It begins with a song. It usually does, doesn't it? I was listening to an album a few weeks back and song came on that made me say "I want to learn to play guitar." Now, I've said this same sentence countless times over the past decade, maybe two, and then probably said "One day." But there was something about the song. It wasn't a Guitar Hero song with a blisteringly impossible solo, rather a song passionately played out on an acoustic guitar that did it. There was something about it that made me think with a whole lotta practice, I might be able to strum that one day. And a resolution was made. I had my first lesson. It was like a five-year old taking a crack at calculus (my friend/instructor, JB, told me this was the first lesson he's ever given to someone who hadn't an iota of experience) but it wasn't intimidating. Overwhelming, sure, but also exhilarating. It is something that I can throw myself into. I left the lesson with homework to do, without an instrument to do it on. I immediately bought the book that was suggested I read and dug in. What I appreciated was one sentence in the book that said it's not so much about talent, it's about how much you practice. Purists may cringe, but to novices that's encouraging. I began to see that learning guitar wasn't so much finding out whether I was born with the talent to be a Rock God, rather that learning is a series of mathematical exercises that require hours, weeks, months, years of practice (sorry, love). After reading that I felt, yeah, I might just be able to do this.
And then I bought a guitar.
I knew I had to get one, not only because now I really wanted one, but I also wanted to start on that long, long path to competence. I did some research online, figured out how much I wanted to spend and read up on guitars in that modest, first-timers price range. I found a few candidates and JB graciously offered to accompany me and offer advice when I ventured in to buy. My wife and I walked into the place. I was expecting everyone to look like they were in ZZ Top, glaring disdainfully at the fraudulent rookie trespassing on their turf. But no, everyone was on missions of their own and indifferent to the guy with the deer-in-the-headlights expression. We found JB already in the acoustic section and set about trying out the guitars I mentioned I was thinking about. Now, I know nothing but I knew the first few that were tested weren't up to even my low standards. They just didn't sound right. We wandered some more and I saw another model that I had looked at. Trying it out, JB was much more enthusiastic. It sounded good and I think we all knew that we had a winner. He talked the talk with the salesperson, had some accessories thrown in to help the newbie, the guitar was loaded into a gig bag and off we went on the walk home through the Village, axe strapped across my back, feeling nervous and excited.
How's it going? Slowly. Still working on my first exercises, simple chords, fingering, strumming. A little frustrating because I want to Get There Now and I have to remind myself that a week ago I knew nothing to the third power. Now I just know nothing. In another week, who knows, I may be able to remember a chord or two without looking at the charts and maybe even define the sound. I'm told I'll begin to hear music differently. I hear songs now and my first thought is "You gotta be kidding me - how will I ever be able to recognize any of that ... and then actually play it?"
But I think the point may be that the thought proves I'm already listening differently. It's the comprehension that overwhelms. That will come with time. And practice.
First steps. Long road. And I'm finally on it.
1 comment:
Freebird!
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