Guns & Guitars anyone?

[OutlawHoss]

"Life without music would be an intolerable insult" -Ed Abbey
I would add that life without weapons, etc., would also be pretty insulting.

Just curious if there are many other pickers on the forum.
For me, there's something that just goes together about guns and guitars. Of the rallies and such that I've been to or seen, you don't see people bring instruments. I'm not talking about a hippie love-in singing 'kumbaya' (unless that floats yer boat) but some serious country-rock-folk blues or bluegrass or whatever, really. People are so much more than their stereotypes, (much to the chagrin of those doing the stereotyping) and seeing a gun rally with a kickin' jam going on I think would stymie those who paint with broad brushstrokes about who the 'gun nuts' are.

Okay, I just got off topic inside of my own single posting . . .

Who plays music, what kind and what instruments, and where to you go to jam?



Dang it! I forgot to say for myself: I'm a classically trained musician, starting as a kid I learned to read music when I was learning to read words in kindergarten. I've played music all my life, trombone mainly. Now I play dobro (resonator guitar) and lap steel. Lot's of bluegrass, country, folk, blues, rock, whatever gets me going.

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[CoastRange57]

I pick guitar and electric bass. Started back in high school, did the garage band thing for a while, mostly bass, some sax and trombone once in a while, was pretty heavy into southern rock for a while. Hung it for a number of years raising a family. My Dad sang with Sons of the Pioneers a few times, I remember that as a young kid.

Picked it back up when my kids got in high school, wanted to influence their musical tastes and played a lot of heavy metal and early 90's country in the garage and shop working on cars and doing reloading. I have been a concert junkie for years and have over 127 concerts on my list. Got to meet a lot of 90's country guys / gals when they were first starting out.

Picked up the guitar and went bluegrass for a while, but my talent is more towards rhythm than flat picking. Kind of lost my groove a bit after a major illness and have not really been able to get it back. The brain knows what to do, but getting the message to the fingers is not what it used to be, so it is pretty simple rhythms for me these days.

Do some jamming at a local guitar shop, and have a couple of back yard friends jams planned later this year. I enjoy looking for great music and deep tracks, and searching out performances on YouTube.

Getting back on my concert thing again this year. We usually hit at least 3 a year, but will do more if they are around. I am doing meet and greets now, they are spendy but probably the last shot for a lot of my favorites. We did Tom Petty in 2014, he is one of classic rocks best musicians in my opinion, The Doobies every time they come, 2014 in Lincoln City, and Lynyrd Skynyrd every chance I get too. 3rd row for them at Lincoln City last year too.

Eric Claptons Crossroads is on my bucket list, we will have to see. These old guys just keep getting better, Jack Bruce was a huge influence on my bass playing, Pat Simmons on my guitar playig.

 

[therealhitman]

Until I can figure out how to get paid to shoot or drive fast or both, I am stuck being a musician for a living. Such as it is. Could be worse, and it's been paying the mortgage for 20+ years now.

 

[Ironbar]

I'm a member of the Mediocre Bassist Club. As you can see, I play a 5 string so I can explore a whole new octave of mediocre.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

I still have a 53ES deluxe Gibson, a 58 Fender jazz master, a 78 Les Paul-the Paul and a newer (10 yr old)? American made Strat, the one I find myself gravitating to when I need to just let go of a stressful day is my old 12 string.
I only play for myself and friends these days.

I love to play the blues/rock.

 

[etrain16]

I studied classical guitar my first year of college, really enjoyed it and still have my guitar, just rarely ever get it out. I played violin for 3 years in grade school, but dropped it in Jr. High as I was too intimidated by the more 'advanced' players - in retrospect, I would have done just fine, so it was a mistake. Fast forward to adulthood and I found a place that would teach beginning violin to adults. I did that for 3 years and was getting ready to look into joining a community orchestra, but the wife got pregnant and my job duties changed and the free time went away.

I still have the guitar and the violin and wouldn't mind picking them both up again one of these days.

