Circa, December 2017
It's almost three months since I began playing the guitar. I've always admired them from afar, but never would've imagined that I would take the time to learn and practice it. I am a respector of instruments and a true music buff, but picking up an instrument wasn't on my radar (not right now that is)! I thought about the violin and wished that my grandmother made arrangements for me to learn piano instead of taking dance lessons when I was 8. They say that it's better to pick up something when you're younger (ie. "child") and I don't understand why...I suppose because that's when you are developing, but then that is also to say that once you are an adult you become unteachable. I think this notion holds alot of people back from taking that step forward to pursue a desire or dream. When I worked part-time at a pet store in Brooklyn years ago, my co-worker, commented on how it was "too late" for her to be recognized in the music industry as a musician because she was 23 and 19! I tried to tell her otherwise, but she was convinced that her time had expired. If anyone's in the same boat then I hope this nugget encourages you: Jennifer Lopez was 29 turning 30 when she released her debut album "On the 6" in 1999 and Jessie Ware was 28 when she released her album "Devotion" in 2012. Like the R&B Princess, Aaliyah, once sang "Age ain't nothin' but a number"! I too aspire to cut an album (I am planning to do so in the near future as I juggle everything else) and right now I am 26. Where I am at right now in life as a person (as a woman) is the best form of me that I've ever been! I am the woman I want to be! I can look in the mirror confidently and appreciate who I was designed to be by GOD Himself! But back to the topic at hand: I say all of this to express my point that it's "never too late" to do anything. It's never too late to fall in love, get married, start a business, go back to school, establish a lifelong dream, pick up an instrument you've always wanted to learn, start a band, learn a new language...and whatever else you can put your mind to. Life tends to get in the way at times and personally for me, when I was in my late teens and early twenties, I wasn't ready. I wouldn't say I was immature and I definitely wasn't scared, but I am more confident in myself then ever before. I know who I am now and then I thought I did, but wasn't quite sure. Sometimes when life happens it is also used as a means of strengthening you; thus enabling you to further discover your potential and who you truly are. If some things that happened in my life didn't take place then I truly believe that I would be less compassionate towards others. Some people have tried to convince me to believe that I should only be concerned about myself. But, there is a difference in being able to provide for yourself and thinking that you don't need anyone ("I can do bad all by myself" mentality). Everyone needs each other. I'm grateful that GOD has kept me from bitterness and that ideology didn't seep into my heart to damage my perspective on life. Living like that is the very veil that seperates a person from GOD.
Steering clear of bitterness plays a role in the position that I am in right now and why I am the best form of myself that I've ever been thus far. I know that I have a lot more life to live, but at the same time our society can place pressure on us causing us to compare our lives with one another. The truth of the matter is that no one has go it all together or can write the book on life. I don't care how perfect their life looks on Instagram (no one posts about their crappy days obviously)! All-in-all, I'm excited to be 26, learning French, learning how to play guitar, studying for my Driver's Permit (don't be so surprised), and starting my online business on top of continuing to further establish my acting, writing, singing, and modeling aspirations. Somedays feel like I am spinning my wheels and other days feel like major advancements, but they all work together for good (Romans 8:28). Each day of my life and your life is another step towards making history. We have to push through those slow-mundane days to make it to the days of breakthrough and victory. The days of breakthrouh and victory are worth it because you pressed through the "not so exciting" days where you were an inch away from throwing in the towel.
I'd like to end this post with a mini guitar lesson just incase you yourself are interested in learning or if you're just a lover from afar; it's still good to know from one music lover to another.
Now, I'm not enrolled in any classes and lately I have taken to just teaching myself (figuring it out as I go), but YouTube (again) is a great source where you can find videos of legit instructors breaking down the basics for you. Below is a link to one I recommend and reference often.
https://www.youtube.com/user/andycrowley
When you first get your hands on your guitar you will want to tune it properly. There are apps available that will assist you in doing so before you begin to play. I also recently learned that every so often you'll have to tune your guitar so the notes continue to sound right. I thought you only had to tune it once and you were set for life (or at least until a string snaps)!
After tuning your guitar properly, you should start by learning the notes. On my acoustic guitar the notes go by the following order from top to bottom:
Low E-string 6
A-string 5
D-string 4
G-string 3
B-string 2
High E-string 1
As of right now, I know how to play C, G major, E minor, E major, and A. As I continue to practice and play I am working on switching my fingers to different positions on the fret (the strings located on the neck of the guitar: you hold this part in your left hand if you're right handed/switch if you're the opposite).
A helpful tip to remember is to not constantly play while looking at the positions of your hands because this nasty habit will lead to poor posture. Also, the longer your nails the better for strumming (or you can use a guitar pick to protect your manicure) and don't fear if your hands start to hurt and/or callus; it's all proof that you are working hard to master the instrument. As I continue to play with my new best friend, I am writing songs (in English/French), and becoming more comfortable strumming without having to look at my hands.
I hope that you have been blessed by my pearls of wisdom and that you'll take a chance in embracing your dreams without a second thought of how old you are!
Check out this article about "Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs" owning the game and breaking economic stereotypes. I highly suggest that you take notes as this has taught me a thing or two; getting me excited about the future!
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Sante
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