LucrativeSid
New member
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2007
- Messages
- 837
Series of musical events:
9-12 months ago: I smashed my main instrument, my acoustic guitar. It just felt right. I certainly have no regrets. Many kinds of thoughts contributed to this event.
- I knew it would feel good and be a unique experience.
- The event would be symbolic and profound.
- I thought it might be a good way to put an end to my music. I knew I just didn't have it in me to challenge myself and I wanted to put it all behind me and focus on more practical things.
- I knew that if I couldn't forget about it, that I'd have all the more motivation to get a new acoustic guitar. My old one was cheap and crappy. And after I got the new guitar, I thought I'd have more vigor for learning new stuff and reaching new levels. The ultimate test.
- I knew that I'd be able to tell this story some day. Proud of it or not, that doesn't matter. I just like telling stories.
Now, before you get all self-righteous and start giving me a speech about smashing perfectly good guitars (great song!), I want to share two things.
1. I paid for it.
2. It was probably the most intimate my guitar and I had ever been.
The guitar lived and died happy. A true inspiration.
3 months ago:
I started playing Snow White again, my electric guitar. It's a decent guitar but the strings were so old they wouldn't stay in tune. I mildly became interested in playing again.
I even jammed with some friends and played a really nice Martin acoustic that I fell in love with.
1 month ago:
My friend wanted his amp back, after I'd had it for about 2 years. It was the only amp I had. I had no way to even play Snow White, that wretched whore.
So I played ukulele instead! I don't know why. I'd always had it sitting around but barely ever tinkered with it.
The nylon strings still stay in tune in a decent way, even though they are 7 years old. I learned how to tune it and had some fun.
Kept on playing and playing. Learning new stuff and getting better. Started seriously considering writing some good songs on it and maybe doing some performances. I practice singing and writing but I suck and quit quickly. I can only jam.
Yesterday/Today:
Thanks to KristenS, I learned about MySpace Karaoke. I realized it could be a great way to practice singing.
After singing for many hours, mostly doing songs from the Beatles, I finally made some major progress tonight!
I found my range, realized that I was wavering my voice too much (trying too hard), figured it was better to be crisper and sound more like I'm speaking in a happy way (found my real voice), and learned that I have to open my mouth WAAAAY wider than I had been all along. These little things made a big difference. I'm still not great but I think I'm moving in a good direction now.
A little bit ago:
I decided that one of my life's goals is to make an album. That doesn't seem like a lofty goal for a "musician" but believe me, it is for me.
I do not have any desire to become a famous musician, to join a band, or to go on tour. I may do some gigs, but mostly, I just want to record an album that I'm proud of.
Fortunately, my very first guitar, a 1975 Sigma acoustic, is still in good shape. It hasn't been played in 5 or 6 years because it needs parts. I just have to get that fixed. (It's spent the majority of the last 34 years in a case.) I learned how to play on that thing. It was tough. Made my fingers super strong. I fell in love. Acoustic guitars are sexy.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=589919&content=music
Some recordings of mine over the last 4 or 5 years.
9-12 months ago: I smashed my main instrument, my acoustic guitar. It just felt right. I certainly have no regrets. Many kinds of thoughts contributed to this event.
- I knew it would feel good and be a unique experience.
- The event would be symbolic and profound.
- I thought it might be a good way to put an end to my music. I knew I just didn't have it in me to challenge myself and I wanted to put it all behind me and focus on more practical things.
- I knew that if I couldn't forget about it, that I'd have all the more motivation to get a new acoustic guitar. My old one was cheap and crappy. And after I got the new guitar, I thought I'd have more vigor for learning new stuff and reaching new levels. The ultimate test.
- I knew that I'd be able to tell this story some day. Proud of it or not, that doesn't matter. I just like telling stories.
Now, before you get all self-righteous and start giving me a speech about smashing perfectly good guitars (great song!), I want to share two things.
1. I paid for it.
2. It was probably the most intimate my guitar and I had ever been.
The guitar lived and died happy. A true inspiration.
3 months ago:
I started playing Snow White again, my electric guitar. It's a decent guitar but the strings were so old they wouldn't stay in tune. I mildly became interested in playing again.
I even jammed with some friends and played a really nice Martin acoustic that I fell in love with.
1 month ago:
My friend wanted his amp back, after I'd had it for about 2 years. It was the only amp I had. I had no way to even play Snow White, that wretched whore.
So I played ukulele instead! I don't know why. I'd always had it sitting around but barely ever tinkered with it.
The nylon strings still stay in tune in a decent way, even though they are 7 years old. I learned how to tune it and had some fun.
Kept on playing and playing. Learning new stuff and getting better. Started seriously considering writing some good songs on it and maybe doing some performances. I practice singing and writing but I suck and quit quickly. I can only jam.
Yesterday/Today:
Thanks to KristenS, I learned about MySpace Karaoke. I realized it could be a great way to practice singing.
After singing for many hours, mostly doing songs from the Beatles, I finally made some major progress tonight!
I found my range, realized that I was wavering my voice too much (trying too hard), figured it was better to be crisper and sound more like I'm speaking in a happy way (found my real voice), and learned that I have to open my mouth WAAAAY wider than I had been all along. These little things made a big difference. I'm still not great but I think I'm moving in a good direction now.
A little bit ago:
I decided that one of my life's goals is to make an album. That doesn't seem like a lofty goal for a "musician" but believe me, it is for me.
I do not have any desire to become a famous musician, to join a band, or to go on tour. I may do some gigs, but mostly, I just want to record an album that I'm proud of.
Fortunately, my very first guitar, a 1975 Sigma acoustic, is still in good shape. It hasn't been played in 5 or 6 years because it needs parts. I just have to get that fixed. (It's spent the majority of the last 34 years in a case.) I learned how to play on that thing. It was tough. Made my fingers super strong. I fell in love. Acoustic guitars are sexy.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=589919&content=music
Some recordings of mine over the last 4 or 5 years.
