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Campus Practice, City Sound: Guitar Learning in San Jose
Starting Slow, Building Rhythm
Hector’s guitar lessons with Aimee started with the basics: minor pentatonic scales, chord shapes, and learning how to feel the rhythm before playing it. At first, it was just position one of the scale, and it felt repetitive. But over time, things began to click. Aimee encouraged him to explore techniques like sliding, vibrato, and hammer-ons to bring texture into his playing, especially as he worked on the song “Sultana.” The goal was not to rush but to build comfort and muscle memory.
Between classes at San Jose City College, Hector would find pockets of time to practice. Sometimes it was in the student lounge, other times on the small patio behind the science building. His fingers slowly got more confident as he moved through scale positions one to five, applying them bit by bit to melodies he liked. It became part of his day: lectures, practice, and then reviewing tabs Aimee shared for homework.
Music in the Middle of Things
The lessons moved from theory into more expressive territory. They tackled sheet music, reading bar by bar through a piece called “Study,” then turned to the intro of “Moonflower,” focusing on finesse through slides, hammer-ons, and keeping tempo. Aimee stressed not just playing the notes but feeling the timing and phrasing.
Back home in East San Jose, Hector’s evenings were usually quiet. After dinner or a quick grocery run to Mi Pueblo, he would spend 30 minutes running through scales or learning a new section of a song. The sound of passing light rail cars outside the window often blended into his practice. Guitar became a small, grounding part of his routine. It was less about performance and more about checking in with himself.
Growth That Fits the Pace
As weeks passed, Hector’s playing began to stretch. He learned how to shift from minor to major pentatonic scales, build seventh chords, and apply them to real songs like Lionel Richie’s “Easy.” Aimee helped him work through chord transitions, strumming patterns, and the unique feel of each voicing. They focused on bar chords and rhythm while keeping the soul of the music intact.
On weekends, when the weather was nice, Hector would take his guitar to Kelley Park or sit under the trees near the MLK Library downtown. The city wasn’t just a backdrop. It was part of how and where he learned. The lessons, the practice, and the pace all felt grounded in real life.
