Getting Started: what do you want to play?
What kind of music do you want to play?
Well, what kind of music do you listen to?
Is that also the kind you want to play?
Our musical taste often comes first from our parents’ musical interests. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve asked a pre-teen what kind of music they like, and been answered “classic rock!” Which is cool, of course. Just like them, I love plenty of music that was created before I was born.
Generally speaking, unless people study music, have parents that were teens when classic rock was new or are otherwise exposed to different styles and genres, we love the music we grew up with, so we’re really talking about “familiarity” as much as anything else. Familiar music reminds us of who we are.
While classic rock is great, there is so much- a universe- of great music in other genres! Consider opening your ears (and your mind) to other musical ideas. You might surprise yourself by being delighted with something you’ve never heard before! Even better, untethered from the familiar you might also find yourself also using your guitar as a tool for self-expression rather than simply covering a song you are familiar with.
“Would you rather be an artist or a tape recorder?” isn’t the entire gamut of choices for guitar players of course, and what you make of your guitar-time is entirely up to you. But there are plenty of guitarists who play other people’s music as well as their own music in their own style. Why not paint your own sonic pictures? I can show you how to get started at that if you’re interested.
Next” some common musical terms for guitarists