One note on the adult violin lessons - my instructor didn't teach 'classic' violin, which is what I really wanted to learn. He was a fiddler, so we learned by playing fiddle music - mostly what I would consider Appalachian type old American folk fiddle tunes, occasionally throwing Irish jigs and reels. It was kind of fun to learn that way, but not styles of music I care for all that much, so I'd rather get back to it learning a more classical style.

And I like guns too

 

[therealhitman]

As you can see, I play a 5 string...

5 strings are great. If you ever break a string during a gig you already have an extra. Genius!

 

[OutlawHoss]

I studied classical guitar my first year of college, really enjoyed it and still have my guitar, just rarely ever get it out. I played violin for 3 years in grade school, but dropped it in Jr. High as I was too intimidated by the more 'advanced' players - in retrospect, I would have done just fine, so it was a mistake. Fast forward to adulthood and I found a place that would teach beginning violin to adults. I did that for 3 years and was getting ready to look into joining a community orchestra, but the wife got pregnant and my job duties changed and the free time went away.

I still have the guitar and the violin and wouldn't mind picking them both up again one of these days.

One note on the adult violin lessons - my instructor didn't teach 'classic' violin, which is what I really wanted to learn. He was a fiddler, so we learned by playing fiddle music - mostly what I would consider Appalachian type old American folk fiddle tunes, occasionally throwing Irish jigs and reels. It was kind of fun to learn that way, but not styles of music I care for all that much, so I'd rather get back to it learning a more classical style.

And I like guns too

Yeah I think a lot of people drop playing an instrument because they get intimidated or don't think they will get 'good enough'. It's kind of a tragedy; I was poised to be a performance major on the trombone, and was set to go to CSU Long Beach which has an incredible Jazz department as well as classical, but as I started doing studio work and playing in orchestras, my temperament was such that I didn't handle the stress well and jettisoned the whole plan. I don't regret that part, but I also stopped playing for a while, and I missed my own sheer joy of playing music. Used to be everyone played something, even just a little, and an evening at home with the family and neighbors would almost always involve music.
I have my great-grandfather's fiddle, circa 1890, which he got from a Sears & Roebuck catalogue. It has a mother-of-pearl inlay of a rose on the tail, and Rose was my great-grandmothers name, as well as a name that is passed down in my family. He used to play at community gatherings on the weekend (barn dances, ice cream socials, etc). It was put to a stop though, as his Hardshell Primitive Baptist parents thought all the dancing and music was not appropriate . . . I wonder how he got the fiddle in the first place? Maybe he got it on the sneak That was in Arkansas as a kid. Later as he migrated through Texas, and ended up in the Oklahoma Panhandle, he picked it up again, but was always a pretty stringent Baptist. 'Course the Dust Bowl came and he had to leave to California to work, leaving his 9 kids and asthmatic wife at home until he could send for them. Talk about Grapes of Wrath.
But I digress . . .
I find my background in Jazz and years of formal music theory training really contributes to my current instrument of choice. I find now that the less I formally think of playing, and theory, the better picker and improviser I become. Of course, country music was always on as a kid (AM classic, not the pop crap) and so I have a deep love for pedal and lap steel, dobro, of course, and that has greatly influenced me.

 

[etrain16]

Yeah I think a lot of people drop playing an instrument because they get intimidated or don't think they will get 'good enough'. It's kind of a tragedy; I was poised to be a performance major on the trombone, and was set to go to CSU Long Beach which has an incredible Jazz department as well as classical, but as I started doing studio work and playing in orchestras, my temperament was such that I didn't handle the stress well and jettisoned the whole plan. I don't regret that part, but I also stopped playing for a while, and I missed my own sheer joy of playing music. Used to be everyone played something, even just a little, and an evening at home with the family and neighbors would almost always involve music.
I have my great-grandfather's fiddle, circa 1890, which he got from a Sears & Roebuck catalogue. It has a mother-of-pearl inlay of a rose on the tail, and Rose was my great-grandmothers name, as well as a name that is passed down in my family. He used to play at community gatherings on the weekend (barn dances, ice cream socials, etc). It was put to a stop though, as his Hardshell Primitive Baptist parents thought all the dancing and music was not appropriate . . . I wonder how he got the fiddle in the first place? Maybe he got it on the sneak That was in Arkansas as a kid. Later as he migrated through Texas, and ended up in the Oklahoma Panhandle, he picked it up again, but was always a pretty stringent Baptist. 'Course the Dust Bowl came and he had to leave to California to work, leaving his 9 kids and asthmatic wife at home until he could send for them. Talk about Grapes of Wrath.
But I digress . . .
I find my background in Jazz and years of formal music theory training really contributes to my current instrument of choice. I find now that the less I formally think of playing, and theory, the better picker and improviser I become. Of course, country music was always on as a kid (AM classic, not the pop crap) and so I have a deep love for pedal and lap steel, dobro, of course, and that has greatly influenced me.

