Homework

I've made significant progress since I started my voice lessons with Vickie. Letting go of fears, insecurities, and anything that blocks my creativity...
Building calluses on my fingertips has been a bit painful, but I'm managing because I'm determined to master playing and singing at the same time.
This week's homework assignments:
•incorporate vocal exercises 8-12 and practice losening up my jaw!
•work on riffs for ending "si tu no estas" (original)and write out chart with chords
•research "open mic" venues
•continue to prepare songs to perform with guitar accompaniment
•complete another song from my 21 potential original songs

Oh yeah, go to work, raise a child, be a loving wife, and work out/ eat right, pray and meditate...geez!

making friends with my guitar

The first time I picked up the guitar was about 20 years ago when my choir director at Church taught me some chords and encouraged me to play along in the choir. On one of my trips to Mexico, my mom bought me a hand-made guitar in Paracho, Michoacan, a small town in Mexico famous for guitar-making. I played my guitar for a few years in the choir and at some point we grew apart.
As part of one of my College requirements I had to take piano and guitar. My voice always was the easiest instrument for me, and although I had the potential to master these 2 instruments, I was very lazy and did not put much effort into it.
Since then, the guitar was forgotten and as my career in music as a vocalist began, the two of us grew distant...

One of the most important things I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, was the realization that I could no longer rely on others to help me fulfill my dreams and aspirations. This includes the writing/composing of my songs, my self-image, and also being able to accompany myself while singing at shows.

So, it called me. I decided to listen to the voice inside my head and I took the guitar out of its case. It was like reuniting with a long lost friend. I had to stop all of the negative thoughts that told me I couldn't do it, and I just started playing it again. It felt good. Well, it hurt a lot...my fingers I mean. You have to build calluses on your fingers so that the pressing of the chords stops hurting after a while.
I had constant pain on my wrist, but I took breaks and didn't let it get in the way.

I was focused and determined to lose the fear and the insecurity of not being a guitarrist. The much dreaded bar chords keep haunting me, but I decided that no matter what I did or no matter how long it took, I would master the damn "F" chord. Ok, now I am friends with the "F" chord. It took a while, but the more I play it, the better I get.

This is the first step. I am working on singing and playing some covers as well as some of my original songs. These are new songs that no one has heard before and I am very excited about putting a show together soon.

I am getting more confident playing and singing. I have a long way to go, but I promise that you will like the results if you stick around.
Now I'm obsessed with my friend, my guitar. Maybe I should name her/him...hmmm

My transformation

2 weeks ago I began a new journey in my life.
I got tired of waiting for others to make things happen for me. How silly of me to think that "someone" would come to my rescue and just fall in love with my voice and talent, and open all the doors to help me succeed in a career in music. As naive as that sounds, it seems that most of my life I lived with a preconceived notion of how things "ought to be". Problem is that I realized that only "I" can start making changes in my life, and only "I" can work on "me". 

Due to some major life events full of emotional stress, I had already started working with an interior transformation: Changing my outlook of life, focusing on positive thoughts and actions to get along better with others and myself and to have a better and stronger relationship with God (my strength and my guide). Along with this transformation, I began an exterior transformation and have been focusing on physical fitness and serious weightloss results.

So as part of this new journey in my personal life, I needed to make some serious changes in my relationship with music.

The first step I took was to search for a vocal coach to help me work on my craft and also with artist development. Through my search I ran into the wonderful and talented Vickie Natale. (www.vickienatale.com)

This is the beginning of my journey and I want to share it with you. Perhaps I can help you in your journey.