Shown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by finelinebob on August 26, 2006, at 23:25:38
So here it was. 1:55pm Saturday (today) and time for me to walk over to my guitar teacher's apartment.
And I haven't picked up my guitar in two weeks. Last week I called at 1:59 and made some excuse and didn't show because I was having some wicked 9/11-approaching-too-fast anxiety/agoraphobia. Been Babbling instead of practicing ... naughty me ;^). But I'm just sick, thinking he's gonna say, "So, how are those chord progressions coming along?"
But we sit down and instead of him asking me to go over the chord progressions I asked him for during lesson two, he drops some sheet music with pictures of a disembodied left hand on a guitar fingerboard showing where the notes on the paper matched up with the strings and frets.
He's a really REALLY cool teacher. Classically trained, a couple of years older than me (so we have the same taste for rock & folk guitarists), naturally gifted as a teacher.
But he knows I can read sheet music because I played an instrument from 5th grade (viola, then French horn in 7th) through high school. So he has faith that I'll keep up with the chords on my own, or isn't that concerned because he knows we'll be coming back to them soon. So he shows me a new exercise for developing strength and agility and independence from conscious thought for my left hand then we dig into the sheet music.
It's all just three note etudes (which is kinda of funny, because my guitar is a LaPatrie Etude). We start on the high E string, move down to the B string, then on to some that combine both strings. Then the G string (no snickers out there, this is music).
And the next thing, wouldn't you know it, I'm playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, which is just a combination of the etudes on these three strings that I'd just been doing (tho I heard a little bit of the intro to Roundabout in those etudes, too).
But then I remembered how STUPID this all seemed back when I was in fifth grade, then I had to repeat it all in 7th grade when I switched to the horn. Now here I am, 30-some years later, and this is all just too cool!
But if I can hear Steve Howe in Twinkle Twinkle, maybe there's some hope for me yet. My teacher sure seems to think so.
Posted by sleepygirl on August 26, 2006, at 23:44:09
In reply to My third guitar lesson..., posted by finelinebob on August 26, 2006, at 23:25:38
that's so cool that you are taking lessons
I'm way too familiar with the "uh oh I didn't practice!" feeling
I had many a guitar lesson with some really amazing teachers.
funny how you appreciate these things more later in life...
I've been a lucky sleepygirl having spent time with those guitar teachers of mine
I don't play well, but yeah it is just nice to play
enjoy,
sg
Posted by llrrrpp on August 26, 2006, at 23:58:48
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » finelinebob, posted by sleepygirl on August 26, 2006, at 23:44:09
Mmmmm- Lessons are nice, especially as an adult, when we appreciate them!
I play violin. [We have G-strings too, LOL]. I haven't picked it up since playing way too many concerts in June. I was in bad shape mentally to be doing those demanding performances. Oh well.
My callouses on my fingers have completely softened.
How are your callouses doing?
One nice thing about guitar, as opposed to violin, is that you don't get a mark on your neck from the chinrest/bout of the violin. I had such a friction sore that actually developed into a callus. Nasty thing-- the neck callus. Took about 6 months to fade after my last solo recital.
Walking around NYC, I'm sure there are several neighborhoods where the tell-tale violin or viola mark is more common than a normal hickey. That's a crazy state of affairs, really.
-ll
Most of my friends are professional musicians. What they tell their students is to leave the case open, and the stand with music set up in a good practice spot. when you have five minutes, perhaps during a commercial break, or when waiting for someone to return a phonecall, just pick it up, and before you know it, practice becomes regular. five minutes a day goes a LONGGGG way when you're a beginner!
Posted by finelinebob on August 27, 2006, at 1:39:40
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » sleepygirl, posted by llrrrpp on August 26, 2006, at 23:58:48
> How are your callouses doing?
Nylon strings. One of the other advantages of a classical guitar. But I need a really good nail file ... my clippers just don't cut it (hehe).
> Most of my friends are professional musicians. What they tell their students is to leave the case open...I've gone beyond that. I got a nice guitar stand. It's 3 feet from me right now. And I like the exercises my teacher gives me. They can be totally silent, just moving and stretching fingers, so I can watch TV while I'm exercising.
I actually got 2 guitar stands. When I finish unpacking and cleaning, I'm going to set that second one up and pull my steel string Ovation out (we'll revisit that callus question after that). The cool thing about switching between the two is that a classical guitar's fingerboard is really wide and it gives my fingers the room to learn. Once I'm good at something, I can pick up my Ovation and see about playing on a fingerboard that's much more cramped and strings with a significantly lower action.
