• Tag Archives Guitar

  • “I would never speculate on the limit. Every time you speculate, you’re way too conservative.” John Warnock

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    Okay – it’s finally time for a Sunday post.

    What’s going on?

    Well, I needed an intermission….to take some time off the internets. Spending more time IRL (as it were). By not spending time on the internet all the time, I’ve found plenty of time to paint my bedroom, paint my breakfast area, practice plenty of guitar, read about four different books, watch about six or seven different movies…..the list goes on and on. Rather than going cold turkey on the whole thing – I decided that Sunday should be my day to “cheat”. Depriving yourself of anything entirely is not usually a good plan.

    My first guitar lesson was last week – I’ve been going through minor scales and getting the key signatures down by memory. Next lesson tomorrow. I’ve got a week or two before school starts again.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar School 📎and tagged

  • “I learned to walk as a baby and I haven’t had a lesson since.” Marilyn Monroe

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    I went out yesterday and looked for guitar instructors. It’s a nice feeling knowing what questions I want to ask. (Essentially, I’m “auditioning” guitar teachers – since they’ll have to prove that they know what they’re talking about before I buy into the lesson) New students have no idea what to look or ask for – but I’ve done this long enough I know what I want. Mostly though, I wanted to check out the “vibe” of the places to see if they matched up with what would motivate me. For some reason, I can’t get my ass into gear and practice like I need to. I’m currently overwhelmed with options I suppose. Too much stuff to study from, and not enough thought about what I’m going to actually practice. That is not helping me in my quest to audition at UTA.

    Most people who hear me play would say (and do say), “What? Lessons? You? Why are you taking lessons?”. Anyone who actually plays guitar for a living (whether it be a band, a teacher, what have you) quickly can see my weaknesses as a guitar player. I told the one guy (at the place I’m hoping to hook up with) that I’m really looking to increase my fluency on guitar. I need goals, and I need a taskmaster to get me to those goals. While I’m definitely better than a beginner, I’m man enough to admit I need help to get me to my next level.

    Found a place conveniently located near that same little club that has an open mic night on Tuesdays. It’s a few miles from my house and while it did appear fairly disorganized, I liked the setup of the practice rooms. They remind me a lot of when I was taking lessons at Rockin’ Robin back in the 80’s from one of my best friends. I suppose that’s why I like it so much. That and it’s close by the house. Ha!

    Still waiting on a response from the scheduling lady. *crossing fingers*


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “You may have heard that a dean is to faculty as a hydrant is to a dog” Alfred Kahn

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    As I find myself navigating different situations that previously I might have over-controlled in order to pre-determine the outcome, but have more or less played by ear, I realize that like anything else the release of control gets easier with practice

    I made the Dean’s list apparently. Which is pretty strange since I’ve never overshot my goals quite so spectacularly.

    Well, good for me I guess.

    In other news, I got to move my daughter’s piano into my music room – and I’ve started the learning.

    One of my friends hooked me up with a guy who is looking for a non-singing guitar player…..hey! That’s ME! so we’re going to try and get together and play. Things are power drifting into the right direction. While I have been content to previously let these things fall in my lap (as they did this time) as of last week, I had decided that I was going to play a new open mic night around the corner from my house. I haven’t prepped for it yet – but I’m in slight vacation mode. Things are looking like they’re flowing in the right direction though.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “There is music wherever there is harmony, order, or proportion.” Thomas C. Haliburton

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    In general, I’ve always wondered what possessed my mother (or father) to buy the two main record albums that I remember receiving as a child. Yes, record albums. The big plastic discs….

    I believe the first was “Meet the Beatles”

    The second was “Surfin’ USA”. I can’t find the actual album, because for some reason the tracks I specifically remember (In My Room, Surfin’ USA, Little Deuce Coupe) don’t seem to appear on any one album. I’ll put the closest I can find:

    I didn’t have Surfin’ USA album for sure – because I know that I would have recognized Miserlou and Honky Tonk later in life. I hadn’t heard those until late 90’s.

    These albums were received as Christmas gifts in probably ’78 or ’79. Possibly 1980. So, which came first, my getting albums? Or my love of harmony (and minor progressions)? I picked up the “With the Beatles” which I think is the European version of “Meet the Beatles”. The Beatles disc is playing right now – and I remember all the times I listed to this record over and over and over. This is in the late 70’s. I didn’t have any idea who the Beatles were!

    Obviously, I think that “In My Room” is one of the most haunting harmonies that Brian Wilson ever wrote. I once got busted for harmonizing in choir as a young lad. LOL.

    I love the counterpoint I guess.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “When a finger points to the moon, the imbecile looks at the finger” Chinese Proverb

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    Today has been a really “off” day. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting a cold, or if the moon cycle is hitting a little early.

