At Ames High School, the term musician generally refers to a member of orchestra, band, or some other school-related musical activity. Although that is what most students expect, Ames High is also home to some amazingly talented guitarists, who have chosen to study and practice independent from the school’s music department. After going through all this, those who are still up to the task of learning guitar are inspirations to all students wishing to get involved in music. “I’m inspired by the vast variety of music we have in our culture today,” senior Andy Boyd said. “I like to take a little bit from every genre and develop my own style.” Boyd plays on a PRS SE Custom Guitar and has been playing for around six years. He is also in the band Bombardier, and has been with them for three years. “I got a guitar for my 12th birthday, and since then I have just loved playing music. These days I just improvise when I play with myself because it allows me to me more free with the music.” Boyd says he plays music for many reasons, but mainly because it is a release of emotions. “Sometimes if I’m angry, I’ll just go out on stage and sweat a gallon. I’ll put all my anger into my playing and just have fun with it.” Boyd said. “[Bombardier] has been really active in the past year, and it’s great to see how many people know about our music.” While guitar playing maybe a release for some, some play it just to calm themselves. When Daniel Lanning picks up his Ibanez guitar, he plays it to relax. “It centers me. I just pick it up and I feel good, nothing else really matters when I play,” Lanning said. “It really is an independent feeling, I can just do whatever I want and it will sound At Ames High School, the term musician generally refers to a member of orchestra, band, or some other school-related musical activity. Although that is what most students expect, Ames High is also home to some amazingly talented guitarists, who have chosen to study and practice independent from the school’s music department. After going through all this, those who are still up to the task of learning guitar are inspirations to all students wishing to get involved in music. “I’m inspired by the vast variety of music we have in our culture today,” senior Andy Boyd said. “I like to take a little bit from every genre and develop my own style.” Boyd plays on a PRS SE Custom Guitar and has been playing for around six years. He is also in the band Bombardier, and has been with them for three years. “I got a guitar for my 12th birthday, and since then I have just loved playing music. These days I just improvise when I play with myself because it allows me to me more free with the music.” Boyd says he plays music for many reasons, but mainly because it is a release of emotions. “Sometimes if I’m angry, I’ll just go out on stage and sweat a gallon. I’ll put all my anger into my playing and just have fun with it.” Boyd said. “[Bombardier] has been really active in the past year, and it’s great to see how many people know about our music.” While guitar playing maybe a release for some, some play it just to calm themselves. When Daniel Lanning picks up his Ibanez guitar, he plays it to relax. “It centers me. I just pick it up and I feel good, nothing else really matters when I play,” Lanning said. “It really is an independent feeling, I can just do whatever I want and it will sound At Ames High School, the term musician generally refers to a member of orchestra, band, or some other school-related musical activity. Although that is what most students expect, Ames High is also home to some amazingly talented guitarists, who have chosen to study and practice independent from the school’s music department. After going through all this, those who are still up to the task of learning guitar are inspirations to all students wishing to get involved in music. “I’m inspired by the vast variety of music we have in our culture today,” senior Andy Boyd said. “I like to take a little bit from every genre and develop my own style.” Boyd plays on a PRS SE Custom Guitar and has been playing for around six years. He is also in the band Bombardier, and has been with them for three years. “I got a guitar for my 12th birthday, and since then I have just loved playing music. These days I just improvise when I play with myself because it allows me to me more free with the music.” Boyd says he plays music for many reasons, but mainly because it is a release of emotions. “Sometimes if I’m angry, I’ll just go out on stage and sweat a gallon. I’ll put all my anger into my playing and just have fun with it.” Boyd said. “[Bombardier] has been really active in the past year, and it’s great to see how many people know about our music.” While guitar playing maybe a release for some, some play it just to calm themselves. When Daniel Lanning picks up his Ibanez guitar, he plays it to relax. “It centers me. I just pick it up and I feel good, nothing else really matters when I play,” Lanning said. “It really is an independent feeling, I can just do whatever I want and it will sound At Ames High School, the term musician generally refers to a member of orchestra, band, or some other school-related musical activity. Although that is what most students expect, Ames High is also home to some amazingly talented guitarists, who have chosen to study and practice independent from the school’s music department. After going through all this, those who are still up to the task of learning guitar are inspirations to all students wishing to get involved in music. “I’m inspired by the vast variety of music we have in our culture today,” senior Andy Boyd said. “I like to take a little bit from every genre and develop my own style.” Boyd plays on a PRS SE Custom Guitar and has been playing for around six years. He is also in the band Bombardier, and has been with them for three years. “I got a guitar for my 12th birthday, and since then I have just loved playing music. These days I just improvise when I play with myself because it allows me to me more free with the music.” Boyd says he plays music for many reasons, but mainly because it is a release of emotions. “Sometimes if I’m angry, I’ll just go out on stage and sweat a gallon. I’ll put all my anger into my playing and just have fun with it.” Boyd said. “[Bombardier] has been really active in the past year, and it’s great to see how many people know about our music.” While guitar playing maybe a release for some, some play it just to calm themselves. When Daniel Lanning picks up his Ibanez guitar, he plays it to relax. “It centers me. I just pick it up and I feel good, nothing else really matters when I play,” Lanning said. “It really is an independent feeling, I can just do whatever I want and it will sound right.” Lanning has been playing for four years and says it was his destiny to be a guitar god. “My birth dad was a guitar player in a band, and the day my parents picked me up from the hospital they drove past a Rolling Stones concert. On that day I was ordained by the rock gods to have a musical gift.” Lanning is still on his way to achieving guitar god status, but he certainly has the right role models. His favorite guitar god is Jimmy Page. “He’s so versatile, he can pick anything up and play it. If I had that ability, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’d be swimming in money in my gold pool.” Many other guitarists at Ames High are active in bands such as Ben King, guitarist of SOAP and Eric Garasky, guitar journeyman. “It’s nice just to sit down and play guitar in front of someone for the first time. Some people are surprised and it really catches them off guard,” Lanning said. With video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero convincing everyone that they can play guitar, it’s a breath of fresh air to see people actually playing notes as opposed to hitting blue and orange buttons.