Thanks for the kind words Richard! I just returned from a two week, guitar-less, motorcycle trip yesterday, so I’ll be working on getting back into the groove while getting that 3rd finger in line! 
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This is my first attempt at posting a video of me playing a Grade1 song. This is a recording of That’s All Right Mama:
I am not a complete beginner playing guitar, but I am a complete beginner at making a video of myself playing guitar and posting online. I decided not to wait until I could be polished before posting online, so I made this video this morning 1 hour after I woke up and got dressed and practiced about 30 minutes. I don’t even know if I am posting correctly on this beginners site.
I just received a cheap plastic tripod and light ring ordered online and learned how to use this morning. I can already see that I need to record with my phone in the horizontal, instead of vertical orientation and I need to set the angle better and move the phone microphone closer. I also need to decide on which rhythms to use and reduce the hesitation in changing rhythms. I also repeated the first verse, since I need to work on synchronizing the lyrics with the chords for the other verses. Other comments or suggestions are welcome and I can post again when I have improved. Thanks.
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Thanks for the share Steve, good on you for taking the plunge. Some pretty good skills already there.
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Congrats on making and sharing a first recording, Steve. Lots to like in the playing and singing. And you have a lots of ideas on things to work on. Look forward to the share.
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Good stuff Steve. You certainly have what it takes. It’s not easy to sing and play at the same time and it will only get easier the more you do it.
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Here is my last attempt at this song in the Beginner’s safe space. I think that my video is least viewable. I focused on a single rhythm and decided to replicate the rhythm on the original recording, that you can find in YouTube. I didn’t focus as much on my singing, since I really had to focus on the rhythm:
I found the first few measures of the acoustic guitar rhythm tabbed in the Feb. 2008 issue of Guitar Techniques. Most of the article focused on the electric guitar playing of Scotty Moore, rockabilly pioneer. I found another tab of the intro in Acoustic Guitar June 2014. But I also verified by listening to the original recording (not the 1968 Elvis comeback tour video of this song found in YouTube). This will be the last video I put in the Beginner’s safe space. I was happy to be able to put up my first attempts and work out some of the issues. I am starting module 14 in Grade 2, so I am looking forward to recording songs that are more interesting, although you’ll have to admit that this rhythm is a little harder than your average beginner rhythm 
I discovered that iPhone video is 16:9 aspect ratio instead of 4:3, so that it is more cinematic and makes the video seem wider that most of the other videos in the JG community. I wonder how others create videos with your iphone or do most people use tablets, laptops, GoPro, etc.?
Thanks for the feedback
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@DavidP Thanks. I have just put up a new recording with some of my ideas. I now feel more confident to create a video for the larger community audience.
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@Eddie_09 Thanks. I have a lot of experience playing and singing with the beginner open chords in the last 20 years or more. I am looking forward to advancing beyond lifetime beginner.
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Hi Stephen,
I really liked it and good to watch and listen to 
…You are absolutely right to get out of the beginner safe place
See you someware else 
Greetings ,Rogier
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Great couple of videos Steve.
The videos themselves look fine, I wouldn’t get too hung up, as long as folk can hear you and if your guitar is in shot they can provide some feedback on technique 
Looking / sounding good from here 
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@roger_holland Rogier, thank you so much for the praise and encouraging words. That is the best part of this community. The encouragement and kind words pushes you to play better on the guitar.
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@liaty Dave, thanks for the encouraging feedback. I was worried that my videos would be laughable in their quality, but if you enjoyed them that is good enough.
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Things are coming along nicely there Stephen and it’s good that you can self-analyse and see where changes need making. The strumming and the singing were both good.
Congratulations on your first AVOYP posting as well.
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Latest version sounded pretty good, Stephen. Scotty Moore is a legend!
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Hello everbody ,
after enjoying quite a long consolidation phase in grade 1, I’ve finally decided, that I’ve earned my ‘white belt’ and, therefore, to move on to the next grade 
.
During the last weeks, I primarely worked on memorising my 5 songs. Two of them, I’d like to show you now.
The first song is The GAMBLER by Kenny Rogers. It was a bit of a challenge due to the finger picking/strumming combination, I chose for playing. And due to the relatively long lyrics. It took me quite long before I was able to sing them by heart.
Besides some smaller mistakes in the video, there is also a big one 
. But I decided to keep it as it is 
.
The second song is LAST KISS by Pearl Jam. Although the chord progression stays the same the whole song through, I still struggle with the changes a bit - and keeping up a steady rhythm. But the biggest hurdle was my narrow voice range. I definitely noticed a progress since I’ve started learning this song, but still, it’s far from perfect 
. But I tried my best 
.
Thanks a lot in advance for taking the time to listen to my songs. Feedback and advices are very much appreciated .
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That was very impressive Nicole! Good solid strumming and I am always impressed by people who can sing and play fingerstyle at the same time. I wouldn’t worry about hitting the high notes as that will come with more singing practice ( the voice is an instrument too that develops the more you use it) . You are making great progress! Keep it up
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Bravo Nicole, singing and playing by the end of Grade 1 that’s quite a feat !!
As Eddie said you were pretty sloid throughout, good to see that strumming hand moving.
Yes a little stuttering when doing the bass n strum on the Gambler but greater fluidity will come with practice and its that much harder when you are thinking about singing as well. So good job. Vocals will improve range wise with practice but I thought you sang well in spite of those couple of high parts. Good time to be moving on to G2. Good vibes.
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Well @NicoleKKB I’d say you passed Grade 1 with flying colours. That was very good playing and singing. You should be very proud of yourself. You can move onto Grade 2 with confidence and you can take those songs to another level with the techniques you will learn in Grade 2. Keep up the good work.
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@NicoleKKB Nicole, Bravo! Great performance for Grade 1. I am impressed that you memorized the lyrics. I confess that I have read my lyrics while playing on my videos.
You have solid chord changes. Good luck as you move on to Grade 2.
I noticed that you have decided to not use a pick. It sounds good and especially with The Gambler, but I was wondering whether you had tried a pick and just feel more comfortable with strumming with your fingertips?
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