(Disclaimer - If you don't play guitar but play another instrument or want to play another instrument please continue to read i encourage you to read all questions and answers because even though the question may not pertain to you, the answer may fill you in on where the group is headed)
If been hearing from some people that they want to learn guitar (two people but that's enough for me). Now, this following post will be some info that i think will help me and others in this quest to learn there instrument better. I'll be posting a series of questions you may have about this group that I'd like to form.
So your forming a guitar group? Why?
1. I want to learn two things... how to play my guitar better, and learn how to teach others how to play.
2. I've got nothing better to do on Saturday's so why not.
3. I want others to have the ability to enjoy the music they make.
4. I want to see people grow into musicians that have hearts that want to lead worship.
5. If #4 isn't your ultimate goal, then i want this group to be a great place for fellowship and musicians who aren't up on stage on Sunday's to have a way of releasing there creativity.
6. If you are one of those people that stand up on Sunday's at church and want to join, then you are more than welcome to help the group grow.
What are your Credentials?
- I have played guitar off and on since my parents purchased my first guitar (It was a Jasmine a cheaper version of a Takamine) during the winter of '97. During that time, i have played in a blues band (we played Beatles all the time), played practically every Thursday and Sunday services at my first college. Played on a rotating worship team at my second college. I've played in a couple of conferences, and played on a rotating team at my church in Indiana. So i have a couple of years under my belt, but I'm no expert and definitely out of practice.
How much experience do you have to have to be in the group!
- Zip, Zilch, Nadda, 0. My intention at the start of the group is to grab the noob's (that's newbies) and show them the basics to fingering position and strumming. Then after a couple of weeks of meeting I will probably allow the people that have had a little to a lot of experience with the noobs.
What kind of information will you cover?
- Well that is entirely up to the people in the group. We would obviously teach the basics of playing the guitar, strumming, and learning songs. If anybody wants to introduce theory into the mix down the road, I'm all for it if the group is.
What kind of songs will we be playing?
- I have a lot of chord music from my days of playing in church services, so we can use a lot of worship songs. I won't allow any Satan worshiping, or degrading songs into the mix. If you pick a song you must realize a few things. If you want to play a song, you can bring the music in, but at least someone in the group has to know it, sing, it and keep us together. Which i don't see being too much of a problem down the road.
This group seems like it would be really cool. I've always wanted to learn how to play guitar, but i don't have one, what should i do?
- As the group forms you may have the ability to have someone loan you a guitar during the Saturday sessions. Since your ultimate goal is to learn how to play guitar, i would suggest you set aside 250-275 dollars for the purchase of a new guitar. This would include a guitar ($200 you can go cheaper if needed), strings, picks, tuner, and a Capo. (please note that a beginning guitar will more than likely not allow you to plug into a sound system so there is no need for buying guitar cables at this point.
- During the beginning of the group setup i would like to arrange a field trip to a guitar store, and show you what to look for when purchasing your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd acoustic (i don't know much of anything about electric guitars sorry). But I'm quite sure after that field trip you will understand the difference between a beginner/intermediate/advanced guitar. But before the field trip i would like to teach the noob's some basic chords so they actually know how to play the guitar and compare the sounds of chords.
I have an electric Guitar, can i come too?
- Absolutely. I will warn you though. Depending on our meeting place, you may not have the ability to crank up the volume (especially at my apartment). Also electric guitars deal with power chords, and more lead stuff that I'm not fully knowledgeable enough to teach. So you would be limited to playing chords with the group if you were the only electric guitar player.
Okay I'm stoked, where is this group meeting and at what time?
- That's a very good question. It really depends on the size of the group. I don't want to count any chickens before they are hatched, but i do have an idea or two. I want it to be easy for people to come and be a part of. I'm not quite sure if my apartment is open because of the whole fact that we would be loud. If anybody would like to open their house/apartment to a group of guitar players, that would be really helpful to the learning process. But the first few meetings I may just meet the individuals at there house or invite them to my apartment. I wouldn't expect the learning of the first few basic guitar chords and a strumming pattern to be too terribly loud. I'm also only available on Saturdays because of work during the week. So Sorry to those with busy Saturdays. As far as time goes, it would probably be mid morning. But the group can discuss that once i have your contact information.
So i've been pretty patient in reading through all the information you are providing to the future guitar players of the world, but what about me?
- My vision for this group would be one that people come together to be in fellowship and share a common bond of enjoying music. You may not play guitar, and may not want to learn, but you play an integral part in the learning process for not only the guitar players as your instrument is introduced into the mix, but also yourself in learning how to play in a group again. As this group of musicians grows, more people will bring there instruments. The bigger the group gets the more experience you will have to pull from that plays your instrument. I would love to have groups of people meeting that played similar instruments to learn from. I am starting with guitars because that's what i know, but i encourage people that play the harmonica, djembe, piano/keyboard, oh and don't forget the cowbell (
Click here for the inside joke! Later in the email i will ask for pertinent information from you about that.
What if i don't attend your church but want to be a part of the group.- Come on over. We'd love to have you. I'm so open to all of you attending this group, I'll even allow people out of state to join the group. you have to pay for the commute though. But ya, I'm not secluding this to being a "Church" function. If you want to learn songs, this is a great way to learn and be around good people and make new friends.
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Okay i think that's enough with the questions. I am very excited to move forward with this group and i hope you are too. I will need the following information from you though if you want to be apart of the super coolest group ever created.
Name:
email:
instrument you would like to play:
how many years:
Do you have one available to practice with:
Other instruments you play:how many years:
Do you have one available to practice with:
When on Sat can you meet:
Are you interested in going to a music store to learn more about guitars and instruments?
please email your responses to:
imincali at gmail dot comI look forward to hearing from all of you.
