Amish Guitar

Why didn't anyone tell me that finger picking isn't nearly as complicated as it looks (though still complicated enough to do it right)?

First pentatonic scales and now finger picking. Amish Guitar is expanding his repertoire.

More to follow.

I have really been neglecting AmishGuitar lately. I've not had too much to say, to tell the truth. Real life has kind of taken over the last few months. I haven't really had any new experiences with the guit-fiddle to write about, or tried something new to report on. In fact, I've not had much time or reason to get the blasted thing out of it's case for much more than a quick noodle in what seems like forever.

Right now I'm writing from a family reunion to which I was able to bring my guitar. My brother in law had said he'd bring his out as well, but much to my surprise he brought an electric and a small amp. His is a Yamaha Pacifica and a Roland Micro Cube amp.

Now, I've always eschewed the electric and written about the simple pleasure of the acoustic. But. Me likey. I'm not a loud, in your face, heavy metal slasher type guy, so I've always said to myself that I'd have no interest in an electric, but I was very surprised to find out how much I enjoyed playing it. I still don't like a lot of distortion, but it was a pretty sweet sound that I was able to produce from that tiny amp. Don't think I'll be getting one anytime soon, but it's nice to know I am no longer afraid of the idea.

My BIL and I haven't had much time to play together. We brought our instruments only to learn that we're at very different levels of skill (he's been playing for, what, 15 years?) and I don't know a lot of the songs and artists that he knows. But we've had time to chat about guitars and playing and that's been nice. He did a really nice blues riff and I noticed that he was just playing a scale on the 5 and 7 fret. I'm hoping we have time that he can show me what he was doing, but the house is VERY busy most of the time.

I'm hoping that real life will settle down soon.

I've not had much time or inclination to post here over the last few weeks. Real life has gotten quite interesting and I've alluded to some of it already. My wife's health continues to be a concern, though she is clearly on the mend. Beyond that there is several lessor stress inducing events going on that have had my attention. At the top of that list is the fact that we're trying desperately to sell and be rid of this house during a miserable housing market. That, plus having a flooded basement during our first showing last week really took the wind out of my sail.

It's not that I haven't taken the time to play. It's just that I don't know what I'd write about it. Thankfully spring has finally come to northern Indiana and I've taken advantage of the warmer weather. Last Wednesday I was able to take Patrick (my Oscar Schmidt) out to the library's picnic table and just wail away a lot of my frustrations. Nearby to the table the library has erected a bird feeder and I was not alone in my song making. It was a little unreal in hearing birdsong alongside my passionate, hard strumming. But the end result was my becoming a little gentler and I was struck at how the two sounds merged and meshed. I even fancied that the birds were somehow reacting and echoing my guitar. How much of that may have been true, I don't know. I'm just saying that I was struck with the beauty of birdsong and I was truly inspired that half hour.

Stress will ever be a part of our lives, but if I can find those half hours every now and again, I'll be ok.

It has been a long week. An incredibly long week. I've spent the past 10 days taking care of house and home by myself as my wife recovers in hospital from a sudden illness. Well, lets say a lingering illness that suddenly got worse. At any rate, it's been a long week.

Tonight, however, and with my wife's blessing, I spent the evening with a friend playing guitar and cracking wise. My in-laws came to town and, naturally, they wanted to see their daughter at the hospital. Quite honestly, I was pleased for the break. My parents took the kids for the evening leaving me free to spend time with Doug.

Doug and I have been trying to get together to play for over a year now. Just never seemed to work out. As it was, I couldn't have asked for a nicer time. We sat in his kitchen playing songs, drinking beverages (him:beer, me: Diet. Dr. Pepper--but I really wanted a beer--damn low carb diet) and just generally catching up with each other. It isn't often he gets an evening away from his family either, but his daughter had a swim meet in Indianapolis and he couldn't get away from work obligations.

It was a good mix. I can't play to his level and he can't sing to mine, so we either sounded great or we sounded like crap. But we had fun.

And I feel so much better.

I just picked up my third guitar. Why do I need a third guitar? I have absolutely no idea.

I won the guitar in a silent auction at a local thrift shop that supports my denomination's relief, development and peace agency, the Mennonite Central Committee. I was secretly hoping that I'd be outbid because I bid without looking the instrument over very well or checking its reputation online. And I'm a cheap bastard. But, I didn't pay an exorbitant amount and the cash does support something I find worthwhile.

It's a Yamaha FG-331 and is in relatively good condition. I think. I didn't notice just how high the action is and am a bit worried as the saddle seems to have already been lowered at some point in its life. I suppose I'll take it home, clean it up and put on new strings and see what it is really like. If we can ever find our digital camera, I'll post pics and a quick first impressions soon.

