Practice, Practice, Practice

Ok, I know I know.  It's been months since I've posted on the blog and I'm not even sure if I'm still welcome.  I know I'm not a good blogger and most of the time I'm not even a willing blogger.  I'm still trying to figure out what all the fuss is about with this blogging / tweeting / facebooking / spacelooking / flogging / clogging stuff .  To that point though, I still visit the site fairly regularly as I look forward to hearing about Dead Lennie.  You've been pretty lax there my good friend Lennie (on the creative side), although my sense is it's been "one of those years" - to say the least.

I'm blogging today for a little accountability.  I started the Berklee online Masters Guitar program in the early fall and as of this week I'm about to finish my second class and move on to class #3.  I've had an in depth dive into guitar scales & chords, and am about to move to Blues.  It's a good time to take an assessment of what and how I've done, and see if I shouldn't steer myself a little bit in another direction.

Now that I have been through two classes I can honestly say that my concern about whether it would be worth it has been smashed to pieces.  I worried that it wouldn't be comprehensive and challenging enough.  If anything, it's been the opposite.  The only limitation on how much I get from the course is my willingness to put in the time and effort.  Both classes so far have enough material to keep me busy and challenged for years.  I've found that I have to focus on the aspects that are most relevant to me and hopefully revisit the additional material on my own in the future.  Great great stuff.  My effort has been very good and I've worked hard to get nothing but A's on all assignments.  All in all, I am energized by being able to really LEARN the instrument the way I should have years ago as I insisted that playing songs was all I really needed.  I am excited for future courses and excited to keep this learning wheel spinning.  Education is a wonderful thing!

Now for the negative.  I've spent so much time on these courses, theory and skills, that I've put off just playing.  I haven't gigged since Sept.  Haven't been practicing songs and repetoire almost at all.  Zero songwriting.  You get the idea.  I think therein lies the gut-check for the upcoming months.  I need to balance out my practice and get back to songs & playing gigs and the creative and fun side of guitar.  My worry is, the only way to do that is practice, practice, practice.  Not sure I can commit to much more and not sure if I should.  Although I sure would like to.  Hmm.  Do my best?  Suck it up?  Don't worry, be happy?  Wherever you go there you are?  Other thoughts?

Lennie.  I think about you often.  Hows the creative stuff?  You're not letting life get too much in the way are you?  Your audience wants more..........