Your Classical Guitar Input Here

Never Give Up

by Jan P
(Seattle, WA)

I have dabbled in music since a child, but never to any serious level. I started with the organ, rhythm guitar, and then piano all as a child.

Put it all away for 35 years and then decided to take up guitar again when I was over 50 years young. Mostly to accompany singing in the retirement home I was interning at. I spent 4 years with a great guy just humming and strumming, but I never felt things were right and I did not play much at all between lessons so really did not learn much.

Then one vacation I decided to take along some books.... the Beatles, Guitar for Fun, a Spanish guitar book, and Aaron Shearer's Classical Guitar Book Level 1. I could read music and quickly went through the entire classical book. I knew this was it.

I fell in love with the classical style and intentionally set out to find me a Classical master on my return to Seattle. I asked around and ended up with the best instructor I can ever imagine. He lived a 3 minute ride from me and was willing to teach me before I went to work at 7:30 am.

My search for a classical guitar was also interesting. My husband had 1965 Goya Flamenco guitar, but it was a bit large for me. So I went on a search. Tears came to my eyes when the young man at Rosewood Guitar played a $5,000 guitar (used) at the beautiful sound. Tears came to my husband's eyes when I told him the price so I was challenged with finding a new guitar for under $1,000 that sounded like a $5,000 guitar..........

Lo and behold, and thanks to the internet, I did. I found a wonderful Gustavo Arias at ClassicalGuitar.com hand built in Paraguay which was a full size body but a 'Senorita' length fretboard which works well for me. My guitar and me have become one over the past 4 plus years.

For the past 4.5 years I have studied and played every day. For the first time in my life and I am now in my late 50's, I have memorized pieces, understand theory (some at least) and have a repertoire that I can play.

During this whole process, I learned about the value of practicing. That we all practice whatever we do all of the time. Salesmen practice selling, managers practice managing, parents practice parenting.....and players practice playing....

I now play daily......I don't perform....... but I practice and those around me love to hear it.... mistakes and all..... the sound is so beautiful and those listening hear exactly what they need to hear.

I don't plan on being a virtuosa, and I have yet to 'perform' a piece, but I play... and I have learned its never to late to start, never to hard to learn ANYTHING and I won't give up.

Don't give up, don't ever give up on anything worth doing.


What a positive post! Congratulations Jan, I love hearing posts like this, it really makes my day :)) A great lesson for us all.

Kind regards,
Trevor M.