I've not been able to play my guitar the last few evenings. Well, make that I haven't wanted to. I suppose all players go through periods where they just don't feel like playing. It's odd, though, that as my depression has lifted this winter, I've wanted to play less. You'd think I'd have more energy and desire to play. It's not that way, however. The only way I can express it is to say there isn't any music in me right now. Playing guitar has always been cathartic for me. Actually, the very genesis of this journey was to pour my depression and anxious energy into a more productive endeavor. And I've written more than once about how hearing the music I play brings out emotions I wasn't aware I was dealing with. So, I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that as I feel better, I don't need the therapy as much.

Part of the problem too is that I've reached the end of being a beginner. It's no longer a challenge at the level I'm at; no longer something to overcome. And I'm not sure what the next step will be.

At any rate, this isn't the end for AmishGuitar. I recognize it for what it is--a lull, a respite. I enjoy playing in church and for my kids way too much for me to walk away now.

I've been thinking there should be a saying guitarists could share not unlike the actor's "break a leg." Perhaps there is one and I just don't know it (I don't "gig" a lot).

How about:

Break a string (or is that too obvious?)

Strum on!

May your barres be true!

Break somethin'!

May Chet be with ya!

Don't @#$% it up! (actually, I have heard that one)

Break a neck! (hmmm... I like the double meaning!)

Slice a finger!

Any other suggestions?

I've been making good on my goal and working on "Falling Slowly." It's a little maddening as it is a simple song that continues to elude me. I'm having trouble with the chord changes and have to think too much about where my fingers should land. I'm not yet able to make a smooth transition between the chords and keep time. But it's coming along.

I did find a youtuber (my Junior High English teacher just rolled over in her grave)who posted a lesson in how to play the song. He claims that it is exactly how Glen Hansard plays it. It's the closest thing I've been able to find, but I think Glen wraps his thumb around on the first fret to get an F on the 6th string and ring out that low bass during the finger picking part. The poster also talks about a Fsus2 chord. And the librarian in me just can't let it go without correcting it. The chord he describes-- xx3213 is Fadd9, not Fsus2. I know it's a bit of nit picking because both chords are created by adding a G. A true Fsus2 would have you suspend the third (A) and play the second (G) instead. Fadd9 is adding the 9th pitch above the root, but you leave all the other components of the triad alone. So, while the second and the ninth are both G, it's not quite the same thing. At least, that's how I understand it.

Nevertheless, the youtuber breaks the song down very well and teaches the mechanics simple enough for my 38 year old brain to understand it. Thanks tallie7487, whoever you are!

OK, theory lesson over. Now on to the vid:

The library was closed today so that staff could have an in-service session. One of my colleagues brought a guitar as part of his presentation. I thought that was pretty cool. Until he played it. It sounded awful. I asked him why it sounded so tinny, when did he last change the strings?

OMG.

He's had this Epiphone for 4 years and has never changed the strings. In fact, he bought the guitar used so he has no idea how old they are.

Why change them when they stay in tune?, he asks.

Well, for one thing, they didn't stay in tune. Every chord was a banshee shriek of agony. Second, playing in tune isn't the only thing that makes a guitar sound good. You have to produce good tone--that pleasing guitar sound that one can recognize as a guitar. As in, what's that sound?--oh, it's a pleasing guitar. Your goal should not be: what's that sound?--oh a female yak in heat...whoops, not a yak, just a cheap bastard with a guitar.

People! If others are telling you that your guitar sounds like a rutting, cattle-like mammal, change your strings!

Sadly, he is not the person mentioned in Guitar Lesson #8.

Honestly, though his skill was good, I had to leave because it was just on that last nerve, ya know?

Found an article by a Paul Humphries called Don't give in-You're never too old at Guitarnoise.com. I don't know anything about the author, but his story sure sounds familiar. I knew there were other people like me out there--people who picked up the guitar later in life.

The things I have learned that are obvious in retrospect:

10. Learning guitar is a journey, not a means to an end. There is a guy that plays in our praise team at church that can just to marvelous things with his guitar. I can't even describe it. He makes the instrument sing, making it another voice in the ensemble rather than just an accompanying sound and rhythm. His skill just amazes and humbles me. And yet, to hear him talk of musicians he's met, I realize that he feels like he's in the same boat as me. He talks of being amazed and humbled by the abilities of others and he is far from being done in his quest in learning more.

