Hello and Desert Trip / Coachella

[johnny_peel69]

Hi everybody, I'm new to Totally Guitars, just thought I'd say hello! Im from Scotland and have been living/traveling in a load of countries since 1989, my latest stop is Mexico, where I've been since 2011, and Mexico City, for the past year and a bit.

I suppose I first started learning the guitar during a particularly mad Scottish New Years Eve when I was about 16 or 17 (Sweet Home Alabama!) and I countinued off and on until I was about 23 or 24. A key period was when I was unemployed in Melbourne, Australia, around '91 and my best buddy (along with the definitive Rolling Stones songbook) really helped me consolidate the major chords. However, I seemed to hit a brick wall after that and I never seemed to improve very much, which I now realise was pure laziness on my part, because I just didn't fancy the necessary struggle required to master barre chords.

So I pretty much dropped playing altogether until about 2 years ago: I picked up a friend's guitar one day down in Chiapas, here in Mexico and realised that for the most part my fingers could still do what they had been taught to do all those years ago, and was I inspired enough after that to go out and buy a 200 dollar guitar.

Then, a big breakthrough: I discovered online tutorials! Life changing! So finally, at the age of 46 I can play a bunch of barre chords, and incorporate them in a bunch of songs. I'm so pleased with my progress, and I pretty much learn at least one new song every week, the latest is People are Strange, (with a little help from Neil Hogan here at TG . So thats my guitar playing history in a nutshell.

I also was wondering if anyone is planning on going to the Desert Trip / Coachilla festival out somewhere in California this October? Stones, Dylan, The Who, Paul Macca, Roger Waters are all on the bill. I saw the website today for the first time and tickets apparently go on sale in 4 days time....the 8th of May I guess. What does anyone know about the site? It looks like it could be pretty cool, the music will obviously be amazing, but Im kinda put off by the bunch of rules and regulations, what you can and cannot bring inside etc et...c sounds very corporate....plus of course, its not particularly cheap...anyway, I'm sure TG must have loads of members based in California, and that know the area well, so any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks a lot!

[michelew]

Hi Johnny! A big hello from sunny Sydney.

That was a great introduction. And you've sure come to the right place to learn even more.

I won't be in California in October, as much as I'd like to be, but that sounds like a great event. Have fun.

Enjoy and if you're up to it, jump in at some point and show us what you're playing.

Michele

[TGNesh]

Hi Johnny and welcome to TG!

What a great introduction, very nice to hear more about. I'll probably echo what lots of other TG-ers will say, that you've found a fantastic guitar place to be. The best I've ever bumped into.

Awesome to hear you're back on the guitar and making much progress too. As for the forums, never hesitate to drop in here if you have any questions or comment or feedback to share. You can even upload and share videos of your playing for feedback from Neil, or me and the community.

The festival sounds fantastic of course! I'm located in the Netherlands though, so it's not very likely that I could attend it. Instead, I will be in CA in August/September for the International Guitar Camp, run by Totally Guitars. In fact, any chance you could join us? You won't be dissapointed. It's a truly magical annual instructional-guitar-community-event. www.internationalguitarcamp.com And you get to meet Neil and a whole bunch of fellow TG-enthousiasts.

Anyway, enjoy the guitar journey and have loads of fun during the ride!

All the best,

Vanessa

[auntlynnie]

Hello and welcome from Washington DC!

I love reading people's guitar playing biographies. You will find lots of folks here who have, like you, picked up the guitar at a young age, put it down for long periods and then later in life, found the time and persistence to study and play again.

Learning a song a week is wonderful progress! And there are literally hundreds to choose from here.

Never been to Coachella - but I see photos every year...

Again, welcome, and hope you enjoy TG.

Lynn

[willem]

Welcome, I never recret joining TG,, bin here for 7 years.

