The Seagull S6

I bought my first guitar on Saturday.

This was a pretty easy decision to make, to be honest, because I've been wanting to learn a new instrument for some time now. I can play the piano and accordion (even though I'm not that great), but I've been wanting to move on to something different. Something stringed.

I was seriously considering the harp, because it's one of my all-time favorite instruments, but decided that a guitar is more accessible. Also, once I can play the guitar (a two-planed instrument), I figure it shouldn't be so hard to move on to the (single-planed) harp.

Anyway, my friend Terry helped me pick it out, and here it is..
The real Yes wasn't in the purchase, though, it'll be in learning how to play and practicing regularly. It's a lot like joining a gym - the victory isn't in getting a membership, it's in actually exercising. Last year I joined my neighborhood dive gym for super-cheap... and stopped going within two months. But that was 2007. 2008 will be (and already is) different.

My plan is to play just a little every day, get my fingers strong, memorize chords, take it slow. It's already a little frustrating because I'm teaching myself, and I have yet to figure out the guitar "formula," like which frets make which notes, and why. I'm probably going to map it, like I mapped the bass buttons on my accordion to help memorize their location.

Terry made a good point - he figured things out for himself, and even if it's like re-inventing the wheel, it sticks better that way.

Oh, Seagull. I'm pretty happy with the way this weekend turned out, but I'll have to post about the other Yes later - my fingertips are sore.