So when did you become a guitarist?

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neverfoundthetime
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:09 am

When did you become a guitarist? A musician? A singer?
Can you tell me the moment it happened, the moment you realised that you were suddenly something you hadn’t thought yourself to be before that particular moment? Because there is that one moment where it all changes.

I mention this because as I watch Tony playing Breathe, I realise I am looking at a guitarist and singer, no beginner. I’m betting that many will feel the same way… except Tony, perhaps? The reason I say that is because of my work with top performers. They can be in the world top 50 and playing with the elite and they still don’t realise they are the elite too and deserve to be there and be named as such. I have to get them to realise it and admit it out loud. It’s an odd but typical issue of self perception.

So when did you realise you were a guitarist/musician/singer… or didn’t you admit it yet?

You know I am curious about these things….


sbutler
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:41 am

Chris,

I'll let you know when I get there. For now I'll keep practicing.


Scott


michelew
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:03 pm

The day that I decided to let the nails of my right hand grow.....that's about a month or so ago?!

I really don't like nails and feel ridiculous to have them and also think/thought that others would think so as well, since I'm really not a girlie-female. However, when talking to one of my TG-friends, my friend said utterly surprised: 'But you're a guitarist??!!'.....alright, am having nails now :S ....and no, they don't go unnoticed, but several of my friends were kinda immediately like 'oh must be because of the guitarplaying'....end of conversation! Phew! :P :laugh:

Well, this little story is I guess a bit funny, at least to me, but there is some thruth in it. However, I was really too young Chris, to realize that I was a musician and a singer. I just played and sang. But later as an adult, it indeed took a long time to really say that when being asked. But like 4/5 years ago, when I turned my ability to play into work I do say: I'm a musician.

As for singing, when being asked, I still say 'well I do like to sing yeah'....! So for that, I guess I still don't consider myself a singer. At least I don't call myself that. And I think the people around me don't as well, playing instruments is what first comes to mind and sometimes they add singing later.

Still it's not really the answer to your question....maybe I've realized all along, maybe I finally really realized when it was pointed out to me 'but you're a guitarist?!'....or maybe I never had that moment....or maybe....

Sorry, am rambling, forgive me! ;)

Ness


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neverfoundthetime
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:10 pm

It's a great answer Vanessa! You're illustrating my point beautifully.
And I know what you mean Scott! ;-)


Lavallee
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:21 pm

I think that as long as you have fun playing , you can be a guitarist. The qualification should be on how good of a guitarist you are. There is a perspective from your peers and your own perspective. I think that when you start to understand and putting all your efforts on what you need to do to improve, you are moving up from the beginners level. After that the sky is the limit. I consider myself a guitarist (not as good as I would like to be) since I was able to play with other people and I was able to follow

Marc


willem
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:42 pm

I was a bricklayer,,i was a florist,did many other jobs in between and they brought some money on the table,,that ain't happen with the guitar yet but i love it a..i see it as a sport too..well an evening practicing with my choir feels the same has a round around the fitnes school while doing this you get much great chemicals in your body....i never thought i want to be guitarist but maybe it happen,,an neighboor cals me that and i say yeah..

Tony gave me good chemicals too..


haoli25
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:02 pm

Good question, Chris.

I think I realized that this 'guitar thing' was probably always going to part of my life when I was 16 years old. This was shortly after I had just purchased my 3rd guitar (after only 4 years of playing). Don't be impressed though, I was still buying my guitar strings ONE AT A TIME during this period. I was sure that a good 6th string could last YEARS. :)

(does anyone still sell single guitar strings?!?!?)

