insanityisnoexcuse Says:
July 14th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Happy birthday (plus one day) to the person closest to the goal of being OED (at least that I know).
I would have written yesterday, but I WAS OFF – ha ha!
(Ok, so in honor of Insane Boy I posted this under July for July 2008 whilst I was OED.)
Happy Birthday John Lennon,
I miss you, and I never knew you personally,
what a world
I was chatting with Adam Clark the other day when he brought up his new instrument, the dulcimer. I’ve been giving him crap over such a lame instrument for some time now and admonish him for not taking up guitar. Dulcimer? Cheess. Who the heck plays dulcimer?
So during this particular conversation Adam mentioned that Kai, his 5 year old kid, wants to play guitar. Oh blessed sanity! At least someone in the family has some sense. So Adam asks me about guitars and I recommend that he go ahead and get Kai a 3/4 size axe for to start with so as to fit his size better. And I also recommend that he get him a steel string guitar, though more difficult to play in some regards, more painful for the tender fingertips, why defer the pain? Funny idea that, having to face pain at some point and choosing to defer it by selecting a nylon string guitar, or gut string as we say in reference to the pre-petroleum cat gut strings, on which to learn.
So as an expansion of the old saying we now have, no pain, no pain.
But then again, its inevitable.
The biggest problem, or challenge, or “issue”, with guitar is making time to play.
If that is an issue then you aren’t committed. You may be committed to an asylum but not to guitar.
So I play frequently but not for enough time. What is that telling me? The lack of commitment is palpable and the result is telling.
So what is the solution to this problem?
Time Management.
Another topic for another day.
Focusing on anything is a challenge when you have a holistic world view.
Ah the wonders of new strings.
Been reading the premier issue of Premier Guitar and find myself somewhat jacked up, or as they say inspired.
So I broke the third string on my Les Paul and decided to go ahead and replace them all.
Yeah its obvious, but the guitar just sounds so unbelievable.
Hey, I can play too!
So I did the acoustic also. The one that had been sitting there cause I broke a strang. (That poor Gibson is losing its bridge so other than the low E buzzing also sounds great.)
I agree with Nived.
Sometimes you have to share your enthusiasm.
And replace those strings, frequently.
There are times I think the instrument is beyond what anyone can comprehend as an influence on society and culture. Or what I can comprehend. Postured stupid heavy statement but there it is.
Piano would be the other contender but the real weakness with piano is simply that the mechanics are automatic, the sound generating mechanics.
With a guitar the player is the mechanical actuation. The player has to make the sound.
Nuance is still very much a part of piano, but, piano v guitar, no contest, guitar is the more human.
So what of the other stringed instruments?
They didn’t do rock and roll.
Tough break but I sure am glad we have guitar.
Guitar, the opiate of the enlightened few.
This is a Frank Zappa title. I think it was, yes indeed, guitar performances.
The thing is, is that the thing is. My philosophy.
I never have heard this work, or really can say whether it is an album, I think it is, but what caught my eye and mind the day I saw this in the record store was the attitude.
Tools of the trade this, can’t do this without that, don’t have the right guitar, don’t have a studio, don’t have a record deal, don’t have the right strings, aren’t good enough, suck badly, can’t sing, can’t play, can’t, can’t, can’t, well, yeah, all of these objections and excuses are pointless so why don’t you just shut up and play yer guitar? Love the concept. Love the truth. This was long before Nike and their Just Do It slogan.
The biggest lesson in life, is that there is no lesson. Very simple. Those motivated and obsessed are simply being what they are, play the guitar or whatever without apology and without a buttload or requirements. And they may suck. And they may not. But they are what they are.
I have a recording of OED from 1979 somewhere. Nope, I didn’t make it. My buddy Moby Bristow pulled out his little portable cassette during practice, the ones used for dictation originally, and hit record. Now I would never have done that because that would result in an inferior recording with inferior equipment performed by an inferior band playing inferior songs. And I don’t have a bunch of recordings for this reason. Now we have a window into that practice session thanks to Moby. If I can find the tape.
What Moby knew was what Frank knew. What the hell difference does it make just get on with it. Play to play, not to be superior or pure or whatever.
The purists lose and the passionate win.