What's your greatest acoustic guitar accomplishment?

[Glennwillow]

I have recorded some albums and CDs over the years and done a lot of pro-level performing, but in my memory my best accomplishment over the years was to hang in there over 56 years of playing and to keep on learning new things. My goal always was to be not only a decent singer but also a good guitar player, very much in the mold of Paul Simon or Gordon Lightfoot or Jim Croce or John Denver or James Taylor.

I do not compare myself to these icons, but I have learned a great deal from these players by learning to play so many of their songs.

And that's what I wanted from the beginning: to be able to make satisfying music. I'm very appreciative that I can do that.

- Glenn

[Coop47]

Being paid to play for people - I've been doing it for ten years now and the feeling of getting money at the end of the night hasn't gotten old.

In the larger sense, the real accomplishment is putting a band together and putting on a show that some people love to see and actually look forward to. It's all old top 40 hits, and I know that it's the songs and nostalgia that really fuel people's enjoyment of us, but I'm still proud when people say that we made their night. I hope we get back to normal before too long.

[rstaight]

I was in junior high, Dad took me to my lesson and my teacher said that Mel Tillis was looking for a lead player. She said she knew who to contact and could set up an audition for me.

Being a teenager I didn't know what I wanted and said no. Though not really an accomplishment it ment the world that someone had that much confidence in my playing.

[mercy]

Im a much better player now than when I was 20 but a friend asked me to play guitar for his traveling church group. I didnt think much of it at the time. I had bigger goals than strumming for a singing group. But as I look back on my life that stands out as a wonderful experience. Similar but different and in 2nd place was many years ago I was asked to play guitar for a large band that went into convalescent homes. Again I didnt really want to do that but I wound up really enjoying it. We had tuba, harp, bass, hmm, I cant remember what else. But I do remember walking into a building carrying my guitar and feeling on top of the world. Ive been in a bunch of bands and done a lot of other things with my guitar but these two experiences stand out to me as great experiences but also doing something positive for other people.

[pmichael]

My greatest achievement is currently in the Show and Tell forum at present, The Sound of Silence recorded earlier this year. It just came together sort of in spite of myself.

I'm looking to improve my playing skills, even as my physical abilities are declining as I age. Perhaps another achievement will eclipse this yet.

Overall, though, just picking up the guitar a few years back after not touching it for seven years, and starting to play, and continuing to play ... that's the great achievement. Something I always wanted to be a central part of my life now is. I don't see that changing any time soon.

[pjd3]

I would have to say learning to play "Clap" A song by Steve Howe from the progressive rock band "Yes".

Its a fun spunky little travis picking kinda song that really challenged my chops and tenacity to work and play all the way through it. I think its time to get it back on my repertoire!

Phil

[H. Mac]

I tried for about six years to use a pick.

But once I swore off picks and switched to naked fingers (way, way back in 1971, new worlds opened up to me.

[stephenT]

Playing professionally for most of my life is certainly the major musical accomplishment. At 67 I’m feeling pretty competent with a guitar.

[flaggerphil]

Not having Gary Talley tell me to just burn my guitars when I was taking lessons from him.



Actually, having Rick Levy tell me he'd play lead behind me anytime I wanted after I recorded one of my FlaggerPhil's Three Chord Madness videos felt like I'd really accomplished something.

Unfortunately, due to family problems I haven't done a 3CM in a month. Hopefully soon.

[pf400]

Originally Posted by pjd3

I would have to say learning to play "Clap" A song by Steve Howe from the progressive rock band "Yes".

Great little tune there, would take me months to get it down.

[Nymuso]

When, as a young player/singer, I realized I didn’t have to do it exactly the way the guy on the record did it. I could change keys, time signatures, tempo . . . whatever.

[M Sarad]

I met Kathy Wingert through an ad in Acoustic Guitar Magazine about 18 years ago. She liked my playing and chose me to be her demo artist at the last Healdsburg Guitar festival at Villa Chanticleer.

I walked in wearing my performer badge. In the first 50 feet I heard so many incredible guitar players that I took exchanged my performer badge for the luthier participant badge.

Then I got scared. As I watched the demos, everyone was a serious guitarist with master chops. I got even more scared.

Luckily, I pulled it off.

[Lee Callicutt]

Not so much an accomplishment as an enlightenment, but absorbing and embracing the subtle power of open strings, pull-offs and hammer-ons as you play across the fingerboard.

[Bridgepin]

There has been many milestone over the years, learning to play in front of people was a big one for sure ....then not to panic if you made a mistake..LOL

[Goodallboy]

Finding the “one”.