Silvercrow Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I don't doubt that this has been covered before- but if it has I can't find it... A late night discussion over coffee with my bass player buddy / future band-mate: 1- What first drew you to guitar? Not necessarily who, but what made you, individually say "No, not the tuba, it's the guitar for me!" ? 2- What has sustained you/ kept you going for the years you have "behind the plank", as it were? As a kid- I was first fascinated by the knobs and switches on the electric guitar. Also the tone / sounds that could be created. What kept me at it? For over 40 years- I always loved it that, with just a couple of chords and strumming patterns, you could play a song and have fun. But most of all- there is not a week goes by that I don't learn something new. To me, it's an instrument that you can just keep expanding on. You can get to an extremely proficient level of playing, but then you'll do something- maybe even by accident, that opens up a whole new "area" for you. What say you all? Thanks! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hello Brian! What drew me towards the guitar is it's dynamic character. It sounded to me so aggressively like a nuclear weapon. :D Then, why I came back to the guitar? It's addictive. Like smoking, can't quit it. Either I play one, or suffer till the end. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hey Brian!! So I got my first guitar for my 8th birthday (1965) a student sized nylon string. started taking lessons right away, later on, watching TV shows like Glenn Campell Show on Sunday's kept me interested... oddly enough I wasn't much into the Beatles back then.. There was that one day when I saw some TV footage of Jimi, that was it... I eventually found a teacher that I really connected with and stayed with him all through Jr high and high school I learned a lot from that guy he was fantastic. the rest, as they say.. is history. what kept me in it? the pure enjoyment of playing along with records in my room, learning new songs like the entire 1st led zep album, machine head, playing in neighbor hood and school mate bands, which eventually led to a pretty lucrative part time career in the late 70s thru the mid 90s while working full time, raising a young family.. playing out on weekends helped supplement the day job. (this was back when you could actually make some decent money at this back in the late 70s, 80s and 90s..) Today, the gigs are few and far between (This is by choice, I just am not into the hassle of that part of the bizz any more) but playing / writing music is just part of who I am, I play something everyday. sometimes I will spend a lot of time focusing on improving my piano chips, which I've been playing for about 11 years now, but mostly it's guitar. I'm in a few bands with guys I've known and worked with forever, I tend to do something a few nights a week with one or the other. As long as there's nothing else going on, most of my "spare" time is spent with music. I should also admit that I do like to play a bit of golf when the weather allows too, but I'm a way better musician than I am a golfer! /Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Lonnie Mack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny V Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 The Beatles are what drew me to play guitar. I stopped playing when my kids were little, too busy earning a living and raising a family. I started up again when our youngest got her drivers license 15 years ago. I didn't realize how much I missed playing. I play a minimum of 2 hours a day and rarely miss a day of playing. It brings me a lot of joy. Kenny V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 A late night discussion over coffee with my bass player buddy / future band-mate: 1- What first drew you to guitar? Not necessarily who, but what made you, individually say "No, not the tuba, it's the guitar for me!" ? no one ever got laid by playing a tuba in the entire history of music, ever. also, none of the bullies in school ever wanted to beat up hendrix, blackmore, or page. 2- What has sustained you/ kept you going for the years you have "behind the plank", as it were? progress that came from real effort is what sustained me. after the initial progress, it was mostly attention from girls. these days, i've grown to enjoy playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailjunkie Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 When I was 8 years old, my sister got a little toy guitar (basically a box with chicken wire for strings). I started playing around with it as a young kid. My earliest memory with a song was while watching "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" by Sam Peckinpah. Bob Dylan had a bit role in the movie as a cook, but more importantly, they used "Knockin on Heaven's Door" in the movie. I picked it up on that little guitar. First song I ever learned )by ear of course. That was 35 years ago. Fun memories. Why I stayed with it? Why not! I moved to a crappy Epi acoustic, then eventually, started adding guitars to my arsenal (I now have 35). I should note that I am not a professional musician...just someone who has a passion for guitars and music in general. I collect and play as a way to relax in a very chaotic world! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 A late night discussion over coffee with my bass player buddy / future band-mate: 1- What first drew you to guitar? Not necessarily who, but what made you, individually say "No, not the tuba, it's the guitar for me!" ? no one ever got laid by playing a tuba in the entire history of music, ever. also, none of the bullies in school ever wanted to beat up hendrix, blackmore, or page. [/b] LITERALLY! [lol] Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHTom Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 What first drew me in? hmmmmmm........tough one. I really really loved music. Was playing trumpet in school band and about the time I started getting decent at trumpet, I started getting into The Kinks, ACDC, etc. Just wanted to explore that. My parents were very supportive of me playing music, so they got me a student grade Kay and a Peavy Backstage amp. Ended up crewing for bands, working for a sound and lighting company, working in a guitar shop, etc. Just loved the whole lifestyle that went along with it. as far as why I continue......... For me it is relaxation. In my "grown up" life of bills, jobs, stress, etc, I can still get goosebumps from a well slammed overdriven open A chord like when I was a kid. When I play, there is nothing else.....worries of daily life disappear and its just the feel of the guitar. I have no illusions of touring the world like when I started playing, but the mental therapy of it is priceless. NHTom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Guitars, and their derivatives, are easier to carry around, than Pianos! Which is the only other basic instrument, that