Learning Guitar is not Easy
The following blog comes from someone taking online guitar lessons at ArtistWorks. He's a teacher at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, NY - but when it comes to learning guitar, he's still a student.
Can You Play “Far, Far Away?” by Marcus D
It’s time for a reality check. I didn’t grow up with a guitar in my hand. I’m not one of those people who is fortunate enough to see the guitar as another limb, a natural extension of my body that will obey my every thought and sing out my ideas as easily as if I were tying my shoe. Right here, right now, I’m going to make the confession that terrifies guitar players everywhere: this thing doesn’t come easy to me.
The following blog comes from someone taking online guitar lessons at ArtistWorks. He's a teacher at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, NY - but when it comes to learning guitar, he's still a student.
Can You Play “Far, Far Away?” by Marcus D
It’s time for a reality check. I didn’t grow up with a guitar in my hand. I’m not one of those people who is fortunate enough to see the guitar as another limb, a natural extension of my body that will obey my every thought and sing out my ideas as easily as if I were tying my shoe. Right here, right now, I’m going to make the confession that terrifies guitar players everywhere: this thing doesn’t come easy to me.
As a matter of fact, as a young man, I spent a lot of time hanging around music stores listening to the guys with their amps on 11 playing blazing arpeggios up and down the neck, and whispering to myself, “I can do that,” full well knowing I couldn’t do that. Meanwhile, I spent years searching for a song called “Far, Far Away” because everyone I played in front of requested it. They wouldn’t ask for “Wild Thing” or “Stairway.” No, they would say, “Hey Marcus, can you play far, far away?”.
Fast forward about 25 years and countless hours of practice. I’ve played tons of gigs in a variety of settings and genres. I get regular work locally. I’ve done the pit orchestras for musicals. I’ve opened for internationally touring groups. And who can forget the myriad endearing nights of playing for that one guy who is still in the smoky bar at 3 a.m. mumbling lyrics from “Freebird.”
And it still doesn’t come easy.
Oh, I can replicate licks. I can play some solos. I actually know the pentatonic scale pretty well. But for every tune I master, there are hours and hours of frustrated failure.
How many times have I heard the explanation from “that” guy who says, “Jazz improv is easy….you just do this.” He then proceeds to melt my face while I pretend to understand. I smile with the coolness of a real jazzer and then I go home and face the decision (again) of whether or not to practice like I’ve never practiced before, or to trade my guitar in for a tuna sandwich and cold soda.
However, recently I discovered something that changed my life: I’m not alone. As a matter of fact, I take great comfort in knowing that there are thousands of us. That's one of the benefits to taking online guitar lessons at ArtistWorks, there's a community of people out there like me learning guitar. Imagine the relief I felt when I found out there is an army of people with day jobs who have to work really hard merely to become semi-competent at this guitar thing. Our ranks are hidden among doctors, teachers, insurance salesmen, maybe even your boss!
Don’t get me wrong here. If guitar is your “thing” and it’s an effortless endeavor for you, I wish you nothing but the most envious best wishes for a flourishing career. But for the rest of us, consider this: playing anything, in any capacity, is pretty cool.
As difficult as it is to master the guitar, this is also an instrument that can provide immediate and deep gratification. Think about the simple joy of strumming an open D chord. Consider the feeling of accomplishment when you learned to play through your first entire Beatles song (mine was “Yellow Submarine”). How incredible is it to realize that with three chords, there are hundreds of tunes to be played?
That’s THE essence of this unquenchable (obsessive?) thirst we guitar players have. It doesn’t take much to keep us going. We don’t need to be virtuosos to enjoy playing. Most of us aren’t “naturals.” So, if you’re anything like me, take a deep breath, recognize your personal challenges and shortcomings, and then play with the joy and passion of someone on an incredible lifelong journey of learning guitar.
Even if the song ends up being “Far, Far Away.”