Skip to content
SSG 6 / SCW 1 - Who...
 
Notifications
Clear all

SSG 6 / SCW 1 - Who and Why?

34 Posts
33 Users
0 Likes
7,386 Views
 Celt
(@celt)
Famed Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 2649
 

Hello

My name is John and I've been playing guitar since my early teens
somewhere around 1967. Me and my friends started our first band
and planned on setting the world on fire. (The Next Big Thing}.
Oh well,it's nice to have dreams. As you can guess that never
came to be but I continued to play in a number of cover bands
and attempted writing from time to time. Life continued marriage,
family,career, less time for music although there were occasions
and I always had a guitar or two around for when time allowed.
Sometime around 2003 a coworker informed me of an open mic
Blues Jam and I pulled the old Strat out from under the bed and
started playing regularly again.What Fun!

Anyways through this Jam I met one David Hodge and got invited
to Riverside Jam '04 where Wes Inman asked if I knew about the
"Web Site". I came to the forums thinking it would be nice to keep
in touch with some of the great people I had met at the Jam and found
The Sunday Songwriters Group. SSG Year 2 Week 41 I submitted my first
set of lyrics a song called "Fall In Love Again" which got good reviews.
That was it I was writing again.

So many thanks to Bob and all the SSG participants new,old, active,
and inactive for helping me return to something I love doing.

And it's cheaper than therapy. :lol:

John P Roche - (Songwriter)

My SoundClick Page

Collaborations

" It's easier than waiting around to die" Townes Van Zandt


   
ReplyQuote
(@drunkrock)
Estimable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 159
 

I was writing songs even before I had played an instrument (okay I played trombone for two months in junior high band, doesn't count). Add to that the fact that I would hate being in a cover band, and chicks dig artists (I'm joking...kind of), and of course you have me here.

I use SSG to get feedback, have a motivation write weekly, and now with SCW, make sure I come up with some written music!

See ya'll around.


   
ReplyQuote
(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

I'm Arjen/Ignar/Sleutelbos/promedic/fill-in-yourself, and I've been playing music for a bit over four years now. Started with the guitar, and later picked up the piano and violin. I thoroughly dislike playing covers so composing and improvising are the two things left for me. Written a bunch of songs, some uploaded to my soundclick page and I'm hoping to add more with the SCW. Musically I can stand everything and like most genres of music, so I'm looking forward to whatever the next assignment will be. :D


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

Alan, from sunny Essex in the UK.

I stumbled on GN in 2002 following a link from somewhere else, at a time when Nick and Ryan were talking about setting up the SSG. Nick was writing then, and some of his songs are top rate stuff. Anyway, Nick mentioned the idea of setting out a weekly theme, and yours truly wandered off and wrote a song called Toothbrush, which was my first completed song since 1980-something.

I wrote a bunch of stuff in SSG1, but I'm not so productive these days what with ten-hour days at the office, an hour's travelling each way, teaching and studying for my classical grades; but I've got a folder full of lyrics that just need some time spent on them.

I met David in New York last year. We went and played guitars for a while and he stood me lunch. You won't meet a nicer bloke. Check out his production of Nick's song "One By One"- it'll blow your mind, and his own song "Dinner With Death" - it's jammed full of good humour and will cheer you up on the worst day going.

I like writing, and I like doing something with what I write. Life tends to get in the way a lot.

Best,

A :-)

"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


   
ReplyQuote
(@chefie)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 553
 

Hi all,

I'm Neil. No music background to speak of, unless you count singing off key in the shower. Seven years ago I experienced one of those life changing events . . . . . the one's that make you take a look at life and change your priorities. And shortly thereafter, music and words started entering into my consciousness and, wanting to bring my expressions to life, I went and bought a guitar. I put it in the corner and looked at it for two years, until, finally, I picked it up and started to play around with it. Searched the internet all over for some magic way to learn and came across this forum. It wasn't magic, but it did provide me with some direction, especially David's lessons. After two years I was comfortable enough with a handful of chords and decided to finally let it all out. Over a hundred songs later I'm still amazed at the process. And this forum has been a HUGE help.

And like CELT (John) says, it's cheaper than therapy!


