When I was 13, I took up guitar, with my first instrument being a crappy red Fender. I picked it up quickly, taking lessons once a week from a rowdy yet friendly evangelist (who totally didn't mind me being an agnostic). I even had a band in high school, though we played less music than we did sit around and talk. I eventually got a really nice Jackson, with mother-of-pearl inlay on the frets and a beautiful purple and green paint job. As time went by, I was able to teach myself and became pretty good, able to play more complicated riffs and guitar solos.
And yesterday, I sold that guitar to a pawn shop for $150 so I could buy a violin.
Admittedly, I haven't played guitar in a few years now. Looking around, almost everyone knows how to play to some degree. In actuality, guitar is one of the easiest instruments to learn. You don't even really need a teacher; it's an instrument you can teach yourself from the get-go and master in a few years. You can play a halfway decent sounding song with a few chords. You don't even need to know how to read sheet music in order to play it (I don't, I just read tablature).
Secretly, while I was playing guitar, I pined to learn the fiddle. Sounds completely retarded, but the reason behind this was because of a video game. While playing Civilization: Call to Power, one of my favorite songs that was featured in the soundtrack was Celtic Winter, which about halfway through has a violin.
Then, I discovered Flogging Molly, which introduced me to more classical forms of Irish music. Ever since then, I've been wanting to play the fiddle, but never really got around to it. However, I'm a pretty spontaneous person, and tend to do things randomly and without warning. So yesterday, I sold my guitar, bought a cheap beginner's fiddle on Amazon, and looked up violin lessons.
Let me tell you, they are not cheap. WVU was offering a 16-week course for $600. Since I do not poop golden coins, this was not an option. However, my school has a Community Music Program that is also a 16-week course, but is $120. All things considered, not really that bad. They also will teach you any type of music that you want, instead of barring you only inside of classical. I'd like to learn classical, but my primary interests are Irish folk fiddle and bluegrass.
My fiddle should arrive tomorrow or Saturday, then I can begin my journey of making the sound of dying cats coming out of my violin for a few years!
