I experienced one of my most profound moments on guitar after I realized this one thing. If you hear me out on this, I think it will unlock a new level of gratitude and inspiration on your guitar journey!
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On this episode of Acoustic Tuesday at Home you’ll get to hear the story of my 1958 Martin 0-18. It involves some intense family moments that may just send you into a gratitudinous state!
Additionally, I’ve found myself playing in my home studio a lot more. As a result, my phone has become an invaluable tool for practice sessions.
You’re going to get my list of 5 tips for using your phone to help elevate your practice sessions. Trust me, these apps and recommendations will help you!
Last but not least, I really want to thank you for watching and supporting the Acoustic Tuesday show. I’m so excited to welcome Emerson Townes into the world, and I’m glad I’ve been able to spend some more time with him since I’m doing these At Home episodes!
As always, you can catch Acoustic Tuesday at 10 am every Tuesday in these four places:
Hey Tony,
The i Real pro app for android is 13.99…
Tony could you provide the tabs or make the little riff you played on Acoustic Tuesday a lesson? I loved the rhythm and the sound.
The Guitar that means the most to me
I had always tried to teach my son Kar about the Classic Rock of my teen years of 1967 to 1971. I bought him a record player and records; we watched the Woodstock movie together. When he was 14 in 1981 I bought him a cheap ¾ size electric guitar. The first thing I told him was, “You really should learn acoustic guitar before going electric.” But, to my astonishment, he could play immediately!
“You’ve got the tune right,” I said, “but it’s 4 times too fast.”
He started a band called “KALI” with four friends but what did they want to play? They played a style of music that no parent could possibly like – Death Metal! They thought Metallic was great but that they were too good to aspire for so their favorite bands were (ewww!) Poison, Anthrax and Scorpions. One brave parent, Ronnie McClellan, let them practice in his garage and taught them about his experiences on the road in the psychedelic band “The Blue Magoos.” He wrote the Blues Magoos’ hit song “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet.”
They played all the tiny clubs in Gainesville, Florida and many band competitions while working after school to buy big, black Marshal amps but Kar was still playing the ¾ size guitar. One day, the family was visiting my in-laws and Kar out of boredom went out to the Bingo Hall with his grandmother. You can buy as many $2 cards as you want and if you get one line filled you win $2 but if you fill the whole card -5 vertical columns and five horizontal rows -you win the jackpot. Well, that night they won the Jackpot and split it. With Kar’s half of the jackpot, he bought a cheap electric guitar – a Pelham Blue Mako Exotec XK-4.
It didn’t sound great but it looked really hot on stage so even though he eventually had eight guitars Kar always played the Exotec on stage. He called it his “work guitar” or simply “The Money Maker.”
Their manager was a short, round, sweaty guy that always wore an old brown hat. He always had Kali open for Misery Index. The guys in Misery Index were all at least 5 years older than Kali and they never talked to the younger band. They did seven summer tours of Spike’s Bars in the South – Gay Punk bars where you played behind a wire fence and watched the fans leap off the stage into the Mosh Pit where they were kicked and pummeled to the music.
The crowning moment of my son’s music career was the day when the manager called the singer of Misery Index to do an extra show. He said, “the opening band for the stadium show with Metallica in Atlanta, Georgia just called-out so you’ve got it.”
The singer said, “What about the kids? They could use the exposure and they could probably use the money. So, unless the kids play tonight, we don’t play.”
The manager said, “Alright, alright! Get a hold of the kids and get over there, now!”
So Kali opened before tens of thousands of “Metal Heads,” then Misery Index played and then Metallic. When the happy fans left the 2 opening bands and all the light and sound and security staff all lined up shoulder to shoulder on stage and Metallica ran out and shook everyone’s hand warmly like it was a soccer game. ”Good Job! Good job!” they said.
When Kirk Hammet crushed Kar’s hand he looked him in the eye and said, “You play pretty well. Keep practicing.”
Shortly after this high point, youth was over. When Kar left home to start a family he took 7 guitars but he left me “Old Money Maker.”
Hi Tony,
Great episode !!! I have been using Garage Band. Haven’t been using the voice memo app. Gonna give it a try. Looks like a simple way to capture a musical idea.
Congrats Tony, Im really happy for you!!!! Looks like a new band member!
Tony, congratulations on the new son.
One of my fondest guitar memories was last Christmas. I go to a weekly jam and we had a little feast before the jam then we all played Christmas tunes. I have been playing about four years and just starting to get a grasp on improvising. I played a George Strait tune ( Christmas Cookies). It’s kinda bluegrass and It was amazing. As I was playing my solo my guitar teacher was there and the whole time I soloed he kept shouting yeah man, you got it. My wife had recorded it and looking back on it I don’t know who’s smile was bigger ,mine or his at the end. Sadly because of computer issues that recording is gone but it’s buried in my brain. I picked up the guitar at 62 after retirement and never in my wildest dreams I ever thought I could do that.
Thanks for all you do for the guitar community
Jim Young
Congrats on the new addition to the family, enjoy him bond with him they grow sooooo fast. Now is the time to take it all in best of luck in raising your boy.