For a few weeks I've been learning a little about playing Bass Guitar. Mostly what I'm learning is that I don't like playing guitar. I don't have excellent fine motor skills in my fingers like some folks. I don't like having the guitar slung on my neck or perched awkwardly on my lap. I don't like twisting my neck around trying to see what I'm trying to do on the fret board. I just don't enjoy the guitar as an instrument.

Which is kind of funny because I LOVE listening to what others do on this instrument. I'm enthralled by Steve Bell, and Eric Bibb and others who can tickle those little metal strings into a life of their own.

But as I've often suspected, I don't enjoy the mechanical process of guitar playing myself. I think I'd rather play the piano. Or maybe the xylophone/marimba .... something that's all out front of me, played at arm's length, incorporating percussion and space to play in. Similar to drums but with actual notes...

And learning more about music itself fascinates me. The whole concept of what music is and is not. How different cultures determine and define musical notes (i.e. why is oriental music so different than western music?) ... the science behind it. This all fascinates me and I hope to do more. In the meantime, I guess I'll keep plucking away at the bass guitar. Bassists seem to be in short supply around here...
But I wonder if I can invent a new instrument that I'd enjoy playing more... like maybe a Bass Piano keyboard? A Bass Pedal on my drums that can trigger a normal range of bass notes ...? Something...