[Nico Zwaneveld]

Hi everyone,

I am Nico, 57 yrs young, and I am from The Netherlands (an hours drive from Amsterdam, and currently in a countryside with fields filled with magnificent Tulips).

I am a beginner with the guitar. I have been working as a sound engineer in my free time for over 20 years during performances of bands and choirs that I have known for many years. These live performances with at least two people playing guitar have finally ignited a fire in me to learn to play the guitar, and this is me actioning on it. I bought a Taylor 414CE for two reasons… 1. the friends that I work with all play Taylor guitars. 2. I know that I need to have some serious skin in the game in order to reach goals, and buying a Taylor guitar requires a real commitment. 🙂

My near future goal is to play guitar while singing a song during the church service for my wedding. I want to get out of my comfort zone for this occasion, and singing a love song for my bride in a full church seriously meets the definition of getting out of my comfort zone.

My struggles are currently with getting my fingers into the right chord positions without interrupting the song, and with strumming in general. I have not yet developed the right way to strum with my thumb… I know that I am doing it wrong, and my fingers seem to “hook” a string during the strum, making that one string sound hard.

After the wedding, I just want to play for myself, family, and be able to jam along during the jam sessions that we have every summer with friends (15 – 25 people playing guitar, having fun and enjoying a great BBQ/Garden party).

[Jonathan]

Hey Nico, great to hear your story. Tulips are my wife’s favorite flower. She’d love to see that field.

Great guitar! That’s the same model Taylor I use. I’ve had it for 15 years.

That is definitely a great goal that’ll keep you motivated through the struggles. I played a song I wrote for my wife at the reception of our wedding. It’s a great memory.

I’m looking forward to hearing the great testimony after the wedding. Whats the date, by the way? And what song do you plan to play?

 

You never fail until you quit!

[Cheryl Davidson]

Wow!  Awesome goal and motivational story!  I really appreciate your sharing it.  Especially the new guitar purchase, as I have just put a layaway on an Eastman guitar.  It felt just right in my hands, and my ears were pleasantly filled with some amazing sounds.  I can hardly wait to get it!  I didn’t let my eyes pick my new guitar, I let my hands and my ears.  It could have looked like a spray paint test board, and I would have bought it because of how it felt and sounded.

I truly hope you get to do your song for your bride.  I am actually celebrating my wedding anniversary today!  Isn’t love amazing!

Peace and happiness to you!

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16

[Nico Zwaneveld]

The big day is Saturday, May 26th. the song is You are so beautiful

[Jonathan]

Awesome Nico! I’m looking forward to hearing about it.

Let me know if you have any questions about the song in the meantime.

You never fail until you quit!

[Brad Horne]

Hi Nico

I have a Taylor 314ce for same reasons when i bought it.

I cheated a bit, my wife and i sang a song together for our guest at reception, it was our own song we wrote about how we came together, a great memory will never forget.

hope it went well ?

 

Brad

Maitland NSW Australia formerly from Perth Western Australia

[Nico Zwaneveld]

Yes. It went well. Didn’t sound quite the same as when Jonathan plays it, but my enthusiasm compensated for that. 🙂 (I am still a beginner… and this was stretching, but great fun to do.)