Seriously? I hear this six times daily, so much that I can sense it coming before the words have a chance to assault my ears. Apparantly, I need a hobby. Funny, I thought I had three. Writing, art, and music. Do those not count? From what I’m constantly assaulted with, I can say that an interest doesn’t count unless it involves some kind of club. Basically, what it boils down too, is: a hobby isn’t a hobby unless it involves one paying others to hang out with them. Seriously? Fuck that. That combines two things that I just don’t like doing: 1, playing nice with others, and 2, giving people money.
Seriously, what is a guitar club? Does anyone know? Did you make it up? Does it even exist? All that comes to my mind is a group of ten or so country playing rednecks with acoustic guitars strumming monochromatic, quater note E minor chords. Is that what it is? Please, for the love of which ever deity or prophet you believe, tell me I’m wrong.
Is it a band? Is that what is meant by guitar club? because a band usually requires more than one type of instrument. A drum set and a bass are kind of a requirement at this stage. Plus, even if there were a band I wanted to join, how many people around here do you really think play black/death/thrash/gothic metal?
Then there’s the fact that I don’t have an electric guitar with humbuckers, or any effects, or even a decent amp. Currently, I’m making do with a steel string acoustic downtuned to lowered C#. And then there’s the fact that I’ve never had a lesson in my life. I can read music, sort of, and I know some basics, but I’m not knowledgable in theory. I don’t know scales, I don’t know chords, other than a few basic open chords and the F-minor bar chord that everyone starts with. Normally, I find a song that I like, download a power tab, try to learn it, and then add in a few of my own riffs and rhythmic sections. Thats what I did with the last two songs I learned, “Blasphemer” by Sodom and “Ash Like Snow” by The Brilliant Green (which was used as an opening to Gundam 00. I Used to compose completely original stuff, but I haven’t done so in a while.
“Joi a club” you say. “Play music” you say. Great. What a brilliant plan. I just hope that a lack of skill, gear, and existance of said club doesn’t get in the way.
As for more traditional styles of music, which would I prefer to play? Well, classical is too restrictive, and I’m not good enough to play Jazz, so I guess that limits me to Blues. Well, that’s settled then, isn’t it. Too bad I still don’t know my scales. I kind of know the Minor Pentatonic scale, but that’s about it.
Anyway, I’m learning Cradle of Filth’s Gothic Romance (you can currently find a video of the song on my ‘What I’m into’ page.) I’ve got the intro and the first section (the slow part) down, so that’s a start, right? Oh, and I believe I’ve finished drafting chapter two of my story. I’m editing it now, and I’ll post it on worthyofpublishing when I’m done.
mjrobertson333 