I should probably note that I do have a great respect for the fiddle style of music, it's just not my bag. I can honestly say that learning to play fiddle style taught me some things I may not have learned otherwise. The speed at which we had to change notes and strings actually well prepared me for some more advanced classical stuff. For a time, I could really belt out the "Irish Washerwoman" without a single mistake. And there is something kind of fun about taking regular songs and playing them fiddle style - using two strings at a time, slides, etc.

To me, fiddle is kind of a bit like jazz - a bit more room for improvisation, playing ascending and descending scales around the main tune. I certainly don't lament the training I got, but I really longed for the more 'precise' playing in classical violin. I think if time had allowed me to get into that community orchestra, I would have found that in that setting. I guess there is a community orchestra down in the Dallas, OR area, and they're looking for violinists right now - even total newbs, but alas, it's much too far away from me. The ones I've looked into around here are really only looking for more accomplished musicians.

 

[OutlawHoss]

I should probably note that I do have a great respect for the fiddle style of music, it's just not my bag. I can honestly say that learning to play fiddle style taught me some things I may not have learned otherwise. The speed at which we had to change notes and strings actually well prepared me for some more advanced classical stuff. For a time, I could really belt out the "Irish Washerwoman" without a single mistake. And there is something kind of fun about taking regular songs and playing them fiddle style - using two strings at a time, slides, etc.

To me, fiddle is kind of a bit like jazz - a bit more room for improvisation, playing ascending and descending scales around the main tune. I certainly don't lament the training I got, but I really longed for the more 'precise' playing in classical violin. I think if time had allowed me to get into that community orchestra, I would have found that in that setting. I guess there is a community orchestra down in the Dallas, OR area, and they're looking for violinists right now - even total newbs, but alas, it's much too far away from me. The ones I've looked into around here are really only looking for more accomplished musicians.

Yes, life does make taking time for music difficult. I gave the fiddle a try, had a teacher who was accomplished on the violin classically, then started playing fiddle. She is incredibly talented. I was still working then, farming, which does not leave one with a lot of free time, so it fell by the wayside. Now, being 'time wealthy and money poor' I've gotten pretty good on my dobro and lap steel.

 

[Joe13]

I have a low end electric guitar and a mid level (that may be stretching it but it is a good one) accustic guitar.

Was paying for lessons (from a great teacher who would personalize any song I brought in to my skill level so that I could "basically" play the song and that made it a lot more fun) was making pretty decent progress until I couldn't afford the lessons. I don't have any friends that play anything so it kind of goes in short bursts now.

I'm so out of practice and have sensitive fingers so starting again is always a real pain but I keep trying.

My biggest hurdle is that I want to play for fun but I am a perfectionist and I am just not all that good at it yet to be able to just sit back, play and enjoy it - Iam always in the learning something boring stage.



**** If anyone near NW Vancouver ever wants to teach me, I can provide company and endless frustration for you lol.

I've been looking for someone to play with for about 10 years now and the best I can do is my buddies kid but he is only in high school and already playing in Portland venues so he doesn't have any time for his dad's old fart friend.

 

[OutlawHoss]

I have a low end electric guitar and a mid level (that may be stretching it but it is a good one) accustic guitar.

Was paying for lessons (from a great teacher who would personalize any song I brought in to my skill level so that I could "basically" play the song and that made it a lot more fun) was making pretty decent progress until I couldn't afford the lessons. I don't have any friends that play anything so it kind of goes in short bursts now.

I'm so out of practice and have sensitive fingers so starting again is always a real pain but I keep trying.

