Elder Meza: Tune Before You Play

Let's chat: Tune before you play: 



When I was in high school I took a guitar class. The teacher was awesome! He was the orchestra teacher and the guitar teacher. He played all the instruments very well. My first year of Guitar he taught us all techniques and music theory (of which I don't remember much). The first weeks we learned about the notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, rests, eight notes, time signature and a lot of other things. One of the most important lessons was hot to tune. We played the E note which is the sixth string and the lowest note. We would also have to sing the note to memorize the sound.

I tuned before I played!

This would allow us to tune by ear and not have to use a tuner. He had a nickname for some of his students... Goodtar players, and the rest were guitar players. I remember a test and a student had not tuned. So as he played it sounded funny. Then he said "a goodtar player always tunes before he plays." So that piece of advice stuck with me. Every time I pick up my guitar to play I check to see if its tuned, if not I tune then I can play. So always before I play... I tune!

I also do the same before I study. Praying (tuning ourselves) is important. It is necessary that we tune ourselves when we need to make choices, to understand the will of God, and even to find comfort in the scriptures. Also it is important to pray when going on long trips, and when we need comfort. So being in tune with the Holy Ghost is important.

When we receive the Holy Ghost, He becomes our companion, our guide, a warning when there is danger and our comforter. Being in tune with the Holy Ghost will allow Him to do all His roles. My favorite is helping us understand scripture. I read them a lot and as I have tuned myself to have this companionship I have understood the scriptures more and have been able to apply what I learn when I chat with people. So some advice... Remember to tune in the morning so you may be safe and do all the things that you have to get done, remember to tune yourself and thank for everything that you did and of course so that you may rest. Tune as a family so the Spirit of the Lord may rest with you all.

2 Nephi 9: 52

  52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice.

-Elder Elliott Meza


See his blog at: http://elliottmeza.blogspot.com/