I am not an expert, being a hobby guitarist rather than a performer, and my skill level over the years has risen from average to mediocre, but I thought that the satisfaction of playing a guitar or any other instrument was practicing it until you could get out of it the sounds that you had in your head. If you start putting a lot of processing units into the mix, surely you are playing a synthesiser and not a guitar? I have nothing against synthesisers but they are not my choice of instrument.
What is really good in the music shops at the moment are all of the instructional DVDs that are available, I have tried a few and they are very good as a training aid. Perhaps I might pass as mediocre plus. I have the signature licks series produced by Hal Leonard, and can now do a passibly good approximation of BB King. The total accuracy series is also pretty good and has sharpened up my blues soloing. If I can find a good Bonnie Raitt or Ry Cooder, I might have another go at slide, which has so far never come easy to me.
Anyway I am new to this blogging lark and my hope is that it will prove to be a usefull way of swapping information with other guitarists and musicians on products and music. This first post is sort of an introductory letter and as I have not sat down and thought it out before writting, so it is going to sound a little rambling, so let me set out my stall so to speak.
- I am a hobby guitarist, with no intention of performing anywhere except possibly for family and friend (I can't sing, vocally I could not carry a tune in a basket which is a bit limiting, but does force me to work hard on improving my playing)
- I prefer acoustic guitars, but spend most of my practice time playing electric, because I can do that through headphones without annoying family and neighbours- the walls around here are not much for sound insulation.
- I play a lot of blues, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen (because they can't sing either and so it is easier for me to get away with it)
- I am not a guitar collector having one acoustic and one electric, but I have noticed that a company called Brandoni Custom Guitars, do a number of self assembly guitar kits, and I quite fancy having a go at putting together a Telecaster style guitar (the American made Fenders are pretty plain and look straightforward, so I think I could do just as good a job provided that I take it slowly and pay attention to the finishing)
- I am not keen on a lot of processed sounds, which is probably one reason for preferring acoustic guitars.
- I would really love to play Jazz, but my Jazz lead playing is not convincing, and needs a lot more work
- I really dislike that even using an unamplified acoustic I have to play quietly if I am going to practice for more than 30 minutes