   
ReplyQuote
(@fraydoc)
Eminent Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 23
 

Hi, my name is David and I live in Cheshire in the North-West of England. I've never written a song in my life [except rude limericks]. I have no real interest in performing, having no talent for singing whatsoever, but I've played various instruments for the past 25 years. Mostly folk, though my interests in music are much wider. I decided that I would never make a great uilleann piper after years of mediocrity, so 12 months ago decided to break out of my rut and learn the acoustic guitar.

I stumbled upon David's articles and lessons for beginners and intermediate players about 2 months ago and they have been a revelation! Just what I needed to move from a tutor book to practical application and so many Neil Young songs! Perfect. Thanks David, you have been amazingly generous with your work and time.

This song-writing group sounds like great fun so we'll see how it goes!


   
ReplyQuote
(@citizennoir)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1247
 

Hi everyone :D
I'm Ken.

I like to write.
Usually I need to be doing something extremely boring.... Then I can usually come up with song lyrics.
I wrote a lot in past jobs - Painting cars, working in factories, CNC work in metal fab shops.... Mindnumbingly BORING stuff!!!!
The mind tends to wander off on its own in conditions like those, even to the point where the noisiest of places seem quiet and peaceful.

I must admit, I'm not very disiplined or even knowledgeble... especially when it comes to music therory.
I do have a LOT of stuff in my head that I just CANNOT get out because I don't have the ability to play what I'm hearing,
or even KNOW what I'm hearing.
Frustrating.... Yes!

So, for as long as I've been playing guitar, it's been like trying to communicate by attempting to speak in a language that
I don't understand.

I've been hanging around GN for less than a year.
For the short time that I've been here, my playing had improved quite a bit - Thank you all! :D

I found out about GN through David Hodge's lessons.

I did make some feeble attempts not long ago to participate in SSG....
I ended up getting to 'talk' to David about my ideas, as he was kind enough to find the time for me.
It was very thrilling - akin to having Bob Dylan talk to you about your songwriting :D (I'm a huge Dylan fan!!!!)
Thank you so much for all your time and wisdom David!

I can't say as I'll be a regular fixture in either SSG or SCW.... I'm a very moody person, and my coming up with things has
to jive with my moods.
I just cannot force myself to play or write if I'm not 'in the mood' :roll:

I'll try though :wink:

Ken

"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway

"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles


   
ReplyQuote
(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

It was very thrilling - akin to having Bob Dylan talk to you about your songwriting (I'm a huge Dylan fan!!!!)

Aren't we all? But, it doesn't matter who your hero is/was or who got you into writing - you have to find your own personality when it comes to expressing your lyrics. And that personality may or may not be YOU - it may be your alter-ego speaking, you know, the guy at the back of your sub-concsciousness who did all the COOL things you never dared to do - in which case, you have to find that voice, and let it out.

So get writing - whether it's stream-of-consciousness writing or something simpler - just write what you feel!

You DO have a voice - just look within yourself, and find it!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
ReplyQuote
(@straycat)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1282
 

hey all. I think I'm late again :wink:
I joined the SSG 3 years ago, when I was 16, and have since been writing much more regularly, for which I am grateful. also been learning a lot alone by reading and listening to other people's stuff here.
what else... er... I own a guitar and a children's keyboard... both of which I even do use sometimes. and sometimes they do sound halfway okay :wink:
I want to get around to more commenting on posts and I want to get more music done. (seeing that university repeatedly swallowed me whole, I don't know if I'm being realistic here. at times I feel like a ghost just floating in and out of the forum. but I'll try.)

cheers,
straycat.

"oh, eventually it will break your heart" - anders wendin


   
ReplyQuote
(@jasong)
Active Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8
 

hi everyone,

I'm Jason, and am at what I would characterize as an advanced-beginner phase of learning the guitar. I'm not young (40), and with a demanding job and a wonderful family, have precious little time to spend on guitar - but I am working at it, and making progress.

In the past 2 years, I've worked my way through a number of teach-yourself-guitar books -- some good, some bad -- and am at the point where I now feel like I *can* criticize a guitar book. This winter, I am planning on taking a Beginning Blues Guitar class at a local adult ed institute - Tuesdays from 5.15-6.15pm - not an easy time, but I'm optimistic I can make it work (hey, it's very close to my office)

I've got an old acoustic that was originally my father's, and last summer purchased an Epiphone Special II starter pack, after talking to a friend of mine who's a lifelong guitar player. We talked about it, and I realized that as a beginner, I really don't know what the "right" guitar is for me - and rather than spending $400/500/more on a high-quality instrument, that it'd be much better to spend the $200 on a decent starter kit. (Even though I still lust after that Gibson semi-hollowbody... :) )

The biggest challenge for me is making regular time to practice. Thanks to David and everyone else here at Guitar Noise - this is a fantastic community, and an excellent resource - I've really learned a lot from the lessons, and look forward to contributing here in the forum!

