[Cheryl Davidson]

Your name and where you’re from.

• Cheryl Davidson from West Virginia

 

Your experience with the guitar.

I purchased my used poor beat up little guitar when I graduated high school.  I was very interested, but did not have the funds for a professional teacher.  I put the guitar back in its case, and my desire on the back burner so I could go to work and earn money for college.  It is understandable when you spend a full day of work, then school, then homework, and fall in bed tired, try to sleep a little so you can get up the next day and do it all again.  Many years pass.  I get married, and my husband finds my guitar.  He is interested too, and tries, but is not successful (primarily because he is left handed dominate and cannot transmute the finger positions like Jimmi Hendrix.  But that is my husband’s story…)  So my journey resumes and awakens those interests I had put away.  I found Jonathan Reaux’s website, and became curious to see if I really could learn.  I want to have fun with it, be entertaining and festive, and joyful when I play.  I don’t want an extremely competitive environment, nor a bully beating session with aggressive players.  I want the creative and expressive transition of the artistic energy within me to travel through my hands; into the strings and wood to become the musical voice I have never been able to accomplish thus far.

Your greatest struggles with the guitar.

Struggle #1:  My pinky finger is my weakest link.  I am not sure the best way to describe it, other than it doesn’t stay in position.  I am working on control and strength in it.  Struggle #2:  Juggling in my mind the fact that you have to know where your fingers are, where they need to go, in the correct time and rhythm, with the right amount of tension, and then sing in the correct tune, with the correct time and rhythm, with the right amount of volume……..Summary: I have to learn how to multitask.

Your goal

I want to be able to play songs I have always loved to sing along to, and maybe make my own.  Even more wonderful blessing; if I can play well enough that others can join in with me, or me with them.

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16

[Jonathan]

Hey Cheryl, what a great story, thanks for sharing. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to create music. I hope I have a part to play in making that a reality for you.

The pinky finger will be your weakest, and will usually be the first to give up. But with practice, it can become stronger, make clean notes, and last longer. Keep chipping away!

Yes, playing the guitar is like playing the drums, with the added stress of finger pain. There is a lot of multi-tasking going on. That’s why I always talk about breaking things down into parts. Separating the different aspects of playing into parts and mastering them individually before putting them all together. Many people try learning strumming, beats & measures, strum dynamics, chord positions, transitions, clean chords, and then singing, all at the same time. And they end up frustrated and not learning anything at all. It’s too much for your mind to handle at once, and you’ll just spin your wheels.
I hope the lessons and practice techniques help you to break things down and master the different aspects of playing, so you are able to put them all together into a song successfully! I’m looking forward to seeing that happen for you!

You never fail until you quit!

[Jonathan]

Hey Cheryl, I also noticed that the text of this post shows a lot of HTML code in and around the content. Do you know what happened? Did you input that html manually? Did you use your phone to make the post?

I’m asking just because I want to make sure I work out all the kinks on the forums, and if there’s some type of error, I’d like to make sure it gets fixed. Thanks!

You never fail until you quit!

[Brad Horne]

Hi Cheryl

Yeah what john said !?

 

So much truth to what he is  saying. I know i have wasted years trying to do all at once , ending up not do any much good, hence back he eight years after i started trying to get a good foundation down. Break it down, one small piece at a time.

 

Great story though, thanks for sharing

Brad

Maitland NSW Australia formerly from Perth Western Australia

[Cheryl Davidson]

Thanks for the comment, I usually try to build on what I can do, add in pieces I struggle with until I can.  It takes time and dedicated practice.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16