How I started playing guitar

My sister and I would go to see my dad every other weekend. While we were there we would love to listen to him play a song we know on guitar and sing to it. I was absolutely intrigued by his talent. I asked him one day when I was there how does one play the guitar. I was about 6 at the time. All I remember understanding from his long explanation was that there were chords you had to memorize. I tried out the chords and failed miserably. I gave up because it was way too hard for me to understand or to play because of my small hands. Even though I came to the conclusion that I couldn't play, I still loved seeing my dad play and I wanted to be like that.

I was shopping with my mom and grandma one day in the 6th grade and I saw a random blue acoustic guitar. I don't know what it was that caught my eye, but I absolutely loved the guitar. I wasn't looking for a guitar and I didn't have the thought of trying guitar again before this, but all I could think of is that I wanted that guitar. I showed my mom and she said that she wasn't going to pay for the guitar. I wasn't surprised. But my grandma said she would pay for it. I was shocked and I didn't know what to say. My mom said that was fine with her. I was so excited! I felt like the coolest kid walking out of the shop with my new, blue acoustic.

As soon as I got home I started playing some random notes that sounded horrible, just to get a feel for playing. I didn't have any way of learning yet, but I had a strong dedication to get good at playing the guitar. I couldn't pay for guitar lessons, so I just bought a book to hopefully teach me how to play guitar. I studied that book hard with my guitar in my hands. I practiced what the book told me to a lot. I put in many hours to learn guitar. Eventually I got to the chords that my dad taught me 6 years earlier… And I could play them this time! I took a moment to see how much I have improved and I proudly formed a big ol’ grin on my face from the improvement.

I kept practicing and getting better at what I learned, and eventually I could play one song after another once I learned more chords. I was almost where my dad was in playing. In high school I joined my band in youth group and learned a lot more stuff that the book didn't teach me. I went from that band to another when I joined teen CBS. At this point I could play most of the songs from top to bottom when I first saw them. I am proud for what I have learned in guitar. I used my dad for a role model to be as good as him on the guitar. Now I can do what he has done and play great songs to make good music.