My Blue Guitar
Hi Friends, it's been awhile, how is everyone doing? I’m sure some days are struggle. We worry about our health, our friends and family’s health, have concerns about our work/income, and the frustration of we can’t do things we were normally able to do. And of course, we miss seeing people we care about in person. We’re all in this together, and together we’ll get through this. Until then, let’s stay home as much as possible and try to stay healthy.
Earlier in March, when things were still normal (at least for the area I live in)…
I bought a guitar!
I’ve actually been interested in learning how to play the guitar for years, but I was always like “well, if there’s an opportunity in the future” and I was never determined to do it for real. But when I bought my keyboard last year and started play the piano again, I realized just how important it is to start something that I’ve always wanted to do.
So I started saving up to buy a guitar. I thought maybe I’d buy one around summer, and concentrate on practicing the piano until then.
Although, the guitar that I was eying on didn’t have plenty of stock. One day it was finally down to a last one in my city (I had been checking the number of stock almost everyday on a guitar shop website.) Unless it’s a super popular model and a colour, they don’t remake the exactly same thing all the time. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. And the one I wanted wasn’t the brand’s most common colour. So I decided to go see it at the shop. It was everything I dreamed it to be. I took that as a sign and I bought my guitar that day.
The one I chose is from Epiphone. The two of the biggest brands in guitar industry would be Fender and Gibson. And Epiphone is a sister brand of Gibson. Before I go on and on and on about it, let me show you how it looks!
It’s so beautiful and so so cool!
There’s a ton of designs and colours out there; this may not be appealing to some. And that’s okay, because you just have to find the one that speaks to you. For me, this is the most beautiful guitar and I’m very excited about it (as you can probably tell already.)
This is Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro Electric Guitar Translucent Blue.
If we were categorizing guitars into three types (of shape) very roughly, it would be Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Les Paul, I think. (I’m a total newbie with zero experience, if things need to be corrected or updated, please let me know in the comment section below!)
My heart was pretty much set on Les Paul types from the beginning.
Why was that, you might ask? Well, it’s because my guitar hero is Tak Matsumoto. He is a Japanese guitarist from a rock band called B’z. He has won a grammy for his instrumental album in collaboration with Larry Carlton. And his main guitar has been Gibson Les Paul for a long time.
Les Pauls from Gibson are way beyond my budget, so I started looking at Epiphone’s Les Paul. Now since Epiphone is a sister brand of Gibson, they’re officially allowed to name theirs “Les Paul Models.” (Technically other brand’s Les Pauls are “Les Paul style”.) Prior to purchasing mine, I did plenty of research. I looked at a lot of options. I looked at other brands and other types/shapes, but Les Paul was the one that made my heart sing.
The only concern I had was that Les Pauls tend to have thicker necks. I have smaller hands and shorter fingers than average women, so I wasn’t sure if that would become an issue. But most of reviews I read said people should just buy what they like and that it would be fine. I also watched a few videos on Youtube that 6 or 7 years old little kids are just jamming on their regular sized guitars so well. From that moment, I promised myself that I would not let the length of my fingers be an excuse of not being able to play well.
And here we are, the most beautiful guitar has become mine. I took these photos before I even began practicing, so that it’s super shiny with no fingerprint on it.
I always thought that guitars looked cool but didn’t realize how beautiful they can be too. But I guess I find most of music instrumentals to be pretty. Their material, their curvy shapes, how shiny they are.
I’m really loving that it’s translucent—you can see the subtle grain of the wood underneath. (Another new word I’ve learned, this type of grain is called “flame”.) Ahhh and that blue, deep clear ocean blue.
I was originally planning on buying the most affordable Les Paul that Epiphone makes. Cheap, but still really cute ones with fun colours. But after careful consideration, I decided to get this one, a bit more expensive but the one I truly wanted. This one still is in a range for a beginner, price wise, and you can say it’s pretty inexpensive as a guitar. But for me, it was a little more than I was initially planning on spending, but I’m very happy that I got what I love so much. According to other people’s reviews, it sounds and works great too. I can’t really confirm that yet though, because my skill isn’t there yet! But it does sounds super cool on some Youtube reviews.
At this moment, I’m teaching myself how to play the guitar, so the progress has been pretty slow. But that’s okay, this is not a sprint, this is rather a marathon. I want both piano and guitar to become my life long hobbies, so I’ll keep practicing them while trying to enjoy it at the same time.
This is my first time playing a string instrument (piano is a keyboard and stringed instrument too, but here, by a string instrument I mean an instrument that you use your fingers to press down the strings.) I’ve played the piano, the flue and the trombone before, the guitar is very different from any of them.
Right now, I’m using books for a complete beginner and some youtube videos also. I’m really curious to know if there are other great learning tools out there. If you know or have any recommendations, please let me know! I’d really appreciate it. Books, Youtube videos, online learning platforms like Patreon etc, any suggestions are welcome! Free, subscription based, doesn’t matter.
I’m not planning on joining a band, or playing it in front of other people really, just to enjoy the music myself.
My living situation doesn’t really allow me to play loudly though an amp, and I still have no idea how to choose amps and effectors, so I’m using iRig (an audio interface that can be used without an amp) and a headphone.
I like to play classic pieces on piano, but with my cool electric guitar, my goal is to be able to jam some rock music, of course!
Because I found yet another hobby, my sewing and knitting have been put on hold even more than before. Since COVID-19 has become very serious here, both my husband and I have been working from home (although I always work from home.) We had to rearrange our working spaces a bit so that we can both work comfortably without bothering each other. Along the way, we decided to put away my sewing machine in a closet (it used to be out on the table all the time), so I’m just not really in the mood to take it out and sew all the time. But like I mentioned it here, I’m trying not to consume so much and trying to make less things, so I’m totally ok with that. My knitting mojo is slowly coming back though! It’s taking forever but I’ve been working on a scarf here and there.
I’ve been really enjoying playing music lately instead. I’m rediscovering the power of the music therapy. It’s been a great way to release stress and it feels like it’s nourishing my spirit.
I really can’t play anything on my guitar yet. Every time I learn a new code, it’s like “how do I spread my fingers enough?!" Interestingly enough though, if I keep trying at it, one out of ten times maybe, I can get it right. And the next day two out of then. It might not sound like much, but it’s exciting and fun.
Another thing I find leaning guitar is fun is that it’s so laid back! The instruments I’ve played like piano and flute, and classic music had one standard method to play. Sometime you’d have to make an exception but you learn not to stray too far from it.
But with guitar, the attitude is more like “if you can play the note, do it however you like.” Don’t get me wrong, I know that great guitarists obviously can play notes super accurately. I’m talking about the whole attitude thing, if you know what I mean. Maybe leaning classic guitar is different, but playing modern music on electric guitars are much more flexible and laid back, I feel. I love it! If my fingers are too short to play a certain code, just find another way to play it, and that’s totally fine.
When I bought this guitar, everything (in my city) was pretty much normal. But now, most of non essential stores are closed for in-person shopping. Online shopping and curbside service have become the way to shop. if I didn’t go check out my guitar when I did, I couldn’t have bought this in-person. The long haired, probably in a heavy metal rock band, friendly sales person wouldn’t be able to tell me “enjoy your guitar” with a big smile. When I think about it, it’s never a good thing to put thing on hold, if you don’t have to. I could have said “I can do it whenever” but that time may ever come. I just don’t know. I often say “if there’s an opportunity” too; but I now realize it’s so important to make that opportunity happen myself, not wait for it. This beautiful blue guitar is a reminder for those things. So let’s not wait to play it till tomorrow, let’s play it today.
April 19, 2020
