Why did you want to play guitar?
 

I just wonder why people want to learn to play guitar. I've heard more than one star say that guitar players get girls. Not sure if they were just being funny or what, but it is an interesting question. Did one hear Jose Segovia, or Chet, or Merle Travis and say I gotta learn to do that? Was the guitar the main thing or was it just music? I grew up singing. I just loved to sing and did all the time. Dad took me to see High Noon when I was ten and I went around singing the theme song all the time. My teacher even got me in front of the class and had me sing it while she accompanied me on a Ukelele. My sister made fun of me when I tried to do the yodel in Love Sick Blues. So I had one reason to learn to play, to make music when I sang. My first guitar was plastic and my first song was Tom Dooley. Two chords. I Walk the Line drove me nuts with the key changes,I could find the chords but couldn't figure what the heck was going on. I eventually learned to play rhythm pretty well and played in several country bands but never had much interest in playing lead, well really the only way I could was to memorize it totally and figured that's not how it's done, you improvise. So a few years ago I gave my son my Martin D35 and gave it up. Then last year I got the urge to play again so I bought a Taylor dred. I found out that like anything if you don't use it, you lose it. That includes singing. Yeah I'm 72 and don't expect to be as good as when I was twenty, but I really don't believe I'm good enough to sing solo, even in church (a man's got to know his limitations). I have started to learn to play some lead and fills and reading posts here on AGF has helped me a lot. So, why did you want to learn?

Heard Hank Marvin play "Apache" and I knew I had to learn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zou2V-e0zo

Hank is the first guy i knew of who had the bridge pup retired to the bottom TONE control. You'll note he's on the Bridge pickup when he plays, but the Tone control is rolled off to about "7".

Bill

Simply the Johnny Cash Show and Hee Haw. I just loved what I heard. The theme to Bonanza got me too.

Pure whim, at age 55 (2 years ago now).

Never could sing, never wanted to.

Had 5 years of piano as a kid and hated every moment.

Used to write newspaper reviews for rock concerts, and particularly focused on electric guitar playing, even though I didn't play myself. Not sure if that is part of the current attraction, albeit to acoustics only now.

Learning fingerstyle. Just for the sake of learning. No plans to perform, other than perhaps for my hospice clients if/when I get good enough.

Loving the journey! :)

My first exposure to the blues.

Then girls, money and any excuse to avoid 'normal' jobs of any kind.

Fortunately it all has worked out incredibly well over the last 40 years. :D

Thanks. I really like that!

Music was really important to me growing up and I just had to make music myself. It was in my bones.

Bob

Always wished I could play and then around 2 years ago started to learn. It's not going at all well as I have poor concentration but I will hang in there until I can play something recognisable, fingerstyle blues hopefully.

I started playing in 1962. By now I can't remember if I wanted to learn to play guitar or wanted to learn to play music and guitar was the easiest way to do that. I suspect the latter.

I saw girls screaming for the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. Chicks dig guitar players... even better if you sing and play. ;)

(tongue-in-cheek)

I have been playing for 50 years. I got my "chick" 45 years ago. I know she didn't date me for money; I have a mirror; it musta been the guitar playing. :D)

two words Merle haggard I had learn today I started loving you again and that beautiful simple country sound.

The guitar harmonies and melodies of Iron Maiden. After getting an electric, I bought up a Yamaha 12 string so I could play the acoustic stuff of those 80s rock ballads and rock classics.

Check this out:

http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-Value-.../dp/0786650702

Thanks for all the replies, I love em. Keep em coming. I guess I only cared to play well enough to back me. I've always admired those who can play finger, Travis style. And banjo players the way they roll their fingers. I just can't seem to play that alternating bass with my thumb and other strings with my fingers. I can start the thumb in gear and soon as my fingers move my thumb stops(-: It's like my brain won't let my fingers do what I want em to do! I love that style. But I just don't have the dexterity and now, at 72, my fingers are stiffer and ache a bit.

My first guitar was plastic and my first song was Tom Dooley, just like the OP. Never took lessons but the first few pages of a Mel Bay book showed me how to tune it. I didn't bother with all that dots and lines stuff and the guy in the pictures wearing a suit.

Exactly why I started, I don't really know. It was just something I fooled around with that got out of hand. Kinda like with girls, but that's another story. Plus there was no how-to book for them.