Bill


Guitarmom
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:03 pm

My story starts a very long time ago... right after the earth cooled.
It was Christmas in 1951, when I was three years old, I was thrilled to see a ukulele under the tree with a card that said to Kate from Santa.
The fact that it was plastic didn't matter...I could now strum the rubber band strings and play when we sang... and we ALWAYS sang.
Everything went well for months until I left it in a chair, and my father sat on it! I was heartbroken.
That afternoon he took me out to the local music store and bought me one made out of wood... with real strings!
That little uke went with me everywhere, and just like the post "It's never too early to start turning them into musicians" I was on my way.
The uke eventually made way for a Harmony baritone uke, that is still with me today. The baritone uke made way for a 3/4 Silvertone (Sears catalog guitar).
Eventually that was replaced with a Guild Mark II Classical guitar and a Gibson TB 150 that went with me on tour. Both are in our music room.
And the saga continues... 0:)

Experience now tells me that if you have a child that is SERIOUSLY interested in playing an instrument, buy or rent the best you can afford.
I am not suggesting that you take a second on your house... just pick up a decent instrument. The results that your child will experience with
their first real instrument will either excite or discourage their talent.
Giving your baby an instrument from which YOU, as a guitarist, cannot coax a decent sound, is a sure way to kill any interest.

KUDO's to all of the parents on TG that are making music with their children. They are giving them a gift that will last for a lifetime.

Rev Kate


Chasplaya
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 2:31 pm

sbutler wrote:
Chris,

I'll let you know when I get there. For now I'll keep practicing.


Scott

Ditto..

.
I think that as long as you have fun playing , you can be a guitarist. The qualification should be on how good of a guitarist you are. There is a perspective from your peers and your own perspective. I think that when you start to understand and putting all your efforts on what you need to do to improve, you are moving up from the beginners level. After that the sky is the limit. I consider myself a guitarist (not as good as I would like to be) since I was able to play with other people and I was able to follow
Marc [/quote

Also Ditto

ok so I'm a lazy guitar player and can't think for myself lol]


dsmarion
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Sun Sep 11, 2011 3:42 pm

Guitarmom wrote:
My story starts a very long time ago... right after the earth cooled.
It was Christmas in 1951, when I was three years old, I was thrilled to see a ukulele under the tree with a card that said to Kate from Santa.
The fact that it was plastic didn't matter...I could now strum the rubber band strings and play when we sang... and we ALWAYS sang.
Everything went well for months until I left it in a chair, and my father sat on it! I was heartbroken.
That afternoon he took me out to the local music store and bought me one made out of wood... with real strings!
That little uke went with me everywhere, and just like the post "It's never too early to start turning them into musicians" I was on my way.
The uke eventually made way for a Harmony baritone uke, that is still with me today. The baritone uke made way for a 3/4 Silvertone (Sears catalog guitar).
Eventually that was replaced with a Guild Mark II Classical guitar and a Gibson TB 150 that went with me on tour. Both are in our music room.
And the saga continues... 0:)

Experience now tells me that if you have a child that is SERIOUSLY interested in playing an instrument, buy or rent the best you can afford.
I am not suggesting that you take a second on your house... just pick up a decent instrument. The results that your child will experience with
their first real instrument will either excite or discourage their talent.
Giving your baby an instrument from which YOU, as a guitarist, cannot coax a decent sound, is a sure way to kill any interest.

KUDO's to all of the parents on TG that are making music with their children. They are giving them a gift that will last for a lifetime.

Rev Kate

Kate, I like your story. I remember the first guitar I ever had was the cheapest piece of #$%@# - my teacher couldn't even play it. I lost interest pretty quick and quit - until about 5 years later when I met a guy from school that knew some pretty cool licks. I had to learn how to do that! So I somehow got a little better guitar (still cheap but at least playable) and started to actually learn to play some stuff on it. I remember the first time I learned how to do a barre chord - wow did that open my eyes to what could be done. That seems like so long ago (well it was in fact a long time ago).

When did I become a guitarist? Hmmm... I remember thinking that was possible the first few times I had someone tell me "you're good, you should play in a band". At the time of course I didn't have any confidence that I was nearly good enough for that. But that probably was when it happened.

Scott


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