I have had no formal training in music theory. To me, it can feel like learning a foreign language—and one that definitely does not come naturally.
That means learning to play the guitar well enough that other people might actually want to listen takes a lot of time, effort, and repetition.
One thing I have learned along the way is how I learn best.
For me, repetition is a big part of the process. I may need to hear something several times. If I am watching a YouTube lesson, I may need to watch it, stop it, rewind it, and hear someone explain the same idea in two or three different ways before it finally starts to click.
My most recent struggle? Triads.
I'm slowly getting them.
And that's the good news: I'm getting them.
Sure, I would love to be able to pick up my guitar and effortlessly riff in any key, over any song, without having to stop and think about it. But that isn't my reality.
At least, not yet.
What is real is that I am better than I was a year ago.
That is what makes this musical journey so interesting to me. As I get better and more confident on the guitar, I can do more. I can write more songs. I can experiment with different sounds and ideas. I can make my songs more musically interesting.
I have come to realize something important:
I don't know what I don't know. But the more I DO know, the more I can do.
So I'll keep practicing. Keep repeating. Keep rewinding the video. Keep struggling with things like triads until, one day, they aren't a struggle anymore.
That's the journey.
And honestly, I'm excited to see where it takes me.