6 months with Justin: First Song (Enter Sandman) and an extra riff

Community Recordings Audio-Video Of You Playing
1

Hello all, I am in my mid-40s and picked up guitar for the first time on June 15. I am currently completing Beginner 2. I am ready to move on to Theory 5 and have also taken 3 out of 4 parts of the old strumming course. I have roughly 230-250 hours of actual playing practice total over these 6 months. I did not learn in full any of the earlier songs, went for Enter Sandman as my first one. Obviously, there is no solo here from me. I changed Riff 8 to single notes because I cannot do the barre grip in anything resembling decent time even for a solo guitar w/o drums.

The sound did not come out quite as I would have liked so I had to take 10dB off the bass. Otherwise, there was zero editing. I recorded via Boss GT into Audacity. I am developing carpal tunnel symptoms so I am not re-recording this soon. I am also dropping practice to 20 min/day for the next several days, at least.

But I also include a VERY SHORT sample of the opening of Van Halen’s Ain’t Talking Bout Love because I really like how the sound came out there. It is on time (240 bpm) though one of the last notes is a little off.

Enter Sandman, full song per Justin video but limited number of riff repetitions. Using volume control to partially clean up for the ‘clean’ parts:

Aint Talking Bout Love, just 14 seconds:

Criticism is welcome, don’t worry about my feelings or the like, lol :slight_smile:

Thanks,
Steve

6 Likes
2

Steve, firstly congrats on sharing your first AVOYP. Sounds like great progress for 6 months in. I’ve been playing a bit longer than you (started October last year), so the memories of not even being able to hit the string I wanted are fresh in my mind. And still happens plenty as well…

I did notice quite a few timing issues. Slow downs, speed ups, etc. I’d really encourage you to play with a backing track, metronome or drum beat as playing in time has a huge impact on how your playing sounds. It is much easier to do with simpler songs than what you’re playing as well.

Congrats on your progress and keep at it!

2 Likes
3

Hey Steve. Congratulations on your first AVOYP. Some very good progress there for 6 months in. Plenty to be proud of.

I’d concur with @jkahn re some timing issues. Listening to the originals, playing over a backing track, slowing it right down at first etc, are all good practice items to lock into the rhythm.

Cheers, Shane

3 Likes
4

Well done Steve, congrats on posting your first AVOYP. Some great progress being made there and you’re doing well for 6 months in. :+1:

3 Likes
5

Super impressed with what you’ve achieved in 6 months.

1 Like
6

Welcome congrats at 1st avoyp. You will get a lot of great feedback here.
:+1:

1 Like
7

Thanks everybody.

Yes, I definitely have to work on timing. For the EVH riff, it is on time. For Enter Sandman, that has not yet been the goal but I agree that it should become (I play for myself solo but why not learn it fully?).

Now I am giving my hands rest and bracing them at night so I will keep working on what I have learned and not do any new material until I figure out how to balance practice time with hand health. Seems like a good opportunity to consolidate and work on timing. I am also using this forced slowdown to 30 min per day to push into Theory 5.

8

Nice job! It takes courage to put your first recordings up, and you found that courage a lot quicker than I did. :blush: You have made great progress in a short time! I hope you’re not in too big of a hurry with the course. Although it takes a little extra time, I found it very helpful to learn some full songs early on. Each song I learned targeted a different chord sequence. If you play some songs with those tricky barre chords, you’ll probably find they get much easier. Anyway, you’ve made a great start by playing all those riffs in Enter Sandman. :star_struck: :clap: :clap:

1 Like
9

Well done really good job for 6 months only! I suggest following up on what JK said about the timing and I am sure you will clean it all up in no time :wink: all the best!

1 Like
10

Hi Steve, and congratulations to your first AVOYP :clap::+1::smiley:.
Although, there is no Video of you playing, I can feel the enthusiasm you’re playing with :star_struck::guitar::fire:.
Great stuff - particularly for being only 6 months on this journey :smiley:.

I hope, you’re aching hand will be fine soon.

1 Like