Guitar has allowed a lot of us to live in a society.

Youre not just a guitar teacher anymore,you are actually a life teacher. I love it.

When I was 17 I ran away from home, and ended up in the big city as a small town kid. I met the wrong crowd and was on a bad path. I didnt steal or destroy, but I was on drugs. Hard drugs too. My older brother asked me to move in with him around Christmas time. I think he wanted to keep an eye on me. He was and is a world class guitarist and I plunked a little on his guitars but didnt really play. I knew a few chords and the main riff of China grove and thats about it. I think maybe I thought I had no chance of being as good as him and was intimidated. I woke Christmas morning to a brand new electric guitar. A Vantage. I dont know if they even exist anymore. Id think its junk now I suppose but I loved that thing. I used to sit on the couch (which was also my bed) for hours every single night playing through a rigged radio that I used as an amp. Just that and a MXR distortion pedal. I would play until I fell asleep, and my bro jokes that he had to tuck me in each night by first taking the guitar from my hands as I slept. I started getting pretty good! My druggy friends would call and I didnt want to hang out much anymore, I just wanted to play my guitar. They would ask...what, are you F ing that thing? Learning guitar got my out and away from the road I was on. My bro might credit himself for inspiring me to learn to play, but he doesnt realise that he may very well have saved my life! Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast!

I can absolutely relate. As far as I'm concerned, music saved my life.

We truly live in a society Bottom text

Started playing guitar in 1963, still gigging and love every minute. 70 years of life have thrown a lot of shit at me, my guitars have kept me sane and focused

I think Metallica riffs should be prescibed for angry and depressed teenagers, God knows it helped us lol

i'm 18 years old and i just started playing guitar,for some reason i just feel a lot happier. I don't know why but right now i'm in love with this instrument

I love that you’re clearly trying to help young musicians, not just as guitarists, but as people.

Guitar honestly gave me what feels like a reason to wake up in the morning that wasn't just videogames or the internet, it's helping me build my confidence in big ways and it's just fun as hell. I've been in a rut for a while but I do feel the need to improve after watching this video. Oh yeah we live in a society, or something.

-How about another solo, Murray? - You wanna know what Mike i think we had enough solos for tonight

I'm a guitarcel, I got no guitar game.

Man I totally relate to this. When I started high school in 2016 I was passionate about playing basketball and I made the team but had no fun at all because I got barely any playing time. I go to a very athletically competitive school and I worked so hard to make the team, but it just didn’t work out the way I thought it would and it left a big hole in my life. At the end of freshman year I also met a girl who completely rocked my world and I became close to her but she didn’t reciprocate feelings and it broke my heart. I legitimately haven’t felt any strong attractions since her and I still get down every time I see her. (Fun fact I watched dead poets society in English class with her my junior year after she told me to watch it sophomore year so that’s kinda coincidental to this video.) So about this time last year I was probably at the worst of this hole I was in and I knew I loved things that made me feel deeply (such as dead poets society, man I love that movie) and so eventually I really discovered Nirvana in like November of last year and it changed my life. Kurt Cobain and his music hit something deep inside of me. I had always loved their hit songs SLTS and CAYA, but then I heard In Bloom and I felt like I was in another world. I became obsessively passionate about their music and started playing guitar and got a beginner electric set for Christmas. It wasn’t putting out the huge nirvana sound I wanted so I got a job as a lifeguard in the summer and bought a fender strat, an orange rocker 15, and a boss ds-1 and fell in love with playing. I’m doing way better now, I really feel like I have a purpose and motivation and it really is due to Nirvana and the guitar.

Playing guitar since 13, it’s all I wanted to do. Now I have to play for an hour a day first thing in the morning to explore the mind while creating the sounds I wish I could do at 13, and still feeling the same emotions of renewed excitement every morning.

Thanks for sharing. I don’t even play guitar. I follow you because you are such a cool dude.

Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Maiden, Priest, Slayer, Metallica, and drums: all part of my young mental health stability.

Literally the same but it started with piano, i was lost too. Most of my friends today comes from my 2 favourite hobbies, music and theatre. I still have not dated anyone or got laid from guitar but i am now going places.

