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Monday, 24 August

Well it was time for my second guitar lesson with Kristy Gallagher this week. I have tried to practice, but I realised that my memory must be fading as I couldn't remember what the chords were called. I felt pretty sure that I knew what the positions of the fingers were, but not what they were called.

Kristy put my mind at rest by explaining that she always needs to recap at the start of lessons, so that took some of the pressure off. I was also trying to remember the order of the strings. I knew there was a phrase to help. It turns out that it is "Elephants and Donkeys Grow Big Ears" and not "Elephants and Monkeys Eat Bananas." I knew it was some animals, just not what they were doing!

I invited people to come up with ideas for what song I could play. The aim of the lessons is to get me to perform a song live. There were several great suggestions including Wonderwall, Yellow Submarine and even Smoke on the Water, although I think that may be a bit too much of a challenge.

Kristy played me some of Time of Your Life by Green Day, which was another suggestion. She was great and it sounded and even looked good, but she was doing some extra bits with her little finger, which looked even more complicated. Her suggestion was that I try and do Wild Thing by The Troggs. It turns out the first three chords she has taught me (I cant remember their names!) are the ones I need for the first verse, so we had a good try.

Kristy teaching Mark the guitar

I think it sounded okay, although there are quite a few big gaps where I have to work out where to put my fingers. I will definitely have to practice more before next time. It's also interesting that people have commented via the website. There is even one from someone called Eric Clapton saying that I sounded great. Surely it couldnt really be THE Eric !

Tuesday, 4 August

Well, it was my first guitar lesson yesterday. When local singer songwriter Kristy Gallacher came on the show and played live a few weeks ago, I was inspired. Just sitting watching someone play live music in front of you can't be beaten and it made me think how much I have always wanted to be able to do the same. 

So, I decided that I should try and learn to play guitar. Not only that, but I needed to do something that would really challenge myself so... my mission is that I will try and learn to play to a standard that is good enough, so that I can perform a song live on stage to a real audience before the end of the year.

Kristy very kindly agreed to be my teacher and so we had that first lesson yesterday - live on air. I've been lent a beautiful guitar and Kristy said its a very good one - so that already makes me nervous! Teacher Kristy showed me what all the strings were called and there is a rhyme to remember them - Elephants and donkeys have big ears. I think its that way round? 

Maybe its donkey and elephants and also there is no H string is there? Hmmmm, I think its going to be more confusing that I first thought. If you have ever tried to learn to play guitar you may have found it easy. If you have ever tried to do it whilst also being on the radio you will know that its another level of learning.

All I can say is that after the first lesson, Kristy is obviously a very patient teacher. She will need to be. I think if I remember rightly that she said I had potential, so that cant be bad. Maybe if next time I bring her an apple, she will let me get away with being a bit rubbish for longer.

So, by the end of the year, I will perform live. But what will the song be? Will it be in tune? Will I get stage fright? I think I better stop asking these questions until the next lesson. Suddenly the end of the year doesnt seem that far away.

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