My biggest hurdle is that I want to play for fun but I am a perfectionist and I am just not all that good at it yet to be able to just sit back, play and enjoy it - Iam always in the learning something boring stage.



**** If anyone near NW Vancouver ever wants to teach me, I can provide company and endless frustration for you lol.

I've been looking for someone to play with for about 10 years now and the best I can do is my buddies kid but he is only in high school and already playing in Portland venues so he doesn't have any time for his dad's old fart friend.

A good teacher can make or break a person's love of music translating into being a musician. Setting the attitude of having fun while learning makes a huge difference, and not all teachers convey that well. My first trombone teacher started me off playing simple, melodic arraignments of jazz standards, and it got me hooked right away (he was also a very well-known trombonist: played bass trombone in Sinatra's and Henri Mancini's orchestras, and other famous Vegas shows. You know the theme for 'Jaws' well he was the studio musician who played versions of the theme with the bass trombone on the movie soundtrack, George Roberts). He wasn't just an outstanding musician, he had serious charisma and passion for music, and he gave all that to his students. He said if I ever get bored practicing, just to stop and pick it up later. That simple advice has served me ever since. But that's not to say I didn't do a lot of exercises and formal practice. At the height of my trombone 'career' I was practicing 5 hours a day, including transcribing jazz solos and doing hours of modal scales . . . I don't know how I did it looking back now! Ah to be young and full of piss and vinegar.

 

[etrain16]

I have a low end electric guitar and a mid level (that may be stretching it but it is a good one) accustic guitar.

Was paying for lessons (from a great teacher who would personalize any song I brought in to my skill level so that I could "basically" play the song and that made it a lot more fun) was making pretty decent progress until I couldn't afford the lessons. I don't have any friends that play anything so it kind of goes in short bursts now.

I'm so out of practice and have sensitive fingers so starting again is always a real pain but I keep trying.

My biggest hurdle is that I want to play for fun but I am a perfectionist and I am just not all that good at it yet to be able to just sit back, play and enjoy it - Iam always in the learning something boring stage.



**** If anyone near NW Vancouver ever wants to teach me, I can provide company and endless frustration for you lol.

I've been looking for someone to play with for about 10 years now and the best I can do is my buddies kid but he is only in high school and already playing in Portland venues so he doesn't have any time for his dad's old fart friend.

Having someone else to play with, like exercising, is definitely a benefit. Not only can you challenge and teach each other, but you can hold each other accountable to show up. I had a friend at our old church that was more advanced in violin than me, and was really good at improvising around a piece of music they didn't already know. We got a chance to practice together for about 2 months then our schedules both changed and we couldn't get the time to meet again. Bummer.

My daughter is at the age where she may want to start learning some music. We're actually learning tin whistle/Irish pennywhistle as a family as it's part of her schooling, but they don't do it very regularly, so we don't get a ton of practice. I did the recorder in grade school as did many others, but I find the tin whistle sounds much better and is more fun to play. We really need to get them out more often. With my wife and I both having Irish and Scottish ancestry, it's a nice instrument to connect us back to those areas.

 

[OutlawHoss]

Having someone else to play with, like exercising, is definitely a benefit. Not only can you challenge and teach each other, but you can hold each other accountable to show up. I had a friend at our old church that was more advanced in violin than me, and was really good at improvising around a piece of music they didn't already know. We got a chance to practice together for about 2 months then our schedules both changed and we couldn't get the time to meet again. Bummer.

My daughter is at the age where she may want to start learning some music. We're actually learning tin whistle/Irish pennywhistle as a family as it's part of her schooling, but they don't do it very regularly, so we don't get a ton of practice. I did the recorder in grade school as did many others, but I find the tin whistle sounds much better and is more fun to play. We really need to get them out more often. With my wife and I both having Irish and Scottish ancestry, it's a nice instrument to connect us back to those areas.

It's been studied and said many times that kids who learn music develop more of their brain and depth of intelligence than kids that don't. I think its one of the best things a parent can do, to introduce kids to playing music. On the flip side, I don't care for the parents that push their kids to the point of being abusive. I am all for discipline and getting your child to see a challenge through, but the extreme 'little league dad' syndrome ultimately hurts more than it helps. Anyway, I digress again

 

[Garg]

View attachment 279449
I'm a member of the Mediocre Bassist Club. As you can see, I play a 5 string so I can explore a whole new octave of mediocre.

