A Dying Cat And A Nylon String Guitar


Try Emusic FREE for 14 days, keep the 25 Free songs even if you decide not to continue.

"Music isn't just learning notes and playing them, you learn notes to play to the music of your soul" - Katie Greenwood.

Why are you learning music anyway? Is it to pick up chicks? Is it to fulfill a void in your mundane life? Is it an indescribable calling?

I always wanted to learn the drums. I don't know why, maybe it's the aggressive nature of the things. You sit there and bash the crap out of them.

As fate would have it I shared a house with Dave, a guitar player, so I decided to learn the guitar as I had my very own teacher living in the next room. Or so I thought.

I went out and bought a nylon string classical guitar for $70. I didn't have a clue what I was doing but that never stopped me before.

So I went back home with my new guitar in its cardboard box. And with anything new, you want to play with it straight away, as soon as you get it home.

I also bought one of those guitar case chord dictionaries. You know the ones, they have a thousand chords in them and they are designed to confuse rather than actually help you.

So I waited for Dave to get home from work and as soon as he was in the door I was at him. "I bought this new guitar and I was wondering if you could show me how to play it" I said.

He just laughed at me but eventually agreed to show me which chords to learn first. He told me to learn the open chords A, D, E, G, and C. So I did. I spent every spare moment learning these chords.

Dave wouldn't show me any songs to play so I was forced to make up my own songs. This forced me to really explore every one of these chords as I thought at the time that I had to include them all in every song I wrote.

The songs I wrote were pretty strange to say the least. We were into punk music at that time so just imagine what a dying cat like vocals set to a nylon string out of tune guitar played as fast as a speeding train sounds like and you get the picture.

It sounded good to me at the time and I was very proud of my new found ability. It took about three months to get the hang of changing between the chords, and being able to write a song. (if you could call it that).

I didn't know it at the time but I had the one thing that was needed that would ensure I would become a good guitar player. That one thing was sheer bloody determination. And the more people told me how bad I sounded the more determined I became to improve.

So it doesn't matter how good or bad you are at the moment just play the music of your soul - even if it sounds like a cat being tortured. You will improve as long as you keep trying. Here's a mental exercise for you. Fast forward your mind to 4 years from now. How good a guitar player will you be? The time will pass regardless of what you do. Are you going to keep at it? or are you going to give up? It's up to you. You will be four years older, but will you be four years wiser?

John Stockwell is a guitar player and the author of the acclaimed "Mind Over Music for Guitar" http://www.learn-to-play-guitar.net/mindovermusic/, a unique approach to learning to play the guitar by ear for beginners to advanced students.


MORE RESOURCES:

Check-In And Get Free Music Downloads With New App
PSFK
By Emma Hutchings on February 8, 2012 Nightlife app Buy Me A Drink has partnered with Wantickets to provide information about events and ticket purchasing access for their users. They will be rewarded with free song downloads, which will provide them ...



Library now offers free music downloads
Port Orchard Independent
By BRETT CIHON Partnering with Freegal, a service that allows access to music online, the Kitsap Regional Library now offers free, downloadable music to all library members. Under the partnership, users will be able to download up to three songs a week ...

and more »


Kitsap libraries offer free music downloads
North Kitsap Herald
Kitsap Regional Library has joined Library Ideas' network of public library websites that offer free access to songs from Sony Music's catalog. The service, called Freegal, allows KRL to increase the size and diversity of its collection by offering ...



Shazam Revolutionizes the Super Bowl with More than One Million Giveaways from ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Use Shazam while watching the Super Bowl to win cars, get free music downloads, receive gift cards, donate to charity and enter sweepstakes for other giveaways! NEW YORK, Feb 02, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Shazam(R), the world's leading media discovery ...

and more »


The Drum

Shazam! Aim your phone at the Super Bowl TV ad, win two Toyotas
The Drum
Super Bowl Viewers were also able to "shazam" free music downloads, gift cards, donate to charity and enter sweepstakes for other giveaways. Even Madonna's half-time show was covered. In last years's Superbowl there was just one Shazam ad.

and more »


Syrian women, backbone of the revolution
FRANCE 24
And Argentine tax payers rewarded with free music downloads. By Electron Libre The women of Deraa, where the Syrian uprising began back in March, took to the streets on Saturday, calling for the release of their husbands, brothers or sons currently ...

and more »


Free song downloads at library, 3 a week
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Music lovers who are also library card holders now have access to free music downloads through the Allen County Public Library. The service – called freegal – was launched this month, said Stacey Pearson, who heads the Art, Music and Media department ...



Free MP3 Downloads of the Best Dubstep, Best Techno, and Best House Music on ...
MarketWatch (press release)
18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- www.pumpyouup.com announces the release of their New Year's music collection of free music downloads. The New Year's theme is techno flavored with a touch of dub. The collection includes a variety of dubstep, trance, ...

and more »


Product Placement News

Guvera Entertainment Launches 'My Soundtrack' Facebook App
All Access Music Group
My Soundtrack looks to drive brand-to-consumer engagement with music, allowing FACEBOOK followers and fans to enjoy and share music, stream without limits, and earn free music downloads. "It is without question that music communicates with our hearts ...
Guvera Entertainment Launches My Soundtrack(TM) Facebook AppMarketWatch (press release)

all 10 news articles »


Kellie Pickler Helps Launch Road to the Ram Jam Series
Great American Country (blog)
The Road to the Ram Jam series will bring country fans closer to their favorite artists with exclusive video content, the opportunity to win prizes, free music downloads and the chance to enter to win trips for two to the Ram Jam concert.
Kellie Pickler Joins Road To Ram Jam For The USOLook To The Stars

all 5 news articles »

Google News

Free Music Download Sites (Home Page) |   Free MP3 Downloads  |   RSS Feed  |   Artists  |   Music Resources  |   Music Downloads