It’s not about getting every note right. It’s about having a damn good time.

Sure, the music matters. But let’s be honest — live music isn’t always perfect. We miss notes, forget lyrics, and take songs in directions we never…

Ever walk into a guitar store and feel like half the world gets all the choices while you’re left staring at the leftovers? Welcome to life as a left-handed guitar player.

Being a lefty has it's challenges. 

For starters, guitar…

I may be pretty late to the party on this one, but I’m learning that volume is a bigger deal than I realized. 

Last night, the band and I played at Anthony’s Soul Cafe, which is a very different…

Last night I played a couple of songs at the Canyon Road Blues jam at Tumbleroot here in Santa Fe. And I'll be honest — these things terrify me. Playing with people I've never played with before brings every doubt…

Here in Santa Fe—but I suspect this is true just about anywhere—there is no shortage of serious musical talent.

There are plenty of people who want to perform, and plenty who deserve a stage.

The problem isn't talent.

The problem…

Today I got a new guitar.

For me, there's a bond I have with my guitars. Guitars have an energy. And when I feel that energy, I want to play more — it's not really a choice, it just happens.

…

Who would have ever guessed that I would become the front man for a band?

Certainly not me.

In fact, if you had told me a few years ago that I would be standing on a stage, singing my own…

It is not Just the music.

Typically, yes — the music is good. But it's rarely as polished as the record. Notes get missed. Verses get jumbled. The timing isn't always perfect. The mix might be off. The acoustics of…

Despite the rain, we had a small, but enthusiastic crowd at Kaktus Brewery.  It was a fun gig and we look forward to playing there again.  

The last few days have seen significant rain and we literally had to dry…

As the band starts to really get our sound down, I'm faced with a question: what technology do I use?

We've been using OnSong to keep our music organized on our iPads. It's not perfect, but we've made it work.

…

Over the past couple of months, people from all over the world have logged on to MikeChastainemusic.com.  In August the most hits came from Sweden.  Today I see that I got hits from Germany.  People from all over the country…

One of the frustrating things about learning music is that progress can sometimes be almost invisible.

I practice every day.

I work on the same difficult passage.

I mess it up.

I mess it up again.

And after a week,…

Making Time for the Guitar

Everybody's busy. Job or no job, we all have a time crunch. What I've learned is that discipline and structure make the difference — setting aside time to practice, and being intentional about what I…

This weeks New Song Sunday is dedicated to the hope that we have a great ski season this year.  We have the promise of a big El Nino and the forcasts look good for New Mexico.  

Skiing has been a…

The other day I posted about how music can be humbling. Yesterday I got a big dose of it.

I had a lesson, and I really struggled with a fingerpicking pattern. I just haven't been able to get it consistently.…

September has started with a bang. We just booked a gig on September 19 at Kaktus Brewery in Bernalillo, from 6 to 9 — a great venue, and we're looking forward to it.

That's on top of our regular Monday…

I have had no formal training in music theory. To me, it can feel like learning a foreign language—and one that definitely does not come naturally.

That means learning to play the guitar well enough that other people might actually…

The Mike Chastaine Band — Tom Gentry, Ron Tintner, and Mike Chastaine — had a fantastic night at Anthony’s Soul Cafe this past Monday!

We mixed up a fun blend of favorite covers and original songs, adding our own unique…

I've never thought of myself as a salesperson. I'm not the guy who's comfortable working a room, handing out a pitch, and closing a deal on the spot. That's just not who I am. 

Not even when I was an…

Have you ever noticed that some people just complain about everything?  I can be accused on that from time to time.  But complaining never made it better.  To improve the situation usually requires some effort.  That was the genesis of…