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How I TAC Jumpin Jeff’s 4/27/21 Version
1.) How many days per week do you play?
I play 8 days a week on account of in case I have to miss one I can get in my bare minimum of 7. I missed one not to long ago but it was because I was anesthetized. Suffice to say I am a hopeless guitar geek.
2.) What time of day do you play?
I crawl outta bed and head for coffee and while that starts I crawl to my guitar stand. This happens at O dark thirty. I have two curs that wake up at the first sound of a birds morning call outside and they make it their sole mission in life that I hear that sound too. Early morning I am at my sharpest and best. I usually play for a bit after lunch, 9 times outta 10 and quite often I play after dinner too. I am a slow learner so it takes a lot of playing for me to get what is in my head to come out of the guitars sound hole.
3.) Where do you play?
I play in my living rooms. I have a space carved out that is my guitar haven. I will sometimes play outside when it is nice and the dogs are content to let me play guitar and not chase squirrels.
4.) What was your guitar life like before having a guitar routine & how has implementing a consistent guitar routine helped you? (if possible name 3 ways).
<font face=”inherit”>a. Before my routine began I wandered endlessly on youtube convinced the the </font>choreography<font face=”inherit”> presented would make me a guitar player. I wasted a good amount of playing time just trying to figure out what trick I could reproduce (hint: most of them even in their simplest forms were beyond my capabilities no matter how many times I would repeat them. I had not developed the kinesthetic awareness, the mind muscle connection if you will, nor the very muscles themselves that were </font>necessary<font face=”inherit”> for replication.)</font>
<font face=”inherit”>My routine has made </font>systematic<font face=”inherit”> playing effortless. I sit down dial up the lesson and play. I know that the cumulative effect of this practice over time has made me better (supported by the evidence of my recordings) and I am convinced to my core that </font>continuing<font face=”inherit”> this practice will allow me to move closer to becoming the player I have always dreamed of being since I was 6 yrs. old</font>
<font face=”inherit”>b. I was </font>continually<font face=”inherit”> pestering my son for answers to questions that I could not figure out. My son at the time had formal musical training. He was respectful and patient, but I did get the sense he would avoid me when my guitar was out.😃</font>
<font face=”inherit”>Music is a big elephant. It has taken time for me to get it even partially swallowed. The systematic lesson approach while at first seemed unrelated became more and more related the more I did it and the more I repeated it. One of the greatest light bulb moments I ever had was on a Wednesday scale lesson in the key of D, it was harmonic thirds. When I realized all I had to do was add the 5th and I had the full triad my mind exploded. I no longer pester my son for </font>assistance<font face=”inherit”> in musical comprehension. I have been shown a way that if I don’t know something off hand, I can figure it out. It is the systematic approach of my routine and the regular and </font>repetitive<font face=”inherit”> exposure to the presented </font>material<font face=”inherit”> that had allowed me to be able to telescope out and see a very grand picture. There is only one scale, I just push it, vary it and change its location. (love Nashville Numbers)</font>
c. My initial willy nilly approach to learning and playing resulted in frustration and very slow progress could even be stagnation and rut after rut. I had discounted in my mind the efforts of those people I was trying to emulate thinking that with the next trick I would get it. Nothing but frustration resulted.
My routine helped me put the kibosh on my frustration. Once I knew what to do it became a matter of executing my intention. My hours of repetition/repetitive drilling connected me to the efforts of those who had done the same. I had new appreciation for what it took to play guitar. I settled in and started to experience the joy of repetition, of making the same sound over and over each time focusing on making a better sound. Without the routine I had to constantly start over. With the routine I am continually building right where I left off.
5.) Bonus Question: What is one non-guitar item that is a must have in your guitar routine?
<font face=”inherit”>My one non Guitar Item is my </font>sleeve<font face=”inherit”>. I play with </font>sleeves so I don’t have to wipe down the guitar when I am done playing. I would spend all my time wiping as much as I pick up and play so I have these sleeves that I can slide on and off.
I think I used too many words.
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12 Replies
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That is a fine looking “tool” you have there @jumpinjeff ! Like your story – hope you win something 😎
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Thanks @Bill_Brown , winning every day I pick up and play.
The “Tool” is a little piece of history. It is a 1992 Breedlove C1 quilted Maple with Adi top. It is the 19th guitar off of Breedlove’s production line signed by both Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson. It is a gem.
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Good to see your smiling face, @jumpin’jeff. Who catches more squirrels? You or the curs?😎😁😆
Great routine. Nice to know you better.
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Definitely the Curs. I just notice in my Photo the young one, Redwood “Woody” Guthrie, photobombed me.
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Just to clarify…
I wasn’t avoiding you — I was just busy. Probably. 😎-
You gave me a gift. I would not have found TAC without you being busy. 😄 It was painfully obvious I need professional help. 🤣
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🤣🤣🤣 Ya think? 🤣🤣🤣
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I kinda leaned into that one didn’t I? 🤣
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Thanks for sharing JJ . I didn’t realize the term KIbosh was so widely used! I played hockey with a guy who called his special deke “the Kibosh”! 😆
Like the idea of the sleeves I was thinking the same now that the weather is getting nice. It’s what cyclist use!
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Yes @Guy_H the sleeves were originally for when I was riding. They have been repurposed for guitar.
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@Jumpin’Jeff, you’re always a pleasure to have involved in TAC discussions. Keep on truckin!
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More or less in line is about the gist of it @Maydog . Now when I put my bow through the wind, I TAC with intention.
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