Introducing myself

[macwildstar]

Hi there.
Well, lets see.. I'm a 49 year old Navy veteran who tried to pick up playing guitars when I was in High school, but never got far. Recently I was interned in the Veterans facility while recovering from major surgery and this group called Guitars for Veterans came in. I joined the class and graduated, obtaining my first real guitar from them.

Now I am looking to expand my very basic knowledge and to learn how to play more songs.

I currently only know a few chords, A,D,G, (everyone in the class learns these), and I am working on C, and F.

I have both an acoustic and electric guitars. I do most of my learning on the acoustic.

Since I am now disabled and have retired early, I have the time to dedicate to this, and am looking forward to learning more.

The campfire songs are the ones that have my interest the most, but I will be open to learning others as well.

pic is me 2 weeks after heart surgery. Still strummin' so its got to be good.

[familyman4]

Hello Mr.macwildstar,

First, let me just say Thank You for your service to the Navy & the U.S. of A!!!

You have found a wonderful learning site here at TG. You can find several places on the free site that can help you find a starting point. Like the Beginners Blueprint - Start on the top left side of this page. Or, the Beginner's Genius a little further down. Or at the top of the page, click on the "Tips, Techniques, Theory & Styles" and keep going there.

You will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you can get answers to questions on the forum page.

I would also like to ask you for more details about the "Guitars For Veterans" program that you spoke about. You can send me a message on my "PM" address under my picture.

Good luck with your learning and pracvtice, practice, practice and HAVE FUN!

God Bless!!!

Bart

[macwildstar]

Tried the PM thing, but for some reason it didn't work.. all i got was a box with an X in it.. LOL..

Anyways, guitars for vets, was started by Alan Harrison, a Boatswains Mate from the Navy.

There is a local chapter in G.R. where I was at the veterans home.

www.http://guitars4vets.org/ is there home page and many chapters have facebook pages.

[michelew]

Welcome from Sydney.

You've got so much fun ahead of you (and some frustration of course). Learning guitar and playing music is a great therapy; body, mind and soul. Explore the site, you'll find a heap of different things to learn. And come back to the forum with your questions, observations, interests and ... Well anything you like really.

Post a video of yourself paying as soon as you can. Seeing how you're progressing is a good way to stay motivated and posting videos will help you with that. You'll get great feedback too.

Have fun.


Michele

[thereshopeyet]

macwildstar

Welcome to TG.
You'll find plenty here to tune into.

TheresHopeYet

[dennisg]

Hi Mac,

Welcome from very soggy Seattle. I started out even less accomplished than you are now, and I'm proud to say that I'm far less crappy than I used to be. Stay with it, attack some of the easier songs that excite you, then move up to some new songs that ask you to learn additional techniques. I have to say, though, that the real learning on the site takes place when you join the Target program. Enjoy yourself.

- dennis

[willem]

welcome from Zwolle,,Netherlands

Well great you have some chords down and you can use them for 10000 songs,,the F could give you some trouble(the barred F) and that takes a year or so to get down,,you can always use the little F...If you working on the C it is just een easy way to the Am chord,,and I suggest you work on some minor chords 'cos we need them in many songs,,lets say the song is in A,, the scale would be ABC#DEF#G#-A..many songs are build on the 1-4-5 chords which are in the key of A: A-D-E and you know A&D allready and the E is not so difficult..

chords in the key of A are A-Bm-C#m-D-E-F#m-G#dim(or G#7)..

goodluck on your yourney,,the guitar yourney that is..

Willem


PS thx Neil for learning me that and it was not in my mothers language :laugh: B)

T.A.R.G.E.T program is the place to be....

[tacticaltal]

Welcome to TG. I'm new too, but it looks like a mountain of information, and a lot of fun. Post any questions, the forums are very active.

And thank you, Sir, for your service.

Terry

[Music Junkie]

Welcome from sunny southern California.... B)

Your interest in campfire style songs is the same as mine. This is a great place to get there. I would highly recommend a Target membership, and a tour through the Acoustic Genius Series of lessons. From there, scroll through the lessons, and take a peek and those lessons with a number of 4 or less to begin with. They will open a bunch of doors for you....

Also, as questions arise, make sure to ask them here in the forum, and you will get answers and help very quickly.

Cheers!

MJ

[macwildstar]

yeah, I've been working on America's horse with no name. Right now I am trying to learn basic strumming for songs.. nothing fancy, no picking, just basic strumming.. Enough so that people will know what the song is that I'm trying to play..

That is why I looked at the campfire songs.. and yes, I am looking at the target program.
just might take me a bit to get there, as I am still in an unstable home situation.. living with family until I find and move into my own apartment, hopefully before the snow starts here in Michigan..