Have you ever given up playing?

[DonK]

Not really, though I'm tempted to anytime I watch a video of Danny Gatton or Eric Johnson.

[Hamhand]

Yep, what Randy an Cripes said, to a "T".

[Sparhawk]

I started when I was 8. Played almost everyday till I was in my mid 20's and then when through a bad marriage. Guess I ran away from everything at that point wanting a fresh start. Fast forward to 20 years later. My wife asked why I never played the guitar in the closet. So, I pulled it out. She and my son enjoy hearing me play and it sure does take away the stress at the end off a long day. I'm more focused at this point on improving my technique, but not to the point where it takes the fun out of it for me. At 50, it is more enjoyable now than it ever was before while in bands.

Then I found the online boards like HC where I developed GAS. I think my wife wants to start filtering my internet access. . . .

[rjoxyz]

My wife asked why I never played the guitar in the closet. QUOTE]


Funny...my wife asks me why I don't play in the closet too!!

[johnkline]

I don't know about stopping, but I just picked up the guitar for the first time when I turned 33. Just after my second child was born, and I decided to learn since I was going to be home quite a bit, (no golfing for a long time!), anyway he's almost 3 in a couple months, so I guess I've been playing for almost 3 years now. Wish I would've started sooner, but it's all fun learning...

[D For Kate]

Apart from the first time I quit at the very beginning, Ive never stopped playing since.

However, I see my guitar playing as a winter and autumn recreation. come to think of it, thats probably why im drawn towards melancholy music. Spring and summer is too nice to be practising indoors.

[DeepEnd]

I started playing when I was in late high school/early college. I played more-or-less continuously until I was maybe in my late 20's then just stopped. The fact that my only guitar at the time was my 12-string didn't help much. Then in 2003, when our church was celebrating its centennial--and I was celebrating my own half-centennial--I got the bug to write a hymn to commemorate the occasion. I wrote the lyrics and made up a melody, then I got out my guitar and made a tape so our organist could arrange the harmony. The following spring, we were welcoming a new pastor and I got picked to sing the anthem on his first Sunday. I played and sang John Denver's song, "Gospel Changes." Our new pastor was a fellow guitarist and the two of us plus another guitarist started playing in worship. I can truly say that my playing is a gift from God.

[Stackabones]

Funny...my wife asks me why I don't play in the closet too!!

Oh, man, this is just too easy ... like a slow hanging curve just waiting to be knocked out of the park ...

So when are y'all coming out of the closet?

[larry50]

Yup, for nearly 35 years in between law school and establishing a law career-getting married-having a kid-paying the mortage-etc. Then I went to a small concert at Eric Schoeberg's in Tiburon CA featuring Roy Bookbinder, a great Blues fingerstyle guitarists who played a about a dozen delta and piedmont blues pieces, and there I was in this fabulous guitar shop surrounded by what turned out to be Martins, Collins, Goodall's, Santa Cruz's etc. The bug hit hard. So I went back the next day with my 12 year old and asked Eric if I could play a cheapo to show my daughter. So I tried a first position E chord. I mean, I knew where the chord was, but THE FINGERS WOULD NOT SLAP DOWN! I mean, here was a guy who at one time knew Heart of Gold, and Needle and the Damage Done, and the first 15 bars of Stairway for crissakes, and I couldn't finger an E chord! Somehow I managed an Em chord and my daughter was very impressed. I was furious. One week later, I bought a Martin (my beloved D-35) and I have been a guitar maniac ever since. Doing the meat and potatoes I never did, theory, scales, etc. etc., found some really good teachers for the fingerstyle blues I prefer. Still crappy, but very happy, which is not bad at all.

[spruce goose]

I started playing in high school (duh), and wrote a bunch of songs, but never joined a band (though I got some offers, I was only interested in playing/writing by myself).

 

Then, 4 years ago, I left my native country (Israel), and moved to NYC to study biology. For the first 3.5 years I rarely played. Then I bought an Mbox mini, and started recording. Shortly thereafter, I bought a squier bass (I already had my strat and an acoustic). Then, I recorded a bunch of songs. Like, over a hundred of them in as many days.

 

Then, last month, I stopped recording due to problems with my software (and probably just for the heck of it). Eventually I will increase my RAM, and start recording again. Funny thing is, earlier today, I found myself looking at the craigslist musicians section (creating/joining band ads). Never did that before. It's like I'm almost willing to join a band now. However, in reality, I don't have time for this now. Maybe after the holidays (i.e. in Jan 2008).

[guitarist21]

Oh, man, this is just too easy ... like a slow hanging curve just waiting to be knocked out of the park ... So when are y'all coming out of the closet?

