What does your wife/husband/partner think of your playing?

[dennisg]

I was thinking about which song I might start working on, and I came up with what I think is a perfect tune for my wife Jamie to sing. It occurred to me that she's the only spouse or partner I can think of who's already been on camera, and it got me wondering about other people's spouses or life partners. So, if you don't mind me asking, does your spouse/partner get involved (for example, sit and listen, play another instrument, or sing along) with your guitar playing very often?

[jayswett]

My wife plays the piano at a beginner level, and I'd love for her to take lessons and join me in a 30 year journey to learn more about music. We have three active boys (12, 10, 8) and she primarily handles their day to day activities, in addition to working part time, so she's not ready to jump into that quite yet. It will happen, though, I'm sure. She certainly listens to me play and has been very encouraging over the last year or so. She gets mildly annoyed when, in the midst of a conversation, I pick up the guitar and start playing something that keeps me from hearing anything further that she was saying. Hard to blame her for that. She definitely feels like a guitar widow from time to time, I'm trying to be sensitive to that.

[Music Junkie]

Great question Dennis!

My wife is usually working at the computer during my practice sessions at night. She works part time for her mom typing appraisals. From time to time she will come and sit in the living room while I practice and listen to me. Usually if I am playing something that she likes (American Pie for example - her favorite song). Once in a while she will yell out from the computer to tell me that a certain song seems to be getting better, or to tell me to stop singing because I am hurting her ears.... B)

I would absolutely love it if she picked up her guitar and started learning as well. She is my best friend and I would love to share this with her....

Jason

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[BigBear]

My wife, Carrie, is totally opposed to my music and it is a sore spot in an otherwise great relationship. She thinks that owning 4 guitars is about 5 too many and that Taylor, Larrivee and Gibson are fancy names for different kinds of firewood!! lol! I guess all relationships are a combination of good and bad and we are so good together I have to overlook this.

I do think she is slowly coming around to the idea that playing the guitar is closely linked to my sanity. I've been through some real adversity the last ten years and the guitar has been my one place to escape and not dwell on my issues. Carrie hasn't had that and may be resentful. We could keep a shrink busy for years! lol!

Carrie is a good singer and loves to sing at church or in the car. My hope is to get a couple of glasses of wine in her and see if she will sing along with me. I've got some work to do!

I am convinced that for most of us, the guitar is much more than a hobby. It is part of who we are, whether beginner or expert. I envy those of you whose spouses or partners are supportive and want to participate with you. Music should be shared to be fully enjoyed!

Cheers! :cheer:

[hasben]

Dennis, you know Cee. She basically ignores me, in keeping with other aspects of our life. :laugh: I would igore me too. FD

[eagle670]

I can relate to BB's repsonse. I don't think that my wife has ever fully listen to me play. Of course someday's I can't listen to me play either. I usually do all of my practicing late in the evening, usually after everyone has gone to bed. This is my time and to be honest it serves me very well and provides a great stress reliever. I have tried to get my girls to learn a tune so that we could play together. But their response is that my songs are too "old", imagine that.

[willem]

Dennis,, i love to share what i know or learn about music and do that whit friends and even my wife,,when i learned a song and play it over and over then she comes out the corner and say's ''you play it dead or ''again''.. when see knows what i practice see alway's listen and gives some advise what see hears and what i do,(strumming to loud,,or not smootly enough)see love the song ''mad world'' and i never know how to play it,,now i'm on it and learn it by the knowledge i get from this site,,she hates when i play day and night,,but i'm now on the way that i can lay it a side and give it some rest,

She want a piano,,we have a keyboard but she never try's

I love her!!!!!!

[Music Junkie]

BigBear wrote:

My wife, Carrie, is totally opposed to my music and it is a sore spot in an otherwise great relationship. She thinks that owning 4 guitars is about 5 too many and that Taylor, Larrivee and Gibson are fancy names for different kinds of firewood!! lol!

Bear:

Them be some spensive firewoods..... :woohoo:

Get that wine flowing and get her singing voice out. Would be a great time for the two of you to share the guitar world.... B)

J

[tovo]

Great thread Dennis. My wife Cindy is very supportive, she sees the positive affect that guitar has on my sanity and stress levels and thinks that can only be good. She accepts my propensity to buy guitars out of the blue without fuss and that in itself makes her quite unique. She doesn't really participate but she is supportive. Only slight problem is we have very different musical tastes so I tend to pick songs she doesn't much care for. Given the amount of practice we put into learning tunes that can be a problem as she hears them over, and over and over. At the moment I'm working on one that she likes so that is helpful. After talking to a few mates on TG I think I should thank my lucky stars that I have such a supportive partner.