First Lesson



How about these hipster glasses?

 I had my first lesson with John Smith yesterday morning.  Man!  I knew I didn't know much, but my eyes were opened to a whole new world of guitar playing.  Now let's see if I can put those things into practice.

I played (and sang, much to the chagrin of both of us, probably) "Shanty" by Jonathon Edwards, that fun 70's-era song that's about . . . a-hem . . . well, we'll just leave it at the title and author for now.  The point is, it's pretty easy, but it includes a couple of chords, one of which I just recently learned to do efficiently and the other I haven't.  Plus it gave him some idea of my lack of rhythm.

He asked if I'd ever played what he called "partial chords."  I had never heard of them.  Then he said, "power chords" and I thought I knew what he was talking about.  Turns out I didn't know that either.  So he set me out on four or five of those that are giving the callous on my index, or number one finger, a run for its money.  Good thing I had built it up somewhat beforehand. 

He gave me "Wild Thing" to practice A, D and E in this partial form, which one would think would be easier because they don't involve all three fingers.  But no-o-o-o.  Hahaha!!  I think his seven year old students have an easier time with this because they've never learned any other method.  Okay, I'm an old fart.  So sue me.  I also got AC/DC's "TNT" to practice using those three chords plus G.

For rhythm practice he gave me Bob Dylan's "Wagon Wheel" most recently done by Old Crow Medicine Show.  I looked it up on YouTube and thought, "Wow!  That song has both kinds of music; country and western."  As most of you know--not my thing.  But, it will give me valuable practice with both my rhythm and something else he wants me to work on--my fingers placed on the strings correctly, all at once, instead of one at a time, regardless of how perfectly adequate I think it may be.  Hahaha!!  John said he'd found that to be pretty common in folks who were mostly "self taught."  I definitely don't feel like the only one who's had to relearn "form."

What I found during practice yesterday evening was that placing those fingers on all three strings at once is not as easy as it sounds.  Especially after thirty-five years (off and on) of finding the strings individually.  I laughed and laughed when I realized my chord changes chomped down like an alligator in my attempts to do this correctly.  I'm sure "you had to be there" but trust me--it was pretty hilarious. 

I'm not giving up after one hour of practice.  Even I know I can only go up from here.  I may not have it down perfectly for a while, but I'll keep plugging away.  And for those of you out there who play guitar--watch out!  I plan to pick your brains whenever I see you.  I need all the help I can get!