The Art Of Guitar-In Depth Study (Entry #3)
Patience! Patience! Patience! Every time when I learn an instrument I must remind myself to be patient and trust that I can do it. It brings me back when I was in middle school, I was a member of my school’s band from Grade 6-8. Some people may say one musical instrument is harder to learn than another. The trumpet, a brass instrument that involves the vibration of the lips to produce sound, is one which many people say it’s onerous. Of course, I don’t think the trumpet is a piece of cake, but without hesitation I chose to play trumpet. You could say I was following my father’s footstep as my dad was a trumpet musician and he owns two trumpets so I could easily loan one from him. At first, I was frustrated with myself because I was not able to clearly play the notes even after many practices. I certainly wasn’t enjoying this musical experience. However, as I said before I believe that dedication is a huge part of being talented in that specific musical medium. I just keep persevering by practicing often and with some help from my dad eventually, I won the Most-Improved Award for Senior Band (For musicians with at least a year of experience) in 2008 and has performed many solo parts in a few concerts since then. For guitar, I realize that all I need is this same perseverance.
My mother once told me that “Music is a Gift”!
But not all people possess these gifts to be a musician. Mozart was a child prodigy dating back to the Classical Period where his father quickly realized his talents and sent him on tours around Europe. As for myself, I was no way to be an prodigy, nevertheless I have had opportunities to expose to different instruments and was able to grasp the skills competently as well. I recognize that I possess a gift of music and will take pride to develop my potential. With approximately a month of guitar experience, I feel great to finally play a song. Last weekend, I made a cover on Starfield‘s Reign In Us and posted it onto my YouTube Channel.
Besides, being a successful “YouTube celebrity” ain’t easy. Indeed there are a wide variety of talented artists who showcase their skills in many unique ways.
My dream is to become one of them!
I started my Channel in July 2010. As a matter of fact, the journey to YouTube stardom is a long way and I know that I have many obstacles to conquer especially the immense amount of competition. To be the best you must work hard at being successful.
Turning to my learning session (3rd time), I met with my mentor, Mason last week. This was particularly a surprise as he had brought along his friend, Catherine. Catherine taught me to play some songs and to polish my technique. At the end, we even jammed to some songs together. It was an awesome learning experience for me. I am thankful that my mentor has inspired me by finding extra resources and people for my learning. On the other hand, as people always say, with repetition the technique will come.
Moreover, prior to the session, I asked a couple of questions and have received these responses.
- An acoustic guitar is more suitable for songs with chord progressions because they provide a better sound
- Riffs are patterns that are played repeatedly (usually on electric guitar rock songs such as Weezer‘s Say It Ain’t So)
- You can use the nail of your index finger to strum if not using a pick
- Sliding from fret to fret when playing the E major chord progression allows you play the chords with more ease
These are some helpful tips for me and people who need more insight on the instrument.
Time does fly really fast when you are having fun. Within an hour or so, it was already time to pack and leave. My dream to become a popular musician on YouTube is just the beginning, but here’s one thing I would tell anyone on learning new things:
AT FIRST IF YOU DON’T SUCCEED, Just Keep TRYING… TRYING and TRYING AGAIN!!!
-chowster24
