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Monday, May 07, 2007

Strings attached


Of all the instruments I've ever played, the guitar is my favorite. For one, you can always play the guitar without needing an entire band to a play along with you (like the bass clarinet). Plus you can accompany yourself when you sing (something you can't do with the bass clarinet).

I received my first guitar on my 10th birthday. I slowly taught myself to play a few chords. When I was 19 I bought a Guild 12-string guitar. It was the first thing I bought on time payments. It is a beautiful guitar.

I learned a few more chords. I would sit and play for my nephew when he was a baby and put him to sleep. I teamed up with a friend who had a great voice and we played at several weddings over the years. But I never became overly proficient.



Since then I have collected a couple of classic guitars, three acoustic steel string guitars (including a limited edition Elvis guitar by Epiphone), three electric guitars and a banjo. I am still not overly proficient, but I still play occasionally.

Guitars comfort me. They are one of the few things in my life that I am glad come with strings attached. As I slip into middle age, I can still pick up one of my guitars, open a songbook from my teenaged years and strum back time...


....at least as long as I can remember the chords.

16 comments:

Leigh said...

There is nothing more soothing then listening to the sound of a guitar.

Steve said...

My brothers play guitar and when we all get together it becomes a jam session.
Me I either sing or play the drums(Both Badly)

I do however have a knack for lyrics and writing words, usually inspired by some musical piece.

Hey.....twice have come here and been complimentary........

Must be getting old!

Anonymous said...

I once played guitar in the long ago...me and my jr. high girlfriend used to sing and play by the pool. We'd have every dog in the neighborhood howling. Thats when I started looking into becoming an accountant.

BlazngScarlet said...

My husband is an accomplished musician who plays several instruments and has been "attempting" to teach me and The Boy how to play guitar.
We found this website, http://www.lickbyneck.com/
that shows you the midi fingerings.
I also found 5 pages of these on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=LickByNeckDotCom

I am sure you're much more proficient than I, but they are kinda cool to check out.

I do so love it when he picks up his git and plays ....

Time said...

Leigh,
I totally agree. Sometimes I play just to calm myself.

Steve,
I would think in Australia that they would call a jam session a Vegimite session. But compliment accepted.

Kat, Making a dog howl is the highest compliment they could pay you. You probably could have had a career in country music.

Blaznfyre,
I wonder if that is where the phrase, "Git 'er done" came from. :)

Lights in the wake said...

Hey, I went to that "lickmyneck" site blazngfyre recommended and it didn't have anything at all to do with guitars.

Maybe I typed it in wrong.

R. said...

You know what's harder than hell to play? That lick from Susie Q.

Hayden said...

man - I saw that title and I was sure it was about puppets - that kind of strings - and was hoping for a clown puppet!

I really miss the family singing that went on when I was a kid. My sis and I both played guitar - me better than her, but still pretty bad. Dad played harmonica and mom piano. Fun times.

Time said...

Clown puppets Hayden? Clown puppets? Have you no shame?

I played harmonica, too. I remember playing it in the car on a road trip with my parents. When I think back they were actually pretty patient people.

Naughti Biscotti said...

I love guitar music. It was something that my grandparents taught to their children, so someone was always strumming on a guitar when we got together with family.

I never learned but tried to pass on the gift to my child by paying for lessons. He never developed a passion for it.

He did impress me the other night by downloading "Dueling Banjos" on his MP3.

Steve said...

So you must play the BLUES alot!


:-)

Time said...

Shandi,
When your son realizes that guitars are chick magnets, he will recall those guitar lessons.

Steve,
I am the blues.

Kindness said...

I wish I had an ounce of musical talent... I wish I had an ounce...

Time said...

Kindness,
I never said I was talented musically. But you don't have to have talent to enjoy playing.

Anonymous said...

And here I thought you were going to write about that paranormal vortex you caught on film in photo #1. I see that kinda stuff on Ghost Hunters all the time. Classic!

Time said...

Kristy,
1968 wasn't a good year for box cameras.