@LPeterL @SgtColon
Thank you so much
And sorry for the late answer. There were almost 3 weeks with very poor internet. Now it’s back 
@Siff
My device doesn’t manage to hear anything from your video, so I can’t say anything 
2 Likes
@Siehtscheh: Thank you for pointing it out. I uploaded it on Youtube now and edited the post with the link. Hope it works now.
1 Like
Marcel, good job with the song, strumming and chord changes look and sound good. Vocally, you are a little flat but I think singing along to songs on the radio and actually playing along with your guitar are totally different. Remember you can use a capo to find which pitch best suits your voice.
2 Likes
Hi every one! So it is not possible to play a song not included in a lesson? Let us say…a tango for instance? Thanks! Regards! Mario
Surely, it’s possible. That’s how I understand it at least 
The recommendation is to “ideally” upload a song from the song lessons. I guess that’s to make it more likely that people, who listen to the song you are playing in the video actually know the song and can hence give better feedback
Still, I think absolutely nothing speaks against you uploading a tango 
1 Like
@MarioD Mario, you can learn to play and share any song you like. As part of mastering and consolidating what is taught in grade 1 and 2 what is important is to exercise what you are learning. That enables you to get feedback to aid in your progress.
And over and above that, you can throw in other things. While we advocate following the lesson flow as Justin as a tried and tested sequence that supports laying strong foundations there is nothing wrong with adding extra things that help keep you motivated, such as a tango.
1 Like
Thank you very much David! Anyway…I am 70, so I belong to a pre-tec generation, and still don’t realize how to upload a video here. I would greately appreciate some help on this matter.
On other respect, of course I love Justin’s lessons (I am working on grade 3). But I think it would be interesting for other students to have more contact with Latin styles, and, as I was born in Argentina…a tango rises as a natural option. Thanks again! Regards, Mario
I’m looking forward to seeing your tango on guitar! Go for it!
Tod
You can upload a video to YouTube (set the upload to “unlisted” if you don’t want it showing up in search results or autoplay suggestions for other users), and then share the link here.
Understood! Thank you very much! Regards, Mario
1 Like
I’m gathering courage… 
2 Likes
Mario, the first thing to know about sharing videos is that they must be uploaded to the internet. The Community platform does not store the video, it is always accessed via a link to the video.
The majority of people use YouTube for video. Some people record audio-only and use SoundCloud but that is not as common as when I started. You can also upload the file to a file-share like Google Drive or Drop Box. That is also not common here.
Do you have a Google Account, a GMail address. If so best option would be to create a YouTube channel. If you are recording with an Android phone then not too complicated to upload the video direct to your channel from the phone. And you’ll find lots of info to get you started just by searching in YouTube for videos on how to create a YouTube channel.
Hopefully that is sufficient to help you get started. Then you can post up topics asking more questions for further help in #gear-tools-talk:hardware-software-recroding
2 Likes
Thank you very much David, for your really clear explanation. As soon as I gather enough courage, I will try… Best regards, Mario
1 Like
Hi all,
I thought I’d have a go at posting a full song as part of my grade one consolidation. It’s a bit rough, I noticed my timing is off a little bit and I missed the start, but any constructive criticism would be more than welcome. Here’s Breakfast At Tiffany’s…
12 Likes
Well done, Matt. The chord fretting and changes, smooth strumming, and foot-tapping plus a good tone and mix in the play along. Lots to like. Also good that you noticed being out of time as you started and I think you found the groove as you progressed.
Keep on keeping on!
1 Like
Thank you David!
1 Like
@Siehtscheh re: Mad World
Kudos for making and sharing your first recording - it is a big step and you have taken it. The rhythm part you play is clear and recognisable so you must be doing something right1 
I can hear signs of hesitation and uncertainty in places too, either with the rhythm or the changes. That is just a practice and experience issue, nothing to be alarmed at.
