When I first started playing guitar (a couple decades ago), I aspired to be as good as Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton. I realize that such an aspiration is near impossible for anyone to achieve - and the fact that I'm not as good as Hendrix today doesn't bother me. But what does bother me is that I didn't work to improve my playing once I was good enough to play with bands successfully. Rather, and this is embarrassing to admit, I became satisfied with being "good for a girl" and "having a look" that made up for whatever weaknesses I had as a player.
This blog will act as a documentation of my attempt to right that wrong line of thinking and to reach my full potential as a guitar player.
How will I do this?
I will be learning a single work by 50 of the greatest guitarists of all time. Specifically, I'm aiming to learn these note for note - with special attention paid to solos. This may seem basic...but believe it or not, I didn't really learn a lot of songs from start to finish when I first began to play. I'd learn parts...and then take the idea and theory behind it and write my own songs. With solos, I usually learned a couple licks...but then would improvise over progressions. When I began playing original music, I never planned solos out and never played anything even close to the same. As a result, huge gaps exist in my ability...I'm good at certain things...but lack confidence when it comes to other things because I never disciplined myself to get things "right." While my playing has a sloppy beauty...it's a little too sloppy to be what I consider "badass." Moreover, my lack of strict discipline in my learning has left me with a lot of limitations as a player. By attacking songs by a variety of the best guitarists of all time, I'm hoping to break out of these limitations and really grow into a legitimately good guitar player.
Things you should know about me...
1.) As noted above, I'm not a beginner. I've played semi-professionally for the last 10 years - with amultitude of artists.
2.) I live in Los Angeles. I moved here from the Midwest to take a shot at playing guitar professionally. I
didn't quite make it.
3.) I have written and recorded music that was my own. And I have recorded music with other artists too.
4.) My boyfriend IS a certifiable six-string badass - and a professional - and I'm completely jealous of
his ease with the instrument. On the bright side, he will be helping me figure out parts because my ear is
not perfect...and neither is tablature.
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