{"id":246,"date":"2009-06-30T22:58:00","date_gmt":"2009-06-30T22:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.andrewtully.com\/?p=246"},"modified":"2009-06-30T22:58:00","modified_gmt":"2009-06-30T22:58:00","slug":"guitar-lesson-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.andrewtully.com\/?p=246","title":{"rendered":"Guitar Lesson #1"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have always wanted to learn the guitar properly! I think it’s easy to learn a few cords and run a plectrum across the strings of a guitar but to really bring that instrument to life takes a whole lot more, much more than I have right now. Tonight, in the hope of bridging that gap, I started a 5 week basic guitar course.<\/p>\n

I have had a guitar since I was 21, it was a 21st birthday present, and to my shame I have rarely picked it up over the years. Having dusted off the guitar from years of neglect I checked if it was still in working order and with only one of the tuner knobs missing it was 95% there. I’m sure there is an proper name for that part of the guitar but for the moment we’ll call it a tuner knob.<\/p>\n

Next on my list was a backpack case, as my only mode of transport is my motorcycle I have to carry this thing hands free. \u00e2\u201a\u00ac40 later I was all set!<\/p>\n

There are 10 students in the class; a range of abilities, ages and instruments mixed with lots of enthusiasm… this was going to be interesting!!<\/p>\n

We started from the very beginning; how to hold it, what the strings are called, how to tune it, and so on. I knew less than I thought and learnt a lot but that’s exactly why I was there. Our teacher tuned each guitar and as my guitar had a tuning knob missing it presented a bit of a problem but he managed to find a pair of pliers and after a few comedy moments I was “in tune”.<\/p>\n

By the end of the class we understood the anatomy of the guitar, were doing a little plucking and strumming 3 cords! I wonder if Status Quo are looking for a guitarist?<\/p>\n

Today’s takeaways:<\/p>\n