I loved that ad on television where they say "It won't happen overnight, but it will happen". Ever since I can remember I've wanted to play the guitar with flair and skill, but I find that after 30 years of playing I'm still only at the beginner level. I have a young friend of mine that started playing 2 years ago and he has already surpassed me in knowledge and ability.
Not that I'm envious or anything like that but it has certainly inspired me to learn more, about my favourite instrument, so I thought I might blog my journey with the guitar and see if it might help others in the same boat.
I've been playing on and off over 30 years, got my first guitar when I was seven and played the 3 chords C, G, and D that my Dad knew for 9 years, until I could afford to get lessons myself. I thought that learning classical guitar first might be the ticket, but in the end although I still do love the sound of classical guitar it wasn't the style of guitar I was looking to play.
I played around with Australian Country music for a while because my family and relatives liked that, so I learned some old Slim Dusty tunes etc. Again I appreciate the style of music but it still wasn't my thing. I probably spent too long with this basic style of playing until I became a Christian back in 1987 when I started playing those old 'Songs of Praise' tunes, these had a little more of a rock beat (I say that tongue in cheek). At the time it was about the most Rock 'n' Roll that I knew and I still have a soft spot in my heart for those old tunes.
I then joined a church that had a far more contemporary music style, again a little more on the Rock side, this is what I liked. You can't beat that old rock 'n' Roll. I played in these bands whatever was necessary at the time, I learnt how to play the bass for example because that's what was needed at the time, but my guitar playing never really improved.
Since then I've played all those 'Hillsong' favourites, the easy one's anyway. My playing is a little better, but I have so much to learn and so far to go that some days I think I will never get to where I want to be with the guitar. "But if I aim for the stars I might hit the moon".
Guitar playing in Church's is not what it used to be, it is so much better. Some of the lead riffs and chord progressions that are being played these days by the likes of Hillsong and PlanetShakers are incredibly technically challenging, certainly not for the faint of heart.
When I was very young I thought that if I could play 'Johnny B. Good' perfectly I would have made it as a guitarist. I still can only play about the first half of the guitar solo of 'Johnny B. Good' with any kind of resemblance of the original. I know see that the sky is the limit and I am the only person holding me back. I remember 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13'.
I want to play so much better so my challenge is to increase my skills, knowledge and technical ability. I may never be a Tommy Emmanuel , Jimi Hendrix, B.B King, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Carlos Santana or the like, but I hope to become the best Keith Alchin Christian guitar player I can be, in my chosen style of Music which I hope will bring a smile to the face of those who hear me and of course my Lord and Saviour Jesus.
So join with me, on this endeavour of mine to learn guitar in and for Church. 'It won't happen over night, but it will happen'.
This Love - PlanetShakers Solo the only decent guitar solo I have found on YouTube for this love.
