My Guitar Teacher

Much like every other 8-year-old, I was constantly bored and really had no activities. I was bad at sports and therefore didn’t enjoy playing, and I would hang out with friends but they could only be for moments at a time, etc. Which is why I was very excited when I was gifted a mini, camo, electric guitar for my birthday. I saw it as another activity I could do when I was bored, but little did I know it would shape my life in the coming years and ultimately impact a big part of who I am.

Ironically enough, the friend-who-gifted-me-the-guitar’s dad taught many instruments to different students. Along with the gift was a week of free lessons from him to see if it was anything I could get into. The start was fun, getting to know the parts of the guitar, how tones and keys work, etc. As was the first couple weeks of playing. But it hit me that it would take a lot of effort, practice, and moments of wanting to give up to get where I am today. I would have most likely given up years ago, had it not been for my guitar teacher, Jordi. 

He would take his time to teach me, no matter how slow of a learner I was. He was able to find the perfect balance of me getting better and enjoying the guitar. He would teach me songs that I wanted to learn, but at the same time, would teach me ones that would ultimately help me get better. I have a hard time relating to people when they complain about their musical teachers, because, though I may have gotten frustrated many times at the difficulty of playing, it never was due to Jordi. He would give me a little more than I could handle at times, but that is the only way one can improve.

In later years, I started expressing my newly developed passion for music as a whole to Jordi. I would show him the songs I wrote, ask questions about production and different instruments, even had an hour-long talk one time about what midi keyboard I should buy. Not many people can say they had someone who guided them through something that is now a huge part of their lifestyle, and I consider myself lucky that I can.

Perspective is something that varies from eye to eye, so I interviewed my mom on how she thinks music has impacted my life, and how a good portion of this was due to Jordi. This is what she said:

“When Sam was younger, he tried many hobbies and activities.  None seemed to spark his interest. Then for his 8th birthday, unknown to him at that moment, he received that magical gift.  The present that showed him the path to his down-time; his zen; his intuitive, creative voice. His very first guitar.

Along with the guitar came a few free lessons by none other than Jordi Cordero, Liberty’s finest musical hero to many kids from the Schumacher District. As Jordi patiently worked with my Bugaboo, I saw positive changes. When Sam played and practiced, he was focused. Sam would share original song ideas with Jordi, and through his unbelievable patience and his own passion for music, Jordi created a lover of the lyrical arts in Sam.

The lessons eventually stopped, as they do for many kids as they get older. Sports, entertainment, and dating all become consumers of their time. But for Sam, no matter how full his plate is, he still picks up what is now his third guitar and strums, sometimes coming into the kitchen while I cook to ask which version sounds better on his most recent score. (I usually cannot tell the difference--all of Sam’s music is amazing to my ears.)

Jordi and Sam still have interesting conversations about playing and writing and bands and songs when they see each other. Jordi was inspirational to Sam at a time when, as his mother, I wondered and doubted if he would ever find his passion beyond video games. Sam will, without a doubt, carry a spark in his soul for his guitar and writing his own songs throughout his life. All thanks to the ‘pitch perfect’ timing of a birthday gift attached to an inspirational instructor.” 

I sometimes sit and wonder how much different I would be if I had someone else teach me guitar, or, rather, how long it would have taken before I lost my motivation. But honestly, this was never a concern for me, as I walked into every practice determined and excited. I chose Jordi for this project, as he helped me develop a lifelong passion for something that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and not many can say they have had someone willing to do that for them. So, thank you, Jordi.