GUITAR
Sophia Radisch is an award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and actor from Ottawa. At just 19 years of age, she is a
Gibson Artist and tours internationally. Sophia is in the studio with the epic and legendary Grammy Award-winning producer
Rob Fraboni (The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton). She loves her top hats! For more, visit www.sophiaradisch.com, Facebook.com/
Sophia.radisch, and LinkedIn.com/in/sophiaradisch.
By Sophia Radisch
Finding Your Passion
M I remember the impact it had on me.
I remember how the guitar strings felt
on my fingers, and how it kind of hurt. I
remember the rush I got from playing the
only two chords I knew.
Finding Your Instrument I started watching videos and learning
chord progressions to songs that moti-
vated me to play, which then inspired me
to write my own melodies and put words
on paper.
It’s important to be continuously
inspired by others, and to have musical
heroes. You can then adopt and adapt
new techniques and make them unique
to you. Apply what you learn and create
your own piece of music. In this way, you
will find your musical identity. I listen to
and am influenced by music of all genres
and styles. I find musical elements that
I like in all of them, and even find that I
learn as much from music I don’t like as
I do from music I love! Everything I hear
has influenced me in some way, shape,
or form.
usic, or more specifical-
ly, my guitar, is 100 per
cent responsible for all
that I am, and the artist
I aspire to become.
The guitar influences the way I sing
and affects the way I feel. It creates beau-
tiful subtleties in acoustic performance
and dramatic rock ‘n’ roll floor drops in
my most energetic band experiences. It
shapes my biomolecular structure.
Most importantly, though, the guitar is
the gateway to my songwriting, the heart
of my everything, and I want to share
some insight with you.
Quality over quantity – a crucial factor in be-
ing a musician. Does the guitar feel good?
Does it sound good? Does it look good?
Do you dig it? Does it speak to your soul?
If you answer a resounding “yes,” then that
instrument may be the one that inspires you
and motivates you to keep learning and ex-
panding what you know. This is the gift of
the right guitar!
When I find myself in any music store,
I feel a gravitational pull toward the wall
of guitars. As a preteen, my passion for
songwriting became more and more ap-
parent. I needed something to kick-start
my muse, and something told me to do
it fast. I had someone who inspired me
musically, and had done so for all of my
life. My dad taught me some chords, and
from that point on, words started flowing
like a tropical waterfall.
W W W. C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N . CO M
Finding Your Style
Finding Your Songs
Building a song from nothing to some-
thing can happen in many ways. Some-
times, it is a fleeting thought or feeling
that acts as a seed for the growth of a
story. Others, it is a personal experience.
A lot of the time, it is a product of my
imagination.
Playing guitar and writing songs, for
me, is like breathing. It is something that
I must do. It completes me. I feel that I was
born to do this. Like any artist, it is not easily
definable. I believe each one of us is born
with a gift, and when you follow your heart
and intuition, your gift works in you and
speaks to you, and then you can share it.
There’s no such thing as “too many guitar-
ists” or “too many musicians.” This industry
will never be overcrowded in the sense
that music is the universal language. It’s
meant for anybody and everybody that
has the desire to play.
If you’re a music lover, you already
have a musician’s soul, so, pick up a guitar
and wail, (wo)man! Learn how! This is
how your musical energy translates into
spiritual energy, and that’s meant to be
shared. Let it free you; let it heal you!
In order to play with vulnerability, you
have to be present in the moment. In or-
der to play with precision, you have to be
thoughtful. In order to perform with pas-
sion, you have to be open and true to the
music. Honour the song. It’s something
that comes from inside you. The poetry
moves the magic of the instrument.
I am always learning new ways to
write, use my voice, and play guitar. I don’t
think anyone can ever really perfect an
instrument. The main thing is to continue
to work on improving your skills and
learning new techniques. The guitar is
like any other instrument. It takes time,
patience, desire, and passion.
As I’ve been known to say, “Play it like
it’s golden; play it like it’s stolen!”
C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N • 25
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