When I first started this challenge I did not know much about Spanish style other than I think it’s pleasing to the ear. After spending 60 days learning and playing I realize there is much more to learn than can fit into 60 days. This has been frustrating. It is not frustrating that I do not know everything there is about Spanish guitar in 60 days but that the more I learned the less I really knew. When I sat down to make up some riffs on my own, which is the whole point for me learning, I had a hard time doing that. Where with other music styles I can fumble my way and create songs I have not had much luck with the Spanish style.
It all goes back to not knowing Spanish music that well. I listen to it occasionally but it is not a genre I listen to day in and day out, where as the music that I normally play on the guitar is music I listen to more regularly. That I think is the difference, I have not spent the same time tuning my ear to Spanish style as I have others, for instance the blues. Because I listen to the blues a lot more my ear is more attuned and can hear the progressions easier. I am not there with Spanish style yet.
Getting the ear tuned in takes time. For an impatient guy that can be frustrating alone but add onto that plateaus and it can be really frustrating. I first started the challenge by learning a couple of songs and those I picked up fairly quickly, even quicker than I had anticipated. When I moved beyond the songs towards musical theory I hit the plateau just as quick. I have been playing around with the notes, scales and chords trying to hear the connections and I still haven’t got there. Frustrating. Plateaus always are.
The question is not whether or not I will hit a plateau but what will I do when I hit them. Do I try a little bit more and then quit? Do I quit right away? Do I push on to see if I can get past it? I will say I have done all three at various times in my life. My hope, my plan is to choose #3 this time as it comes to the Spanish guitar. I don’t want to quit, I don’t want to stop playing or learning, I want to come back a year from now and be able to play a song or two I created. Let’s do it.
This is the end of the Spanish guitar challenge. I am excited for challenge #3, it’s something I have been wanting to do for a while and doing these challenges has given me reason to pursue it. Until then this is Gabe signing off.
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