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Looking on the bright side...

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(@bkangel)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 118
Topic starter  

It's a rainy, cold(ish) summers day here in Sydney, and with the year rapidly running out, I thought this might be timely. Think of it as a pre-New-Years-Resolution tally!

Ok, so rather than sit here and think about ALL the things I didn't achieve with the guitar this year, I thought I'd focus on the things I did manage to do.

I found a guitar teach that I like and enjoy having lessons with. And she's tolerant of my chaotic work life :roll:

I did a Weekend Warriors program at the beginning of the year.

I did a(nother) Weekend Warriors program at the end of the year.

I DID NOT GIVE UP!

So, anyone else like to share their guitar "wins" this year?

What I lack in talent and natural ability, I will have to make up with stubborness.


   
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(@chris-c)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3454
 

I did a Weekend Warriors program at the beginning of the year.

Awesome. :D
I did a(nother) Weekend Warriors program at the end of the year.

Doubly awesome! I'm most impressed and, OK, a little envious of your record as a Warrior of the Weekend variety. We used to have them here in Perth but they seem to have dropped off the radar for a while.
I DID NOT GIVE UP!

Trebly awesome, and at least I can match you there.
I found a guitar teach that I like and enjoy having lessons with. And she's tolerant of my chaotic work life

Good one. Don't let her escape...

I found - or rather re-found - a guy that I really enjoy having lessons with too. Although it's stretching it a bit to call them lessons. They're more like lesson avoidance sessions... We get together once a week and chat about music, during the course of which I pick up all sorts of random interesting musical tidbits. We may or may not do some work on something that I ask him about specifically but it might be about recording, singing, drums, guitar, bass or just about anything. Most enjoyable. :wink:

Best of musical luck for 2012

Cheers,

Chris


   
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(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

I timed this one in with the house move.

I've stopped getting up at stupid o'clock on a Saturday to go teach at Music School and opened up the studio to teach at home on a Saturday morning instead - my first two Saturday students came through the door this weekend.

I enjoyed working with my Music School students, but it was a 40-mile drive each way and once you take Tax, National Insurance, Pension and petrol costs out of it I wasn't making all that much cash. Then my hours were reduced at the start of this term because School numbers were down.

I have a couple of new students lined up, too; so everything's flavoured with optimism right now.

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@s1120)
Prominent Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 848
 

It's a rainy, cold(ish) summers day here in Sydney, and with the year rapidly running out, I thought this might be timely. Think of it as a pre-New-Years-Resolution tally!

Ok, so rather than sit here and think about ALL the things I didn't achieve with the guitar this year, I thought I'd focus on the things I did manage to do.

I found a guitar teach that I like and enjoy having lessons with. And she's tolerant of my chaotic work life :roll:

I did a Weekend Warriors program at the beginning of the year.

I did a(nother) Weekend Warriors program at the end of the year.

I DID NOT GIVE UP!

So, anyone else like to share their guitar "wins" this year?

Thats great, and a great post!!

I read your post on the weekend warrior when you did that, and thats pretty cool. I havent heard about stuff like that in my area, but then agean... Im out of the loop..

As far as what this year brought... Well probably my biggest in my guitar playing years, other then the first year I repicked it up.. After almost 5 years of muddling around, I finly started taking lessons. Some people can teach them selves... Well thats not me.. Sence then I feel I have progressed very well. Granted... not as fast as I wish... but does anyone pick it up as fast as they wish?? but hey.. I can play a handfull of songs now... granted, some better then others... but I can play them... I can hear myself improve, and also see that I pick up each new thing much faster, and with time I know I will improve more, and probably faster. So all in all I chalk this one up on the "WIN" side of the board.. Maybe next year will be the year that I step out, and play with and or for other people.

Paul B


   
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(@bkangel)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 118
Topic starter  

I found - or rather re-found - a guy that I really enjoy having lessons with too. Although it's stretching it a bit to call them lessons. They're more like lesson avoidance sessions... We get together once a week and chat about music, during the course of which I pick up all sorts of random interesting musical tidbits. We may or may not do some work on something that I ask him about specifically but it might be about recording, singing, drums, guitar, bass or just about anything. Most enjoyable. :wink:

My first guitar teacher was like this, and I really enjoyed our lessons. For me, I needed structure (especially as I am so UNstructured), but having someone like this, who sounds like a mentor, is something I hope for in the future. It sounds very nice.
I've stopped getting up at stupid o'clock on a Saturday to go teach at Music School and opened up the studio to teach at home on a Saturday morning instead - my first two Saturday students came through the door this weekend.
...
I have a couple of new students lined up, too; so everything's flavoured with optimism right now.

It's amazing the difference those couple of hours of commuting can make! When I'm particularly busy on a project (or two) I work from home so I don't have to commute (or even get dressed if it's only been a couple of hours between work due to deadlines/time zones, etc... maybe not an option for you with the students :lol: ).

"Flavoured with optimism". I like the sound of that very much!

After almost 5 years of muddling around, I finly started taking lessons. Some people can teach them selves... Well thats not me.. Sence then I feel I have progressed very well. Granted... not as fast as I wish... but does anyone pick it up as fast as they wish?? but hey.. I can play a handfull of songs now... granted, some better then others... but I can play them... I can hear myself improve, and also see that I pick up each new thing much faster, and with time I know I will improve more, and probably faster. So all in all I chalk this one up on the "WIN" side of the board.. Maybe next year will be the year that I step out, and play with and or for other people.

I confess I need guidance, otherwise I'm overwhelmed with HOW MUCH there is to learn, and not understanding the connections makes it so difficult to know what to focus on first. Hearing yourself improve is great! And if you choose to play with others, I think you'll surprise yourself how much that accelerates your learning! (Well, that is what I hear. I piked out on the last weekend warrior and "only" sang.)

These are all wins, and hearing them makes me realise I've had even more "wins", and makes me really excited about what I can achieve next year.

What I lack in talent and natural ability, I will have to make up with stubborness.


   
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(@imalone)
Reputable Member
Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 267
 

My first full year with a guitar, finished going through David's podcasts (haven't finished the book yet, loads of examples in there I haven't worked through properly). Got more comfortable with scales and strumming, picked up a couple of simple songs (added Heart of Gold yesterday, again, having done the podcasts really helped). Oh, and (plug!) started a blog.
Best moment so far, actually yesterday. I was going through Albatross (there's a nice single guitar arrangement if you google), but didn't know one of the little licks in the middle of it and had been meaning to check. Got to that part and for some reason decided to hit a couple of notes down the A string, which sounded right, then thought 'the next one is there then', tried it and it worked, then figured out the rest of it. Simple stuff but very satisfying the first time you do it.


   
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