A very funny gay guy once said, "If there's a closet somewhere full of gay people, why aren't I in it?"

Ellen

[garthman]

Like many others, I had a big gap. I started playing in late teens and played daily for a few years. Then along came work, wife, work, house, work, kid, work, another kid, work, bigger house, work, etc. Throughout this period my (2) guitars hung on the wall and were played for 10 minutes about once a month.

Started playing daily again about 5 years ago when above pressures diminished somewhat, bought a few more guitars to celebrate and am enjoying playing so much that I might buy a few more.

[darksun]

i think a lot of beginners give up after a year or two because they don't realise how long it takes to become a good guitarist, they think " iv' been at this for two years and im still cr@p", they see it as two wasted years and give up, i know the "how long until im good" question really annoys some people but i think it's a question beginners need answered to avoid disallusionment early on, i think there would be a lower dropout rate if newbies came in with their eyes wide open,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Soooooooooooooo, whats the answer?????????? how long God damnit?????????

[Sparhawk]

Oh, man, this is just too easy ... like a slow hanging curve just waiting to be knocked out of the park ... So when are y'all coming out of the closet?

OI!

[babablowfish]

i think a lot of beginners give up after a year or two because they don't realise how long it takes to become a good guitarist, they think " iv' been at this for two years and im still cr@p", they see it as two wasted years and give up, i know the "how long until im good" question really annoys some people but i think it's a question beginners need answered to avoid disallusionment early on, i think there would be a lower dropout rate if newbies came in with their eyes wide open,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Soooooooooooooo, whats the answer?????????? how long God damnit?????????

 

 

The problem is how you define "good." IMHO it is easy to listen to someone else and get discouraged. Just learn to enjoy being able to do what you can and build from there. If Leo Kottke is your standard for "good" then there are very few of us who will ever be any good. If you define "good" as being able to play and maybe sing and enjoy yourself, then you should be able to get "good" in a year or less. Then it is just a matter of enjoying yourself, working at it and getting "better."

[Glenn F]

 

I hope you have at least given psychotherapy a try. If not, do. Many people mistakenly believe that meds alone will solve the problem and that is rarely the case. Also, there are a lot of folks practicing psychotherapy who are not all that good. Finding a good therapist often takes some time.

 

 

Well,

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Pills don't work for me, psychotherapy is problematic for a number of reasons. But, over the course of my life, there's been lots of the latter. It seems to me that the best psychotherapy can do for people like me is to help them acquire a comfortable level of discomfort. I haven't managed that yet, and doubt I ever will.

 

Cheers!

 

Glenn

[davemal]

Like almost everyone I dabbled a couple of times while at school but the family no-name nylon string and the accompanying 'How to play guitar' book & cassette just didn't cut it. Very disillusioned. Despite enjoying music, I thought I was 'just not musical'.

Fast forward 20 years and a mate who runs a music store bought me a beginners acoustic pack for my 40th birthday - with an updated how to play book/dvd !

This was fun until I got into a rut again as I didn't seem to be making progress.. I then took some courses at the local community college - I am still taking them 18 months later. A few weeks ago I upgraded to an Alvarez solid top and I'm playing whenever I can.

Still very much a beginner and I have limited natural ability but I am enjoying the progress and (some of) the music that I am making.

cheers

[Tony Burns]

about 13 years ago i quit ( for the most part ) and i started back up about 3 + years ago , figured about the only way i would really get into it again was to buy a new guitar - so thats when i bought my Martin OM28v , i had alot of guitars in storage , but i just wanted something different - since then ive added 2 other guitars to my collection - I figured i really need to play, it helps me spend some private time as well as work things out in my life- as well as do something challenging - To me its more than the music -- to also add i started playing out again - kinda like learning how to walk all over again -

[Muddslide]

I already chimed in, but I feel like adding that I'm afraid I may have to go off it again before long. I've played for almost 30 years, and back in my teens and twenties played in many bands, many gigs, many sessions, both on guitar and bass. Then--as many have echoed--marriage, kids, bills, work, grad school, etc.

I picked it back up in earnest early last year and quickly discovered I was no longer interested in electric gear or rock style playing. I like pre- war music for the most part, and decided to stay strictly acoustic and work in more early country/rural blues/jazz and ragtime-type veins.

However, I have what I assume is arthritis-- or something, anyway, that is really bothering my hands and wrists--particularly my left. When I play the 6-string, I have no stamina and the pain becomes more acute. I need to see someone about it, but there are other medical issues in my family that will be taking precedent.

