How long have you been playing ?

I started back in January of 2008, it came actually quite naturally for some reason. But I don't think I would be where I am without this site for sure. I started really wanting to play country music, and love to play it, but am finding that I love the fingerstyle so much more that I'm focusing alot on that, but still go back and forth between country and fingerstyle. Started to try and learn lead about 3 months ago, and while it's slow going, I love it!

The guitar has suprised me in so many ways, and never has an inanimate object been able to bring a series of emotions, from love to fear to hate to anger, what an instrument!!

Greatest moment was playing at a house party on the 4th of July this year. I played only 5 songs, but it was a great time!

7 years last Monday. (Started Sept. 21, 2002, at 12.15pm)

My highlight was getting the title track on an album put together by a youth club, but my low point was realising that my timing really needs work.

I played the 5-string banjo in high school and college for a couple of years and then switched to guitar for about a year. I didn't have a good teacher for guitar and switch to bass for a couple of years. I stopped playing totally for about 15 years. I started guitar and have been seriously playing for six years now.

I'm just finishing up my 9th month - new years resolution going strong.

I don't practice as much as I'd like to per day, but I just found a great lesson site so I'm feeling motivated and on track again. I was spending too much time noodling around on scales and not enough time on technique. I know both are important, but I really felt like I wasn't getting anywhere.

Great stories so far:) 30 some years here. Too many stages and too many shows to count. My highlight was sharing a stage with Ted Nugent for a Whiplash Bash back in the late 80's. Never seen a crowd so big from the stage before, and yes... very intimidating but no other rush like it.

Started actually playing Feb 2008 (Knockin On Heaven's Door, recognizable to me at least). I bought a guitar Christmas 2006, but spent over a year devising a mechanism to hold the pick and still have some kind of feel.

Currently I am leading worship and playing guitar with racked harmonica in a praise group. There's a long way to go but getting there is a great experience.

Jack

I've been playing (sort of..that is, not necessarily consistently..well yes) for about two years. I've played guitar and piano with others at nursing homes two or three times to brighten up the day for the staff and residents, I sometimes play for my church's afternoon program.

Just last week I was half of the duet playing backup music for a poetry reading in the evening (sort of like public speaking meets the Bluebird Cafe), where the lights were dimmed to provide atmosphere and the only light onstage was a floor lamp above the chair. Even though I would probably been more comfortable playing the keyboard than the guitar, the pianist, who was as new to the piano as I am to guitar, played jazzy chord progressions that I improvised over (we spelled themout between songs, although I know next to nothing about playing jazz other than where major and minor sevenths fall within a harmonized scale, Nashville numbering, and so on).

When we got the chance to move into the foreground for one poem that featured singing, I got into a sort of groove and next thing we knew I was comping in a sort of folk-blues style to "Gonna Lay Down My Burden (Down By the Riverside)."

I have never played acoustic blues before. Or jazz.

Basically, we had no idea what we were doing, but it was the most fun I've had in weeks.

(Wow, I had a story to tell after all! :shock: )

I'd have to dig up an old post to be sure. If I remember correctly I was 13 when I got my first guitar. Played/practiced for 2 years and wasn't enjoying it. Been on and off since high school. Didn't want to play again until I was 25-26. Been playing for the past 4 years almost none stop, then a 8-10 month break. So a rough estimate of 6 years tops over all those years.

I started playing in 1985- then stopped then started again in 1987 then stopped-then started again in 1995-been playing ever since-haven't got any better :D

um,, 3 weeks.
according to my instructor i've made a good deal of progress though. :mrgreen:

I played for about 5-6 years in my teens, stopped for a bit due to work and travel commitments, then picked it up again last year. I haven't progressed much over the last years, mainly due to being sidelined with massive health problems for a good deal of it, but I'm pleased with he progress I have made, and am adamant that music will never drop out of my life again (I get withdrawal, cramps, shivers, and major irritability when it does, so I do this purely for the benefit of my fellow citizens....honest :roll: _

Best moment? I wasn't playing myself, but did get to stand on stage at the Royal Albert Hall with a sold-out house giving standing ovations. Possibly the closest I'll ever come to experiencing that first hand, and it is a TOTAL buzz. Playing music got me to working the shows that led up to that, so I suppose it counts.

Best playing moment? I dunno, I have many, for many different reasons. I'd probably say the best moments are when other people pick up on something you've done and comment positively about it when you didn't expect it to happen. I've had that a few times with my playing, but also with my composing. When a friend thinks your whacky multi-time signatured exam composition is really kewl, and said friend is more a Nirvana fan than mad music nut, it's hella kewl. Also helped lower my stressing over whether the piece was any good, or merely a done-by-numbers interest job to hit exam criteria bullet points (I was hoping for both).

Started actually playing Feb 2008 (Knockin On Heaven's Door, recognizable to me at least). I bought a guitar Christmas 2006, but spent over a year devising a mechanism to hold the pick and still have some kind of feel.

Currently I am leading worship and playing guitar with racked harmonica in a praise group. There's a long way to go but getting there is a great experience.

Jack

very cool Jack. I met a man with a prosthetic left forearm. he made a clip on thingy so he could hold the slide. he played lap steel. it worked well. I had to ask if he could feel the slide and strings; pressure, etc. and he said yes. just like the sense of touch before he lost his arm.
he also played a mean harmonica. but he didn't have to use both hands for that.
my question for you is did yopu make a little clamp to hold the pick? is it hard strumming from the elbow ?(I assume).

Dogbite
Don't want to get off topic too far. The quick answer is that I use a Spidel sport watch band, the kind that straps on with velcro, strapped to the end of my arm, which is amputated just above the elbow. The pick is a regular one filed down to slip into the buckle part of the watch band. It's the K.I.S.S. principle. Less to go wrong.

I think I'll start a thread with some pics for clearity. Maybe someone can use the info.

Jack

P.S. The one that I'm using in my avatar is the version just prior to the watch band.

7 years, and love every minute of it

I'm at 28 years playing/teaching (since 1981) and still play everyday. There's no end to what you can learn and the different angles at which you can approach the guitar.

Went from 80's metal and shred to progressive rock and lately lots of jazz-rock fusion like Greg Howe, Scott Henderson, Alex Argento.