9. Guitarists share their knowledge. Unlike other hobbies, and perhaps other musicians, I've yet to meet a guitarist who isn't willing to take a moment and answer the question "how did you do that?" I may not always understand what they've shown me, but I always appreciate it when friends and strangers alike take their time.

8. Everybody has problems with the F chord when beginning. I remember when I first read about barre chords and realized that, if I just learn how to do one, then I can move it up and down the neck and have dozens of chords at my disposal. Well, as we all know, it isn't as simple as all that. It's true that those dozen of chords are available, but it won't come as easily as all that. I've since learned of several guitarists, including professionals, that never learned barre shapes and more than a few who use alternative tunings to avoid the dreaded F. This is a learning curve for everybody.

7. Dings are not the end of the world. Like most guitarists, I would prefer a blemish free instrument. The first ding I got, I thought my world would end. I hadn't even caused it. It happened during the period of time I was laid up with my broken leg. My guitar really needed to have the strings changed and a friend offered to do so when he came by for a visit. When he retrieved my guitar, he didn't see that the case was unlatched. Bang! The drop left a ding about the size of a pencil eraser on the treble side of the upper bout. Doug was about beside himself and I was pretty put out as well. But, accidents happen and I immediately realized that it was bound to happen sooner or later. Now, whenever I see that ding, I don't think of the accident, I think of the day a friend came to visit.

6. The price of a guitar isn't what makes one happy. I have a plywood guitar. No, it isn't going to sound like a solid top and it certainly isn't going to sound like a custom build. But I really like the sound of my Art & Lutherie Folk. I can honestly say that I am not envious of the more expensive guitars my friends have nor do I have the dreaded GAS (Guitar Acquisition Syndrome). I'm happy with what I have and to go beyond would be, for me, a waste of my hard earned dollar. I don't begrudge any friend or any player that has a more expensive piece or think they've spent too much. Some play semi-professionally. Others have been blessed with the means to buy at a higher scale. I am very happy for them. Someday I would like a third guitar, probably a solid top dred, but I'm in no hurry.

5. Not everyone is going to be as enthused about guitars as I am. Even friends who play guitars. Even though I am approaching two years since I learned my first chord, it is still very new and exciting. Having had a musical life before guitar, I'm vaguely aware of what possibilities there are out there to still learn. It is easy for me to become a fanatic and want everyone to share in my excitement. However, not everyone is going to want to hear me play. Not everyone will want to endure listening to me noodle. And, more to the point, not all of my guitar playing friends will have the same level of interest that I have right now--perhaps it's old hat for them now, or perhaps it doesn't mean the same thing to them as it does to me. Learning to curb my enthusiasm and choose when and where to play goes a long way in earning respect as a player.

4. Get a good set up. A bad guitar can possibly be tweaked to be a decent guitar. A good guitar can definitely be adjusted to be a great guitar. A bad guitar forces the player to adjust to the instrument. A good set up adjusts the instrument to the player. But, I'm cautious of who I have work on my guitar. The shop were I purchased my guitar has a set up and repair service. I might trust them with simple repairs or nut replacement. But, when I asked about setting up the guitar to adjust the action, their response was to "crank down the truss rod." Well, I've read enough to know that's not the right way to do it. I have had great luck in taking my guitars into a local luthier. A little pricier and a little longer wait, but worth it.

3. Changing strings can be fun. It used to drive me nuts. Trying to keep the pins in, keeping the coils on the machine heads nice and neat. Bah! However, after learning some of the basic skills in doing so, I now look forward to changing strings. I look forward to it in an almost "Zen and the art of Guitar Maintenance" sort of way. It gives me a chance to, pardon the pun, unwind. I take the time to look over every inch of the instrument, wipe down all the fingerprints and clean out the frets. I've realized that it isn't a race to get it over and done with as soon as possible. It's a chance to forget everything else and focus in on one task. And the end result is guaranteed to be an improvement on what I started with.

2. Music is moving. Well duh. Still, I am constantly surprised at hearing my emotions in the chords, rhythms, syncopation, volume, tempo, harmonies and vibrations flowing forth from my guitar. All too often I'm not even consciously aware of what I'm feeling until I hear it. Playing has been, at times, a gift from God in getting me through some hard times. Other times it is just a joy to play because it just makes me happy.

1. Playing guitar is fun. It wasn't always. Looking through this list and I can remember times along the way I didn't know or believe or want to believe what I've just written. That guitar playing is fun is definitely one of them. At times, playing, or more to the point, learning to play, is nothing more than an exercise in pure frustration. Trying to hit that C chord cleanly after a G can still give me fits. But, with time and practice, I have come to the point that I know each time I pick up Jane or Patrick, I will make music. I may not achieve my goals for the time. I may not be able to push past the barriers I have in my skills. But, what I can do, is sufficient, if I let it be so.

