Everything Bianca

I decided to bring my practice thus far up to speed, but the rought draft got epic, so I'm breaking this into peices.

I have been teaching myself to play the guitar since January after the highly implusvie desire to buy an acoustic guitar .

Starting Out

I began with a thin book I bought with my guitar. I didn't like it. I printed out a copy of Ode to Joy and picked out a few other melodies. That was fun, low key, and reminded me of my piano lessons years ago.

I created a mnemonic for remembering the guitar strings: Even Apples Don't Get Baked Everyday

I have never played a guitar before. I do not know anyone that plays a guitar. I don't know of any guitar teachers in my area. I didn't know what style of guitar I wanted to focus on. (I thought I did, but even if I love fingerstyle, I'm still sure I don't know.) I did a lot of internet research for assistance. I still run searches just to see if there's any nugget of wisdom I may have missed. Additionally, I can save a lot of money teaching myself to play, just in case I decide I don't want to play anymore.

Initially, my fingers could not reach the chords. At first it seems easy, then it seems impossible a week later, then it seems a little easier. When it comes to chords, it got worse before it got better.

I use musictheory.net for the brainy stuff.  The guitar trainer helps me learn the notes by sight. Decent for when I'm not able to play the guitar. For a while I used the Key and Interval trainer. I lost interest, but I foresee myself going back to it one day.

Fingertip Pain

I had baby soft finger tips when I bought my guitar. The first rule I set for myself was only to play until my fingers hurt. Initially, that meant 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15, then 20 minutes a day (just trying to pick out Ode to Joy, none the less). Even if I really wanted to get back to it, I put my guitar away until the next day.
Okay, once, I did try to play again in the same day, and I felt like I was playing on bruises.

 During the day, in February, the tips of my fingers hurt when I touched them or tapped them against anything other than a guitar string. Playing did not hurt as much in February, but I had a numbing tingling pain almost everyday for a couple weeks. Actually, *touching her fingers to her thumbs*, it's still there just a very little bit. My fingers now have a toughness to them, not callouses, yet, I think. I have never broken the skin. When my skin starts to peel a little, I take an emery board and gently smooth any hangers so that they don't catch on the strings.

I practice every day. At least 20 minutes, at most 45. (I still stop for pain.) I am not into having injuries. If that means it will be summer before I can practice a full hour, I can do that.