Conference napalm::guitar

>     How did you avoid the 'good talkers'? You know, the ones that say
>     all the right things but when you show up to play you realize that
>     you were in better bands when you were 13? 8-)

    Basically, I ask lots of questions like how old are the players, years
    of experience, where they have been playing, etc.  I get a pretty good
    idea from that whether or not it's worth the trouble of an audition.
    If the band is gigging I always ask if there is an upcoming gig I can
    see *before* the audition. I still lose out once in a while and get
    into a stupid audition.  If so, I try to be polite but get the hell out
    of there ASAP.  My ratio of calls to actual auditions is probably about
    30:1 !!!!
    
    						Brian

    Boy I certainly have wasted considerable time with those "good
    talkers".
    
    These days I just don't get into any band that I have even slight
    bad vibes about.  I probably have set a worlds recording for
    turning down gigs even though I don't think my criteria is very
    unreasonable:
    
    	o Excellent chance of playing out and getting gigs
    
    	o Decent, but not necessarily "killer" sounding band
    	  I go in for people who know what it means and takes
    	  for a band to sound tight.
    
     	o Goals that are compatable, if not identical with mine.
    	  That is, 
    
    	   + the amount of gigging
    
    	   + the type of music (I've been called a "musical slut" because 
             I enjoy playing so many types of music so its rarely an
    	     issue)
    
    	db

    
    
    	Jeeze, this is a great topic for me.... thanks,  I played in bands
    when I was a kid (high school and college) and really loved making
    music and getting paid for it... but instead of going to school to
    learn to do what I liked doing, I went to school to be an Electrical
    Engineer.... and <blush>.. I only did that cos I wanted to earn a lot
    of money and drive a vette...  After that I spent 20 years chasing
    career's and money and leaving my music in the dust..  Now I'm close to
    forty and I've realized that Music is one of th emost important things
    in my life and regardless of the costs, I'm going to pursue it...  I'm
    "hatching out" I nice mid-life crisis and enjoying the hell out of it.. 
    My music friends (couldn't do it without them) offer me music and
    understanding (even the teens... musicians are such cool people)... and
    my Ahemmm.... non-musical (almost used "Straight"... but that's part of
    another story) friends act as if I've finally gone off the deep end...
    (grin... I love it....).... PUleeeeeese, Steve, don't wear those red
    sneakers to work anymore... and don't let people see you reading those
    hippy guitar books at lunch time... hee hee...
    
    
    	I've found that not rushing (thank you DB) and asking for opinions
    (thanks Buck, DBII, Greg...etc. etc... wish I could remember you all..
    my mind's goin'.....) helps me a lot.   Not feeling like my age is a
    limiter helps.. but it's hard to do... accepting that there are
    teen-aged musicians that I can learn from helps... finding my groove
    (not necessarily oldies...) helps.... it's OK for me to play Neil young
    Acoustics followed by Jeff Healey electric...  Relaxing and accepting,
    I guess, are the two most important things for me in "Getting Back
    oafter my Layoff"... oh yeah, and enjoying....  Music is still the only
    non-prescription item that can raise goose bumps and make me feel like
    I'm riding a cloud... pretty sick cliche', huh.....
    
    
    
    Steve

    
    
      Oh well, I might as well say it too.
    
      Hello folks.  I played a guitar as a kid, meaning 11-15.  But
    in those years of old, I wasn't good, but I was comfortable. I could
    rattle off most any chord in quick order and clear at that.  My
    fingers on both hands knew where to go and I had a sense of timing.
    Well, like I said, those were the days of old.  Almost twenty years
    ago for me also.
    
      After thinking about for a year straight, I want out and bought
    a used Yamaha. An SG look alike.  A friend of mine played it and
    said, "This is nice."  Of course, that means it was nice for the
    price tag of $179.
    
      The terrible news for me is that I have forgotten EVERYTHING.
    Not one ounce of music therory is with me.  I didn't remember a
    single chord.  I couldn't remember any notes.   Pizzmeoff.
    
      My plan to get back is this.  Learn the Mel Bay book one front
    to back.  Learn the Berkley phase one book front to back.  Learn
    Mel Bays book of chords in part.   I am having a bad time with therory.
    A diminished ???   You must be kiddn'!
    
      Every night I practice this routine.
    
      1.  Play the scale to start.  (Don't laugh but I'm only on three
          strings right now, G-B-E.)   I make sure that every note rings
          true and when I play a C, the G and E strings are clear.
    
      2.  Play the book in review 'til it's right.
     
      3.  Play the next page 'til I get an idea, then work some more.
    
      3.A  Get mad.
    
      4.  Goof around for awhile.
    
      5.  Practice chords
    
    Once I get all through this I'll take lessons.  But for now I am
    abit too emmbarressed to handle it.
    
    This notesfile is great.  I've been watching/reading for two weeks
    and it's helped me.
    
    Rick.
    
    

 Hey, I wish you guys would quit picking on us "talkers".

Rick