The Electric View -

I finally followed another dream of mine and jumped into the electric world. The latest addition to my guitar collection is a 2014 American Standard Fender 60th Anniversary Stratocaster. While I am not into hard rock, the folk-rock sound has always been an attraction, and Stephen Stills, Paul Simon and the Beatles did some beautiful electric work that just sounds better on an electric. I am currently running it through my Fishman acoustic amplifier and it sounds really good. Eventually I will get a true electric amp to go with it. 

Making Progress - 

I am thoroughly enjoying my guitar "lessons." They are definitely not formal in the sense of a structured session, but rather Butch and I will play together and I pick up tips and riffs as we go. I am working on Stephen Stills' song "For What it's Worth" one that I long liked, and if I had a guitar hero, it would have to be Stephen Stills. I love the way he plays in Drop, Double Drop and Open D tunings, amazing stuff. Once I get it down, I will post a version on You Tube.

Unlearning What I think I Know

I started playing guitar during the folk era in the 60s. I have always enjoyed music in most forms and actually took Piano and Clarinet as a child. But, as many my age, couldn't make the discipline to practice enough. Guitar on the other hand, was much easier in terms of picking it up and making noises. I have had a guitar near me ever since and over the years have taught myself to play for my own enjoyment.

Recently I have reached a point where I am able to collect instruments that I always wanted (see https://sites.google.com/site/kaweaver/the-other-side/the-sound) and finally have undertaken the challenge of learning to play correctly. I enjoy playing and singing (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC87DiBURzNARCP0-vD7zJvA), and always felt that I did neither very well, but who cares? Right?

Well, it turns out I do.

So...I have undertaken to seek help from those who know more than I do and have apprenticed myself to Butch Hicks a teacher at the Anderson School of Music (http://www.draisenedwardsmusic.com/). We spent my first lesson going over what I thought I knew and was gratified to be complemented on how my playing went. The downside is that I am pretty good, as long as I play in 4/4 time. And, I have the tendency to play everything in 4/4 regardless of the notation.

My second lesson concentrated on introducing me to what ¾ time sounded like, and what I must do to actually play it. It will be a week of intense practice, I do tend to be a klutz and my fingers don't always (actually rarely) do what I think they are doing, we'll see how hard it will be to learn something new.