Strings attached: Rattanasack finds interest in guitar

By MARIAH RAMIREZ 
The Tower 

Alyssa Rattanasack has found her calling in music, more specifically through her guitar strings. She believes her keen interest in music defines much of her identity.  

For Rattanasack, playing the guitar is more than just an activity. 

It has become an important part of her life.  

“I think when I first started playing guitar that was when I really began to realize that music is so important to me and something I cannot live without,” Rattansack said. “Now I can’t go for days without playing guitar or listening to music.” 

Rattanasack has not only developed her skills on the guitar but has also developed a deep admiration for the artistry itself and the connection music is able to provide. She respects boygenuis band member Julien Baker and Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.  

“The way they play guitar is just so amazing and interesting to me and motivates me to keep playing,” Rattanasack said. 

Hoping to major in business and minor in music, Rattanasack has applied to several universities with strong business programs. Her long-term goal, though, remains to have a presence in the music industry, which blends her passions with business aspects also intertwined.  

Those who know Rattanasack personally can attest to her great commitment towards her craft.  

Amil Gaskins, a close friend, describes Rattanasack as someone who is impassioned and eager to explore more of her skill.  

“Alyssa's dedication and love for music shows greatly. When she talks about the guitar you can really tell she loves it,” Gaskins said. “She mentions wanting to expand her musical knowledge and wanting to go to school for music which just shows the level commitment she's willing to put towards the thing she loves. I know she's going to go far because she has the passion and the talent to do so.”  

The Tower sat down with Alyssa Rattanasack to learn more about her personal musical inspirations, the several driving forces behind her musical dedication, and future aspirations. 

The Tower: What got you into playing the guitar, was there anyone close to you that sparked musical interest? 

Alyssa Rattanasack: About four years ago, my uncle gave me his guitar that he didn’t use, and I let it sit in my closet for about a year before I actually decided to pick it up. I think what got me to start playing was that I kept seeing a lot of videos of people playing guitar and thought it was super cool. 

TT: Are you from a musical or artistic family, if not then what pushed you to pursue something not as common in your family? 

AR: Nobody in my family is really musical or artistic talented except for my cousin who plays piano. I think what pushed me to pursue something that is not common in my family is the fact that I have a lot of little cousins and I hope that me playing guitar inspires them and fascinates them to the point where they would want to learn how to play guitar or another instrument in the future and if they do I want to try to start a band with them later on.  

TT: Has your approach to music or playing the guitar changed over time, if so, then how was your style affected? 

AR: I would say my approach to playing guitar has really changed over time. When I first started playing, I really only played the chords in songs and I stuck to that for a while, but I would say about two years ago, I began soloing and fingerpicking, which I really like way more and those are probably the styles of playing I play the most now.  

TT: What would you say are some of the most misunderstood things or challenges you have faced personally, being a musician?  

AR: I wouldn’t really say there’s any misunderstood things but for challenges I’ve faced personally, I would say my biggest challenge is probably staying motivated and the fear of not progressing. Even though I practice for hours like every single day sometimes I’ll feel so unmotivated because I feel like I’m not progressing, and I end up not playing guitar for a few days.  

TT: Where do you find inspiration outside of the music world, are there other things affecting the way you play or view music? 

AR: This is still sort of in the music world, but I would say the movie Whiplash really inspires me and even though the movie is about a guy who plays drums, that movie still inspires me because he put so much effort and sacrificed so much just to be the main drummer of Fletcher’s band. This movie really affects the way I play and view music because it inspires me to put a lot of effort into guitar and to be passionate about it just like how Andrew was passionate about drums in Whiplash. 

TT: As you’re interested in possibly entering the music industry or amongst that realm, where do you see yourself in the next few years? 

AR: I applied to a few schools for their music business program, so I hope I’ll get into those programs in the next coming months. In the next few years though, I hope to see myself studying music business with other students who are also passionate about music. I hope to see myself working and spending most of my time in the music industry alongside others who are also passionate about having a career in the music industry.