Monday, February 22, 2016

One With the Music


I step on stage and my heart beats at a million miles an hour. As I let my fingers take over, I relax and immerse myself into the song. When I’m playing guitar, I don’t have to worry about anything else, like the colossal amounts of homework due, my next big game, or even the seemingly astronomical crowd staring up at me. It’s like taking a hiatus from the real world, where all your problems melt away into music. All I have to fret about is hitting the right note and staying on beat.   

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This hidden oasis in the vast desert of reality wouldn’t exist without the modern classical guitar, an acoustic wooden guitar that originated in Western Europe. It belongs to a family of wooden instruments called chordophones. It typically has six strings made of nylon. The design of the modern classical guitar can be attributed to Antonio de Torres, the most influential guitar maker in the 19th century.  Francisco Táregga was a guitarist and composer who was considered the father of modern classical guitar playing. He determined many aspects of the modern classical technique and raised the prestige of the guitar in the classical music tradition.


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My pick hits the last note and I let it ring out as applause erupts from the audience. Walking offstage after a performance is the best feeling. it’s an adrenalin rush, and really boosts your confidence. It’s a feeling of relief for getting past it and not having to be the center of attention any longer, and of exuberance for conquering any fears about performing. It’s also a little sad because the music stopped and reality dawns on you again. I am so thankful for people like Francisco Táregga and Antonio de Torres because they assisted the foundation of the instrument I love. Without them, there wouldn’t be that feeling of stepping of the stage, or the butterflies that tickle my stomach before I perform. There would be no interruption of actuality, and because of that, I am truly appreciative of this instruments and all people attributed to its creation.  






Resources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_classical_guitar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_classical_guitar


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43 comments:

  1. Anonymous29 February, 2016 16:24

    Hi Riles,
    I really like how you put a video in there a lot of people didn't do that and I was really stressed when I did this so it really soothed me.
    Sincerely Emma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 10:28

      Dear Emma,

      Thank you for reading my blog post. I am glad to know that you liked the music Fransisco Taregga played.

      Thanks for reading,
      Riley

      Delete
  2. Anonymous29 February, 2016 16:25

    Hi Riles,
    I really like how you put a video in there a lot of people didn't do that and I was really stressed when I did this so it really soothed me.
    Sincerely Emma

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous29 February, 2016 20:14

    Dear Riley,
    I really liked your piece I can relate with having activities that you don't have to think about anything just the moment. For me playing the saxophone and ski racing however have all ways loved the guitar. Why did you choose to start the guitar? What is your favorite song to play?
    Keep playing the guitar and have fun,
    Sanne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous08 March, 2016 21:26

      Dear Sanne,

      Thank you for reading my post and commenting! I chose the guitar because my best friend at the time played it, and we wanted to be able to preform together when we were older. I have a lot of songs that I enjoy playing, but one of my favorites is a song called "ThickFreakness" by the Black Keys.

      Thank you for reading,
      Riley

      Delete
  4. Anonymous29 February, 2016 20:14

    Dear Riley,
    I really liked your piece I can relate with having activities that you don't have to think about anything just the moment. For me playing the saxophone and ski racing however have all ways loved the guitar. Why did you choose to start the guitar? What is your favorite song to play?
    Keep playing the guitar and have fun,
    Sanne

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous01 March, 2016 09:09

    Dear Riley,
    Your piece is incredible! It is well written and expresses your feelings on the subject very well. My question is, I know that the guitar was invented in Western Europe, but when was it invented?
    Very good job,
    William

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous08 March, 2016 21:30

      Dear William,

      Thank you for reading my post! The modern classical guitar was developed sometime in the 19th century, but there were many different types of guitars created much much earlier.

      Thank you,
      Riley

      Delete
  6. Anonymous01 March, 2016 13:04

    Riley,
    I loved your opening! It really pulles the reader in. I also loved that you used a video. not many people thought of that and it was a neat idea! I love how you made it connect to you, and how you gave the information but also had the story, which was interesting!
    Really nice job!
    Meagan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous01 March, 2016 18:32

    Riley,
    I really love how you talked about your own experience playing guitar and how it makes you feel. Your detail really drew me in to your story. When did you start playing the guitar?
    Beautiful job,
    Thea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous08 March, 2016 21:32

      Dear Thea,

      I started playing the guitar about four years ago.