allows chording and single note playing. Guess I never really had the "lip" for brass or woodwinds. And the other "stringed" instruments (violin, viola, cello, bass) weren't "Cool" enough (at that time), to interest me, much. So, guitar was the natural choice, for me! What kept me playing, or in my case, brought me back to playing, was the sound, feel, and ability to just get "lost" in the moment, playing all the songs I love! I started out, with The Ventures, and when The Beatles hit, that was the "corker!" CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 What got me into not just music in general but specifically the guitar? Several things... When I was young (in the 1970s) I loved all the music I heard coming from the radio and anywhere else I heard it. But at some point I noticed all the older kids listening to this hard/loud music and especially this wild band called KISS. My mother thought they were disgusting, so of course that made me more interested. So I got KISS Alive II and it was specifically Ace Freheley and his guitar tone/playing on "Shock Me" I was fascinated by that distorted guitar sound and had no idea how he did it. It sounds funny, but my mom had one of those old vacuum cleaners that you dragged around behind you, and the rhythm guitar on Shock Me made a sound very similar. I eventually expanded into Van Halen and was blown away by the he was playing. Even though I knew nothing about playing guitar, I knew he was doing something way different than the other players I heard. Then a year or so later I heard "Sultans of Swing" and loved the way the guitar sounded almost like it was talking. I remember thinking to myself that one day I had to learn guitar just so I could play that song. Eventually I did get a guitar and take some lessons and learned fairly quick. I did learn Sultans and was really into learning Rush, Randy Rhodes, Van Halen etc. But what I think kept me playing years after the high school days was learning the blues. It was cool for awhile learning all those riffs and scales and Randy Rhodes solos, but I eventually got bored playing them to myself. When I started learning blues and understanding 12 bar structure and blues scales etc., then I could play to myself and improvise a lot better. When I eventually started jamming with other people, I already had an improv ability and could just fit in with the rock/blues songs without a lot of rehearsal. Unlike if I was trying to play metal. I still play all different styles of music and songs, but have to believe that if I hadn't learned the foundations of blues way back when I was young, I probably would have faded away from guitar by my 20s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 In my "grown up" life of bills, jobs, stress, etc, I can still get goosebumps from a well slammed overdriven open A chord like when I was a kid. Yeah me too... AC/DC are the epitome of that And that's what drew me too it too.. The POWER of rock....... In saying that I actually started playing guitar cos of my mum who forced me to start learning it age 11/12 (thanks mum :)) .. At that time I didn't want to do it and gave up after two years.. but got into rock and music a few years later so was so happy I had those few years as a good base to start from. What keeps me playing.. Donno.. that's a hard one for me to answer at the moment as I haven't played so much the last few years since I started building them... mostly cos im too knackered in the evenings.. But I guess when I do play its for pure the pure enjoyment of it... Id love to get out and jam more or even be in a part time band.. but it just doesn't seem to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 1. My father played and sang cowboy songs with his '63 Southerner Jumbo, then an early 50s J200, then a D-28, and so on. I thought he was God. My brother played in garage bands and played and sang stuff like Hanky Panky on a blue Fender Mustang and Heathkit amp. I thought he was God too. My uncle chain smoked, wore Baretta black t-shirts with the smokes rolled up in the sleeve, drank a lot, coughed a lot, raged a lot, and was a great singer and player with his '68 Hummingbird, at least until his wife threw him out of the house and the H-Bird flew 15 feet in the air behind him and landed in pieces. I didn't think he was God. Those were my earliest influences to pick up a guitar. 2. What has kept me going? The illusion I've created for myself that I can become someone I'm not. Don't worry, I'm aware of it, accept it, celebrate it and exploit it. It's like a kid wearing a cowboy suit. Doesn't make him a cowboy but in his mind, he IS. I pick up the Tele and I'm James Burton or Don Rich. Flesh out any other scenario with any model guitar you can think of. I already have. I have all those characters in rotation in my brain, any one ready to spring to life on my whim and wish. Yes, my brain is odd. Thought you all knew that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 at least until his wife threw him out of the house and the H-Bird flew 15 feet in the air behind him and landed in pieces. I didn't think he was God. Some of your post crack me up man! Yes, my brain is odd. Thought you all knew that. oh yea, I get it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Bill Haley, Eddie Cochran and Elvis's guitar player, Scotty Moore. At 9 or 10 years old I loved those big jazzy boxes with F holes and cutaways. I moved on in the 60s and 70s to flat tops and apart from the odd drift into Telecasters and F holed archtops, I've stuck with acoustics - mainly dreads What's kept me going? there is always something to learn (in my case an ocean of things) and it's such a pleasure when I succeed with learning a new chord, song, picking pattern - whatever. Still want to get one jazz standard down though - Misty maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 no one ever got laid by playing a tuba in the entire history of music, ever.. [/b] When I figured that out, I couldn't afford a guitar so I just bought an expensive case. I casually carried it to school everyday with my lunch in it. The girls went wild. The scene in front of my school locker was like the "Girls Gone Wild" videos. Then I met a girl who played tuba. She could suck the letters off a license plate. And the rest is history. In my dreams... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted August 19, 2015 Author Share Posted August 19, 2015 Well- I am enjoying the heck out of this! Not only are the stories and anecdotes interesting, funny and at times downright outrageous- but it appears many of our members have some serious writing skills! Keep 'em coming please! I seriously love to learn about others and what makes us guitar freak...aficionados... "tick"! Some REAL classic posts here- special thanks to KS Daddy (laughed until I was spent), Skilsaw (I'm getting some great visuals) and to ALL contributors! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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