From China Grove to Bristol Shore

Yeah, I didn't post last week.  I was a little discouraged, trying to make "Sunshine" fluid.  John gave me the rest of the song so I could play the whole thing, but I wasn't confident I was getting it. 

He also gave me a choice on what new song to learn.  He said, "Eric Johnson or Van Halen?"  Just hearing EJ's name makes me smile and I think I said, "Whaddaya mean?" but who the heck knows?  Anyway, he picked out the intro to "Bristol Shore" and I was grinning like a lunatic.  I told him I definitely wanted to learn that kind of thing--that it was one of the original goals I set for myself. 

And what about Van Halen?  He played VH's cover of "You Really Got Me" which looked more like what I'd been practicing, with the power chords and all, so I chose that.  It looked like I could do it, with enough practice, and he tried to show me how to palm-mute.  He makes it look so easy.

Nephew Conner Fersner
showing off the wah-wah
we bought him

Then on Sunday, we had the opportunity to hear our nephew, Conner, play.  Oh my God!  He is so good!  He made all those songs just . . . flow.  And he made it all look so effortless.  He said, "Here, get Dad's guitar Aunt Mary O.  We can play together."  I was like, "Are you out of your mind?!"  I'm nowhere near his level, and now I can understand why his dad, Joe, is somewhat discouraged with his own lessons.  Man!  That kid's good.

So I was a little down walking into my lesson on Monday.  But as has been the case after all of my lessons, I was grinnin' like crazy upon leaving.  John said I wasn't doing too badly--I was actually doing pretty well.  He reminded me that Conner's been taking lessons from him for a long time--four or five years.  'Course then, I had to laugh--how good did I expect to be in a month and a half?  Hahaha!!

For this next lesson, I'll have two weeks of practice because I'm not going to make it next week.  On top of practicing the songs I've been doing, and the techniques involved, John also gave me the Doobie Brother's "China Grove."  I'm having a lot of fun with that. It's got that string-dulling, chunka-chunka sound I like so much.  I saw Conner do it on Sunday and I was envious of his skill.  (I shouldn't be envious.  I'll never catch up to him, but I sure am proud of him!)

With the extra practice time I'll have before my next lesson, I asked John about "Bristol Shore" and he showed me.  I was so psyched!  I came home and listened to the song and then started to work.  Gosh, I can't believe it, but I'm really doing it!  Not only that, but you can even recognize "China Grove."  That makes me happy!  Chunka-chunka!