Tonight, I learned that guitar lessons are a lot like school exams. You spend all week practicing, getting to a point where you know where all the notes are, can transition relatively smoothly between them, and when the big day arrives to show your teacher what you can do now, you choke.
I have no idea what happened, but when we ran through the scale together, my fingers were virtually all over the neck. Words can't begin to describe how poorly I played. To make matters worse, when he gave me a little "pop quiz" to identify where the notes are on the guitar, I actually had to think for a moment before playing the right ones. I did pass with flying colors though (grin).
Suffice it to say, it was a very disappointing session for me. I couldn't help thinking I'd left him with the impression that I hadn't practiced much at all last week, so I assured him I had. Thankfully, he understood my dilemma. We're going to discuss it more, next week (I tell ya, this guy's amazing!).
This week, I'm to continue working the same scale. No problem there. I'm more than happy to do whatever it takes to correct the problem I ran into tonight. He also wants me to begin working on tempos and keeping in time with sheet music. He's assigned a few pieces from my Hal Leonard guitar book to help with that.
The good news is both my left and right hand positions are looking great! Woohoo! Now all I have to do is conquer freak memory loss, and I should be fine!
:)
August 22, 2003
My teacher was impressed with the progress I've made in developing my left-hand. Before starting my lessons, I was incapable of assuming the most "correct" form of the C chord without straining my hand (a chord I've read is generally impossible to achieve by students without developed strength and stretch in the hand). I spent a half hour every day for a week running through stretching exercises and finger calisthenics, and am now able to create that same chord with minimal effort.
I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, my right-hand position needs work, including keeping my fingernails filed down (my tone is terrible).
This week, I'm continuing my stretching excercises and building my dexterity. He's advised me to consider it my warm-up before playing. In addition, I'm going to be learning the C scale, and trying to reach a point where I can establish a smooth transition between notes while maintaining proper hand position. He said if I can memorize the C scale, improve my right-hand position, and transition smoothly between notes, I'll have a made hell of a lot of progress in just two weeks.
I'm confident, but I'm going to continue pacing myself by limiting my practice time to 30 mins/day.
August 18, 2003
My first lesson was last Wednesday. My teacher is incredible.
We spent a good deal of time getting to know each other, trading stories of our past experience with music, while he tuned my guitar (it's a 20-year old Takamine with relatively new strings - grin). We quickly established a very comfortable report, and generally got along really well. I'm definitely looking forward to working with them.
My first lesson involved learning proper positioning for classical guitar. It's very awkward at first, but I'm a fast learner, and was able to adjust quickly. Next up was left and right hand position. Right hand, no problem. Left hand...
Folks, let me tell you something about classical guitar: Once you learn, and start getting accustomed to, proper right-hand positioning, it's absolutely staggering the number of guitarists you immediately begin noticing who don't use it themselves, and you start to wonder how much better they'd sound if they did. I never realized what I was doing to myself, or my hands, until this first lesson. All I know, now, is that I was doing it ALL wrong.
This week, he has me doing two very basic exercises to help me develop my hands. Suffice it to say, I have no qualms with these exercises. I'm not actually playing any songs, but I'm already seeing and feeling the benefits of the workout my hands are getting. I know it's going to take some time before my left hand develops to the point where I can play without any fret noise or string buzz, but I'm more than patient. I just want to play right, and play well.
First exercise: Stretching
Play the first four frets from the top of the neck, starting with the 6th string, without lifting the fingers. By the time the fourth fret is played, all four fingers are firmly in place directly behind each fret. Repeat until the first four frets on the 1st string are played.
This is NOT a painless exercise. Like every other form of exercise, you're working muscles that've never been worked before, and putting your hand and your fingers into positions they're not used to. By the time I reach, the 3rd string, I need to take a breather to give my hand time to rest. Then I play the last 3 strings. The good news is that I can feel that hand developing, and it's quickly becoming less of a chore to work my way down to the 1st string while maintaining proper positioning.
