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Greetings from Australia.


Seb1968

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G'day everyone, hope you are all well.

 

I am from Sydney, Australia and I only joined this fine forum a few days ago.

 

With me I am an older beginner (I am 48), and in my younger days I did try to learn the guitar but I made the common error of trying to learn too quickly, which lead to frustration and of course giving up. However in February 2016, I came across an excellent on line guitar teacher on YouTube who gives easy to follow tutorials on how to play the entire rhythm guitar part on well over 40 AC/DC songs. Accordingly I downloaded his lessons, and by practicing on average of 2.5 hours every single day, I can now play (not great), well over 34 AC/DC songs (just the rhythm part, lead guitar is way too hard for me), plus I prefer strumming chords, especially nice juicy power chords.

 

To be honest, before February 2016, I couldn't play a single song, and now I can play over 30 entire songs, I didn't think I could do it, and when I made the decision to commit myself to learning the guitar, I splashed out on a beautiful Gibson 2016 Les Paul Studio, and I have no regrets in doing so. It's easy to play, it stays in tune, looks good, and I can't put it down. Also, I don't mean to boast here, as there are 10 old kids who can play guitar in their sleep, but I took up the guitar as a hobby and for my own personal reasons.

 

Here's a pic of my rig when I am practicing

post-83663-023861700 1485402672_thumb.jpg

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Hi mate. Similar story here....Aussie, similar age... had a guitar as a teen but did nothing with it...life gets in the way for 20+ years...decided to pick it up for fun, struck up courage and joined in a fortnightly jam session that morphed into a covers band a few years ago...had a blast playing around 20 shows and at least got better at rhythm (not much on lead) and a bit of vocals...quit amicably and started an originals band doing songs I wrote (alt rock)... getting towards being ready to do our first live set!

 

It's been one of the great things to have done in life, so I say go for it!! and don't let any voices tell you that you can't get out and do it - I enjoy watching people starting out as much if not more than the superstars. Rock on!

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Welcome to the forum Seb. Very nice rig you have there. I had the good fortune to visit your fine city in 2008. I had a great time.

 

My story is similar to yours. I made a couple of feeble attempts to learn guitar back when I was younger, but never went anywhere. I always told myself, "some day...some day." Fast forward 20 years later and a serious health scare. So just shy of my 43rd birthday (2003), I bought a Gibson LP Faded Special, started taking lessons and have never looked back. Started playing 4 string bass in 2005 and have played bass in a couple of garage bands since then. Have since expanded my horizons to 7 string guitar and plan to take on either 5 and/ or 6 string bass. A never ending odyssey, it seems.

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Hi mate. Similar story here....Aussie, similar age... had a guitar as a teen but did nothing with it...life gets in the way for 20+ years...decided to pick it up for fun, struck up courage and joined in a fortnightly jam session that morphed into a covers band a few years ago...had a blast playing around 20 shows and at least got better at rhythm (not much on lead) and a bit of vocals...quit amicably and started an originals band doing songs I wrote (alt rock)... getting towards being ready to do our first live set!

 

It's been one of the great things to have done in life, so I say go for it!! and don't let any voices tell you that you can't get out and do it - I enjoy watching people starting out as much if not more than the superstars. Rock on!

I am very impressed, and you have made some very rapid progress if you reached the level of being to play live in front of people, I wish I had the guts, I'd be terrified. And you can sing as well, I couldn't sing to save my life but then again singing has never interested me, but I have the upmost respect for people can sing/or play a musical instrument, that requires some serious talent.

 

With me, I am only a rhythm guitar player, lead guitar seems very complicated but I respect lead guitarists, solos are very difficult to play and master. When I'm jamming along with one of the AC/DC songs I have learnt to play, I listen carefully to the lead guitar solo (in addition to the lead singer, drums and bass) as a cue or reference point to remind me that I need change the chords I am playing/or when to come in (depending on the song and what stage of the song). Later on, I may take some lessons in lead guitar, but I need to master rhythm first which I am having a lot of fun with.

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Yeah I enjoy Rhythm too, and don't look on it as an inferior thing to lead - in fact Malcolm Young and John Brewster were my favourite guitarists growing up - though I also liked what their brothers did I love the chords. Lead is cool and fun to try but it seems quite a different skill and I'm happy to play with guys who do it well and just enjoy hearing their solos. I asked my nephew to play lead with us and he's still at high school but he's going great (he usually plays classical stuff and prog metal but I figure learning some blues/rock solos is good for his diversity [biggrin] ).

 

Mate, I'd encourage you to play with others - not only is it fun and gives you a feeling of achievement, but you will get better way faster. Before you know it some level of group tightness will develop and then you are rocking. It doesn't have to be exactly like on albums - most cover bands do simplified versions and audiences don't know and don't care - find some guys who like similar music and have some fun - sure there's a lot of nerves, that's part of it, but if you play anything approximately close to TNT, Long way to the Top, Rosie, You Shook Me etc etc people will enjoy it and it gets much easier - I watched a band do just that yesterday. Anyway, if I can do it you can do it, and I totally believe that. It's not surgery, the odd stuff up doesn't matter at all.

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Welcome aboard Seb. msp_thumbup.gif You do have a very nice rig. Like many others here, I played as a teen and stopped when I married. Sold everything and picked it up again when I retired from the Railroad. But I forgot everything over the years and had to relearn at 60. Signed up again for lessons and just play for my enjoyment. Enjoy that Gibson and Marshall rig of yours and Rock On!

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Welcome to the forum Seb. Very nice rig you have there. I had the good fortune to visit your fine city in 2008. I had a great time.

 

My story is similar to yours. I made a couple of feeble attempts to learn guitar back when I was younger, but never went anywhere. I always told myself, "some day...some day." Fast forward 20 years later and a serious health scare. So just shy of my 43rd birthday (2003), I bought a Gibson LP Faded Special, started taking lessons and have never looked back. Started playing 4 string bass in 2005 and have played bass in a couple of garage bands since then. Have since expanded my horizons to 7 string guitar and plan to take on either 5 and/ or 6 string bass. A never ending odyssey, it seems.

Sorry to hear that you had some issues with your health, I hope you made a full recovery. You can play bass as well, that's great, you must be very talented, mastering one instrument is hard enough, but to be able to play more than one instrument takes some serious talent. I recall reading an article about the former Beatle, Paul McCartney that said he could play guitar, drums, piano, and of course bass.

 

And how do you play a 7 string guitar?, and what are the notes?, I know that on standard six string it's EADGBE, anyway good luck with your guitar journey.

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Sorry to hear that you had some issues with your health, I hope you made a full recovery. You can play bass as well, that's great, you must be very talented, mastering one instrument is hard enough, but to be able to play more than one instrument takes some serious talent. I recall reading an article about the former Beatle, Paul McCartney that said he could play guitar, drums, piano, and of course bass.

 

And how do you play a 7 string guitar?, and what are the notes?, I know that on standard six string it's EADGBE, anyway good luck with your guitar journey.

 

After I found a great doctor who properly diagnosed the problems, I made a full recovery after two surgeries and other treatments. Thanks for asking.

 

I'm not sure very talented accurately describe my abilities, but I can confidently say that I have reached a solid level of mediocrity on both instruments 😏.

 

Most 7 string guitars are 6 string guitars with an extra low B string in the bass. (Jazz guitarist Lenny Breau played a short scaled guitar with a high A string instead of a low B.) Standard tuning is B-E-A-D-G-b-e, although Drop A (A-E-A-D-G-b-e) is common for metal and jazz players. I use both turnings. And like any other guitar, they can be downtuned, especially if they baritone length.

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