Well... taking the 1st step into learning guitar didn't really interest me much. I was asked to join guitar lesson for a church fund raising in Malacca. I was already in my prime age, Form 5 when i started learning about guitar strumming. Other than strumming I didn't know much with my guitar.
Before my fencing lesson started, I was looking at Prof. Ronnie I. Theseira teaching his guitar student. I was quiet for a moment and was wondering. That is a totally different way of playing on guitar. I, then learn that was classical guitar and immediately I requested, "Prof., can I take up guitar lesson from you?"
I was so into classical guitar and learnt lots of songs, but still I didn't progress much further. Having the lazy worm in me, I was loosing some interest in guitar.
After a year or so, I met an Indonesian friend during my college years. I was very impressed with his progression on guitar. Within 1 year, he was able to play lots of cool pop music and his techniques rocked me from my chair. I was so motivated to play more guitar. Well, motivated a little I would say. Until a year later I started giving guitar lesson as a part time interest, which later turns out to be my full time job.
During my working days, an advertisement on guitar fiesta caught my attention. For no reason I just signed up for the fiesta, not knowing what I'm going to face. I was totally unprepared and time was running out. Fighting against my lazy worm, I begin to practice 5 hours everyday. I forced myself to practice more and more, till I find myself sick of the song I was practicing for the fiesta. When the day comes, I was nervous as normal as it was my 1st competition. Shivering like I've never held an ice on my hand, I played the song that i've practiced. Didn't even want to know what happen on stage, I just steped down and watched the rest of the participants. Lots of great talent out there. When they announced the result, I was stunned. I got 2nd runner up. I was not even expecting any prize on that day, not even a consolation prize.
That was when I managed to meet up with our Malaysia famous guitarist, Roger Wang.
At that moment I was still into classical, typical classical cat. Then Prof suggested me to play more on some pop or modern songs, which are more easy listening to audience, especially when classical music appreciation was not at the stage of well established.
As a collector, I've been collecting tons of guitar books, magazine & CDs. There was a new magazine from Taiwan I bought, Guitar Centenary. I still remember I found it at the corner of Popular book store. Nothing much about the magazine but I was impressed with the its quality and content. Good things about the magazine were the content whereby it comes with video and the full notation & tabs. I continued getting the following volume of the magazine. 2nd volume of the magazine contained of song composed by Isato Nakagawa entitled The Sprinter. I was speechless with Isato's playing style. It was like a mission impossible and was deeply impressed. After a year or so, I just thought of giving the song a try. To my surprise, I took just 3 days to learn the full song. That was when I started collecting more books of Isato Nakagawa.
I fall in love with finger-style or some say new age guitar playing since then. It's basically close to classical guitar techniques with the freedom of doing any possibilities to enhance the music like percussion, tapping, bending and etc. There is no limitation on how one can utilize the potential of guitar.
Then in year 2006, I participated in the same competition again with my 1st finger-style songs. To my surprise, I've got 1st prize.
Year 2007, I participated in 1st Malaysia International Guitar Festival. This time I played entirely my own finger-style composition.
First Malaysia International Guitar Festival
Theseira, my Guru
&
Amazement
I was only able to made it to the finals. One of the World Renown Finger-Style Champion, Don Alder was impressed with my music composition. He was surprised that a Malaysian was able to compose in such a high level. His phrase motivated me to compose more music in my very own style. The rest that happened on that day was history.
One of my composition, Debut was also chosen by Edward Hiew, Malaysian Luthier as his official website theme songs.
Further on, I founded the ACPickers Online Group to gather acoustic guitar enthusiast from all over Malaysia. Mainly to share our guitar knowledge and techniques from one another.
ACPickers 3rd gathering
Since then I've started my musical journey of finger-style and have been performing from time to time.
I've been composing more songs and begin to record my album lately. Will update further when my 1st ever album is release.
Do stay tune for more to come.
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