I’m Sophie, 37 and currently living in a small town in central Belgium that comes alive a few days a year for the Rock Werchter festival.
As I learnt from many other introductions I read, my guitar journey seems quite typical and “start - stop”.
I started playing on my dad’s old classical guitar around the age of 14, and bought a cheap strat-type guitar a few years later. This was before I had internet access, so I tried to teach myself how to play with the help of a few books, which obviously didn’t work very well and I sold my guitar.
After university, I decided to buy a guitar again (PRS SE Standard) and took 2 years of group lessons, but although they were fun, they weren’t really helpful. I had also discovered Justin Guitar by then, but even though that made me progress a lot faster, the everyday hustle of work and chores I quit nog long after.
About 1.5 years ago I really wanted to pick up the guitar again, and I did so with the help of the meanwhile massively expanded and improved JG website (currently working through grade 4). I also acquired two more guitars since then (a Schecter C1 SLS Evil Twin and an acoustic Sire A4DS (gifted to me by my partner)). And since 3 months I’m taking private lessons, which help a lot.
As I’ve heard from some of you, it’s hard at times to stay motivated. Taking the lessons definitely helps, but a very busy job often leaves me with little time, energy or motivation. I also don’t know anyone else who plays the guitar, so that doesn’t help.
However, I’m hoping to stick around here for some time and be inspired by all your stories and achievements, and hoping to add something to this mix once in a while.
Hi Sophie and warm welcome to Community. I think you will find engaging with Community quite useful and it hopefully will help with your motivation and momentum. All the best.
Welcome to the community Sophie! There is no shortage of motivation here. Even reading posts about amps can get me itching to pick up my guitar and start playing. Enjoy the ride!
Hi Sophie, welcome to the JG community - you will get nothing but help and encouragement here, that’s the advantage of joining an active friendly community. Ask anything you like, there’s no such thing as a stupid question! If you feel confident enough post a in the AVOP section, it’s well worth doing so you can document your progress and get encouragement and useful advice.
Take it easy and enjoy your progress in learning guitar and most of all have fun along the way!
Welcome to the Community, Sophie. I can empathise with what you’ve shared. I find the engagement in the Community especially posting recordings helped me. And I am patient, happy to progress slowly, taking my time based on the energy I have to practice vs just playing for fun.
Welcome to the Community and thanks for the intro. Yes a fairly common stop start stop story oh so familiar for many of us. With the upgraded website with the new lessons and more being revised, you have everything you need to make progress this time. But don’t forget, you are not alone as you now have this warm hearted community to lean on whenever you need support. Any problems, just ask !
This is me, too. When work gets intense it can be hard to motivate myself to practice, but one reason I decided to start learning and playing in the first place is to do something to take my mind off of work pressures. On most days, even if I am feeling tired and unmotivated, if I push myself to just pick up the guitar with the plan of 15 minutes of practice I end up playing for longer than that.
Welcome Sophie, I’m glad you’ve joined us. I hope you stick around here for a very long time and I look forward to hearing you play one or all of those lovely guitars you have.
Welcome Sophie. You now “know” plenty of people who play guitar, and fortunately this community is a supportive bunch, so hopefully that helps with the motivation from time to time.
I too don’t really know anyone else who is learning to play, so it can be a lonely and sometimes frustrating journey but with the help of the peeps on here, it has made it a lot easier for me.
Hello and welcome Sophie. I also don’t know anyone else who plays guitar and spent a whole year learning, doubting and second guessing myself alone. Feel much better and more motivated after joining this warm and genuine community, and I hope you will too. Good luck with your journey
I hope you stick around here for a very long time and I look forward to hearing you play one or all of those lovely guitars you have.