    I didn’t believe in the “moon cycle” until my boss pointed it out to me. About two days before and after every full moon, everything at work would go haywire. Completely off the wall stuff. Things would happen that you just couldn’t believe. (Not supernatural stuff, but stuff that happens once every ten years would just pick one of those days to happen). The next full moon is December second – so it’s a little early yet.

    My day started when I woke up getting everything ready for my guitar lesson. My student canceled. No problem, got a few things done. My brother called and wanted to meet. My daughter and I got ready and we left the house to meet at Bonedaddy’s.

    That’s when it hit me. That “Don’t Leave the House” feeling. It’s that feeling that tells me, “Be careful, something tremendously bad can happen today”. I resisted every urge to cancel everything and stay home. Met up with brother, daughter met a few friends I have there, and I drank three beers and had lunch.

    Afterward, we went to Bed Bath and Beyond, and got a lava lamp for girlie’s room and a sound machine too. Came home and passed out for three hours. Had to pick up milk for tomorrow and I got that same “Don’t Leave the House” feeling. Was extra, extra careful getting home and I’ve locked the door and set the alarm.

    Not sure what’s going on – if it’s an impending cold, it would make sense. The moon, less sense, but still possible. It’s a very nagging feeling that something is not quite right…..I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “We still have some vacancies, but we’re winding down.” Sally Smith

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    I’m really avoiding thinking about school right now.

    Part of my life experience has taught me that I am much better at short projects than long ones.

    School (even a short college semester) really is much longer than I’m good at focusing at. Granted, I’m still doing MUCH better than I thought I would be. BUT, I can feel it slipping away……slowly.

    I should be okay by the end of the semester, the Chemistry test failure was quite a blow – even though it’s a test grade that gets dropped. I’m probably stressing this debate thing more than I should – my opponent today didn’t even realize the debate was next week! They’re in poor-to-decent shape, and I’d say we’re pretty much in the same position. Finished some Concepts homework and now I’m just bumming around. I should probably catch up on Mad Men or play some guitar. What say?


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar School 📎and tagged

  • “Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch.” W. C. Fields

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    I’ve been on Ebay for quite a while – I’ve only been truly stiffed once, and that was my own fault for not being careful.

    Something strange happened this week – not sure why. Actually, I’m pretty sure I know why, but just odd that it happened.

    I did a “Buy it Now” on an Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi. Total price was about $10 less than they normally sell for. So the next day I get this message from Paypal:

    ” Seller has refunded your money due to: Sorry, I can’t find the pedal! If I get another one, and you still want it let me know!”

    (!)

    I’m thinking WTF? You put something on Ebay and then can’t FIND it?

    So I didn’t do anything with the auction – didn’t send a message back because I was still mulling it over.

    So apparently while I was at school today, the seller sends a message to me at 9:30am saying, “I found it – do you still want it?”. Then I see a message from ebay at noon or so saying that the seller is cancelling the auction due to “The buyer did not mean to buy it” (?????) And then I look and see that she has RELISTED THAT SAME PEDAL!!!

    So I respond to her and say, “Yes, I still want the pedal – I’m Paypaling back right now”. Then I respond to the ebay claim and DENY the seller the right to claim that I didn’t want the pedal after all. Then I sent the seller a note through her NEW auction and said, “I hope that’s not MY pedal that you’re reselling”.

    I got messages back saying “Oh – okay” then I get another message saying, “Nooo, that’s not your pedal” and I look back at that auction and it’s been cancelled, pictures taken off and the description changed.

    So. Here’s what I think. This seller is in a RUSH to unload this pedal. And also wasn’t happy with how much I paid for it? But then relisted the pedal for the same price? And then pulled the auction after I found out about it? Just strange.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “Imitation belittles” Christian Nevell Bovee

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    Q: How many guitarists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

    A: Five, Five, one to screw it in and four to brag about how they could have done it better.

    I’m constantly amazed at how true this still is – and this is a joke. I’m not innocent by any means, I just have a much better understanding now of what it takes to play guitar now – compared to my early years.

    Even if you can play guitar badly you’re still doing more than 90% of the population can do.

    I don’t really want to get into what touched this off, but I find it irritating that guitar players can sit around and judge other guitar players ability. What does it even matter? Do you own thing!


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged

  • “You can’t be greater than Elvis, change things as much as the Beatles, or be as original as Led Zeppelin. All you can do is rip them off.” Billy Corgan

    Posted on by The Thousand Yard Stare Comment

    As a musician, I’ve heard a lot of music – sometimes however I’m pleasantly surprised when I’m turned onto an artist that I consider to be overexposed and over-rated.

    Led Zeppelin has never been a favorite band of mine – possibly stemming from the years, years and years that I spent in pool halls. How many times can I hear the same recordings over and over and over again and not get sick of them?

    Well, a friend yesterday recommended some of the “not obvious” LZ songs and I found one that really struck me – I may have to go dig around and find all the live recordings because this one really hit me.


    📂This entry was posted in Guitar 📎and tagged