      Thank you for reading and commenting,
      Riley

      Delete
  8. Anonymous01 March, 2016 21:40

    Hi Riley!
    I really liked your blog post. It is very well written, and even feels poetic at times. What attracted you to the guitar? What other instrument do you think you would play if not guitar?
    - Mikayla

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous08 March, 2016 21:33

      Dear Mikayla,

      I started playing the guitar because my best friend played the guitar, and we wanted to do it together. I think that I probably would have played the piano if not for the guitar.

      Thank you,
      Riley

      Delete
  9. Anonymous02 March, 2016 14:34

    Riley,
    I liked reading your post and I like the video you put into it. Your own experiences really make this post more intriguing. I have 2 questions but you can answer one. Questions: 1)Was there a time in your experience that made your confidence in your skills falter? 2) What is your favorite part of performing? or do you not like to perform?

    Great Post!
    Rylan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous08 March, 2016 21:37

      Dear Rylan,

      There was definitely a time that made my confidence falter! It was my first time performing and my friend accidentally hit my head with her guitar and I was bleeding and had a huge bump on my head. I was really embarrassed to perform in front of people like that, but looking back on it now is pretty funny. My favorite part of performing is when I finish and know that all of my practice and hard work payed off.

      Thank you!
      RIley

      Delete
  10. Anonymous02 March, 2016 21:13

    Riley,
    I absolutely LOVED how you made it a story about you and then connected it to revolutions. It was intriguing and pulled me from the start. My question is that why did you start playing the guitar in the first place? What pulled you in the direction of the guitar?
    -Linnea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09 March, 2016 22:33

      Dear Linnea,

      I started playing guitar because of my friend. We wanted to be able to play the same instrument and she was already beginning the guitar. I also really liked the way guitar sounded and all the different techniques that people used.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  11. Anonymous03 March, 2016 11:22

    Dear Riley,
    I liked how you included how you felt when you walked off the stage and how you talked about what else you think about on the stage. My question is what made you want to preform guitar on stage? How old were you when you started playing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09 March, 2016 22:35

      Dear Jake,

      I wanted to perform guitar on stage because me and my friend wanted to be in a band together and to be able to perform together in front of people. I was in third grade when I started.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  12. Anonymous04 March, 2016 12:26

    Dear Riley
    I loved how you really made me feel as if I was actually watching you preform. I could really sense your deep connection to the guitar. My question is: how long have you been playing guitar, and what got you interested in it ?
    Great Post !
    Eric

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10 March, 2016 17:54

      Dear Eric,

      I started playing guitar about four years ago, and I was interested in playing because my friend encouraged me to play it and I really liked the sound of it.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  13. Anonymous05 March, 2016 10:15

    Dear Riley,
    I really loved reading about how much the guitar effects you! This blog post was so good and full with details about your performances, and thoughts about Francisco Táregga. A question I have would be how long have you played the guitar and what has been a favorite piece you have played on it? Great work!
    -Rachel Y.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10 March, 2016 17:58

      Dear Rachel,

      I have been playing the guitar for four years, and I have played a lot of pieces that I liked. One of my favorites though was "Do You Remember" by Jack Johnson.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  14. Anonymous06 March, 2016 14:04

    Hey Riley,
    I really loved reading your blog post! I thought that the style you used to write it was a great way to connect your thoughts on the guitar, but also include the history of the instrument. I also can relate to how playing the guitar is like a hidden oasis from life, however playing soccer or the piano is like that for me. Have you ever played the electric guitar? If you have, are playing the two types of guitars, classical and electric, vastly different, or similar?
    Great job!
    Thea T