Make every day count


   
ReplyQuote
(@crkt246)
Honorable Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 592
 

Hi I'm Dan I'm 14 and I've been playing guitar for 5 month's( not like it matter's:roll:) and writing song's for 3 month's but have only wrote 4 song's.

I like country and I write country I play an acoustic guitar.
I have never made a post in the SSG but I plan on makeing post's here.
I have dream's of becomeing a recording artist.
God Bless.


   
ReplyQuote
(@barnabus-rox)
Famed Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2957
 

Hi all

Sorry about being late and all but better late than never they say , My name is Trev aka Hilch , I have been very lazy for about 8 months with my writing and this site as well . I have had other things on mind and really concentrating on singing and playing.
I use to be a regular in SSG for ages but slipped away a fair bit .
I like to write songs that have a story in them I still have so much to learn and I am still very keen to do so , I see many familiar faces / names on this thread and hope to make a another attempt on song writing .

Keeping it real

Trev..

Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am


   
ReplyQuote
(@jwmartin)
Noble Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1435
 

Hello, all, I'm Jeff. I've been playing guitar 2 years and since I can't approach a hobby any less than whole hog, I have all this recording equipment I'm' trying to put to use. It gets old just recording blues instrumentals so I'd like to write some songs w/ actual words. I have 2 problems standing in my way: 1) I can't carry a tune in a bucket and 2) I can't seem to complete a song. I have about 5 partial songs in various places. When I start one, I'm gung ho and write a verse or two and maybe a chorus and then it just kinda dies. I guess I should just write shorter songs? haha.

Anyway, I resolved to write and record 12 songs (1 per month) this year, so I figured I would hang out here and get some of that wonderful GuitarNoise advice and have some external motivation to write.

Bass player for Undercover


   
ReplyQuote
(@ccourtney)
Trusted Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 62
 

Hey all,
I'd like to join your this year and learn more about the writing process.

About me:
A 42 year old vagabond who played guitar as a teeenager and walked away from it - picking it back up 3 years ago. i enjoy singing and playing with other people (doing parties, open mic nights, etc) but I get the most enjoyment from songwriting.

I've written about a dozen or so songs but seldom seem to finish them or pull them out to play with others. Many of them are so intensely personal that I've hesitated to expose myself by playing them in public. This year, I'd like to polish what I've already written and work on some new material - and actually play it out somewhere (instead of just playing covers). My inspiration for this New Year's resolution is the film "Once" which if you have not seen, I highly recommend - its already my favorite film of all time (but I digress...).

Sometimes lyrics come easily but I can't find the right melody to match it (need a collaborator). Other times (like this morning) I'll get a decent melody for the verse, chorus, bridge, coda and get a few verses worth of lyrics written, then space out and start doing something else.

Thanks for letting me babble on for a bit and I look forward to writing some songs with you.

Ciao,

Chris

http://www.myspace.com/courtneychris


   
ReplyQuote
(@jasonrunguitar)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 273
 

Hey all, my name is Jason.

I've been playing guitar for about 4-5 years now, though I got my start in music about 10 years ago on the trumpet. I'd call myself a solid intermediate on the guitar. When it comes to songwriting, I've dabbled here and there with varying degrees of success. It's something that I have always wanted to do, but have never quite found the drive to make it happen, but hopefully that will change here soon. As I get ready to finish up with college this spring, I look back at all the passions and hobbies that have come and gone, and though I changed instruments once or twice, music is the one thing that I have always known would stick with me, and it has. With this revelation, I decided to really make an effort to do the music justice this year, focusing on songwriting/creativity and practice/technique. I am hoping that SSG/SCW will be a sort of class for me (oh man, have I been in school too long!). A way to make sure that I write a little something every week instead of my usual passtime of just noodling on the guitar. So here's to it! Happy writing folks!

-Jason
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To those about to rock, we salute you!
http://www.soundclick.com/jasonwittenbach


   
ReplyQuote
Page 2 / 3