Last night might be the last of 2008's fine fall evenings, lending its beauty and calm stillness to the perfect outdoor guitar noodling session. After a day of moving all the furniture from three rooms and pulling up carpet, it was a delight to sit on the front stoop and watch the sun set, playing the guitar. I was in heaven.

I must be going through a real nostalgic period with my music. I've already written about Roy Orbison's "Crying." Now, I've had another song from further back in my childhood, namely Joe Rasposo's "Sing" as made famous by The Carpenters, find its way into my head. Of course, my first introduction to the song, being a child of the 70s, was on Sesame Street. Such a seemingly simple song, it has always been a favorite. No matter where I am, if this song comes up on the radio or Muzak loudspeakers, vocal or just instrumental, I always pause to listen to it. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only 30 something to have a fondness for this tune.

Actually, I've been looking for a chord sheet for this song ever since I started playing guitar. Most arrangements have jazzy chords and in keys designed for playing on piano. My problem is that I was searching for The Carpenters as part of my keywords. Once I figured out the author was Mr. Raposo, it was easier to find a more beginner friendly version.

As familiar as the song is, I learned I didn't know it perfectly. It wasn't easy to figure out a strum pattern and it wasn't easy to really know where the chord changes are. I think I got pretty close last night. That said, it was still a wonderful evening for a childhood song.

And, as wonderful as Karen Carpenter's version is, this will always be the definitive performance for me:

I was not a normal child. I did not listen to a lot of popular music when I was a young teen. In fact, the radio in my room was always tuned to WYEZ, the local easy listening station. And by "easy listening" I mean elevator music. Partly because I liked being different, I suppose, but mostly because I couldn't understand damn thing the heavy metal/glam rockers of the 80's were singing about. The popular music of the day just tended to make my skin itch. By the time I was an older teen, say 17 or so, I did move on to the Beatles, some Steppenwolf, and U2. But I still didn't listen to the popular station. It's funny though, I recognize many of the hits from the time and they always make me nostalgic. I must have gone to a lot of dances.

Anyway, back to my abnormality. Yes, my music tastes ran to Henry Mancini, James Galway, and the like--think "Baby Elephant Walk" or "The Girl from Ipanema" or "Sounds of Silence". It was there that I first heard Simon and Garfunkel too; a big influence on my young musical tastes. And it was where I first heard Roy Orbison sing "Crying". I remember being chilled and goosebumply when I first heard this song. I was shocked when I saw Roy on tv--absolutely nothing like what I imagined.

I've been working on Roy Orbison's "Crying" lately. It has the most beautiful chord progression I've come across yet: D D+ G Gm. There is just something about the D, climbing to augmented D moving into G and resolving in a minor that just feels sooooo right. It is such a moving song, deceptively simple but packs a wallop. But it is so damn high! It is songs like this that occasionally make me sad I'm not a tenor (but not for very long...long live the power of Baritones).

I wish I could define this music from my childhood better. More than that, I wish I knew more of the artists that I listened to. Alas, WYEZ moved to an all talk format and was off the air six months later.

I need to get a record player and retrieve my LPs from storage. . .

Edit: FWIW, I guess the trade name for these stations was Beautiful Music

Dad's Guitar
by Daughter #1

Fall has gripped my little slice of Northern Indiana with a beautiful weekend and mild temperatures. I wish I had time to enjoy it. It frightens me how quickly this year has passed by and can scarce believe October is around the corner. Cross country meets, church business, work, homework, housework, diet, exercise, family obligations, money, money, money. It's all taking a toll. Well, that sounds rather drastic. I'm just feeling pulled a hundred different ways and none in the direction I want to go.

One of the things shoved to the side by these bulldozing aspects of modern day life has been time spent with my guitar. I just haven't had the time to really play. I get a few moments at work with Patrick, but precious little at home with Jane. I look back at my calendar and I have had meetings or work every evening for the last three weeks. When I get home, I'd rather spend time with my kids and wife. Silly me.

Tonight I got out Jane, sat by an open window and played to my heart's content. I asked my youngest daughter to choose a song book for me from the piano room. She brought me two books of Broadway tunes. Hmmmm.... it had been awhile since I cracked those two volumes. They were too advanced for my skills at the time, about 6 months ago. But, I was in a good mood for a challenge and jumped in. Now, most tunes I don't even know, and the ones I do know are still too advanced with keys in sharps and flats. Sorry, I don't have the Bbm7add9 fingering down yet.

