ABOUT Looping for the Summer
Strings Attached: My Musical Adventure
Hey there!
I’m the type of musician who started out strumming a classical guitar almost bigger than I was. Thankfully, my parents thought ahead and got me a mini version so my 8-year-old self wouldn’t vanish behind the fretboard.
A bit like my dad, who learned by ear and from those classic chord books, I grew up figuring out songs using online tabs and a stubborn sense of curiosity. After a few attempts with school music teachers that didn’t quite strike the right note, I turned to what worked: listening, experimenting, and sometimes playing the same riff until my fingers (and family) begged for mercy.
Fast-forward a few years: I’m 12, it’s the holidays, and the living room is glowing with fairy lights (and anticipation). I tear the paper off my very first First Act electric guitar, a humbling real six-string dream machine. I was so happy, grateful, and excited to start playing it until it dawned on me to ask my parents, “So… where’s the amp?” There was a short moment of silences as realization set in, and a new shopping mission began. By the end of Boxing Day, a Line6 Spider IV amp was in my room, and the family hasn’t known peace since.
High school hit, and I thought joining the school orchestra would be a great way to keep the music going. Plot twist: the fun instruments (guitar, bass, drums) were off-limits unless you were part of the music program. Little ol’ me in the international program tried to pick up the saxophone, thinking maybe jazz hands would get me in the door, but there was no real way to catch up to everyone else in time. During music class, however, I was allowed to play the guitar. The teacher’s advice? “Stop playing with your fingers; use a pick, it’s way better.” I took it to heart, and then promptly filed it away under “creative differences.”
Over the years, I dove into all kinds of music genres and explored tons of guitar playing techniques, from staples like rock, blues, metal, country, folk, and classical music, to more offbeat styles like ska, funk, flamenco, tango, medieval songs, and just about everything in between. I also caught the DIY bug and turned lutherie into a full-blown hobby. After learning about electronics and mechanics on Youtube, I built a prototype cardboard Stratocaster that survived a Maker Faire debut (yes, it actually played!).
Before I could keep filling their basement with cardboard shavings in my attempts to bring the prototype to a finished product, my parents decided to reward my efforts (and maybe wanted their basement back), gifting me my second guitar, a Gibson Les Paul.
I then moved on to frankensteining my First Act electric guitar and customized it with 3D-printed components, a whammy bar, and custom knobs and switches for multiple sound combos, because why settle for one tone when you can have 50+ before even reaching the amp? These served as great ways to further familiarize myself with how mechanics and electronics affect sound and how to recreate certain sounds. With a later acquisition of a used Marshall MG50GFX (with a built-in effects loop), and a used CryBaby 535Q Multi-Wah pedal (customizable wah for every mood), I finally had the gear for every sonic adventure. This helped me learn basic sound mixing (isolating different instruments in different frequency ranges), a core skill that later helped me make complex multi-part loops sound better and crisper.
Speaking of Strats, let me tell you about my third guitar. In 2022, I found a local musician selling a custom Stratocaster. He told me to pick it up at a beach bar during his set. One thing led to another, and next thing you know, I’m onstage jamming with him, much to the crowd’s delight and confusion. Who knew buying a guitar came with a live test and applause? I could get used to this, although I might need to start bringing my own tip jar to these transactions.
Participating in open jams has taken my improv chops to another level, proving that there’s always more to discover when you play with others. Jam sessions allow me to connect with musicians from all walks of life and are a constant reminder that the best music happens when you just go with the flow.
Now, about that ukulele. During one family vacation, the car was too packed for my guitar. The family was quietly relieved to get a break from my constant strumming, until my mom noticed how much I missed it. Next birthday, I unwrapped a travel-sized ukulele. Suddenly, I could serenade the entire car on road trips. Peace and quiet? Not on my watch.
But why stop at strings? I picked up the transverse flute after my sister, blessed with a great voice, realized it’s tough to hit high notes and blow into a wind instrument at the same time. She stuck to singing and I happily took over as the family’s resident flautist, earning myself a lifetime supply of “do you have to practice right now?” looks, even from the dog. My sister sometimes lends her voice for my backup vocals, while I’ve dabbled in everything from the violin, viola, DIY electric cello, harp, keyboards, pan flute, and clarinet to drums, kalimba, accordion, and rainstick. Basically, if it makes a noise, I’ll teach myself how to play it.
Looping changed the game for me. After seeing a loop station video on Youtube in 2012, I couldn’t resist the idea of building my own one-person band, layer by layer. It only took me eight years (clearly, I like to marinate on big decisions) before I finally got my first looper pedal in 2020. It’s still going strong, and yes, it’s seen some serious toe-tapping action.
These days, you’ll find me looping songs out in nature or at the beach, mixing music with ocean breezes and a chorus of seagulls. I love chasing that endless summer vibe: laid-back, spontaneous, and full of good energy. When the chance comes up, I’ll play at local cafes or wine bars. I’m all about creating a background ambiance by weaving together covers that get people smiling, sometimes even singing along when they recognize a tune that’s been “doodled” into a new shape. Medleys, mashups, and unexpected genre jumps are my specialty. It’s fun to be the musical Easter egg in someone’s night out!
I don’t just hit up jams when buying guitars though, I also like to collect jam session memories when traveling. One of my favorite adventures came in 2019 during my bluegrass flatpicking phase. While trying to launch a university jam club, I took a road trip to Kentucky for a Guns N’ Roses show (my sister said it was a “now or never” situation, rockstars don’t stay young forever).
On the way back, after a road trip soundtracked almost entirely by Doc Watson tunes, we took a spontaneous detour and ended up in Boone, NC. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Doc’s music isn’t just popular there, his guitar licks were basically the town’s unofficial anthem! The clue? A life-sized bronze statue of Doc himself downtown and a mural at a local university bar, both of which I stumbled upon, making me feel like I’d wandered into a bluegrass pilgrimage.
A quick search for things to do led me to a local bluegrass jam, held in a charming historic house that was turned into a cultural center. Local farmers showed up with their fiddles and guitars, and the night wrapped up with a square dance lesson and an invitation to a barn dance taking place Saturday night. I didn’t make it to the dance then, but it’s definitely on my list for next time I’m in town. Sometimes, you don’t find the music, the music finds you, and the road really does lead to the best tunes!
If I didn’t have a day job, I’d spend my time traveling the world, jamming with locals, delving into the world of luthier craftsmanship, discovering new cultures, and sharing those experiences online so others can join in the adventure.
Until then, I’ll just keep strumming, looping, and doodling wherever I can. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and love sharing what I know, whether it’s with friends, fellow jam lovers, or my most promising student yet, a 70+ year-old who proves that it’s never too late to learn something new.
My hope is to inspire others to keep practicing, keep learning, and keep jamming. After all, music is better when it brings people together, one chord, one loop, one spontaneous jam at a time.
If you’ve got a love for jams, want to learn to play, are looking for music that lifts the atmosphere of an event or venue without stealing the spotlight, or just want to share a cool song or two, I’d love to connect, no strings attached!
Get in Touch!
PS: I’m still looping…
“Looping for the Summer” was inspired by the late Chris Rea’s “Looking for the Summer” song, which accompanied my family and I on many road trips and reflects the warm, relaxing, and laid-back atmosphere I strive to create when I play. As we took our annual snowbird trips to the beach to escape the harsh, cold winters, this song became our anthem for “looking for the summer”, year after year, on loop.