Not Passing the Barre

So this little improv intro to 'Time is Running' by Muse at Wembley back in 2008 is one of the reasons that I've decided to pick up the guitar again.

I decided to man up and take my dreams of rock stardom from the closet to the closest guitar teacher.

There were a whole lot of reason I haven't in the past. And looking back, they seem pretty lame.

• I was afraid I just wasn't cool enough to carry around a guitar, let alone a red electric one
• I know that singing isn't exactly my strong point, so I wondered what I'd do with all those chords and no singability
• I was afraid it would interfere with my violin playing, which I don't do so much anymore, but I didn't want what little skill I had built in the last 14 years to disappear 
• I didn't want to shell out the cash for what might prove to be another passing trend

However, after passing Step 1, the world seemed like a much more benign place, where things were still possible after all! (I guess making it through the mother of all exams really opens things up). If people could get through Step 1, then certainly, I could properly learn the guitar!

Anyway, so to my soul-mate, Google.com I went. And typed in those critical words - "Guitar teachers in Marathahalli."  To my delight, I found a "music school" about 10 minutes away on my favorite bus route, on the way to work called Guitar Crush, which was pretty much exactly what I had. It also turns out that the guitar instructor there, Armando, also taught electric guitar, which meant I wouldn't have to buy an acoustic and destroy my fingers on barre chords (which it turns out are difficult enough for me on the electric). I'm of course, still missing an amp - which makes my practice sessions sounds especially scratchy, plinky and utterly flat, but this way, I don't go overboard and play for like 3 hours a day. I do need to buy one though. 

Interestingly enough, they also teach Western violin. However, I haven't really pursued that at this school and have another teacher lined up for January - hopefully that works out. I think by the time I'm done with Step 2 and it's time to leave Bangalore, the fingers on my left hand will be freakishly strong. 

So I've been going to Guitar Crush for about 3 weeks now and I'm pretty satisfied. For some reason, a real teacher cannot be replaced by YouTube lessons no matter how good Martyzsongs is (incredibly generous man who uploads excellent free guitar lessons). Today I learnt a little bluesy power chord, A, D and E - ah! so much fun had I! 

But then, I also grappled with that horror - the B barre chord today. I pried my buckling fingers apart from each other as I desperately tried to get the guitar to make some noise. But alas! all I good get was a dull donk! 

To add salt to my wound the other student began to learn Led Zeppelin's Over the Hills and Far Away. A beautiful beautiful song that really inspires me. And here I was -  donk, donk , DONK, DONK, donk, TING. 

Right. 

Grrrr.....

Death to ye, ye olde devil! 

Anyway, that's my Sunday evening rant on music and pure evil. 

I promise though, that by next Sunday I will have that chord down and my middle finger will no longer buckle under pressure, but stand beautiful, tall, elegantly curved and strong. 

That's all for now!