Adrian's Adventures in Guitar World

Community Recordings Audio-Video Of You Playing
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Hi,

It’s a while since I posted a video of me playing anything. I thought it was time I posted a more up to date version of ‘Wish you Were Here’, the last one was back on 16 Nov 2024. Hopefully you can hear and see an improvement in my playing. Apologies for the sound quality I think I am going to have invest in a better USB Mic.

I am in the process of committing this and others songs in my small repertoire into my memory so that I can just play them without prompts. I am not quite there on this recording and was referring to the tab some of the time.

WYWH Instagram

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I have been trying to polish WYWH up for the last couple of months, usually I play it on a Gibson ES335, but the last recording I made sounded odd. I think it was Mic problems and amp was too loud, I need to get a decent Mic and Computer interface. This sounds better though, there are a few mistakes but not too bad IMHO.

Any feedback on technique or tips I would gratefully receive,

By the way I am really enjoying ActiveMelody, especially Brian’s teaching videos and the blues content is really good, his explanations make things so much easier to understand on the guitar. I am hoping to improve my Blues playing following his lessons.

Instagram WYWH link

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Hello all

It is 18 months since I posted here as I spent 6 months going through Grade 2 and 3 trying to be ready for BLIM3. I joined BLIM3 in start of July 2025 and the last 3 months were heavily impacted due to a 4 week holiday and other unforeseen issues at home. As a result I decided to rejoin on BLIM4 which has been great and that has just finished.

Some exciting news for me, i posted on BandFix and a small group of musicians within 2 miles of where I live have invited me to audition and join them, a lady vocalist, keyboards, bass and drums, if it works out I will be Rhythm and Lead.The Lady and keyboard player have been together playing for about 12 years and the others have joined in the last few months. They do a mix of material, pop, rock blues and a bit of Jazzy numbers. they know I am getting going again and are very happy for me to learn with the others building a set of numbers. They practice every week and perform 4-6 times a year locally at present. All of them are in their 60’s and have been told they are a ‘No Judgement’ band, and I will fit in fine. Fingers crossed :scream: :grinning_face:, hoping it works out, we meet up tomorrow to get started.

This is how my Practice Diary looks now, I rarely manage to get everything done each day but get to do all at least twice a week.

Daily Warmup 20MINS, scales(MinorPentatonic. and Major and minorr) in various positions, a Power Chord exercise, hammer on and pull offs up and don 1st string, double bends on 1st and 2nd string, alternating pattern from 12fr 5st to 17 fret 1st string and back in 1/16ths. speed picking exercise.

Strumming

Muted String Practice 5 MINS
Strum SOS -Down Strums With The Metronome 5 MINS
Strum SOS - Relax & Feel Good 2 MINS
Strum SOS -Add Some Ups But Don’t Stop 5 MINS
Strum SOS - Missing Down Strums & The Pattern 5 MINS
Strum SOS - Distract Yourself 2 MINS
Strum SOS - Exploring Your Strumming Patterns 5 MINS
Strum SOS - Strumming in 4/4 to metronome 6 MINS
Strum SOS - Strumming in 6/8 to metronome 4 MINS
Strum SOS - ALTERNATING STRUMMING PATTERNS WITHIN A SONG 5 MINS
Strum SOS - SONG STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS RELATION 5 MINS
SOS Strum- Practice Songs 15 MINS

Technical
Triad Practice & Memorisation 5 MINS
Blues String Bending Technique 5 MINS
Blues Vibrato 5 MINS
Mini and Micro 7ths 5 MINS
Slide Guitar 5 MINS
Lick Practice/Revision 15 MINS (primarily to engrain the licks)
Target 3rds 5 MINS
Rhythm of Lead Exercise 5 MINS
Gospel Slides 5 MINS
Blues Improv in selected key(s) 10 MINS

Songs -

there are other songs not listed as they are part of BLIM
Song - Help the Poor 5 mins
Song - I’ll Play The Blues For You 10 MINS
Song - The Thrill Is Gone - BB King 10 mins
Song - ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ - Steely Dan 10 MINS
Song - Samba Pa Ti Santana 10 MINS
Song - Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd 15 MINS (trying to relearn it)
Song - Barracuda 10 mins

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Wed 01 to Sat 04 July 2026

I did do some practice but as Sue was off work for the week it was a bit sporadic and Friday was a no play guitar day as we went out for my Birthday. Saturday I managed to do a a warm up and quick run through of some songs.

Sunday 05 July 2026

Dailly Warmup 20 MINS

Scales and Speed practice 30mins

BLIM

U6 - Medley 30 MIN

Songs

Song - I’ll Play The Blues For You 10 MINS
Song - The Thrill Is Gone - BB King 10 MINS,
Song - ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ - Steely Dan 10 MINS,
Song - Samba Pa Ti Santana 10 MINS
Song Barracuda 15 MINS

Study/Buddy group - Only two of us this week so we had a Live ZOOM jam session playing to some JG backing tracks, one playing rhythm whilst the other improvised. It went well and was good fun.