Guitar and music got me off of drugs. I got my first guitar at 16, almost died at 19, and I've been studying for years ever since

Same here. I was a chubby kid and got made fun of a bit for it, so I became reclusive. Fortunately, in my early teenaged years, which was the late 90’s, I developed a deep love for music, with metal and hard rock being my favorite stuff. It was at that time I picked up guitar and haven’t been able to put it down since. I ended up breaking out of my shell more in high school and standing up for myself, so it got a little better. In my teenaged years, I tried drinking and drugs a few times, but they weren’t for me, thankfully. I think the desire to play guitar kept me from wanting to feel impaired. Then I got my first serious girlfriend right after I graduated high school and we ended up getting married a few years later and still have a strong marriage (I have no idea being a chubby kid how I got a girl who is so beautiful on the inside and outside). I took a full time job out of high school too which happened to have a great tuition reimbursement program, so I ended up graduating from college with no debt (it was tough because I had to work and go to school at the same time). The college degree got me promoted and now I’m living upper, middle class. Through it all, when times got tough, in my teenaged years and beyond, I always played guitar as much in my spare time as possible, and it has gotten me through a lot of sadness and stress. Had I not picked up guitar in the first place, I don’t think I would’ve had success in marriage or career.

I must say this hat to be the only guitar channel I watch solely for speeches like that - emotiones, gratitude, self fullfilment and stuff. Seems to be way more important than countless videos devoted to holding the pick at correct angle or practicing pitch harmonics. Thanks for everything you do, dude, keep rocking.

You know what...? You're a cool dude Mike, it shows that you care enough about your followers to actually talk about a lot of personal things in your life, kid's feeling alone is big problem these days.

While one is building their guitar skills, the best way to rule a little universe (IMO of course) is to become a bartender. The bartender is king of that little world and that whole little world depends upon their king. I mention this because I have seen serious social dweebs become engaged, loved and confident taking care of their little realm. I bet there are other jobs that result in huge confidence building like that. a favorite server, or something where you provide immediate benefits to people and your true personality is part of the delivery. So the social wall is broken and that let's you through to the other people vs hiding in your basement or reading water meters alone etc. I'm happy for your success in life.

When I was like 9, I wanted to play guitar since I thought it’d make me cool. Since I had a crappy reason, I wasn’t really into it. My parents sold the guitar not long after that, since I barely touched it. When I was 14, I picked up an old acoustic laying around, and started playing again, since I wanted to get good enough to express myself. I kept at it for a year and convinced my parents to let me get an electric. A couple years later I’m still playing. I draw and do other stuff, so in terms of finding focus, it actually didn’t help. But it did help me express myself, that’s probably the biggest thing I got out of it. Making a great melody or nailing a part of a song is definitely rewarding.

If it wasn't for getting laid, I never would have started playing guitar.

"It's like I had this little secret" - Feels good man. I went to boarding school and hated it. When I really got serious about getting good at guitar I used to look forward to getting down to the music centre for practice and it made my day to day life so much happier.

I started guitar at 15, 16 now but it literally became an addiction lol; sometimes I have nightmares where I lose my hands and I'm unable to play guitar anymore.

Whenever I lost motivation to keep playing, I come to this channel. Always work Thank you

Creative outsiders feel like that-I am old and still remember that feeling...still have it!

Some people don't what they like or are passionate about. It's a blessing to find that. Thanks for your insight!

Damn that guitar. We have missed a potential joker

Interesting video! My older cousin started encouraging me to learn guitar around that age. I was definitely considered a nerd/uncool girl in school and I think this was sort of what he had in mind. I was already REALLY into playing the flute and had a hard time sinking my teeth into a second instrument at the time. I got a few of the benefits you mentioned from that, but like you stated with violin, nobody thinks playing the flute is cool. It did lead me to music school though, and put me ahead when I decided I was ready to dedicate time and work into learning guitar. After playing the flute for 15 years or so, I really started to miss the feeling of that super tangible progress that comes with learning a new skill. Guitar has really gotten me excited about music again. You also made a great point about exercise. I have a hard time getting out of the woodshed for physical activity sometimes. During my "musical lull" I was a pretty avid trail runner, but now I have to force myself to put down the guitar to go for a quick run around the neighborhood. Maybe I should give something like martial arts a shot.

