I had a lot of reasons for stopping:
1) Smashed my finger.
2) A couple of "less than enthusiastic " instructors.
3) I couldn't read music well, hence, teaching myself was slow.
4) All I could find were over-priced books with 1 bar cord/measure, usually in the wrong key.
Reason for starting again:
1) The net and specifically seeing Neil on Youtube.
2) I still had several old guitars.
Bobk
Why did you stop playing?
As most have already said, LIFE HAPPENS. I started playing when I was 12. With few responsibilities and a lot of free time, I advanced pretty quickly. Then came college. Working full time and going to school full time (and that always troublesome SLEEP) left little time for anything else. After college, the focus is on building careers, businesses, families, etc. For most of us during our working lives if it does not pay a bill, soothe a wife, or entertain a child, it doesn't get done. Finally we get to a point in life when we can afford to take some time for ourselves. I am finally able to pursue my other interests now in "my second childhood". :laugh:
Bill
Bill
haoli25 wrote:
Quite right (Mellow Yellow), as I reach a point in my life where I am cutting work back to 1/2 time I have a little more free time so what do I do?? I do what I did in my childhood & teenage years, play music mostly my guitar although I do have a mandolin. Gary reverting to my younger years & enjoying it more.As most have already said, LIFE HAPPENS. I started playing when I was 12. With few responsibilities and a lot of free time, I advanced pretty quickly. Then came college. Working full time and going to school full time (and that always troublesome SLEEP) left little time for anything else. After college, the focus is on building careers, businesses, families, etc. For most of us during our working lives if it does not pay a bill, soothe a wife, or entertain a child, it doesn't get done. Finally we get to a point in life when we can afford to take some time for ourselves. I am finally able to pursue my other interests now in "my second childhood". :laugh:
Bill
Well, I quite for a couple of reasons:
1) I had no ear and could not tune the guitar. So I was pretty much dead in the water getting it to sound right.
2) There was a collection of music my guitar instructor of two years had arranged and taught us to play. Mostly campfire versions of stuff. But I was bored with that.
I wanted to do fingerstyle but did not know the name for it back then. I knew maybe one or two songs that could be described using that term. One was time in a bottle.
3) I tried to learn some new stuff on my own. But the challenge of a complex strange arrangement was too trying. I remember trying to tackle the Bee Gee's Night Fever. But I had no idea how to break it down and no audio source for what the song should sound like. So I was just poking and notes and never made it musical as Neil would say.
I am still looking for an arrangement of that song that fits what is in my head for what i used to play. Alas I can remember the basic form of what my hands did but the specifics are gone. So there are a lot of songs I used to play I can't anymore.
But I like the new stuff I am learning and I like the fact that I am getting back in touch with how relaxing it can be to play something on the guitar. Just about anything.
1) I had no ear and could not tune the guitar. So I was pretty much dead in the water getting it to sound right.
2) There was a collection of music my guitar instructor of two years had arranged and taught us to play. Mostly campfire versions of stuff. But I was bored with that.
I wanted to do fingerstyle but did not know the name for it back then. I knew maybe one or two songs that could be described using that term. One was time in a bottle.
3) I tried to learn some new stuff on my own. But the challenge of a complex strange arrangement was too trying. I remember trying to tackle the Bee Gee's Night Fever. But I had no idea how to break it down and no audio source for what the song should sound like. So I was just poking and notes and never made it musical as Neil would say.
I am still looking for an arrangement of that song that fits what is in my head for what i used to play. Alas I can remember the basic form of what my hands did but the specifics are gone. So there are a lot of songs I used to play I can't anymore.
But I like the new stuff I am learning and I like the fact that I am getting back in touch with how relaxing it can be to play something on the guitar. Just about anything.