I’m coming up on one year of teaching myself guitar, bass, keyboards, violin, lap steel and other odd instruments (kalimba, tin whistle, theremin). I also have taught myself Cubase and how to arrange parts for a song, plus some production and mixing skills.

I played percussion in grade school band, and played some of the melodic percussion instruments, such as timpani, bells and xylophone. In the 80’s I taught myself guitar and keyboard / piano. I even sung.

This last year I got really serious with music theory. I the 80’s I was more interested in being cool, and while I did take piano lessons for about 2 semesters at a Community College, that was my only formal training since grade school. However, I could sight read music, so that was a good start.

I didn’t get back into music because of the Pandemic. In 2019, I did pick up a nice Gretsch guitar – made in China, it was inexpensive. I saw it at Tall Toad music in Petaluma when I stopped in with a friend who has always been a musician.

But I played it goofing around in my living room on weekends and one day I decided I was ready to take the next step.

Each song that I try to write (I think of what I post as a “song idea”), it’s a little inner journey. Because they are pop songs, they feel “disposable”. Lately I have started becoming interested in perhaps writing something more permanent – more along an orchestration piece. The three minute pop song format is OK, but I want to branch out.

This book seems to fit the bill nicely. I was very happy reading just the first chapter, and believe that this book will help me go down a new road.

Time will tell, but I sure do love trying, even if I never am heard or honestly, if anyone likes my music. My blog really is my inner art self journal, so it serves the purpose and I enjoy trying every day.

My daily bike ride and art escapades are the ultimate in meditation. I get a lot out of my efforts.