I find it odd to have arrived at a quest at age 43. I still have my health and energy, and a lot of experience with how to learn something new. Although I know nothing about music, I am confident that when the quest ends I will have made some headway into this mysterious art form.
I currently have 2 guitars, a classical and an electric.
I bought the classical in the late 80's from a small local shop when I was in college. I used it as a tool of Zen meditation - sitting on the bank of a river, I would pluck a few strings, listening intently to each slow note. Breathe, listen, pluck - everything appeared simple and serene.
3 months ago when I decided to pursue music seriously, I found the now old classical in the basement. I wiped off a layer of dust, then took it to the local guitar shop to be restrung. When I brought it home from the shop I found it went out of tune easily and I did not like the sound of the strings. After a couple of months of practice, though, the sound has mellowed and the strings stay in tune longer.
I bought an electric Squire/Fender black strat 3 months ago, along with a Peavy Vyper 15w amp. The guitar is a beginners model, but is a high end version with 3 Duncan humbucker pickups. I am fascinated with the various sounds the electric can produce, and I like that the fretboard is thinner and smaller than the classical.
Today I played the classical for only 30 minutes, as my fingers needed some rest after averaging 2 hours a day for the past week. Working on chord transitions, I practiced finger picking while moving from G to C, Em to A, C to F, and Dm to E. My fingers were moving from chord to chord faster than ever, so I was happy with the session.
With the extended rest today, my fingers should be ready for a 1-3 hour session tomorrow.