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 09:39

      Dear Thea,

      I do typically play the electric guitar. Playing the two types of guitars are not extremely different, but there are some different techniques used. Electric guitar is normally more picking and power chords, while acoustic guitar is more of playing traditional chords.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  15. Anonymous06 March, 2016 18:25

    Hey Riley!
    I really liked reading your blog post, it was very interesting. I also loved the beginning of your post. Although I was wondering what/who inspired you to play the guitar? Nice Work!
    - Isabel

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 09:41

      Dear Isabel,

      I was inspired to play the guitar by my friend who played guitar. We wanted to play the same instrument so that we could preform together.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  16. Anonymous06 March, 2016 18:45

    Riley,
    I loved this blog post! You personal connection with music was really interesting to read about and this blog post was full of great information.
    Keep blogging,
    Anushka:)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous07 March, 2016 21:01

    Riley,
    I liked how you put a video in the blog post, its the first time I've seen someone do that. Did they have nylon when the guitars were first made?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 10:11

      Dear Mick,

      I do not believe that they had nylon when the first guitar was made because nylon was first found sometime around the 1900s. The earliest guitars were made long before this.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  18. Anonymous07 March, 2016 21:39

    Dear Riley,
    I really liked how you talked about how you feel on stage and about the audience. My question to you is why did you pick the guitar to talk about opposed to a different instrument?
    -Emma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 09:49

      Dear Emma,

      I chose to talk about the guitar because it is the only instrument I play and I wanted to be able to personally connect to my topic.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  19. Anonymous08 March, 2016 17:36

    Riley,
    I had no clue you played guitar! How cool! I love how you made your post half story and half fact. I had no clue what chordophones were, so thank you for teaching me. One question I have is, what is whole desert oasis thing about? I'm a little confused.
    -Sophia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 09:53

      Dear Sophia,

      It was just a metaphor to add to my post. Oases are like places in desserts that are fertile and have water in the middle of arid desserts. It's just comparing guitar to an oasis (like a break from the desert or in this case other worries) and the rest of my problems to a dessert.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  20. Anonymous10 March, 2016 20:36

    Hi Riley,
    Your blogpost is amazing! I loved your introduction and how poetic your piece was. How long have you been playing guitar? Do you perform a lot?
    Kyra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 10:07

      Dear Kyra,

      I have been playing guitar for four years. I normally perform in the summer, but not super often since I'm gone most of the time.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  21. Anonymous10 March, 2016 21:08

    A truly fascinating Post Grant!
    I loved all your advanced writing and words you used to really show why the guitar and it's best maker really connect to you. My one question is, Where was Francisco Taregga from?
    Thanks,
    Miles

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous10 March, 2016 21:08

    A truly fascinating Post Grant!
    I loved all your advanced writing and words you used to really show why the guitar and it's best maker really connect to you. My one question is, Where was Francisco Taregga from?
    Thanks,
    Miles

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 March, 2016 09:55

      Dear Miles,

      Francisco Taregga was from Villarreal, Spain.

      Thanks,
      Riley

      Delete
  23. Anonymous11 March, 2016 22:53

    Riley,
    I really love how you talked about your own experience playing guitar and how it makes you feel. Your detail really drew me in to your story. When did you start playing the guitar?
    Ubedei

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous11 March, 2016 22:53

    Riley,
    I really love how you talked about your own experience playing guitar and how it makes you feel. Your detail really drew me in to your story. When did you start playing the guitar?
    Ubedei

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous08 March, 2017 20:08

    Riley,

    Very unique sport. I just love how you made this blogpost into a story! Way cool!
    My violin teacher told me that playing an instrument helps relive stress, do you do this, and does it work for you?
    Thanks for sharing this, I enjoyed it very much!

    Best

    -Lion

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous09 March, 2017 21:51

    Riley,

    I really love how you expressed your ever growing passion for guitar by talking about your own experience playing, and how it made you feel. Your detail really drew me in to your story, and I loved the unique choice of adding a video to the post. It was a creative decision many others hadn't even brushed upon! When did you start playing the guitar?

    Lovely post,

    -Flexi

    ReplyDelete

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