From May 9th to the date of posting on June 6th is a very rapid rate of progress through Grade 1. I have arrived a little late to make meaningful suggestion on your next steps as it is another couple of months down the line. Did you pause and spend more time consolidating? Have you been getting more songs learned along with practicing the basic techniques? I would urge you to really ensure that you have some solid foundations of rhythm, timing, strumming and chord changes plus the start of building a repertoire of songs.
Well - you did it. Are you going to do it again? I hope so.
ps
Your soundcloud file looks set to private but does work with the link you shared.
Hello Matt, congratulations on your first AVOYP 
!! That sounds really great 
!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s was the very first song I was supposed to play on the guitar (I attended an online guitars course before I’ve finally found JG.), but struggeled a lot with the G to A changes. It was so disappointing 
.
But you don’t seem to have any problems with that. Your chord changes look and sound really good, and your strumming is steady. Very well done ! Keep on the good work and thanks for sharing 
.
1 Like
@Siff re: Good Riddance
Well done for posting a full recording - your first is your worst (in terms of feeling the nerves, the anxiety and the uncertainty). Vibes for that.
Taking your last sentence first … I feel obliged to offer that constructive critique to hopefully give you some helpful pointers.
I won’t feedback on singing as I am a renowned non-songer. The only thing that I can offer - which helps me more than I can say - is singing with headphones on. If you’re using a DAW for guitar and mic just put headphones in and the sound coming directly into your ears may help you find the melody and pitch a bit better. It does for me.
Still not getting it as flawless as I’d like. Some unnecessary slowdowns and mistakes. Forgetting to mute the 1st string on the verses, not enough single picking too much strum…
Being able to recognise your own issues is a big benefit of recording - you can see, hear and learn from the things that appear to you as areas to improve.
The one big thing I am going to raise with you is rhythm and strumming. Justin mentions it all the time, in virtually every strumming lesson and in virtually every song lesson. Keep your arm moving at all times in time with the rhythm. You are not doing that. I encourage you to watch the video with the volume set to zero. That is a great way to recognise whether your arm is moving smoothly in rhythm or not. Down Up Down Up Down Up Down Up. Constantly and consistently.
This is such and important, fundamental technique and so many of the problems you are giving yourself - the reasons it is not ‘flawless’ are because your strumming arm is moving in a stop-start manner playing Down when it should be Up and Up when it should be Down and it makes the whole thing sound choppy and sometimes out of time. I recommend that you take stock of your rhythm playing and reshape your practice time to focus on eradicating the bad habits and building good habits. This may help:
Playing since Oct 2022. I’m currently at Module 19 of Grade 3, but revisiting this song right now as I never memorized and learned the strum/picking pattern until recently.
Ah. Perhaps there is the reason for the flaws you mention and the rhythm issues I am describing. Module 19 - Grade 13 in under 12 months is super-rapid progress and it raises questions on whether you truly spent enough time developing the basics and a strong foundation or whether you pushed on beyond them and began learning more advanced techniques without first mastering the beginner ones. We have seen many people in the community telling their own story of trying to run before they can walk and realising their mistake.
Go steady and revisit the basics fully and consolidate.
Beginner Grade 1 has 75 lessons plus essential consolidation. Each lesson requires at least one day of practice time but by the end of Grade 1, in Modules 5, 6 and 7, I would say that to do the learning justice and really get solid in the basics, each lesson should be given several days or a week or more. In terms of time for modules, start at one week for module 1 up to several weeks for module 7. I would even (exaggerating the time on purpose) suggest each module number be a rough guide to the weeks required if progress is slow and difficult.
Modules 1 to 7 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 weeks.
Grade 2 has 68 lessons. And as the learning ramps up the technical challenge and skill, each lesson and each module will require extended time to really get to grips with. I would suggest a similar approach.
Modules 8 to 14 = 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 = 77 weeks.
Those totals are definitely on the high side.
But I would rather encourage that over the opposite of not taking enough time and hitting problems as many have done. recommendation - take some backward steps to consolidate.
Oh yes, and learn songs, learn songs, learn songs.
That is some tough love from me and I hope you take it in the way I intend - constructive critique to help you focus on how to improve.
Cheers
Richard
1 Like