Guitar Hero
Hi guys! As you know, I'm all about self-better-ification so today I decided to help you out with a great self esteem builder: take lessons at things you already know how to do.
There's no better way to feel great about yourself than to sign up to learn how do to things you are already good at, or to take classes in things you already know (SEE: GPA booster Spanish 102 after taking 6 years combined in middle/high school).
I got a kickass new guitar for my 25th birthday and decided that I missed playing so through divine intervention (a mysteriously placed guitar store brochure) I signed myself up for lessons (not to mention the thought of getting to know some real Andrea Kyrptonite: A cute guy that can play guitar).
It's really tough for me to admit, but I'm not too bad at the guitar (I know how many co-pays that statement deserves). My songs sound like songs. I mean, I've been playing for a couple of years, so I know a thing or two.
I know the point of guitar lessons is that you don't know how to play and need lessons, but it's one of those crazy things where you clean your house before the cleaning lady comes, you lose a few pounds before joining a gym. . .I wanted to make sure that I could hold my own with the guitar before I formally started getting some lessons (although now I have two years worth of bad habits to break).
Anyway, last week was my first lesson. And boooooy did it deliver (especially in the Kyrptonite area ;). . . 25, Berklee grad; he started playing and I started laughing, and had to look away because I almost asked him if he was okay with a June wedding).
I might have maaaybe mislead him a little. By guitar lessons I meant "I haven't paid anyone to sit down and teach me." I think he meant "Do you know what a guitar looks like?" So needless to say, after two years of fiddling, I looked pretty good.
I got to feel REAL good about myself when he asked me if I knew what something called a "chord" was. It went like this:
(Feel free to act this out with a friend)
Him: Do you know any chords?
Me (modestly): Yeah
Him: Show me what you know.
Me: Um, G
Him (pleased): Good! Do you know any more?
Me: Um, D
Him: Good!
Me: E
Him: Good.
Me: A
Him: Good.
Me: C
Him: good. . .
Me: A minor
Him (WTF look): . . .good. . .
Anyway, the lesson was a lot of fun since I kind of felt comfortable with the guitar, and could follow a lot of what he was talking about (those days are coming to an end though, I can tell). I did mention my love for John Mayer, and I think he thought I meant it in a teeny bopper kind of way, I meant it in a "I respect his grammy winning guitar playing ability" kind of way). He's really cool though. Pretty much everything I was hoping for in a guitar teacher (I feel weird calling him a teacher, since he's like my age).
It kind of feels like a bad episode of Made though, and I'm just waiting for the episode where I haven't been practicing and he's like "You don't even want to play guitar! Why am I wasting my time for you?"
Today was my second lesson and still fun! I dazzled him with my rhythm (I have rhythm! He should have seen me at the bar last night). I still feel like I know more than most of his students, but we still have a lot to do. Actually, we got to bar chords, which I'm not too sure of, and he looked kinda relieved and said something about how there's still a lot to learn haha. All things considered, a lot of fun for me, not feeling like a total loser.
So word to the wise: sign up for those English as a Second Language courses! Take Driver's Ed! Get your GED!
I'm off to AA!
There's no better way to feel great about yourself than to sign up to learn how do to things you are already good at, or to take classes in things you already know (SEE: GPA booster Spanish 102 after taking 6 years combined in middle/high school).
I got a kickass new guitar for my 25th birthday and decided that I missed playing so through divine intervention (a mysteriously placed guitar store brochure) I signed myself up for lessons (not to mention the thought of getting to know some real Andrea Kyrptonite: A cute guy that can play guitar).
It's really tough for me to admit, but I'm not too bad at the guitar (I know how many co-pays that statement deserves). My songs sound like songs. I mean, I've been playing for a couple of years, so I know a thing or two.
I know the point of guitar lessons is that you don't know how to play and need lessons, but it's one of those crazy things where you clean your house before the cleaning lady comes, you lose a few pounds before joining a gym. . .I wanted to make sure that I could hold my own with the guitar before I formally started getting some lessons (although now I have two years worth of bad habits to break).
Anyway, last week was my first lesson. And boooooy did it deliver (especially in the Kyrptonite area ;). . . 25, Berklee grad; he started playing and I started laughing, and had to look away because I almost asked him if he was okay with a June wedding).
I might have maaaybe mislead him a little. By guitar lessons I meant "I haven't paid anyone to sit down and teach me." I think he meant "Do you know what a guitar looks like?" So needless to say, after two years of fiddling, I looked pretty good.
I got to feel REAL good about myself when he asked me if I knew what something called a "chord" was. It went like this:
(Feel free to act this out with a friend)
Him: Do you know any chords?
Me (modestly): Yeah
Him: Show me what you know.
Me: Um, G
Him (pleased): Good! Do you know any more?
Me: Um, D
Him: Good!
Me: E
Him: Good.
Me: A
Him: Good.
Me: C
Him: good. . .
Me: A minor
Him (WTF look): . . .good. . .
Anyway, the lesson was a lot of fun since I kind of felt comfortable with the guitar, and could follow a lot of what he was talking about (those days are coming to an end though, I can tell). I did mention my love for John Mayer, and I think he thought I meant it in a teeny bopper kind of way, I meant it in a "I respect his grammy winning guitar playing ability" kind of way). He's really cool though. Pretty much everything I was hoping for in a guitar teacher (I feel weird calling him a teacher, since he's like my age).
It kind of feels like a bad episode of Made though, and I'm just waiting for the episode where I haven't been practicing and he's like "You don't even want to play guitar! Why am I wasting my time for you?"
Today was my second lesson and still fun! I dazzled him with my rhythm (I have rhythm! He should have seen me at the bar last night). I still feel like I know more than most of his students, but we still have a lot to do. Actually, we got to bar chords, which I'm not too sure of, and he looked kinda relieved and said something about how there's still a lot to learn haha. All things considered, a lot of fun for me, not feeling like a total loser.
So word to the wise: sign up for those English as a Second Language courses! Take Driver's Ed! Get your GED!
I'm off to AA!