Reflecting on the time that I started playing guitar, I remember how overwhelmed I felt. At that time in third grade I had little responsibility, had yet to begin playing sports, and hadn’t yet begun to create an identity for myself. I remember the frustration that came along with not being able to press the strings of the guitar hard enough, and not having the coordination to play chords. Now, at the age of 17, I have performed all around the state of NC with a multitude of different groups and artists, I have opened shows with nationally recognized bands, and I have created an identity for myself through these experiences. My background as a musician has not only been important to me, it has defined me as an individual, and my application would not be complete without it. …show more content…
Before the time of the internet, there were few resources other than guitar instructors to learn from. Because of the lack of support from his parents, who refused to pay for guitar lessons, my dad was forced to learn to play by attempting to play along to the records his father owned, teaching himself slowly and meticulously. 25 years later, when I was seven years old, my dad bought me my first guitar, however, when I asked him to teach me how to play, he refused. My mom was furious at him, arguing with him for weeks on how he had wasted money on the guitar he bought me. What she didn’t understand was that me to learn the way he did, through hard work and trial-and-error. Although I learned at a slower rate than an individual taking lessons, my understanding for the instrument has made me a better musician in the long run. What my father really did was teach me to think critically and problem solve, skills the average musician doesn’t get in their