Guitar Playing
Today I watched several video clips of John Denver singing his songs via youtube. I’ve always liked his songs and especially the sounds of the guitar. Frankly it was he who inspired me to learn the guitar.
I got that opportunity at age 12 and managed to enrol in Yamaha Music School for a few short months. When money ran out, I stop automatically because it was self-funded. I remembered it costs $25 each for 4 sessions monthly – each session lasting 45 minutes. This was group learning and that was in 1977. I think I was the youngest lad in that class (15 yrs of age). I only learn enough to strum a couple of songs and some finger picking.
It was a couple of years later that I came to play guitar much better when I joined the YF of the church. Several teens played the guitar well especially strumming. It was there that I learn to play for the group, the speed and dynamics etc. It was great and fun. What made it more gratifying was that I had consecrated my limited skill to the Lord and what blessings it was to be able to play far better than I had imagined (not that I have arrived now!). No, we didn’t use acoustic-electric or amp or whatever contemporary worship style employs. We just love to play, period. I realized recently how widespread the use of electric, acoustic-electric guitar is in contemporary churches.
Speaking to guitar sales personnel in town, they said that Christians form a growing customer base requiring electric guitars or acoustic-electric guitars for their worship. My, what a market to tap into!
I have always enjoyed strumming and frankly missing the casual playing and singing sessions at camp in particular. People are too busy and mired in their daily lives to sing. Years back I had Yamaha and Ibanez classical guitars and played them to death. Actually the former had a crack that my friend made cos he dropped it in camp; whereas the ibanez was sold in Texas in 2001. Now I have several guitars but missing the experiences of yesteryears. Hopefully some folks will come along and we can play again.