Posted by sleepygirl on August 27, 2006, at 14:09:22
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson..., posted by finelinebob on August 27, 2006, at 1:39:40
> I actually got 2 guitar stands. When I finish unpacking and cleaning, I'm going to set that second one up and pull my steel string Ovation out (we'll revisit that callus question after that). The cool thing about switching between the two is that a classical guitar's fingerboard is really wide and it gives my fingers the room to learn. Once I'm good at something, I can pick up my Ovation and see about playing on a fingerboard that's much more cramped and strings with a significantly lower action.
I much prefer the classical guitar because of that cramped feeling on a reg guitar. The classical guitar feels a lot "kinder"
I don't have anything near a callous :-(I like lurps idea about having it all set up...
there's a lot to be said for setting up the spaceyet another reason to find a larger apartment!
Posted by finelinebob on August 28, 2006, at 0:28:38
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » finelinebob, posted by sleepygirl on August 27, 2006, at 14:09:22
> I much prefer the classical guitar because of that cramped feeling on a reg guitar. The classical guitar feels a lot "kinder"
> I don't have anything near a callous :-(That's not a bad thing ... nylon strings are a lot easier on the hand. Just need those left hand fingernails filed down short.
> I like lurps idea about having it all set up...
> there's a lot to be said for setting up the spaceYep. Need a music stand now. But the left-hand exercises don't need any strumming or sheet music, just a guitar in my lap and preferably something to distract my mind (TV) while my fingers get their workout.
> yet another reason to find a larger apartment!
Hehe ... one of the big reasons I live so far north in Manhattan that most of the Bronx is further south than I am. BIG pre-war apartments built by Irish workers for themselves and their 10+ kid families.
Posted by sleepygirl on August 28, 2006, at 21:18:27
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson..., posted by finelinebob on August 28, 2006, at 0:28:38
> Yep. Need a music stand now. But the left-hand exercises don't need any strumming or sheet music, just a guitar in my lap and preferably something to distract my mind (TV) while my fingers get their workout.
It's nice when your fingers do the walking without much thought...ya know what I mean? Soon your fingers will take their places without you having to tell them what to do! (that is at least you won't have to tell them much ;-)
> Hehe ... one of the big reasons I live so far north in Manhattan that most of the Bronx is further south than I am. BIG pre-war apartments built by Irish workers for themselves and their 10+ kid families.
man am I jealous!! that particular location would make certain aspects of my life a lot more manageable! ......sigh :-(
anyway, I hope you enjoy that lovely pre-war apt.
be well,
sg
Posted by llrrrpp on August 28, 2006, at 21:24:44
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » finelinebob, posted by sleepygirl on August 28, 2006, at 21:18:27
I better cut my nails. I'm getting music envy!
-ll
Posted by sleepygirl on August 29, 2006, at 22:16:48
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson..., posted by llrrrpp on August 28, 2006, at 21:24:44
get to it!! your fingers are crying to be calloused!
Posted by AuntieMel on September 7, 2006, at 14:06:25
In reply to My third guitar lesson..., posted by finelinebob on August 26, 2006, at 23:25:38
Let us know how it goes. I'm trying to restore an old guitar and it may need a home..........
Here it is as I found it in the barn:
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/AuntieMel/?action=view¤t=000_0031.jpg
http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/AuntieMel/?action=view¤t=000_0032.jpg
Posted by finelinebob on September 7, 2006, at 19:56:54
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » finelinebob, posted by AuntieMel on September 7, 2006, at 14:06:25
> Let us know how it goes. I'm trying to restore an old guitar and it may need a home..........
>
>
> Here it is as I found it in the barn:
>
>
> http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/AuntieMel/?action=view¤t=000_0031.jpg
> http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g52/AuntieMel/?action=view¤t=000_0032.jpg
>That is a remarkable work of art ... looks like it can hardly wait to start singing again.
Lessons are going well. All the better because it's healing for me. I'm setting up a space in my apartment currently occupied by unpacked junk (I haven't used it in 9 months, I must not need it) as my music space -- a place for a chair, a foot stand, music stand, two guitar stands and a guitar for each.
