the nature of your pleasure

[d03nut]

Obvious to everyone here: we all love to play the acoustic guitar. But I'm sure we all can't be deriving the exact same "type" of pleasure from it. Among other things, we all have "arrived" to the acoustic world from different places. Some of us are just beginning, some are pros, some hobbyists (some even lobbyists but that's a whole 'nother story) and some unhappy keyboard players? Is there another kind really? Just kidding, of course.

 

Be that as it may, I'm just curious to find out what a typical "solo-by-yourself acoustic session" entails for you. What, you just pick up your guitar whenever and start strumming, or are there "rituals" involved? Like putting the kids to bed -or attempting to have kids, wink wink- and then reading all the posts here, then with gas fully induced proceed to play? Or do you have to wait for the moon to come out cause you're such a romantic at heart? Or perhaps just a case of Vampyros Acousticos?

 

But what I really want to know is what happens to you once you've started your playing? Is the "pleasure" you're experiencing purely aural? I want to know what your playing "triggers" in you. 'Cause I've heard/read people saying that they could just play a G chord on some new guitar for an hour. "The tone's that good", they say.

 

And I fully understand and have been guilty of that myself. Sometimes I'm just quite content playing something basic and simple. Admittedly, this kind of "minimalistic" approach to playing obviously doesn't involve any "art". It's not poetic and it certainly doesn't require a lot of skill. But why then does such simplicity bring me joy? Like the audio version of looking at a beautiful color, it's probably stirring up something very primal and instinctive deep within me.

 

Is your playing ever "vicarious"? Do you picture yourself on stage as Neil Young, or maybe alongside him?

 

Does it involve mental imagery? Do you close your eyes and travel to other "places"? Is the sad song that you're playing taking you back to a missing loved one?

 

Are you getting your thrills from the fact that you possess this "skill" that distinguishes you from others? Maybe you just like your fingers moving in strange geometrical patterns?

 

Well, maybe I'm starting to lose focus here. All I'm saying my friends is that if you're not experiencing pleasure while playing your guitar, well then I suggest you give scuba diving or knitting a try. We all must experience "joy" in some way. You only live once.

 

Ok, I've done my ritual. Now I can play.........

[JasmineTea]

Everything.

[jackwr]

Too much keyboard and not enough guitar makes for long posts.

I play because I can. Because I can, I play more so I can play better, play more....stop typing.......Love when I forget the rotation and hit the zone....that's the joy....yea yea that's the ticket ...... hit the zone you know d03!

[kwakatak]

When I play guitar
time keeps on slippin slippin slippin
into the future

translation: I go into sort of a semi trance. Worries go away for the duration.

On a good session the little hairs on my arms stand up and I get goose bumps. On the rare occassion that I sing and play that effect is doubled. Never had an orgasm though I do try.