Learn to play Layla

I've been learning how to play "Layla" by Clapton. Its 12/8 time, which gives a neat swing feel to the song.

Sheet music craziness

I wanted to get the Real McCoy. After searching online guitar tabs, I was getting frustrated with the lack of completeness. I stumbled across MusicNotes.com and ended up buying a whole raft of music:

• Takin' Care of Business
  
• Free Fallin'
  
• Behind Blue Eyes
  
• Blackbird
  
• Goodbye Blue Sky
  
• Wanted Dead or Alive
  
• Silent Lucidity
  
• Give A Little Bit
  
• Take It Easy
  
• Hey There Delilah
  
• Three Marlenas
  
• Wish You Were Here
  
• Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
  
• Pink Houses
  
• Here Comes The Sun
  
• Yesterday
  
• Highway To Hell
  
• Back In Black
  
• American Pie
  
• Hotel California
  
• Mother
  
• You've Got a Friend
  

Love at first strum

My daughter Taylor takes lessons at Mike Risko's school of music in Ossining, NY. Each time we drive there I pass The Ossining Music Store. I wandered in recently and eyed this guitar hanging on the wall, a new Taylor 614CE. I looked at the price tag. OMG.

"Go ahead, play it."

I took the guitar off the wall. Its absolutely gorgeous. I sat on the little silver stool with its worn, black leather top. My fingers hit the fretboard and I strummed a few bars from the Rolling Stones, "Brown Sugar." The guitar was amazing. The guitar has the action of an electric, and the sound that'll bring tears to your eyes. I played a few bars of Pink Floyd's "Momma."

I have to have this. Bob Gallasi, one of the owners, let me borrow it for a week. Uh oh. There goes the bonus.

Leadwood

My grandparents and extended family grew up in the lead mining town of Leadwood, Missouri. After hours in the mines they'd come home, wipe their eyes and mouths of the black grit, grab a pack of cigarettes, and start smokin' and playin'. The family had guitars, banjo's, a stringed bass, a washboard, a cow bell, a washbasin bass, and all kinds of fun instruments for the kids.

This is a blog about returning to my roots, tapping into my inner musician as a guitarist. I find that playing music makes the clock spin. Its easy to get lost in time.