Emotional Satisfaction for Beginner Guitar Students

You know that great commercial with the guy hitting himself upside the head saying, “I could have had a V8?” I think that’s how most of us should feel about expressing ourselves musically. There is deep satisfaction and spiritual fulfillment to have when we step out and choose to find our musical voice. There are a lot of reasons why the guitar is the most popular instrument in the world. And what most people don’t know is the road from beginner guitar student to satisfied player is fairly short.

We can get so pigeonholed early on in life with labels attaching themselves like flies to a sticky strip. Johnny’s an athlete, Kate’s a cook. The titles go on forever and they can make it hard to jump into something new because we’re afraid of not measuring up or looking foolish. We miss the point that the reward of doing it, of being fully expressed in many arenas, creates a deeper connection to ourselves and those around us. Perhaps you’re very successful and well-known for your current areas of expertise. Would the title “beginner guitar student” make you feel uncomfortable? I know a lot of people who won’t give themselves permission to be at the novice level with anything once they’ve reached notoriety in other life skill areas.

Well, your inner child will thank you if you toss the fear and get engaged with your own musical expression. Besides the fear of sounding bad, you also have to let go of the need to compete with the high-tech sounds around you. Recording technology can make even the novice player sound good, so it’s no wonder you feel a bit lame practicing at home with no amplification and sound enhancements. But the real joy of music is not popping in a CD, it’s interacting with others, moving from your beginner guitar lessons to jam sessions with friends, connecting at a level much deeper that words. Take the journey; you’ll be glad you did!