I actually had the opportunity to drag my teacher (it wasn't all that hard ;^) down to the shop where I got my classical guitar and introduced him to the guy who sold it to me. My teacher is looking for a practice guitar ("practice guitar" for him is somewhere around $1000) and at one point, while he was taking a guitar through its paces, the sales guy turns to me and says, "You got the right teacher."
=^)
flb
Posted by llrrrpp on September 7, 2006, at 21:01:45
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson..., posted by finelinebob on September 7, 2006, at 19:56:54
I remember the first time I went over to my vln teacher's house for a lesson. Usually we had lessons in his studio at school, but this was the summertime. First of all, a nice little suburban enclave, but around his backyard was a high fence, and he had a security door, security bars, and a prominent security firm's logo on every window, door, and side of his yard.
Hmm. A bit of a nutcase, perhaps?
I asked why, he said, "insurance" Oh. and then I started playing scales for him.
Later on, I found out that he had a sponsor who invested in stringed instruments. His sponsor allowed him to use and perform on a very rare old italian fiddle that was last appraised at well over one MEEEEElion dollars. He had a bow too. His bow is worth more than my parent's and my grandparents' house combined.
He could play it, that's for sure. Very very cool. I could go to a lesson and just hear him play. He never did that though. He'd only play a measure and then stop. Absolutely maddening.
One thing I liked so much about him, though, was that he never ever criticized my violin or my bow. He would suggest pieces that I could play, and steer me away from big romantic concertos, because my sound would simply not project over an orchestra that size.
He never criticized the way I came to him. Having played since I was five, I had teachers of various quality, and sometimes no lessons at all. He never said anything mean like: whoever told you to do it this way was a moron/idiot. He suggested an alternative, and asked me to try it, and see if it worked better. He treated me like an adult, and asked my opinion about what would work best for me. He let me choose my path, and my level of committment. He's one of the best mentors I've ever had in my life.
The one thing I will always remember is the day he told me that I could play this one piece better than he would ever be able to play it. I nearly burst out laughing, but he was ernest, and kind of sad. He said that the notes were not so hard, that the structure of the music was not so complicated. He said that I had a natural sweet tone, a clarity that comes from pulling the sound out, and that a piece that requires that kind of delicacy of expression would never be within his grasp. Even when you play on my violin? No, he said thoughtfully.
Man, I'm getting little wet eye drippies just thinking about it... sniffle sniffle...
:')
ll
flb, I'm so happy that you have the right teacher for you. It's a wonderful thing. Never take it for granted, even when some weeks it seems like a waste of time, 'cause you weren't prepared, or you felt "off" -- for me, those were the lessons when my teacher probably felt like there was nothing to lose, and we would do a lot of exploration of the music, or whip something new out of the bag and take the risk of asking me to play a phrase 10 different ways, or I would learn some cool exercise for something that had been totally blocking my progress.
AuntieMel- that's going to be a very very nice guitar. I can tell by the wear on the neck that someone has loved it in the past. I'm so happy that it's getting some TLC again. (((((old instruments)))))
Posted by finelinebob on September 9, 2006, at 15:58:33
In reply to Re: My third guitar lesson... » finelinebob, posted by AuntieMel on September 7, 2006, at 14:06:25
> Let us know how it goes. I'm trying to restore an old guitar and it may need a home..........
BTW... is there actually any label still left on the guitar identifying it's make? I don't know how well you can see into the sound hole at all, but it would be interesting to track down.
#5 Lovin' it even more. Worked my way through monotonic melody lines for the first four strings, and now I'm starting to see the chords in the melodies, which is really cool because now my teacher is going to start working with me on bringing in a base line, some right hand finger-picking style (which is where I'd want to head anyway).
And one of my guitar stands was broken ... gotta return it and TRY not to come back from the guitar shop with more than a replacement!
Posted by AuntieMel on September 11, 2006, at 13:56:16
In reply to Lovin' it ... #5 » AuntieMel, posted by finelinebob on September 9, 2006, at 15:58:33
It's a National, style "O"
From the serial number, it was made in 1930.
More info here:
On the left, click on (under single cone) 'Style O"
Posted by AuntieMel on September 11, 2006, at 13:59:23
In reply to Lovin' it ... #5 » AuntieMel, posted by finelinebob on September 9, 2006, at 15:58:33
It is amazing that you are taking lessons. I have great admiration for anyone with musical talent.
I play a mean kazoo, but other than that.....
more info:
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Self-Esteem | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.