GUITAR NIGHT STARTER PACK

Guitar night always starts the same: With a plan.

Plan to sound musical, nothing more, nothing less.

The plan is successful when two people play together the first time and agree they sounded good.

For at least ten seconds. Why ten seconds?

Everyone can agree on ten seconds. It’s not much, but it builds hope.

Those ten seconds can fuel hours of practice, real practice, where you sound better each time.

Learning new things has a small window, right after tuning up.

Mindless noodling is what you call it after you learn something new. Repeat it, then repeat it again, and again, and again.

If you want to learn a new riff and keep it, find a song you play and include the new part.

Keep repeating it until it’s driven and engraved in your muscle memory.

Get it down well enough and you start thinking how you could sound even better.

How?

 

How To Earn A New Guitar

First convince yourself you’ve taken it to the limit with the gear you’ve got.

You’re reached a plateau and you can’t get off. You need help.

Help is spelled Fender Telecaster, which means new guitar, or at least new to you.

At one time the Telecaster was new to everyone.

The funny thing is you can still find a guitar carrying the same DNA.

The Tele’s musical DNA matches your musical DNA? Yes, it does.

You had no hope for such a dream coming true and now you need one more than anything.

It’s a blonde telecaster or nothing.

It’s the answer to the musical question of ‘how can I get better?’

You’ve head all of the standard advice from the usual sources: practice with intent, take lessons, do an open mic.

Or, get a new guitar.

 

The Right Guitar

What are your shattered hopes and dreams that a new guitar can piece back together?

All of them.

Had a bad childhood? Play that guitar.

Failed in sports? Play that guitar.

College dropout? Play that guitar.

Married the wrong person? Play it.

Your kids are exhausting? Play that guitar.

Play guitar enough and your childhood comes into focus.

Maybe it wasn’t you, it was your parents?

Practice long and focus like you never did for any sport and you finally get it. You weren’t that bad, you just didn’t apply yourself.

You would have stayed in college if you had had the right guitar. Now what? Finish up.

Play well enough and the person you married sees you in a different light, and you see them right back. Hugs all around.

Your kids pick it up and start playing and they’re still exhausting, just in a new way, your way. (Come on, Dylan)

 

PS:

There are pills for high blood pressure and high cholesterol related to guitar night.

Like petting a dog, or taking deep breaths, playing a guitar is adding more to living a good life than it takes away.

It may feel like it’s taking a lot when you pay and leave the store, but the musical part is therapeutical, communicative, and artistic.

Your guitar has a shape that fits you. If it doesn’t, it’s the wrong one.

 

PSS:

Once you play that guitar, sing a song.

They go together if you find the right key. Go ahead and surprise yourself.

Not a singer? You are now.

Still not a singer? Hum along. Let’s go.