I received the Playlist from the band I hope to join, this is a daunting list of 33 songs, :scream:, I have found them on TIDAL and put into a playlist. They are a mix of 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and a few more recent well know numbers. There are 3 by Creedence Clearwater Revival songs , one is Proud Mary, there is Heart of Gold which I learnt many months ago but not to a good standard, several Drifters numbers, Beatles, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and various others.

Monday 06 July 2026

Decided to focus on Heart of Gold and Proud Mary today, started with Warmup exercises

It is at least 9 months since I last played Heart of Gold and it took me a while to get back into it. Also I had to look at the song structure closely so I knew what to expect, Don the keyboard that on most songs they had stuck to the original structure. I went through Justin’s lesson on it again, check it out in JG songbook but also found it on Guitar Pro, so can practice to that and the track. Interestingly the GP version has more detail on the strumming and chords being play, often it is simplified chords and not all 6 strings. I also started working on Proud Mary, Justin’s ;lesson on this is very good. GP also has a full version for it so I can learn the solo from listening to the song and practice with GP.

16:00 I went to meet Don for an initial meet up, he is a lovely friendly chap, turn out he has bee playing for nearly 50 years since young, had a music diploma and does a bit teaching music theory, keyboards, bass and a little guitar. We went straight into Heart of Gold, and my nerves initially got the better of me but he encouraged me and have a few false starts got going play along with him and a backing track. We then had a go at Proud Mary, which I am much less familiar playing, it took a bit of effort but manage to get through it once fully, not perfect and mainly rhythm. I explained I had only started looking at them in the morning and he said he thought I had done well and with more practice it would be fine and wanted me to explore the solos more. We went on to jam som blues which was good. I tink it went reasonably well I am to get back with him in 1-2 weeks time, as I have a friend staying this week. Don did suggest that I could put forward some songs for them to consider, I am wondering about a few.

Tuesday 6 July 2026

Only morning practice as friend arrived at 12pm

Dailly Warmup 15 MINS

Songs

Song - I’ll Play The Blues For You 10 MINS
Song - The Thrill Is Gone - BB King 5 mins
Song - ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ - Steely Dan 5 MINS
Song - Samba Pa Ti Santana 5 MINS
Song - Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd 15 MINS I am starting to get the main riff again, early days yet.
Song - Barracuda 6 mins

Band Songs

Heart Of Gold - Neil Young 40 mins, looped the Intro a bit at slower temp to practice the subtle different strumming.
Proud Mary - CCR - 40 mins, I think I am getting the rhythm better now

Wednesday 08 July 2026

No guitar today, out with friend and relaxing.

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Awesome stuff Adrian, there’s nothing better than playing in a band/with other people. 33 songs is going to take a while, but it sounds like they’re a laid back group - going to be great! Look forward to hearing you guys playing together.

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That’s very exciting, and sounds like a lot of fun. Hope you have a blast

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Thursday 09 July 2026

Friend left midday so limited to afternoon practice

Dailly Warmup 15 MINS

Band Songs

Heart Of Gold - Neil Young 40 mins, looped the Intro a bit at slower temp to practice the subtle different strumming.
Proud Mary - CCR - 40 mins, I think I am getting the rhythm better now

Friday 10 July 2026

Much better session today once I got back from the dentist at 11am.

Dailly Warmup 15 MINS

Songs

Song - I’ll Play The Blues For You 10 MINS
Song - The Thrill Is Gone - BB King 5 mins
Song - ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ - Steely Dan 5 MINS
Song - Samba Pa Ti Santana 5 MINS
Song - Barracuda 6 mins

Band Songs

Heart Of Gold - Neil Young 60 mins, overall in 2 sessionslooped the Intro a bit at slower temp to practice the subtle different strumming. I am starting to get the rhytym for both intro, verse and chorus more accurate.

Proud Mary - CCR - 60 mins, overall in 2 sessions. I did not have the rhythm of chords quite right and studying GP realise the t they use an open G , on 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings, before the F.

School’s Out - Alice Cooper, 60 Mins.I have played this many months ago to an average level, it is a fun song and though the band might like to think about using it.

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Saturday 11 July 2026

Did a bit of practice today but is very hot in the SW of England 27-28C indoors and hitting 34C in the shade. It was noticeably affecting my playing.

Dailly Warmup 5MINS

Songs

Song - I’ll Play The Blues For You 10 MINS
Song - The Thrill Is Gone - BB King 5 mins
Song - ‘Reelin’ In the Years’ - Steely Dan 5 MINS
Song - Samba Pa Ti Santana 5 MINS
Song - Barracuda 6 mins

Band Songs

School’s Out - Alice Cooper, 30 Mins. I am getting there with this one and managed to play it all the way through once with some mistakes though.