My solution so far has entailed sticking more to my ukuleles, which don't cause me trouble. I also recently scored a tenor acoustic, which has a thin enough neck that it's much easier and pain free. I plan to add a tenor banjo to the fold soon.

I've decided that if I ever get to where I simply can't play a stringed instrument, I'll just take up the harmonica. I'm working on the harmonica anyway and enjoy it, but I don't think it alone will ever be anywhere near as fulfilling, so I hope I can continue with the 4-string instruments and have occasional forays into 6-string land.

Glenn F.--sending good thoughts your way, friend. I understand some of what you are going through. Hopefully music itself can be of solace to you. There may be no total cure for what you suffer with, but try to surround yourself with things that make you laugh or feel lighthearted, whether that be old Marx Bros. comedies, good fun music, being out in nature, or the companionship of family and friends.

I know the worst thing I can do when it overtakes me is to be alone in an overly-familar place brooding. ring up a buddy and take in a concert or visit a pub with some musicians playing (just don't self-medicate too much.)

Take care of yourself.

[babablowfish]

Well, Thanks for the suggestion. Pills don't work for me, psychotherapy is problematic for a number of reasons. But, over the course of my life, there's been lots of the latter. It seems to me that the best psychotherapy can do for people like me is to help them acquire a comfortable level of discomfort. I haven't managed that yet, and doubt I ever will. Cheers! Glenn

 

 

Sorry to hear it has been so rough for you; I used to suffer from depression and it is a problem in my family. I wish you well.

[Glenn F]

Thanks for your good wishes! Same back atcha, to all those who've had Darkness chase them....

 

Buying the guitars that I bought this summer has given me a boost in my joy in making music. I've played more since June than I had in about 10 years, probably. I bought a really nice nylon string (Hanika 54PC) that really soothes the soul; the Seagull S12, which sounds really lovely, especially with new strings on her; an Ibanez Artcore AS103 NT, which I can rock out on when I am feeling a bit blue, and a baby Alvarez to take out and play in the park, weather permitting.

 

Next year, if circumstances permit, I'll probably get a D-28, or a Larrivee. It might be an idea to look into some lessons as well.

 

Cheers!

 

Glenn

[happy-man]

Sister loaned me her guitar to learn on when I was in high school. So I had a nylon string, a Mel Bay book, and nothing to drive me. She asked for it back a year or so later when she learned I wasn't using it. Picked the bug back up in college and then really did want to learn. Learned to fingerpick and just basic open chords. My problem has been that I had nothing to really drive me. I've played in church, led singing at church etc., but never did anything to progress. Never had any lessons. So except for the initial false start, I never stopped completely, I just didn't progress or do much. A few years ago a friend told me about an open mic. I went (to watch), loved it, and decided that was just the thing I needed to motivate me to actually work on guitar. For for the last few years I've been open mic-ing about once a week and really enjoying guitar.

I can't imaging stopping now. I'm no great guitar player, in fact I only do simple stuff, but it's part of me now. If you told me I was being sent to an island and could only bring a few things, a guitar would be near the top of the list.

Scott O

[lauren]

Seems to be roughly the pause play period for a lot of people here. I started at 11, wrote my own songs, in bands on and off for years, mostly original stuff. Then I did my PhD and the guitar just sat there like the black dog thumping it's tail and when i became really depressed, something I too suffer from, i would pick it up and remember that it chased the black dog away. Had a really bad bout at the beginning of the year and decided to pick up the guitar again properly. Severe GAS ensued, well for my income anyway - trying to make up for lost time. Then I found this site and it has helped me so much for it to become a major part of my life again.

[Jesse G]

When I'd only been playing for a few months I wanted to put it down, and my dad made me promise I would stick with it and practice every day for at least 6 months.

Now, it's my life and I give lessons and I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't started playing.

[Cripes]

Seems to be roughly the pause play period for a lot of people here. I started at 11, wrote my own songs, in bands on and off for years, mostly original stuff. Then I did my PhD and the guitar just sat there like the black dog thumping it's tail and when i became really depressed, something I too suffer from, i would pick it up and remember that it chased the black dog away. Had a really bad bout at the beginning of the year and decided to pick up the guitar again properly. Severe GAS ensued, well for my income anyway - trying to make up for lost time. Then I found this site and it has helped me so much for it to become a major part of my life again.

 

 

Black Dog. If I remember right, Winston Churchill also had severe bouts with depression and he also called it his black dog. Think when I get a dog it won't be black.

 

This little forum has helped me in a lot of ways - informative, thought provoking, hilarious at times and even mean - and not being a person to sit in front of a television it is also one source of entertainment for me. Beats throwing rocks at passing cars.