Yeah, guitar has finnally allowed me to have more confidence in myself. I was born with cerebral palsy so I never thought I could. And because of that I let myself drift through life with no real purpose. But after deciding life's too short I got a guitar and a small little amp for my 20th birthday and here I am just a year later and I'm able to write my own songs. It's a wonderful feeling, my only regret is not getting into it sooner

If I did not learn guitar I would feel truly worthless and I am serious

Guitar introduced to me to incelcore

This video really means a lot to me personally man. I can totally relate and ever since getting serious at guitar my life has changed for the positive. Its funny this video was recommended to me today because I've been kind of struggling with some of these feelings as of late, but this really made me feel good. Thanks so much :)

Drinking doctor pepper Is what almost made him an incel

Completely relate. I’m 12 and I started guitar little less than a year ago, but it truly is something that is keeping me focused. I get so frustrated at life in general but this guitar is the only thing keeping me sane. My grades aren’t really good, I don’t have much friends, too much time is taken away from me by school, but I swear the one thing I love and am passionate about (guitar) it really calms me down. By far, the best decision I’ve made.

Really good video. Thanks so much. I can relate to a lot of what you were talking about.

I can relate to a lot of what you say. When I occasionally get asked why I play guitar, my answer is usually "therapy". Also, I met my first "proper" girl friend at a small party when I was sitting playing guitar. She told me later, "I saw you playing guitar and you looked so cool, I just had to talk to you". :D

4:24 is a great reason to start learning. Use it as a way to express yourself or get your emotions out. When I'm in a bad mood I love listening to St. Anger and palying along to it. Gets the anger out of me.

Decided to took guitar seriously back in 2009 when i was ANGRY that someone insult me IDIOT for trying to play a guitar (and loving Ritchie Blackmore's guitar playing). Guitar really becomes my obsession that i skip classes and almost got flunked 😂, but it also slowly improves me to became better person, by forcing me the value of hard work, patience and emotional control. Now at 30, I still practice for 1-2 hours a day.

I love your honesty and how you put your story in words. I can relate to a lot of the things you talked about in this video. Thank you for uploading.

I was saved the moment I heard Randy Rhoads play Mr. Crowley LIVE on Tribute. ❤

GREAT VIDEO....GREAT AFFIRMATION FOR SURE... I totally relate.. I am 49 and just picked up the guitar again this year... started playing when I was 10 because of KISS... started taking it serious when I was 16 when I got in a pop cover band and it changed my life socially... put the guitar down due to life happening... sold all of my gear due to a long drawn out trip into religion (a good life lesson, however). I found myself sweep into deep depression for years. It was only when I picked the guitar back up this year that I realized that it was what had been missing the entire time. I had given up the thing that had made me, ME. Music and learning to play music is something that is missing so much in young people. In an age where no one can focus anymore and screens are everything and are draining the life and motivation out of kids, playing an instrument and the self discipline and the confidence it gives is so good for the youth to put their time and energy in to. Thanks for the great video and the fact that you care enough to be transparent and want to help others achieve their goals. Rock on, my friend.

5:00 Catharsis! Love that feeling

I can relate to this. Music is the reason I am the way I am now. It showed me that life had a purpose and people were there for me. My life would be so boring if I didn’t become a musician or find out I played drums (at age 3 at that). And I learned guitar at age 16 in 2018 (I got my first real guitar in Christmas of 2017, an epiphone Les Paul). Ps. Metal really is a great way of releasing anger, I play guitar to calm down and it really comes out in my riffs (as edgy as that sounds, it actually works pretty well.)

Women , friends and sometimes even family can come and go but guitar has always been a constant thing. If anything I feel like I've let guitar down at times. I can't imagine my life without it.

It's not just good for young people to focus. After 50 years off the guitar, as an old man, I am picking it up again, and it is wonderful for giving a sensse of purpose and joy as you watch your body crumble! :-D I'm also very grateful for your videos. You're a great guitarist, teacher and a very good person!

I began playing around age 23 a bit late as a hip hop guy all my life it was strange that this instrument called upon me. Before you know it i met friends that played and i guess since they liked my personality they invited me to join them and i learned songs from tablature. Then it happened...my gf of 5 years broke up with me for good, same year That recession happened around 2009, That fueled my obsession with guitar. I fought through the pain by getting serious with it. I always tell everyone that I'm very lucky i am the person that i am today cause i stuck with guitar...i wouldn't want to even see where my life would have went if i didn't start playing music

Man, it wasn’t inceldom or anything, but I really hit a dark spot in my life before I really got into guitar. A family friend decided to gift me an old Les Paul knockoff, and that’s how it started. I held onto music like it was a life raft.

