Learn to Play the Guitar

Compared with the piano, the acoustic guitar is an instrument of finger torture. The guitar creates a beautiful sound indeed, but learn it and you’ll find ways to make your fingers and wrist ache that you never knew existed.

After leaving university, I wanted to pick up a new instrument. I had stopped playing piano as much and felt like I needed something fresh. The guitar had always appealed to me. Irocnically, I found something relaxing about it, something different from the structured nature of the piano. So, I bought a cheap guitar and signed up for lessons with a local guitar teacher.

Early Progress and Challenges

Having a background in music theory helped a lot. Understanding notes and chords wasn’t the hard part. The hard part was the physical aspect. Unlike piano, where each note has one place on the keyboard, a note on the guitar can be played in multiple positions. Learning to navigate the fretboard was a completely different challenge.

Then there was the pain. Your fingertips toughen up from pressing down on steel strings, you have to grow your right-hand nails long to pluck properly. You have to learn to hold the string against the neck with enough force to allow a clean vibration, but not so much that your hand cramps. It took time to get used to.

Formal Learning and Grade Progression

I took lessons with the goal of reaching Grade 8, just as I had done with piano. I made steady progress, working my way through grades, and by the time I paused, I was preparing for Grade 5. The journey was rewarding, and the more I played, the more I appreciated the nuances of classical guitar, even with its painful approach.

Spanish and Portuguese Influence

As I improved, I started to notice how much Spanish guitar music tied in with my interest in languages. Pieces I learned complemented my Spanish and later Portuguese studies, and there was something satisfying about playing music that had deep cultural roots. Many famous guitar players and composers were from Spain, Portugal or South America.

I took a break from lessons when we moved home. I'd completed my Grade 4 exam and was working towards my Grade 5, but the break stretched longer than expected. Even though I haven’t picked it up seriously in a while, I still think about going back to it, and still have my acoustic guitar home sat on a stand.

One day, I’d like to complete that Grade 8 goal. But even if I don’t, learning guitar was worth it for the experience alone. And I'll never forget that pain.