When I was in 1st grade, my parents decided that I needed to learn piano. I disagreed. I wanted to play guitar. But, they’re the parents so they won, and I found my young 6-year-old self sitting in front of a piano. However, making stringent use of my free will, I steadfastly refused to learn to read music. I’d come home from a lesson, break out my sheet music, and proceed to write down every note for every song I’d ever learn. Before each lesson, I’d erase the notes. After each lesson, I’d rewrite all the notes. It drove my instructor insane and, more often than not, he’d drive me to tears.
It was hell. Six years of hell.
During this hellish six years, I won several major piano competitions. Well, as major as any piano competition can be in West Texas. And all without understanding how to read music. I was a note-writing-and-erasing S.O.B..
During 6th grade, I was informed that once I entered 7th grade that I would be playing in the band. I could do sports if I wanted, but band was non-negotiable. I was also told that I could pick whatever instrument I wanted to play, so I immediately picked coronet and was immediately instructed to choose again. I toyed with the idea of picking flute or clarinet, just to see the look on my parents’ faces, but decided to short-circuit the entire process and chose drums. I figured, what the fuck, right? I mean, outside of bells, chimes and xylophone, I wouldn’t need to read music. And after six years of piano, I pretty much had rhythm nailed down.
And so began my real life in music. It was all drums and percussion, and I even managed to pull off the xylophone. Once I graduated high school, I played drums in the local community college jazz band. I sucked, but it was music. When I was in undergrad in college, I hooked up with some guys and continued drumming away. After graduation, I continued playing in churches and later in my first real country band. We played the shit out of the Panhandle circuit.
Then I quit, shipped the drums to storage, and proceeded to do anything other than music for about ten years.
And then I decided that I really needed to learn guitar. A few years ago, I’d purchased a Martin DX1, which had been sitting undisturbed in my bedroom since I’d bought it. I had also, inexplicably, begun collecting other music equipment, such as a microphone, a Novation X-Station 49, Logic Pro 6 and a few other odds and ends. I wasn’t actually playing anything. I was simply collecting all the necessary ingredients to record … should I ever decide to actually put pen to paper.
And then I decided to start guitar lessons. I was finally putting my Martin to good use. Shortly after, I decided to throw down the gauntlet and bought a Telecaster Highway One. Then I called Luke and we started setting aside times every week to jam. Then came the Bad Monkey, Boss RC-2, Turbo Tuner, and the sudden realization that I can’t read music.
Enter Mel Bay® Modern Guitar Method Grade 1, which is a decent starter book, although much of what I already know is covered. I was learning to read music, but slowly. Skipping past what I know, then working my way backward when I realized I’d skipped too far was slowing me down.
And then I found Learn and Master Guitar and my world changed.
Yeah, it’s expensive. Yeah, it takes a long time to work through. Yeah … did I mention it’s expensive? $200, give or take, but you can spread it over 4 payments. That’s a damned good deal.
And it’s awesome. 20 DVDs, 10 play-along CDs and a great workbook. When it arrived, I immediately began paging though the workbook and quickly found located where I needed to start. And I’ve been working my way through the book ever since. The lessons are incredible and easy to understand. The materials are extremely straightforward. And they provide access to an awesome web forum where you can interact with other people who are going through or have completed the course. But most importantly, I’m learning to read music.
I really can’t emphasize it enough. This is an awesome course. It’s really everything they claim it to be. Check it out. Try it. They have a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you really don’t have anything to lose.
I’m loving it.