Second Exercise: Finger Calisthenics
Starting from any point near the bridge of the guitar on the 6th string, put all four fingers directly behind each of four frets, and, starting with the pinky, try and play up to 3 frets further down. Repeat until you reach your index finger, and then move up a fret and repeat the process all the way up the neck. Continue exercise until all six strings are played.
This is the easier of the two exercises, but you still get one hell of a workout. I run through each exercise for 15 minutes to create a 30-minute-long practice session every day. My teacher said that I should try and practice at least a half hour each day. The more, the merrier, of course, but I don't want to burn myself out.
My name is Matthew Hutchinson. I'm a CSR for a consumer finance company, married, child-free by choice, and the "father" of two dogs and a cat.
My first experience with guitar was age 8. My dad owns a Folk guitar that I used to watch him play. He taught me a few basic chords that I played around with for about a week, but the guitar was too big to play comfortably, and I lost interest in continuing. At that age, though, I was more interested in playing pretend than I was in seriously taking up a musical instrument. The guitar proved more a curiosity than anything. I definitely don't consider myself any kind of 'prodigy'.
Still, guitar has never ceased to amaze me. The coordination required between two hands, facing opposite directions, to play six strings in such a manner as to create some semblence of music, is nothing short of extraordinary.
I took my first lessons at a guitar shop when I was 22. I had purchased a starter kit, including a Gibson electric and a 12-watt amp for $200. It was my first guitar.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a real clear idea of what I wanted to play. Actually, I knew I wanted to play Rock, but I had no idea what I needed to play it. My complete lack of a clear goal, coupled with frustration I was experiencing from having an instructor who seemed intent on teaching me scales via Bach's "Bouree in E Minor", caused me much grief. As a result, I seldom practiced, and stopped taking lessons after my 3rd lesson. Eventually, I found my Gibson spending more time collecting dust in the closet than being used at all, so I sold it in hopes that someone else might find it useful.
Now I'm older, wiser, and much more in touch with myself. More importantly, I've finally figured out what I want to do with the rest of my life and am pursuing a career as a studio musician.
My palette has also broadened, considerably. My two most favorite genres of music are Classical and Heavy Metal, and include Progressive Rock, Classic Rock, Blues Rock, 80's "Hair" Metal, Neo-Classical Metal, Symphonic Metal, Goth Metal, Baroque, Opera, and film scores. I also finally have a grasp on the relationship that each genre shares with the other. Such is the reason why I'm studying Classical guitar - to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of Metal and an even greater appreciation for Classical music. I plan to use my foundation as a Classical guitarist to transition into other genres and styles.
Sadly, there are few instructors here in Kansas City - at least few that are within a 10-minute drive of my house. Much to my fortune, however, I was put in touch with a professional classical guitarist around the first week of this month, who teaches out of his home, and am now studying under him.
I own a Takamine E132C Classical guitar that I use when practicing and at lessons.
One pitfall I found myself in, when I was still teaching myself, was that I often compared my own skill to that of guitarists I love and look up to. This burden left me feeling a good deal of doubt about my ability to play guitar, which effected my practice. The fact that I was previously put on a waiting list for guitar lessons at the local music gallery only compounded the problem, because I didn't have the structure of professional instruction that I feel I need right now.
Then, I stumbled across an article that has given me a breath of fresh air, and a new-found sense of dedication to keep learning. It discussed the perception of perfection, explaining that musicians should never compare themselves to other musicians, and that you don't have to sound like a machine when playing. It changed my life forever. Shortly after reading the article, I got to practicing again, and practiced longer and harder than I ever have (about two hours), and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was the first time I've ever practiced while not wondering if I'll ever be as good as other guitarists. I practiced with only myself in mind, and I actually had fun.
I have to tell you, it's a tremendous sense of accomplishment when you finally figure out what you want to do with your life. I've loved music for as long as I can remember, and to be a part of it is something that I feel, very strongly, most fits who I am.