Originally posted on August 19th 2019 here is a Q & A with guitarist Martin Hodges. He talked about his experiences with music and playing guitar.
Where did it all start for you getting in to music?
I think it may have been when my mum and dad bought me ‘I Feel Fine’ by the Beatles single when I was a young child. We had an old mono record player that you could make play the record over and over (like it was on a continuous loop). Must have driven my parent mad. Who are your influences? Rolling Stones, and 70/80’s rock. Also like American blues and country rock. Here's Martin, playing guitar for our acoustic gig at The Rocksteady on Saturday 15th December 2018.
How would you describe your practice routine when playing guitar?
Erratic. I still want to play all day, every day. I can’t walk past it without picking it up to be honest but I don’t have a set routine.
How important is it do you feel it is to listen to current music as well as music from the past?
Extremely important, you may miss out on a lot of great music if you don’t!
Do you feel it is important to watch other acts perform and to watch other live music?
Yes. You’re very likely to learn something.
Finally what tips do you have for anyone starting out when it comes to learning guitar and performing live?
When starting out with the guitar, play as often as you can, (every day if you can) several, small playing sessions are best. 15 minutes a day is better than one long session a week. Try and play along with songs/records, don’t just stick with internet learning where someone shows how to play as it’s great for ear training (many of the great guitarists learned from playing along with records).
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