Scribesmeister v4 (In Zero Gravity)

There are only two instruments that I know how to handle but can’t perfectly play and these are piano and guitar. I haven’t touched either of those for almost a year until I picked up our dusty guitar last weekend and started recalling the chords of the songs I know. However, as I held and touched it - I couldn’t remember anything - I just hear the sound in my head and feel an overwhelming euphoric emotion as every beautiful note clinks back to my memory. I stared at it for a long time then finally decided that I should learn how to play it again.

I took note of the chords of Mixtape, one of Butch Walker’s songs I absolutely dig, to start with. Initially, I thought of Man in the Mirror acoustic version by Tuck Andres, but then again, mukhang marami pa akong bigas na kakainin - as what a friend told me - so let’s make do with the least complicated ones. I was excited and totally unsure of how it would go, but still, nothing could stop me. When I first pressed my fingers against the strings and test-strummed, the sound went a little bit off key. Something was wrong. It sounded different from those times when I used to have a guitar in my hand for almost everyday. Maybe it’s the way I position and flick my fingers or maybe it didn’t get a proper tuning first. Boy, did I badly want to get it right. So while figuring out how to make the music agreeable to the senses, I tried to get some help from my brother who is exceptionally good on guitars.

And you know what I have totally forgotten? I should have remembered to cut my nails first. I couldn’t push on the strings well because I still have my semi-long and newly manicured nails. I was also weak on my grip. As a result, without showing much reluctance, I cut my nails. In order to become better, there is sacrifice. You do it everytime.

Of course, you have to press your fingers hard for the tune to produce high quality resonance. My hand has already gone soft after a year I guess, my fingers now hurt. I used to have calloused skin (I told you, I play regularly). Haha. Actually, it’s nothing that my high spirits can’t mellow out. Sometimes as you get so used to something, you also become numb to the feeling. Everything becomes natural, even the hurting. It will defintely pay off, I kept telling myself. I kept strumming, singing and banging my head. And I know one of these days, I’d get it perfectly. All I need is constant practice and some getting used to.

Well, even with all that you have to go through, nothing could give you the feeling of fulfillment when you get less mistakes, when you complete the first stanza and when you become good at it and someone acknowledges your improvement. Hay, it feels great to the nth degree.

Hmm, doesn’t this topic remind you of our favorite topic?

Yes, it’s like loving.

Love is the guitar and you’re the one who holds it. Sacrifice. Risk. Give into it. Feel good.

Now I wonder, when would I be ready to fall in love again?