I first started playing guitar when I was 11 years old. I got my first introduction to the guitar from my older sister Barbara... I ended up getting into it very much. I started taking lessons at this place in queens called Larry Downs Music. first solo I learned like at age 12 was Led Zeppelin's Good times Bad Times.... I was in my first band vision at age 14. I was the youngest member. The rest of the band were like 17 and 18. (if you go to my photo gallery you can see a pic from this first show in the past to present section) it is the first photo.
oops I almost forgot, I got my first electric guitar at age 13. My aunt bought me a Gibson The Paul Model (which you can also see on my site) I have fond memories polishing the hell out of that guitar... and I used to love the way it smelt... I still to this day love the smell of new guitars.... hehhhee lol
I always wanted to learn more and more about music. I ended up teaching at Larry Downs music when I was 16/17 but then I took the students and starting teaching out of my home.(Which I still do, till this day)
The most I practiced was about 12 hours a day. I think that all players must get a woodshed practice routine sometime in there career. How I used to do it was... I would wake up two hours before I went to school and get in my exercises..Then I would come home do my homework from 3 to 6. Then practice from 6:30 till like 2 or three in the morning... I would do this.. I got used to getting no sleep .... till this day I do not sleep that much. During the summer, I would only really practice.... stay in all day...I would get up at 11 or 12 noon and then practice all day until 11 or 1 am at night.
I used to break up my routine. I would do hammer on pull off exercises.... then I would do alternate picking exercises. Then I would practice arpeggios, next would be scales and modes (playing them in all keys) Then I would move on to chords and sight reading etc... I would save fun time and noodling to the last thing ( as a reward sort of)... and by that time I was so warmed up I would jam along with records and my favorite music etc...
I ended up entering Guitar contest's and won a couple... Best Guitarist in New York, I came in second at this Hot licks competion at New Yorks Limelight.. etc.....
I ended up going to a music college Five Towns college and I got a degree in Music performance/ theory and music education.
I released my first record in 1995/96 Balance on RED/Sony music. I have endorsements and do clinics for Ibanez,D'addario, Dimarzio, Morley and Eventide..
I released an online cd only called Eye Bleed on mp3.com/robbalducci and Now Favored Nations Entertainment just released my new CD Mantra in Japan first on Dec 20th 2001.
Hope I answered some of your questions...
[Edited by rbalducci on 02-25-2002 at 08:47 PM]