Oh Christ, the movie isn’t about incels dude.

I think I get a little down when I'm away from my guitar, and when I pick it up I instantly feel better.

Johnny Depp said he started playing at 12 and that it was the only way he could escape his abusive mother. That without it he said he didn’t know what would have happened to him.

Playing guitar became my saviour after hospital trauma… it quickly evolved into a huge part of my identity and I’m working on making it my future. I’m incredibly introverted so I know it’ll give me a bit of a kick up the ass lol.

Started playing at guitar at 12 too. I was a angry teenager and needed a purpose. A lot of young guys have a lot of anger. Music can be a great outlet. Still making music today.

Agree a lot. When I started playing guitar I didn't believe that I could actually ever learn to play, thinking "I'm just not made for this" - but at some point I realized that this is what I always thought about everything I ever tried. A couple months of daily practice later, and for the first time in a loooooooong time I felt like I could achieve anything if I worked hard enough. Having a hobby/learning a skill can really do wonders for mental health.

I just read what incels are and now think I am 85% an incel - without the desire for violence and without the desire to hate distant people who did nothing to me.

Interesting I recognize my self as well in that video.

Dude same feeling for me but different, i remember my parents fought bad every day and night. When i was 8 i was flipping through my dads cds (which i was not allowed to do) but in doing that,i flipped over and blood sugar sex magic i thought it looked so cool, when i poped it in the stereo it didn't sound like what i thought the cover would make for music. I immediately started trying to figure out riffs on my dads acoustic. Guitar was my home from home and still is now. I always think about what good direction guitar has taken me, cause I've never been into drugs, drinking or getting in trouble, all my focus went into wanting to rip. I wouldn't trade all the hard mountains of trying to learn this for anything

Went back and watched this again after 4 years. The part about guys not being encouraged to be creative really struck a chord. ( Pun intented! ) My dad was a sport coach and I didn't play sports, only child, all his hopes and dreams gone ! But he got me a guitar and brought me to practice ( at first it was to go get drunk on 1 beer with my guitar buddy listening to Live after Death ) made new friends, started a band and low and behold I kept it up and still play in bands today!

for me it was bmx stunt riding. and now my entire body hurts. lol.

30 years old and going through a painful divorce. Picked up guitar again after over a decade and it makes me feel okay again. It’s given me something new to love and pour myself into.

You're like the chill, older brother I didn't know I needed.

This video was ahead of its time

Guitar has pretty much been the main reason that's been helping me with getting over my recent breakup.

I don't trust people that don't have hobbies or some kind of passion... The most negative people I know don't have any passions or healthy outlets and usually end up turning to drugs or alcohol as an escape

Thank You for your sincere honesty, I went down that same road in my youth.

Such an insightful video :)

I relate 100%. Having a passion for music grounded me and playing guitar is always a source of joy. I hope your message reaches more people.

Really good words and positive message. Well done mate.

Guitar changed everything. Music in general has always been my go to. It is part of you.

I had this both with movies and music. I am a 16 years old high shooler who has been playing guitar and piano (not as much as guitar) for a year and been interested in filmmaking for 2 years. When i was first able to shoot a little scene with my friends with my phone and nothing else (of course it was awful, it's my first time shooting and editing a movie scene) it felt really good when it ended. It applies to music too. When i was first able to play In The Hall Of The Mountain King on piano or Master Of Pupets on guitar i felt like i could fly miles away. And to see that people who knew these songs saying "You're playing really good" helped me emotinoally. There are limited things better than finding something, holding onto it, getting better at it and seeing good responds.

I just got back on the guitar and it is helping me recover from my anxiety episode. Overall, everything you mentioned is true and I am re-experiencing those points and feelings for the past 2 weeks since then. Imma sub and keep watching your content man

I can agree with a lot of these points, started playing guitar at about 13 and I'm 20 now. It taught me tonnes of lessons and made me hardworking which had allowed me to do well at my job as well

Playing an instrument is amazing, man. It helped me get over my anxiety, probably by having something to look forward to and also eventually showing me that I could get better at stuff with a bit of practice and perseverance. I'm 26 and have other stuff to deal with, so I didn't have the opportunity to practice many hours, but still try to whenever I can and it definitely shows. I've kinda hit a wall recently and have been getting a little frustrated, but this video helped me realize that it's cause I've been slacking on practice time a bit, like a year ago I was at least giving myslelf a couple hours at least and recently it's been barely an hour most days. It may have been a small section of this video, but you've inspired me to find more time for myself and keep at it, so thanks!

