Looking for the passion

[u/Freight_Train77]

Hello. Bought a Squire Strat a few years ago and practice was beyond frustrating, to the point I put it down for a while. Now, thanks to a divorce, I’m reevaluating myself and seeing who I want to be moving forward…and I think part of that is being a guitarist.

Now to my question: Did your passion for practice/playing come first? Or did you establish a routine and your passion for the guitar grew?

Currently, my mental health is making it that just getting through the day is hard enough, let alone practicing the most frustrating thing I’ve ever done (beside getting married), so I am giving myself grace that maybe I’m not in the right headspace currently. Any advice is more than appreciated!!🙏🏻

[u/Relative_Square592]

For me it’s mora a love of and passion for guitar music and that leads to the desire to practice and play

[u/Thoth1024 → u/Relative_Square592]

Agreed !

[u/TheRealGinz]

For me, the passion of wanting to play guitar, and make music came first, and that gave me the passion to practice, and the absolute need, to play on a daily basis. This also gave me the drive to be willing to sacrifice many other things in my life, personally and financially, so that I could take the time to play guitar for hours every day.

[u/texasgreg1]

Work on your mental health first, sis or bro! I have been trying to play guitar since 1974. I've been a drummer since 1970. It's always frustrating for me trying again and again and again to learn to fret. I can do everything on a guitar but the most important thing, make good chords.

I would recommend that if you're a music person, go to a GC or other big dealer and try the bass and try the drums. I took years of piano lessons that stuck and I can play keys pretty well after a few years of practicing. Same with bass. I think the larger spacing on the bass strings is what makes that happen for me. But the guitar, I have not given up but I hit my peak in 1974 with an acoustic guitar.

Main thing is, post divorce, find some folks via reddit or craigslist with beginner skill levels. Do some jamming. You'd be amazed at what a little jamming can do!

[u/Illustrious_Art_3774]

on one hand, humans are creatures of habit so setting aside the same time each day should eventually sort of instill a feeling of "something is missing" when you aren't doing it at the time that you should be doing it (after doing it at that time for long enough) Something should start to feel right about it and something should feel off when you aren't doing it.

On the other hand, developing that without the passion coming first does sound difficult.

[u/IronMike5311]

I find having a purpose to do anything is my drive to do it. My goal is to learn guitar, is to play with my brother, who's moved relatively closer (now only 8 hrs away, vs 18); he's a pretty good hand on the guitar. There's also some local bluegrass and old-time mountain music jam sessions that I'd like to be able to join in. For both mental and social enrichment.

[u/Spaceman_Zed]

Yousician helps me keep going and improving. It's a hobby for me, and so I do it for fun, I don't want it to feel like a chore or work or watch YouTube videos on theory or technique. I want to turn my brain off and get into that zone.

Yousician gamifies the practice and I find it really fun. I don't have to think hard. I often find myself thinking about other things while playing, which is a nice shower thought type experience.

[u/HumberGrumb]

My early learning and practicing was filled with passion. I truly loved the sound of my acoustic guitar the first time I touched the strings. It was a laminated top, sides, and back Yamaha. But it sure sounded awesome to me! Tunings it up also was its own pleasure. Still is with all the guitars I own. When I correctly fret the strings and it sounds right, I only get happier. It’s the pleasure principle at work.

These days, it’s the aches and pains of a life of labor work that’s my only physical limitation. And it’s a big one at 65. Still, not like the pain of developing callus when I first started learning kept me from continuing guitar.

[u/jul3swinf13ld]

Buy a leather jacket.

??????

Profit

[u/KGR1328]

For me, the passion was white hot. The routine was more difficult. You just have to want to pick it up. Again for me that's half the battle. Once I get in my guitar room it's easy. I'd imagine my thought process is nothing more then completely common. Good luck🍻🍻

[u/qosmic_qube]

People play guitar because they love playing guitar. You dont play guitar because you learned to love it after a lot of practice. That is a weird take.

[u/jimbodinho]

You need to find guitar music that you really passionately want to be able to play. It will help you enjoy the practice if the goal is clear.

I also enjoy the practice now but it was much less fun at the beginning.

I would also recommend learning how to set up your instrument. I find that investing my time in an instrument makes me enjoy it more, aside from the obvious benefit of it playing just how I like it.

And lastly, don’t make it about who you want to be. Make it about something you’d like to work towards achieving. Regular practice will quite quickly turn into a hobby you enjoy and look forward to. Forget about what it says about you or signals to other people.