Jeff Jones is a musician (Page 1 of 6)

Once upon a time there was a younger pattyluvsjoe and she learned to play every musical instrument & string for that music degree in 1978.  Her specialties were the "licorice stick" clarinet, bass guitar, upright bass, and piano.

P.S.  Never did learn to play the accordion though........or the harmonica.......maybe in a dream 

"I'm not nice to any guitar!"     
                 Joe Bonamassa 05-03-12

JBLP CHILD #184

Well I 'm glad you asked......... I play guitar, bass, drums, some harmonica and some keys. The bad things is I got laid off and sold them all, so now I play none!

CarljMD checking in from balmy (today) Maryland.  Just turned 46, been involved with music pretty much my whole life....learned folk guitar with my mom and Laura Weber on public television beginning at age 8...Tingaleo, Tom Dooley, Little Boxes....took a few years of piano lessons and had aspirations to be a synthesizer player, but my Bar Mitzvah payoff was much less than some of my neighbors, so I wound up buying a used cheap guitar and amp with a lousy tremolo (think "Crimson & Clover") around 12 and the rest, as they say, is history.  I guess I'd rate myself as an intermediate player, I can play most basic chords pretty well...my leads are a work in progress....but despite having listened to the jazz-fusion greats and progressive music from Yes to Dream Theater, I didn't absorb much of it....still enjoy it all though.

I have been in a few non-serious cover bands and play at local blues jams every other week or so, and with a few friends as often as possible.   People generally applaud and don't run out of the room screaming when I play/sing so I guess it's not that bad.  I've had a couple of golden opportunities to play on stage with national acts Albert Castiglia and Jason Ricci....very nice guys who have a lot of guts inviting a player they've never heard to play with them at a paying gig.  Needless to say, the thrill of a lifetime.  I once joked with Joe about it and his comment was "well, the more the merrier" but I never had the guts to actually try and make it happen.  I do a half-decent version of "You Upset Me" though.

I think it'd be cool as heck to get a bunch of us together some time and do a big jam...I'm willing to travel.

CarljMD

I "play" the guitar (it's more like hitting strings and wishing I could play better, but nonetheless...) and a little bit of keys (even worse at those).  My main strength is behind the mixing console.  I went to school and got a degree in recording engineering and enjoy that quite a bit.  Unfortunately where I live there just isn't a great demand for that profession, so I am content with all these things just being very enjoyable hobbies.

I also plan on getting into building guitars and tube amplifiers as well, but we shall see.....

I've played guitar for over 25 years now. Started out with Jazz lessons in NY for a couple of years, but after the first couple of months of lessons, I started a high school band and played lead guitar on the heavy music of the day (AC/DC, Judas Priest, Sabbath, Def Leppard, Rush).

So while I took jazz lessons, I was mostly practicing and learning rock by ear off of the records (my old records have the scratches to prove it!). I would learn entire records from beginning to end. I think if you have some natural ability, learning by ear can be the best way to learn. It helps later on when you are playing with other people, you can pick up what they are doing and just play along, as opposed to having to have it written down for you. I read somewhere that this is how all of the old blues guys learned to play, by watching, listening and stealing licks.

I also feel very lucky to have picked this up when I was younger (15). You have unlimited time, enthusiasm and energy to practice. I used to practice 4 hours a day when I was starting out and I loved it. I only wish I would have started earlier. Now I'm lucky if I can pick up the guitar for an 30min to an hour a day, but I still try to play almost every day.

Ken

Someone asked me today...."do you have any other hobbies?". Hobby???....it's a way of life. It's not like I collect stamps or enjoy DIY at weekends. Take away my guitars or my ability to gig and you may as well put me in the box and screw down the lid.

Thanks all,

It appears that we have more guitarists on this forum than any else.  Makes sense...it's not Victor Wootens Forum, is it?  But I was curious nonetheless...

Carl, a jam...a blues jam?  YES!  Great idea.

bigjeff

Shredit at 999!!!!