[Why Do You Play?]

@Eracer_Team-DougH I did! The deluxe version with the workbook videos. The workbook PDF is superb and I like Steve's intro to each of those sessions. I also like the extra material Gibson put on the DVDs, too. And its fun to use the play along CDs. I use them on my home stereo but I also ripped them so I can play from a portable speaker with my phone.  The whole program -- the free lesson and workbook PDFs, the video course, the Guitar Gathering community, and the live sessions -- is so good and so effective.

[8 Steps to Guitar Learning Success!]

Great article, Steve! Part of the journey is to enjoy it. It’s fun. It’s easy to practice consistently when you keep the challenge fun. One resource I’ve found to help keep me focused on that guitar is a continuous journey is Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo. 

[Why Do You Play?]

I am learning guitar because music is magic and I want to know it and feel it and share it with those I love.

Eighteen months ago I found I had late stage colon cancer. That has a way of quickly making you really understand what you find important in life. For me, I found music was foundational. My number one priority other than to treat my cancer was to listen to my music and to rip as much as I could to FLAC so I could hear it more.

Something I found during convalescence from surgeries is it’s really important to do something new. To keep my adventure going. Last time, I choose to start to learn guitar and to bake. And then COVID came along to keep me home. I wanted to memorize and play my favorite songs, maybe even sing. We had a little 3/4 classical Hondo and started with that. I stumbled onto L&M and just loved the PDF lesson book. I wasn’t new to playing music — had played saxophone, piano, and violin at various stages in life. I had tried guitar first but it’s a hard go for a six year old. I found I really liked it this time around 50 years later. Two months in I got a Takamine GD93CE and I’m absolutely addicted. Just starting barre chords — again. When I switched to the huge dreadnaught from that little nylon thing, I basically had to relearn everything again.

I’m doing well and have beat the cancer, at least for now. I’m looking forward to extended RV trips and playing along the way. Really getting to know my favorite music on a new level.