Still, two songs that I found impossible 6 months ago seemed very easy tonight. The first was Memory from Cats. I've written about this before, but this arrangement is much more challenging than that. The second was Try to Remember from The Fantasticks. Not a difficult song in terms of chords, but I could never get the rhythm before (plus I struggled on a few of Major7 chords). Both were so much fun! And my evening was so relaxing. Just me, sitting by the bay window as the sun set.

Ah, summer's end and autumn's birth in Northern Indiana. It is my favorite season. I want time to slow down so I can enjoy it like this as long as I can.

I've been trying to work out a way to post sound clips here on AG. I've worked out a hodge podge way of doing so via g-cast.com, though I'm sure there is an easier way to do so. The nice thing about g-cast is that the service is free and I can make podcast episodes via a toll free 800#. The quality through my phone won't be hi-fi, but I think it may work.

Here's an (non-musical) introduction I created as a test: Amish Guitar Intro

I'm still trying to figure out how to have the link open in a new tab/window so my reader(s) doesn't have to navigate away from my page. As I said, I don't find this ideal, and I'm open to any suggestions my reader(s) may have. Thanks.

The gig got canceled due to flooding.

I should explain a bit. There is a county park just to the south of our church and every September the park service holds a celebration there. Think arts and crafts, food, old tractors. See, part of the park is an operating grain mill powered by the local river that has been operating since the late 1800s. So the celebration hearkens back to a simpler life.

Our church has had a food booth there for something like 22 years. Recently we've also been involved in the community worship service there. That was the service our praise band was going to play at.

But not this year. For the first time in it's 33 year history, the celebration has been cancelled due to torrential rains and flooding. Yeah for me, bad for our church. We're stuck with 75 homemade pies, dozens of sheets of cornbread, about 5 gallons of homemade ham and bean soup and about 40 pounds of sloppy joe meat. Sadly, I'm on a strict diet or I would consider it my duty to help out.

Getting back to the subject at hand, as this is a guitar blog, I am both relieved and disappointed at the same time. I guess part of me wanted to prove I could do it, or at least see how far I could go playing by ear. I'll be playing before my home congregation tomorrow instead. Since no one really had anything planned, we're just going to do the same thing we had planned for the community service: old fashioned hymn sing, sermon, pass the plate and get out by eleven. It will be easier to play in front of this crowd.

I am in way over my head. Our church praise team was asked to lead an old fashioned hymn sing at a community worship next Sunday. I thought it would be mostly the same songs we play Sunday mornings. Nope. Old Time Gospel. And no chord notation.

Now, I've got enough music theory under my belt that when they said, 'Don't worry, most gospels are based on I, IV and V,' I knew what they meant. The major chords built on the first, fourth and fifth tone in a given scale. That's all well and good. It's another thing to play by ear to it. Especially if it's some weird a** key like A flat.

Thankfully, I'm not the only one in the group who feels completely unprepared. Another fella in the group plays exclusively off of chord notation. So, we're going to stand in the back and do the strumming equivalent of mouthing "watermelon watermelon" during the service. :^)

Wish me luck. I'm gonna work on I, IV, V in the more common keys this week.

Hoo boy.

I've been working on a new song. I've got the chord progression down and I've got a rhythm that I like. I'm not sure I want to put words to it, but I've titled it Caitlin's Starlight.

I really need to record it somehow and put it up here. The problem is I have no idea how. I don't even have a tape recorder. Maybe I can find a friend at work...

Any ideas anyone?

I've just returned from another weekend long campout/family reunion at my parent's farm This time around it was my father's side of the family. And, like last time, I took my guitar with me to noodle on. Now, dad's side is not anything like my mom's side. I love them dearly, but I never really feel like I fit in while growing up. It is a sports oriented family and I just didn't know how to relate to them. While they played sports, I read books and did my own thing. Now that I'm adult, it isn't so bad.

But vestiges remain.

I spent some time just noodling around, trying to find a chord progression that could be adapted for a song on my mind. I had several of my cousins and their offspring sit and listen or ask questions that were kind of cool. But I also had people shooting off their mouths "Don't you know how to play anything?" "That's not how that goes!" "Play Stairway!" I was just waiting for someone to shout "Freebird." I had one uncle walk up to me and say "I used to wish I could sing, but now I pray you don't." Nice. He's also the one who said "you ain't no Roy Clark, but you sure is as big as him." Nice again. At least that's what I think he said. He didn't have his teeth in at the time. I found it all quite frustrating.

In the end, however, I did my own thing, like I always do, and that's just fine. I was heartened when one of my cousin's children asked me to get my guitar out. She said "Why aren't you playing? I like to hear you play." Now that was nice