Two weeks into my family’s self-isolation I picked up a guitar that had been sitting in the corner of our living room for a month (left behind by a friend one late night). I am a visual artist, not a musician, and I hadn’t touched a guitar since I was 12 and tried to teach myself “Let It Be” from a book. I gave up that project when I couldn’t figure out how to strum.
Teaching myself guitar this time around has become one of the most fulfilling elements of these long days. “Let It Be” came right back to me, YouTube can now teach you myriad ways to strum in 10 minutes, and it turns out that people love to support your learning project!
My musician friends and family members check in on my progress over FaceTime, showing me favorite songs, folk fingerings to help my Dylan covers sound more authentic, and surprising skills in Mexican Sierreño style guitar. I’ve received a tuner and a capo in the mail, and have been gifted subscriptions to online guitar and music theory courses. Caring together about music has become a way that we care for each other.
Because I am not a musician, I have no expectations about what I can or should be able to do musically, so exploring feels wide-open. I also don’t have any preconceived notions about the way a guitar works. I am listening to how sounds relate to each other—aurally, vibrationally, emotionally—and experiencing the thrill of hearing some of these things for the first time.
In visual art, I have to work hard to cultivate this “beginner’s mind.” I use blind contour drawing exercises and other tricks to force myself to really look. It is easy to assume that I know, for example, what a chair looks like, when in fact I am glossing over so many particulars. With guitar, I don’t know enough to gloss anything. I bump into a passing note and try to figure out what it is and how to fit it into my growing body of knowledge.
Where else can I take this beginner’s mind, I wonder? Can I take it to my walks outdoors? To parenting? How about to the state of our world? It’s a creative mindset, and I am glad to be practicing it by learning guitar.
We want to hear from you! Are you learning a new instrument? Have you found solace in returning to or deepening your connection to an instrument? Please share a picture or video of your musical journey. Feel free to tag us on Facebook or Instagram (@scoolsounds) or send us an email with your story.