new tricks

I bet your mind wandered with that title...

My brother got me a guitar for Christmas and I haven't managed to "find" the time to dig it out. But with Boy #1 begging for lessons, and pestering us all by playing at odd times of the day, I finally went online and downloaded some free beginner guitar lessons. (For him.) He, of course, was able to skip past half of lesson one. So, being the expert in the family, he wanted to show me some stuff.

First lesson was tuning. And trying to figure out which way to turn the little dial thingees to make the notes go up or down, sharp or flat. And then trying to figure out if the tuner was reading my guitar or the kid whistling next to me. Then it was on to the real stuff - put your fingers here, twist them just so, press down on a little string that will immediately dig into your flesh and try to strum in a consistent beat. (Now, imagine how difficult this might be for someone who cannot sing and clap at the same time. You'd think that all those years of piano lessons would have taught me some rhythm. Nope.)

It only looks easy. It is not easy. And who knew that playing the guitar actually requires muscles!!??!!

My left arm aches and two of the fingers on my left hand have semi-permanent grooves in them - just from trying to play a couple bars of "Horse with no Name." Thank goodness I was using a pick or my other hand would probably be as sore.

Then I wouldn't be able to knit - and then I'd die.

I lasted about nine minutes and decided that was enough or either my arm would fall off or my fingers would start bleeding. But, I can say I learned a new trick, so apparently I'm not the old dog I thought I was. Although, I must admit it was easier to play on Boy #1's junior-sized guitar with my small fingers. I wonder if they make guitars in smaller sizes for females like me who are neither flexible or have long fingers. Or maybe they make automatic playing guitars like those player pianos.

Gonna have to learn a few more tricks before I'd be willing to spend any money on another piece of frustrating equipment that causes more pain than actual music. Next lesson is chords. Whew. I might not even be able to type after that one.