If you’ve enjoyed someone playing acoustic guitar during lunch, in class, or by the buses, it’s sophomore Guy Conti. 

“I generally play in front of people for entertainment because I get bored a lot, so I’ll just bring it with me and play at lunch, while waiting for my bus, sometimes even in class…when I’m with friends I even include singing,” he said.

Conti started out playing the electric guitar, but after a year switched to acoustic and has been playing every day since. 

“It’s like the same reason people pick up video games,” he said. “It’s a really good pastime, and it always seems like the next thing I want to do is play…One thing that inspired me are bands like Three Days Grace. They really motivated me to work hard and get better.”

When he was in the sixth grade, Conti saw his stepdad playing the guitar and was inspired to learn. He taught himself  by playing side by side with old bands like Black Sabbath because the songs were easy to learn and fun to play. 

“When I first started playing it sounded really bad, but for some reason I thought it sounded good, so I just kept playing until eventually I got way better at it,” he said. 

He plays songs based on how he is feeling at that moment. 

“If I’m feeling sad I’ll play a sad song, but if I’m happy I’ll play something more upbeat,” he said.

Students around the school have been enjoying Conti’s talents. Sophomore Julian Ledesma says he started listening to him play last year in Ms. Kratz’s class. 

“I do enjoy listening to guy play, I feel like when he walks around school and a lot of people listen especially at lunch,” Ledesma said. “It’s just a good way for everyone to be distracted from whatever’s going on at school…My favorite song that Guy plays is ‘Ripped His Pants’ from Spongebob; it was one of the first songs I ever heard him play and I knew all the lyrics. It was just a very familiar song.”.

Guitar has become so much more than just a hobby for Conti. 

“Playing is probably one of the best things in my life right now,” he said. “Whenever I get bored, I can just pick it up and start playing.”