Month: September 2009

~Mom Rock~ the coolest thing ever.

/ Clare L. Martin

I am sleepless considering songs I want to learn on the guitar.

Currently I am learning several from Sticky Fingers: “Wild Horses,” “Moonlight Mile,” “Dead Flowers” and “Sister Morphine” and a couple other Stones tunes… some Bob Dylan: “One More Cup of Coffee -Valley Below” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” There will be more Dylan sought, I’m sure. Some Lucinda Williams: “Drunken Angel” & “Essence” so far, and, “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow.

Yeah it makes me happy. Got a problem?

The list above is incomplete and I am adding more songs every day. A stripped down “Satellite of Love” by Lou Reed and some VU tunes, too, and maybe a few of PJ Harvey’s. Some that I’ve listed I’ve already learned or have just begun working out. A few I chose just this morning. So I will be busy for a while.

I don’t want to get bored. I want selections that mean something to me. I’m keeping it real and keeping it neat. I have a punk-pink pocketed folder in my guitar case with the printed out songs. Handy!

I practice every day and night. Often an hour stretches unnoticeably into hours. I am working my voice too. I love that I quit smoking. My singing has improved. I’m still discovering my sound, so no public appearances, unless you come over to my house. There is a $5 Cover.

It’s cool that when I play in bed while Dean is asleep, he seems to go into a deeper sleep—he sighs as if the wracking storms have cleared. If I was bothering him he would not hold back in telling me so–so I am not bothering him. No, no—he is pleased that I have rediscovered a passion and I’m being creative. Now if I turn on the light! Yeah—that would piss him off. So I softly and not so softly play/sing songs I know by heart, and/ or do exercises, improvisations…mess around with chord progressions that sound cool…and work my rhythm; generally explore so that I better-know my instrument.

I am playing the same “Mystical Blue Moon” acoustic guitar I bought back in the late 80s (not a brand just what I call it) and it has held up well. Well, it was stored for 18 years in a soft-lined hard case when I wasn’t playing.

All those years…I held the music in my body until it almost turned to dust. Playing sweet chords released a wellspring of joy in me. I’ve found my musical path again which makes me very happy, so it can’t be that bad.

I gave Mad my old electric, a “Phoenix Electra” (Japanese Fender copy) and she really wants to learn but she has had so much homework nearly every day that she is burnt out or out of time in the evenings. We will work some time in for her to practice. She is so overwhelmed this school year!

I am seriously considering buying a new/gently used electric for myself, a small amp and an effects pedal if they still have those things. It’s been so long since I’ve browsed a music store and technology has evolved. I might check pawn shops and music stores that sell second hand instruments. I’d really like a clean Stratocaster and a modest amp. Nothing fancy, just a workable rig with a solid feel and clean sound.

Rockin’ Momma Out

 

ROCK N ROLL

It Rains

/ Clare L. Martin / 2 Comments

I have been out of writing practice since about May when I started physical therapy and had to sleep at night. Writing has been very sporadic because my best time to work has been working overnight overhauls.

Well I stayed up all night, (I tried to sleep) and at 6:40 AM I had a poem. I don’t publish my own unpublished poems on a public blog, so if and when it gets accepted I will link to it.  I am happy with it.  🙂

Under the Spell

/ Clare L. Martin

When I was seventeen I got an electric guitar for my birthday.  A friend taught me a few chords and I was rocking & rolling.  I played faithfully for three years.  After I married, with so many big changes I let go of my practice and fell out of my groove.

About two weeks ago I bought new strings for my acoustic and my electric guitars.  My daughter wants to know what I know.  After I teach her what I know she might take private lessons.

I, however, am playing everyday again, learning new songs, and writing some too.  It feels so amazing. The joy is back!  After a great session of practice, during which I picked and strummed and sang I feel so at peace and serene. I feel lighter, unburdened.  It is miraculous.  I pick up my guitar several times a day, and I am eager about it in the way I was when I began. I hope that feeling lasts.

I am rebuilding my practice primarily on my acoustic because I want to build my hand strength and finger strength.  The tips of my fingers are hard now that calluses have developed from playing everyday for the past two weeks! 

I think playing guitar is a bit like breast feeding. (Wait! I know that incredulous look you have on your face!  Don’t stop reading!)  At first, it’s downright painful to press with enough force soft fingertips to wires, and similarly the first few days of breastfeeding are quite challenging as the baby sucks already tender breasts, but after your fingertips/nipples toughen up you don’t give it a second thought.  If you’ve breastfed or played guitar you know it’s true.

My next lesson will be to teach myself scales, so that I can rule the neck! RAWR! I need guidance on this so if anyone has any advice, I’d be much obliged.