Hi Everyone - I Wanna Play the Blues When I Grow Up

[SuzanneShafer]

Okay, so I'm already well into Senior Citizen territory but I see no reason to let that stop me. I've always been up for Adventure; I rode my first motorcycle at age 63, so 70 doesn't seem too late to fall in love with guitars and the Blues. Already I've learned that, as with bikes, the right number of guitars to own is always one more than you have. At the moment I have two bikes (a BMW and a Russian Ural with a sidecar) and four guitars (Fender Parlor Acoustic, 3/4-size Manitou Les Paul, 1946 Rickenbacker Lap Steel, Gretsch Resonator)---in other words, year-round fun! It's snowing as I write this and with the bikes under cover, I'm having a blast learning to play barre chords and pentatonic scales. Really!

In my youth I was an accomplished classical pianist. With that background, I know rhythm inside out (Griff is spot on with the counting thing!) but until a couple months ago I'd never heard of Box 1 or CAGED. Now, thanks to Griff's excellent courses and teaching style, I'm learning fast. Maybe I'll even be ready to join a local jam with my little Les Paul and lap steel when COVID House Arrest is finally lifted. I'm spending hours each day practicing to make it so, and if this forum is anything like another I recently joined, I'll find wisdom here that helps me get it done.

 

[Many Moons]

Hi Suzanne. Welcome to the forum. Bikes and Blues eh? We are kindred spirits. This is the place to get you up and running in the blues. By the sound of it, you'll be playing at jams before too long. Head down to the Virtual Jam Room and join, it's great fun.

 

[tommytubetone]

Welcome Suzanne. Don't be a stranger here on the forum.

 

[david moon]

Welcome Suzanne. A lot of us here are in a similar demographic. I had my 70th birthday Dec 11. You will find lots of support and expertise here whether it be about gear, technique, theory, or specific questions about the lessons. There are no "Stupid Questions" here.

It sounds like you have a solid musical background to build on.

In addition to local jams and open mics, there have been BGU "regional jams", notably several in New England and a vibrant scene in LA, and before the COVID, griff put together events in CA, TX, Memphis. Hopefully these will resume. These events are a great opportunity to meet and play with other BGUers.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Welcome Suzanne,
Wow, you've got quite an interesting collection of instruments there and your piano background should check all the boxes on music theory.
Don't grow up too soon it's fun being young well, at least thinking young.

Good Luck learning the Blues.
Looking forward to your participation !

PS
Last time I was on a bike, I crashed my moped, I'm not allowed to do that anymore

 

[Grateful_Ed]

Welcome to the Clan Suzanne. Sounds like you're way ahead of me in the music department, but motorcycles, well I've got 55 years of riding under my belt.
I'm glad you found us and hope you visit often.

 

[arock]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Zzzen Dog]

Rock on Suzanne!!! Welcome from a fellow biker and aspiring blues guitarist! While you're waiting for the snow to thaw and those blues jams to start up again, you might consider checking out the Virtual Jam Room, judgment is totally left at the door. All members are encouraged to plug in and take their turn at a solo, regardless of where they are on their journey. I did it for the first time myself just a couple of weeks ago.

Wishing you the best on your blues journey.

 

[MarkDyson]

Welcome to the fun!

 

[mountain man]

Welcome to the forum Suzanne! Good to have you with us!!

 

[PapaBear]

Welcome Suzanne and enjoy the journey!

 

[Jay Dee]

Welcome Suzanne, this is a great place to be!

 

[snarf]

Welcome to the forum, mi amiga! Take a look around and join in the fun.

 

[steve o]

Welcome to the forum Suzanne, it’s awesome having you with us!!!

 

[PapaRaptor]

Hi Suzanne! Welcome for the forum. I hope you like it here. We have a great bunch of people here, very positive and very supportive. For learning the blues, with Griff as a mentor, you have definitely come to the right place.

However... There is absolutely NO NEED to grow up. In fact, if you survey most of the members, most will actively discourage it!

 

[SuzanneShafer]

Wow! What a welcome. Thank you, all. I'm pleased to discover that so many of you have the good sense to love BOTH bikes and blues. I will definitely check out the Virtual Jam Room. Is it possible just to lurk in the back row there a few times? I know I gotta do it sooner or later, but right now the idea of anyone hearing me play scares me silly.

 

[david moon]

You can lurk everywhere. To participate in VJR you will need to record yourself playing along with a jam track that was posted. You can play along with various tracks that are posted and then post here

 

[ChrisGSP]

Welcome Suzanne. I see you like bikes with Boxer engines? I have a friend here in Aus who has a Ural that has been converted to "right-hand drive" (we drive on the left over here), and she can't get at the battery because the sidecar is in the way !!! How about that?
Enjoy the fun in BGU.

 

[SuzanneShafer]

Welcome Suzanne. I see you like bikes with Boxer engines? I have a friend here in Aus who has a Ural that has been converted to "right-hand drive" (we drive on the left over here), and she can't get at the battery because the sidecar is in the way !!! How about that?
Enjoy the fun in BGU.

Yup, Boxer girl here. And with a Ural, there's always something one can't get to thanks to the sidecar. Mine is due for a valve adjustment, which I'm going to have to learn to do myself because the dealer I bought the bike from stopped selling/servicing them. Unfortunately, the sidecar will make it necessary for me to basically stand on my head in order to adjust the valves on the right side.

As for fun in BGU, I just checked out a virtual jam and it blew me away. I definitely want to do that someday!

 

[SuzanneShafer]

You can lurk everywhere. To participate in VJR you will need to record yourself playing along with a jam track that was posted. You can play along with various tracks that are posted and then post here

So I found the VJR and lurked in the most recent jam started by Caboburt. Way cool! I finally caught on to how the jam progresses, but I didn't understand more than a few words of the techie talk in the comments. If it had to do with how the recordings were made, then I clearly have a lot to learn before I can join in.