Re: Your Opinions on inspiring a new student?
Over time, I'd been drawn to the sound of mandolin. Knowing I was never going to be great at any one instrument, my goal has been self amusement. Guitar, both acoustic and electric, bass guitar, dobro, then uke, all of them provided me a sense of satisfaction. When I had issues with my hands going numb, I took up pedal steel exclusively for two years. I finally cried uncle with that one, but even then I enjoyed playing.
I think you just have to want to play, at whatever level you can, more than pulling weeds or knocking a little ball around.
So I'd been resisting a mando untill my then three year old grandson saw a farmer's market group with one. Next time we were together, he marched up to my wife and told her I should get one. That pushed me right over the edge. Can't disappoint the kid can we?
So back to the question, and for me learning new instruments has been adding new flavors to recordings of original material, and you can learn three basic chords and enhance a recording, which just makes you want to learn more. But I do think you have to need to play. When I did the pedal steel thing it was out of a deep seeded need to make music. You just have to have the will to get over the many humps you'll encounter.
I'm sure I'd like golf, fly fishing, restoring old motorcycles, or any other number of activities out there, but I have to make music.
This has absolutely nothing to do with being good at it.
Now the nicer the instrument , the more I want to play, so it's a factor, but once you have something that plays well, a low bar these days, it is a matter of need and will, and naturally enjoying the process.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
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