On a date now lost to history, in 1967, I took up guitar. I had seen the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and was a big fan of the Monkees show and wanted to emulate the fun I saw they were having, and I figured I wouldn’t mind the adulation of thousands either.
Pressure #1: Learning and practice
First, I got a guitar from my cousin. Next, I formed a band. Then, I began taking guitar lessons from kindly old Mr. Dingley, who came to our house weekly to teach. My Dad would not pay for any kind of rock’n’roll lessons – if I insisted on playing guitar, it would be a proper education, with notes, practicing (½ hour every day!!) and metronomes and such. Suddenly, there was a little pressure in this previously frivolous endeavor. I wondered how soon the adulation would begin.
It was really slow going. It was weeks before I could play any series of notes that resembled a melody. We used the Alfred Guitar Method series of books. It wasn’t until chapter 5 or so that actual songs appeared (none of which was familiar to me.) It was all notes, very little actual chords. (“I don’t want you playing that crappy ‘folk music’ my father said. Real guitar players pick, like Chet Atkins!”)
I did learn a lot – I do not regret those guitar lessons. I moved on from Mr. DIngley to Mr. LaSpina, who hated rock’n’roll as much as my Dad and Mr. Dingley. But what I learned a lot from those teachers – how to read music, what keys and time signatures- is still useful. However, I didn’t learn anything about riffs and nothing about improvisation.
When I did begin to learn my way around the guitar more, the band I began on day one started to take shape. This is when the other pressures began.
Pressure # 2: Rehearsal
Life is so unfair. Not only did I have to practice, but the band had to rehearse, to practice playing together. We made an awful din and tortured our parents with the sounds we made, but it did make us better – or at least we were less surprised when a song got played from a beginning to an ending.
Pressure #3: Gear
The guitar I received from my cousin back in 1976 was not a good instrument, and it wasn’t long before I got an upgrade. My parents sprang $80 on a Contessa acoustic (they weren’t called “acoustics” back then), and that was an upgrade. I wanted an electric guitar, which my parents would not buy, so I saved my money and bought a Teisco electric guitar for $36 (brand new!). In a clever bit of bargaining, I bet my parents a similar amount that if I saved enough for the guitar, they would buy the Teisco amp, which cost about $30.
This gear acquisition thing has pretty much dominated my life since then.
So, the band got good enough to play actual gigs (freebies at first – we needed exposure, right), and I discovered the next pressure.
Pressure #4: Performance
I never had a problem with stage fright. I talked my way into lots of gigs we had no business playing and helped our little band makes fools of ourselves several times. But I did discover that playing at a consistent level, and keeping a show moving along really has to be worked on. Nobody told me about this skill. There are musical aspects to consider, but also logistical ones – how do we get to the gig (especially when you’re too young to drive?). How do you make sure you’re bringing everything you need? How do you make sure your crazy bandmates will even show up for the gig?
So, if you’re thinking about taking up music, you need to consider the pressures (hidden pressures!) listed above! Take it from me, though, every single one of these “pressures” will bring you immense joy and satisfaction for the rest of your life.