I play 5 string basses too. Knew there was something I liked about you....

 

[Joe13]

It's been studied and said many times that kids who learn music develop more of their brain and depth of intelligence than kids that don't. I think its one of the best things a parent can do, to introduce kids to playing music. On the flip side, I don't care for the parents that push their kids to the point of being abusive. I am all for discipline and getting your child to see a challenge through, but the extreme 'little league dad' syndrome ultimately hurts more than it helps. Anyway, I digress again

100% agreed!!!

I took a year of piano when I was 8 or 9, I hated it - I wanted to play the guitar... Quit after that year. It did give me a very good introduction to reading sheet music (that's all but gone now - but I feel like I could pick it up quicker if I chose too now). I tried reading sheet music for the guitar but had a hard time progressing so we went to the dreaded Tabs... At least I can figure out what finger and string to be on with those.

My buddies kid played 24/7 except for school (we both actually started learning about the same time), he may actually become a rock star someday in the near future - he has the drive and the talent. I am still a total noob for lack of practice, I had a job and still have a family so yall know how that goes.


My wife and I did insist, as my daughter was home schooled most of her life that she take piano lessons. The first teacher did not mesh well with my daughter and when she told her that she didn't believe she was practicing an hour each day (you better believe she was since I was paying for those lessons) we pulled her out and the next teacher was a PERFECT fit for my girl.

She stayed in lessons for 7 maybe 8 years. Always Some ups and Downs in interest but we required it as both my wife and my parents did not and we both have some regret that we are not musicians because of it.

A dear Friend of my mom "sold" us her late husbands upright piano for $50. According to her, he was quite accomplished and spent a long time looking to find this piano because of its tone. (we have had our tuner comment on the quality of the piano as well and he is a little grumpy so I don't think he would say that lightly). It's going to be a fight to see if it goes with my girl when she moves out. I would like to keep it until she has a house of her own and is settled in to life first.


Long story short, my daughter has started college and the piano gets played not as often, I do miss her evening practices. However, she can pick up a piece of classical music and with a little pre practice can play it in it's entirety which makes me as proud as can be.

 

[Ironbar]

I play 5 string basses too. Knew there was something I liked about you....

View attachment 279464

Yeah, but I'll bet you're not mediocre like me! Actually I think I have a while to go before I make mediocre level.

 

[Mistman]

Played a lot when I was younger, not as much now. Spent about 15 years in the local band scene. I have a custom Hamer arch top, a Kramer Beretta I bought new in '85 or so, a blue sunburst Schon I got in about '93, an '83 Gibson Explorer , a Gibson flying V and few other misc guitars. Played a 'Paul for a lotta years, my mom worked at Apple Music back in the early '90's so I let Kelly talk me into too many guitars. I had 16 top makers guitars before I moved to the sticks, paired it down quite a bit. Used to always play through a JMP 1 with a stereo valve state going through a TSR12 w/a midi controller. Lately a '65 Fender Dual reverb a friend let go of years ago. I'm a blues lover but mostly played heavy metal/grunge in bands, I like both a lot. I love the energy of a wall of distortion. Yeah, guns guitars and cars all go together very nicely

 

[mcfoto]

<-- another bass player. I'm not smart enough for 5 strings. I tried it for a while but after 30 years of the top open being E, the brain would not recompute. Fleeing from disco in my youth, I turned to jazz. Played double bass for a patch but a health crisis put the kabash on that. These days I thump a Rob Allen Mouse. 30" scale, 4 pounds is often confused for a geetar but close your eyes and you'd swear it's a DB.

 

[Garg]

Yeah, but I'll bet you're not mediocre like me! Actually I think I have a while to go before I make mediocre level.

I am the President of the Mediocre Bassist Club, and looking here... tap tap tap... ah yes I see you behind in your dues, hmm.. Please send your 35 cents soon, or your membership will expire, and I will have no choice but to relieve you of your mediocrity.