Nice video. There's a lot of positivity that comes from learning guitar or any instrument. Especially at that difficult teen age, channeling your emotions like that can really set you on a great path. Also, nice to see your natural eyes again. I think your eyes are beautiful, you should be proud of them!

Guitar has basically been driving me nuts. I’m a newbie and learning the notes on the 5th and 6th strings seeing the notes off the staff is quite an adjustment but I keep at it. I’m only half way through guitar method 1, not sure how learning this way on the acoustic is going to help me play electric guitar and rock and roll in the future? All the awesome supportive players at guitar center tell me I have to crawl before I can walk.

I love the direction you're taking with your channel with more diversified content.

I can't even Express what guitar has and is doing for me. I'm just grateful it re introduced itself (got one when I was 16 but yeah didn't play it much was to caught up in life's distractions and work sadly) into my life and that I've really made a stronger connection with it this past year and 4 months. Was cool hearing about your experience man, thanks for sharing 🤘

Guitar had a really big impact on me. I started listening to other music than rock too. It s like meditation. You can forget everything and concentrate just on music. This gives you very positive thoughts even when you re not playing anymore and your day wasnt that good:)

honestly same dude. just over a year ago i was really sad and let lazyness take controll of me. i just let things pass and i kinda lost sense of feeling. throughout time i realized guitar has given me a purpose to actually do something with my life

This video really puts things into perspective for me. I never realized how important picking up guitar really has been for me, until I heard some of the things you said. It really has helped my confidence and mental health as well as a feeling of accomplishment in my life. Thank you.

I never consider myself an incel but being introverted is something I know a lot kind of sticking on the sidelines but guitar helped me understand that they’re fun. Fun to play and screw around the more I focus on that it helped me to avoid being less introverted. The scary thing I see and people don’t understand. It’s easy to be an incel but on a hopeful note it’s also easy to know to not be one. From what I get about the incels they each other or they want some sense of the world to be petty towards them. They have no interests except for their forums or any sensible hobbies and interests. They like to destroy any self esteem towards others and themselves.

guitar got me out of video games, and endless scrolling on social media only problem I have is concentrating on something like schoolwork, but eh...

Travis bickle character i felt the same way too.

When I was a kid 80s growing up in Chicago. I was hanging out with all the gangbangers in the neighborhood. Heavy Metal got me to meet a much better group of kids. Now understand that back in the 80's Heavy Metal had a horrible stigma attached to it. (I'd argue that it was worse than Rap music has now adays.) I had long hair and the cops used to stop us all the time, adulta always gave me dirty looks. Yeah, we smoked pot, drank beer, but we never hurt anybody. There was a really cool article that came out a while ago titled " 80's Metal Kids Grew Up to be Well Functioning Adults" (I'm sure you can google it) I teach music myself now and run a music program at a small non-profit with kids rock bands and jazz combos. Interestingly enough, I now have more adult students than kids and it's just as rewarding.

Your 3rd thing, getting good at something... I think it's tied up in identity. Once you reach a certain age you start looking for your identity. You start asking yourself "Who am I? Where do I fit in?" So kids begin to form an identity around their style of dress (like goth kids) or the music they listen to, or their skin color if they're in an ethnically-diverse area. However, when you can form your identity around a series of accomplishments, like learning an instrument and being in a band, or playing sports; the identity comes with a lot of confidence and self-worth. And that confidence isn't false bravado. It's earned. You had to work for it.

Hey! I got some similar experiences. I love this instrument. Cheers.

