puts her own tunes together. WTF?
Jim
PS. Being new, the guitar goes out of tune if you even look at it sideways....need a tuner as I can't yet do it by ear.
What was really galling last night was to see my 17 year old daughter (who plays viola in her school orchestra) pick it up and immediately start playing a tune.
As I looked at her with some incredulity (i.e. glared), she said, "Oh, that was just a tune I put together on Chelsea's guitar a few months ago." (Chelsea being her friend next door).
I am crestfallen. She has never had a lesson, rarely picked a guitar up and she puts her own tunes together. WTF?
Jim
PS. Being new, the guitar goes out of tune if you even look at it sideways....need a tuner as I can't yet do it by ear.
quote:I have always used an electronic tuner. I presume you can get them for acoustics too!
Yes you can - I've got one for an Acoustic.
Not sure if you can get one for air-guitar, my best instrument, though. Would be handy as my air-Strat is always out of tune.