# Any guitar players out there?



## Steve LS (Feb 13, 2017)

I've played guitar since I was a kid, 7-8 years old, I'm a few weeks short of 70 yrs old now.


I played in R&R bands in JR High and High School.
I played nights and weekends in the late 60's through the mid 70's playing anything from "Daddies little Girl" at weddings to backing Joey Dee a couple of times, to big hair and spandex music.


It got old after a while, I sold all my stuff, bought a nice acoustic guitar and just jammed with friends just having fun.
Having lots of fun. 


In the mid 80's my guitar was stolen from my car and since I couldn't afford to replace it I just stopped playing.


I'm still in touch with a band mate from Jr high school and he still plays.
Every time we saw each other over the years he put a guitar in my hand, I literally played guitar once or twice a year.


He wore me down and I finally bought a good acoustic guitar.


It was almost 35 years since I really tried to play, and tried to play what I "was" able to play decades ago.
It's really fun playing again but some of it is very frustrating.

Some finger picking came right back with James Taylor type songs.
Flat picking anything other than chords is really difficult. 

Go figure.
It's more fun than frustrating so I'm glad I started up again.


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## jujube (Feb 13, 2017)

I played folk guitar and sang in college.  Looked the part, too.  Long hair that I ironed on the ironing board and bangs halfway covering my eyes.  Ponchos and jeans and a guitar strapped on my back.  I could play four chords; that was all you needed for folk music.  Throw in a fifth chord and you were on your way to stardom.  I wasn't on my way to stardom....  I was good enough for sitting out on the dorm steps and moaning about the great injustices of the time while strumming my three chords. 

I took banjo lessons in my 20's but never could catch on.  I did learn to play three songs.....nobody could tell which one I was playing. 

My late husband, though, was as fine a guitarist (and banjo player and mandolin player and dulcimer player and player of any stringed instrument known to mankind) that you'd ever come across and had a voice to match.   Completely self-taught, too.


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## jnos (Feb 13, 2017)

jujube said:


> I played folk guitar and sang in college.  Looked the part, too.  Long hair that I ironed on the ironing board and bangs halfway covering my eyes.  Ponchos and jeans and a guitar strapped on my back.  I could play four chords; that was all you needed for folk music.  Throw in a fifth chord and you were on your way to stardom.  I wasn't on my way to stardom....  I was good enough for sitting out on the dorm steps and moaning about the great injustices of the time while strumming my three chords.
> 
> I took banjo lessons in my 20's but never could catch on.  I did learn to play three songs.....nobody could tell which one I was playing.
> 
> My late husband, though, was as fine a guitarist (and banjo player and mandolin player and dulcimer player and player of any stringed instrument known to mankind) that you'd ever come across and had a voice to match.   Completely self-taught, too.



If you can find the documentary, Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation (2012), you'd probably love it.  We watched on Netflix just a few nights ago.

My husband made a Flatiron mandolin for himself and had it signed by Bill Monroe who toured the shop where he was working. He's since learned to play.


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## Ruthanne (Feb 14, 2017)

I bought a guitar and played around with it for awhile.  I needed to get a tuner so I got one.  Now I just need to start trying to play again.


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## HazyDavey (Feb 21, 2017)

Yup, been playing since High School. Don't gig anymore but we still get together on Saturday nights. Posted a few homemade tunes on SoundCloud.


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## Bullie76 (Feb 21, 2017)

I plucked away at it as a teen, but didn't stick with it. I've always been fascinated with the bass guitar and bought one a couple of years ago. With youtube, it's pretty easy to learn riffs and songs. But I don't play it enough to progress like I had hoped. I have a buddy who has played in bands for 50 years(guitar and piano) and he told me to learn a song or two and I could sit in with his band one night at a gig. There are plenty of simple songs I could play, but not sure I would ever have the guts to do so. But it would be nice to check off one more bucket item.


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## Steve LS (Feb 21, 2017)

Bullie76 said:


> I have a buddy who has played in bands for 50 years(guitar and piano) and he told me to learn a song or two and I could sit in with his band one night at a gig. There are plenty of simple songs I could play, but not sure I would ever have the guts to do so. But it would be nice to check off one more bucket item.



There's nothing like playing a tune with a group of musicians.
Learn a few songs and play with you're friends band.

You'll love it.
Love it.

I wish I had somebody I could play with on a regular basis.


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## Victor Meldrew (Apr 8, 2017)

Been playing on and off since high school. Played acoustic with a couple of guys in college. Since then it's been up and down. I'll play for awhile then put it away for awhile. Play for awhile, put it away for awhile.


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## HiDesertHal (Jun 1, 2017)

Began paying guitar in 1958 after buying one in a second-hand store for 5 bucks, then bought a Mel Bay chord instruction book and was on my way! 

The Folk music craze was in full swing then, so I had a ball playing in coffee shops, at beach parties, etc.

Then I began jamming with jazz musicians, so I had to learn Diminished and Augmented chords too.  Now, when I play a tune with a sophisticated chord progression, I can do it right!

If you're playing a chord progression that requires a Diminished, or a passing Augmented +5, it will sound anemic if you don't include it!

Of course, you can always go to the traditional Rock progression of C-AM-F-G7, or C-AM-DM-G7, and so on.

Chords are my main usage, and I hardly play any melodic lines.  

Guitar chords taught me how to use the progressions on keyboards too.

Rockers like the Key of E, where it's always E, A , and B7. 

_That's me on Fender Bass with a dance band rehearsing._

HiDesertHal


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## taffboy (Jun 15, 2017)

Yea being playing for 56years love it love music and was lucky bright to play in front of 2thousand people on stage in a local gig at 63 years of age never played in front of so many people just loved it .


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