There is just a lack of balance in the enjoyment of life. Some get a lot in life granted to them while rubbing this in your face and offering almost nothing themselves, while the majority work their whole life 10x as hard and get not even any form of attention/appreciation during their whole life. On top of this, creators are enforcing this mentality onto the youth today. Justice is just too far away. You have to be this likable person, there isn't room to be yourself, you have to make yourself digestible for the masses, with that not being yourself. Now there isn't really anything wrong with that, you want to be liked and if you can you put in the effort for that. But it's the other side that really gets to me. When you choose not to, you are faced with loneliness and being ridiculed which is not possible to be ethically justified, which is known and realized and still neglected. As long as influencers etc. keep talking about the things everybody says to be safe or likable or to get more money this is not going to change. It's not me being sad or disappointed, it's just simply not justifiable, but yet it's being justified. A lack of justice overall, especially on social terms, which is ignored. And a lot of people who are in the granted positions have a lack of sympathy and are literally trying to make people who are in way tougher positions feel bad about themselves. Like if they don't think and do anything their way, it's wrong and they can f off because it doesn't meet their standards. You are talking about personal things, like don't go down the bad road, that's good and all but what about humanity as a whole? You could say: ''well nothing we can do about that''. Is that really true? I doubt it. I think there is a lot of things, generally, the past 5 years which has changed with regards to humanity as a whole and has changed for the worse, I think we all need to slap ourselves in the face and as a unit start to look to the future and try to discover what's there, my algebra will depress you as it is now.

I relate to this, and I want to thank you for always helping not only with guitar but with life as well

Eric Clapton is the reason I play guitar and love the blues. (different age group) Ginger Baker is why I play the drums.

This was interesting. I honestly don't like how "incel" is a bad term. Everyone that likes someone and the feeling is not reciprocal is kind of an incel, in a sense. Maybe it is used to extreme cases, where not getting laid changes the way of thinking of a individual to a bad state of mind, but aside from that, being lonely in itself doesn't mean turning into a villain, or a disgusting person, only because you're not loved back. Still, nice video. Music really has this power to take your energy and let some steam out and make you feel better with yourself.

You're like a less suicidal Donnie Darko that can shred

Great video, I can relate to many things you said. For me the biggest thing was that I found something I was very passionate about, besides singing. Being able to combine both made me so happy, I started writing my own songs as soon as I knew how to play three basic open chords on acoustic guitar. A few years later I started playing electric guitar, too, because my taste in music changed to heavier stuff. ;)

Could you please elaborate on 6-8 hours practice?

Love your vids! You are my favorite guitar teacher (alongside Marty Schwartz). Love the life advice videos. Your channel is a public service.

When I was a teenager in the 90's metal was NOT popular. I remember being so proud of my Alice Cooper, Ozzy, Megadeth and Kiss albums and people would be like "yeah. . Eddie Vedder would kick Alice Cooper's ass!" I couldn't relate to as anyone but my friend Jonah, who also loved metal. Worse yet, as my brother, my uncle (only 5 years older) and friends were learning instruments I was awkward and clueless but absolutely in love with hard rock, thrash, NWOBHM, death metal, doom, and black metal like Cradle of Filth and Satyricon. It killed me that I couldn't play. Back in 2016 I decided that it was finally time to learn, so I bought Rocksmith and a beautiful Fender Squier, which I still have. I took a class but the entire concept of rhythm escaped me completely. I'd practice and play Rocksmith and nothing worked.... until it did. I started ordering practice books and working with a Metronome and my skills are increasing slowly but surely. One day I'll be able to master Ozzy songs, Ace's solos, Mustaine's , Cavalera's and Dimebag's riffs, and the brutality of Obituary, Nevermore, and Arch Enemy! I have something that I'm good at, just for me!

I can totally relate to how you felt in school and I would spend most of time in High School scrutinizing scales and tabs tucked into my binders just looking forward that moment when I got home. Years and a lot of practice later, when I had to do monotonous and boring crap at work I would focus on rhythm and try to coordinate my movements work to different tempos and time signatures. Sometimes to would use the oscillations of the machines as a metronome to work out subdivisions in my head. It probably look pretty strange to an observer but it help me through those soul crushing days.

When I was 12, I connected with The Logical Song by Supertramp. I loved everything on the Breakfast in America album. I was shy, not angry. Books and music were my escape.

I've actually turned to music recently. I used to try and put all my effort into games like you said people can make a career out of it. However, never being able to put enough time into it I always came up short in every competitive game. Always getting to the second-highest or highest rank but even though I was better than 99% of people I wasn't able to make any money. Always a sub (if I could get on a team) for tournaments. Finally looked at all the thousands of hours I put into this endeavor and realized that time could have been spent learning several languages, learning new skills, or mastering an instrument. I took up the cello earlier this year for a short time and then turned to the guitar recently because I felt it could portray more varieties of music and expression.