Video lessons are very detailed


Willem ,, Netherlands

[johnny_peel69]

Hi Michele, thanks for the reply, sunny Sydney eh! well, I sure have happy memories of living there....on the backpacker route on Glebe Point Road, swimming in that great open air pool every evening, moving more upmarket to Surrey Hills, a beer in the Bricklayers Arms after work, hiking and camping in the Royal National Park...Garie Beach!! Wow! quite possibly still my favourite beach anywhere...recovery parties every Sunday afternoon in the Greenwood, NYE 2000 in the Greenwood...JJJ radio..Cold Chisel...somewhat bizarrely seeing Russell Crowe and his band 50 Odd Foot of Grunts (!) play a tiny pub gig somewhere out in Parramatta....wow, so many memories....thats just off the top of me head

Where do you live? I hear Sydney is not what it was in terms of draconian licensing laws, places shutting down everywhere etc, I was sad to hear that, its not the Sydney I remember at all.

How long have you been with TG? Are you a full member? I havent signed up for the complete package yet, but I think I will. What do you like playing? Cheers for now, Johnny

[johnny_peel69]

Hi Vanessa, thanks for the reply, yes I have heard of the IGC and it sounds like something that I would definitely like to do at some point, unfortunately however I dont think it will be this year, as I have a quite a few commitments in 2016 that are going to cost a bunch of cash! Next year though maybe! I have a question: are you the Vanessa that teaches sometimes on here? I saw the lesson teaser for Dreadlock Holiday, I think I might give that one a go soon, it looks like a great barre chord work out!

Johnny

[johnny_peel69]

Hi Lynn, thanks for the reply, how about you...? how long have you been with TG? What kind of stuff do you like to play?

Cheers, Johnny

[johnny_peel69]

Hi Willem, thanks for the reply, 7 years, wow, you must have seen yourself make some remarkable progress...have you posted any videos of yourself playing on here?

Cheers, Johnny

[michelew]

johnny_peel69 wrote:

Hi Michele, thanks for the reply, sunny Sydney eh! well, I sure have happy memories of living there....on the backpacker route on Glebe Point Road, swimming in that great open air pool every evening, moving more upmarket to Surrey Hills, a beer in the Bricklayers Arms after work, hiking and camping in the Royal National Park...Garie Beach!! Wow! quite possibly still my favourite beach anywhere...recovery parties every Sunday afternoon in the Greenwood, NYE 2000 in the Greenwood...JJJ radio..Cold Chisel...somewhat bizarrely seeing Russell Crowe and his band 50 Odd Foot of Grunts (!) play a tiny pub gig somewhere out in Parramatta....wow, so many memories....thats just off the top of me head

Where do you live? I hear Sydney is not what it was in terms of draconian licensing laws, places shutting down everywhere etc, I was sad to hear that, its not the Sydney I remember at all.

How long have you been with TG? Are you a full member? I havent signed up for the complete package yet, but I think I will. What do you like playing? Cheers for now, Johnny

Hi Johnny!

It sounds like you spent some real time in Sydney. Almost all of those references are familiar to me. I live in Waterloo; near Surrey Hills. But I've lived in and around the inner West/Inner East since about '87 in and around Newtown mostly. Yes the pub scene has changed and the live music venues have reduced in a serious way, but that's more about venues chasing the pokey dollar rather than about licensing or noise laws per se.

I've been at TG since 2009 and my playing have changed leaps and bounds since that time. That's when I signed up to the target program and I've never regretted it. The thing that limits me is the time I have (mostly due to a full-on job and family commitments) and my own ability to stay focused. There are so many great lessons that I often get distracted by the next shiny thing. I'm also a sucker for a challenge; watch out for those. Actually it's been a while since there's been a challenge issued by a community member. Hmmm... I might start a thread about that.

I spend too much time on the forum believe me you'll get sick of seeing my name. But, participating on the forum is lots of fun and I strongly suggest you jump on in and contribute yourself. You can post a video (for review by Neil and Vanessa or just for the busking fun of it), post a question, start a discussion about anything you like or... Well the fun you can have is limited only by your own imagination and motivation.

What do I like? Well lots of what's on offer here at TG; but I do gravitate to fingerpicking songs.

You've made a get start to getting involved Johnny and I hope we see you around on the forum. Have fun.

Michele