How I find Time To Practice

As I’m writing this blog I'm listening to an all-out guitar assault from Ron Jarzombek (guitarist for Blotted Science).  Thinking about a topic for this post I decided to talk about finding the time in our busy schedule to practice. So how does this “guitar-doodler” find time to practice? As a full time contractor working for the military while taking on-line courses as well as hitting the gym for 1 to 2 hours and managing time with my family is a juggling act to find time to practice.  Under the current circumstances it is hard for me to schedule a practice session if I do it may be for a few minutes to maybe an hour (if my wife is out of town or watching her favorite reality show).

Here is how I manage to get some playing time in:

1)   If I'm watching TV or Netflix on my computer, Ill practice some scales, hammer-ons and pull-offs and some thrills, the guitar is not hooked to an amp.

2)   If I'm doing school work I'll take a break and jammed a bit this is used to relax a bit and stir up the creative juices especially if I’m writing a paper

3)   Also I practice as my pre-workout ritual before going to the gym, at that time I’m pretty jacked from drinking Hemo-Rage (pre-workout drink. I’m balls to the walls practicing like I’m possessed.

4)   Then one time I moved my gear and set it up  to the bathroom and sat on the crapper and recorded a 10 minute instrumental  called “Waiting for the Laxative to  Kick In” , basically it’s a ok sounding  shred-attack with a fast drum pattern. By the time I was done it took me awhile to drag my 230lb+ ass to stop the recording because my legs fell asleep.  Something about sitting on the crapper, you have all that time to think (besides thinking what crawled up your ass and died) and come up with a great idea or lick.

Well that’s how this guitar-doodler practices it might not work for everyone (especially number 4). Till next time.

My Fascination With The Guitar (Part 2)

In 1976 I went to the record store to purchase another Deep Purple album I noticed an album cover with four individuals that had thier faces painted and smoke surrounding them-the name of the album was Kiss Alive. I decided to purchase the album out of curisoty. When I got home I played the album I converted to a Kiss Fan. I was pretty impresses with Ace Frealy's leads. I played this double album at least 5 times that day. I became a Kiss fan rushing to purchase the Destroyer, Rock and Roll All Over, and Love Gun they day they were stocked in the music store. Later through the years I had puchased all thier live albums but they never lived up to Kiss Alive. During 1977 at Bryant HS it was the Kiss vs Led Zeppelin wars. either you were a Kiss fan or a Zeppelin fan, I ended up being a Village People fan (WTF). Anyways that was short lived when I went to their concert in Madison Square Garden. I was back to being die a hard Kiss fan. I did watch the Led Zepplin movie five times when it came out but despite having the best guiterist and drummer i still favored Kiss's extravagant shows.

My Fascination With The Guitar (Part 1)

My facination with the guitar started in Brooklyn 1974 when my friend was bragging about the band Deep Purple being Puerto Rican in those days I was exposed to Salsa as well as the Jackson Five, Beatles, and Donny Osmond (WTF). The closet thing to heavy rock that I was exposed to was the Bay City Rollers. The Deep Purple album that my friend played was Deep Purple Made In Japan. I was mesmerised by Ritchie Blackmore's lead in Highway Star. My friend also knew how to play by playing Smoke on the Water. From that time I got hooked with the band. Screw Donny, the Jacksons, or KC and the Sunshine Band; I was hooked to Deep Purple well actually Blackmore's guitar playing. My friend tried to teach me to play guitar but being left handed I made a couple of attempts to play right handed but I quit in fustration (20 years later I started to learn how to play after purchasing a left handed guitar-more to come on this journey. )
The first album I purchased was Deep Purple's Stormbringer this was Blackmores last album with Deep Purple in the 70's. The second Ritchie Blackmore album I purchased was Blackmore's Rainbow, with Dio as the singer.

Featured Guitarist

Since Ritchie Blackmore was the first guitarist I’ve listen to he will be our first featured guitarist

Ritchie Blackmore was a session guitarist in England before co-finding Deep Purple in 1968. He left Deep Purple in 1975 and created his own band Rainbow (formerly Elf). In my opinion I think his lead guitar playing for Rainbow was better than Deep Purple, this was the time that he was playing more in a neo-classical style. He did not have the lighting speed that Malmsteem possesses but was a flashy guitarist. Between him and Uli Roth I consider them the “Godfathers of Neoclassical”.  One of his downfalls is not getting along band members, large ego, and numerous changes of line-ups.  In 1984 he disbanded Rainbow and to rejoin Deep Purple. I did see Deep Purple in concert in Germany in 1986; during live shows he puts his showmanship ahead of his playing abilities making him at times sloppy.  I think the only person that could get away with it while throwing Kung-Fu kicks and spinning his guitar around his back without missing a note is Malmsteem. In 1997 he formed Blackmore’s Night a Rock-Folk band. I have to say his acoustic playing ability really shines with this band.

Welcome to The Guitar Doodler Blog

This blog is dedicated to those Wanna-be Guitar Heroes, but can't because they have other responsibilities as well as those that are hardcore players and professionals.

The definition of a guitar-doodler is a guitar player that either:
-waste time playing aimlessly with or without structure
-to play or improvise idly
-plays just for pleasure

This is a person that picks up the guitar and play anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours. He/she has other responsibilities which prohibits him or her to fully engage in this endeavor. It may be a full time job, going to school, raising a family or other activities that forces guitar playing to take a back seat.