Too Many Strings

To celebrate almost a year of guitar playing and 100 songs learned, I wanted to make a post on why I love guitar so much. Just about everyone in this class has probably seen me around campus playing guitar with a group of people. Music seems to bring a small crowd wherever it is, and I enjoy that aspect of the instrument. As I’m typing this, there are guitar tabs open on a different window haha!!

I’ve been playing guitar since January of last year. I was grounded for a few weeks because I hadn’t completed an assignment and it tanked my grades a bit. I decided to take the time I had and put it into something that I had been interested in doing since I was very little.

There’s an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia where the gang ends up going to a music store. Charlie sits down at the piano and without having played one somehow understands the process saying, “I don’t really know, man. I just get keys.” That’s how I was when I took to the strings of my brothers Taylor GS Mini, which was later given to me in a series of hand-me-downs.

After learning a few songs and getting un-grounded, my dad started telling me about the many guitars that I had grown up around. Pictured to the left is a banjo that was built like a guitar so my dad would have an easier time learning how to play it. The guitar at the bottom was my grandfather’s. He didn’t play it as much, so he gave it to my dad. I’m not a fan of it though, the action is too high (meaning that the strings are high above the neck of the guitar) and it hurts my hands.

Most of the music I learned was alone during the beginning of the year. I didn’t know many other people who were interested in guitar, and none of my friends lived near me. I was self taught and used it as a way to calm myself or maybe just stop myself from being so bored. My parents love to hear me play, but having such a small audience made it difficult for me to push myself when it came to new songs or new techniques. I would stick to my comfort level and never move past it.

In march of last year, I auditioned to attend here at MSA just like the rest of you did. There I met Sarah and CJ. CJ wanted to start a band with the three of us plus David and my friend Em. Though this didn’t work out in the end, CJ brought back my passion to play guitar and learn more music. During orientation week, we spent a lot of time in the lounge playing guitar together. I was pushed by my peers to listen to music by artist I didn’t hear much of in my own playlists and play more complicated things. People sat and listened to us play, and really it brought me a type of happiness I hadn’t felt much. Maybe it was a bit prideful, or maybe it just felt good to make people smile when they heard music they liked. Whatever made be feel that specific type of happiness, I can thank guitar for it.

I’m getting closer to the word limit so I think it’s time for me to cut this. Now, just because I know 100 songs doesn’t mean I’m good at all of them. Some I’m still learning, and others I’m just REALLY rusty on. I think I’m going to start playing in the lounge and on the patio if possible. I miss playing around people!!!! Okay, that’s enough for now. ByeBye!!