About James Koontz Expertise Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Amplifiers, Most anything Music related... Also most anything related to security, Fire and access control, as well as CCTV system.
Experience 20 years as a sound engineer, part time luthier, and general all around technical dude for many local bands. One of which was fairly large in the 80's and 90's with multiple recordings, and was the opening act for David Allen Coe, as well as got a nashville recording opportunity. The band disbanded before making it mainstream.
Organizations Loyal Order of the Moose, Boy Scouts,BMI
Publications Highlights for Children, Mystery Magazine,several online Publications, multiple cd's from various artists.
Education/Credentials I have 20 years experience, some electrical college experience. Studied Law, philosophy, and theology.
Awards and Honors well, too many to listm and none worth much more than a paperweight to hold down the ones that are on paper.
Expert: James Koontz Date: 9/22/2007 Subject: Should I bother?
Question I'm 37 and dull. I started learning guitar on the advice of my therapist who suggested I turn my negative energy toward a positive goal, towards something I've always wanted to do. That 'something' was guitar. I borrowed an acoustic for a few months before I purchased my own.
Now, it has been 8 months, I can play most of the basic chords and strum good enough to keep a beat. Here comes the question: should I bother? I'm no teeny bopper who's going to put together a garage band. My friends who play are no longer excited about the instrument like I am being a newbie. I am frustrated with my lack of ability and knowledge and I feel alone.
I do get a great deal of satisfaction with playing for myself--talk about a stress reliever. But, when I begin to think about my limitations and begin to feel like I'm just doing the same old same old, I get frustrated.
Other info on me: wife, 3 kids under 12, dog, mortgage, studied voice in college and played Horn in High School and college, and all the stress we seem to have in modern life.
Answer Kevin... Let me see, You are 37.. Hmm... Me too July 9th 1970.. Wife kids, Dogs, mortgage.. I am never going to be in a band again... Did that back in the 80's and 90's.. But, Here's the deal.. I was a sound man, and did the setup and repair work on the guitars... I didn't know how to play until a couple years ago... I know more about construction, woods, necks, electronics,string choice, values,etc.. But I just actually learned to play myself.. So,should you bother? You answered it yourself, "I do get a great deal of satisfaction with playing for myself--talk about a stress reliever." That right there is the answer... Also, think of this, Your friends aren't as excited, but, your kids will be... As you progress, you will become a guitar god to your kids.. You should learn a couple of the tunes they like.. And when you play them, you will watch their eyes light up, I'm tellin ya, that right there is worth all the pain and suffering.. Your only limited by your own mind..Something that should help you, is to record yourself playing.. So you have a microphone for your computer? If so, download Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net) it's a free recording program, or contact me off site at guitaranswerman@jkoontz.com and I can get you some other software as well as help you with how it works.. But record yourself playing, and when you play it back, you will hear many things you can't hear while playing.. I find somethings I am working on sound muddy and crappy, till I play it back, then I can hear it as an observer, and it sounds much cleaner and clearer... Shows I'm not as bad as I thought I was.. hahahaa...
Hope this helps...
And please contact me off site anyway, I have a few other tips and sites that should help as well...
