After I posted my first video I got a lot of really helpful feedback. I went back to the basics mainly my strumming and rhythm. I have been using the TimeTrainer app. Which is great. using the random bar breaks really help me with my timing I would definitely recommend it to anybody else struggling with staying on beat. I also spent a lot of time on my technique with exercises like the minimum finger movement which was really hard at first especially with the flying pinky but with practice I was able to fix that.
Unfortunately I hurt my wrist so I couldn’t play for like six weeks (40 year olds Don’t belong in a skateboard park when you have not a skateboard for 25 years).
Now that my wrist is better I’m going to start practicing beginner simple grade 1 songs. I started working on Hurt by Johnny Cash other day. My plan is to take a video now. Then another one in like a month. I’m hoping that is enough time for me to see an improvement.
Thank you Richard and everyone else for your previous comments and I did break that bad habit I had with playing a G chord my own made up way.
Im also going to try that neuroplasticity Thing before I practice. Because of my wrist I cant do handstands and I tried balancing on a curb ,Balancing on 1 foot on a curb and those were too easy for me I had no problem. What I did find I could use was trying to walk backwards balancing on a curb. Just throwing it out there if anybody else was having trouble finding an exercise for this Neuroplactisity lesson.
Great stuff Jason, and thanks for the reminder about the neuroplasticity, I tried it several times and it seemed to help and then I promptly forgot about it.
Good job on starting the log, Jason, and sounds like you are making good progress.
As for skateboards and parks, seems to me that injury is inevitable as one would be inclined to push the boundaries, which could take you out of a comfort zone … literally.
Great start to your learning log, Jason. That sounds like a good plan and what an appropriately named first song to start working on. Just be careful walking backwards now.
OK here it is I’ve really been trying to work on my strumming I did watch half this video muted and it really doesn’t look like I’m flicking my wrist when I strum but I am and I’ve been practicing this and no matter how much I feel I’m flicking it still doesn’t look like it on video. I am open to any suggestions or comments. ESpecially with my strumming and how I’m holding the guitar I’m not sure if I found that right sweet spot to hold it yet.
One thing I didn’t mention earlier I did get Justin’s strumming premium course and I feel it has been very helpful As is as everything else from JustinGuitar.com
Hey Jason, making good progress there, keeping the hand moving throughout. Keep it up.
Hard to tell on the video but sitting on a soft sofa is sometimes not the best for posture and looks like you may be a little hunched at times. Just something to think about
Wow thanks, that was quick responses
Yes, stiffness I think may be nerves. what I just started doing was watching more videos of myself. I keep it on mute, sometimes I can’t bear to here how bad it is. But I do pay attention to my strumming.
I’m posting another video of “hurt” it is a little slower that’s the way I like this song and I’ve been practicing it. I have no backing track and I am attempting to sing for the first time. I’m going for around 77 BPMs tempo. this is for my log just to check if there on any improvements when I do next attempt in 1 month. I think that should be enough time for me to practice this song and hopeful result in improvements.
P.S. I’m still learning how to use this whole community thing so I am sorry if people get replies into their email I don’t really know how this works. But I am always open to critiques, constructive criticism, anything that will help me improve.
-Improvement Goals-
1). Keep tempo throughout song
2). Not be so stiff more relaxed strumming
3). Improve wrist action strumming
4). Chord change Amin - F
5). Vocals singing (not sure what I can do there)
rewatch Justinguitar singing while playing
lesson
6). Get more comfortable playing while
Taking video
That was really good Jason. Your vocal adds soul and feeling that the earlier version lacked. Your voice is full of character.
Just keep concentrating on a steady strumming pattern and keep working on getting those chords fretted cleanly. Well done.
If you want more views and comments on your performance I suggest you post here. About the Audio / Video of You Playing category
The site is pretty busy now and not everyone follows the learning log thread.
Hi Jason, good progress. Keep working on it. Maybe you can alternate practicing playing Hurt along the original record and playing and singing so you can concentrate in the strumming and the chord changes when playing along the original record and then working on playing and singing. Two different exercises with the same song.
Thanks appreciate the feedback.
I do practice with the track on the Justin Guitar app and I do slow down the tempo which is a feature I love, I try to increase it as I learn but sometimes you get a weird number when decreasing tempo. I think I’ve been trying to 77 BPM’s.
I’m really stuck on the strumming with a metronome I’m pretty good at keeping the tempo as long as I can hear it. I have been working with the TimeTrainer app sometimes I can get a couple bars break but I still have a habit of speeding up.
** Something I’m throwing out there please let me know if anybody experienced it. It’s hard to explain but I feel when I am playing and really keeping in time, time slows down it’s almost like a switch and all of a sudden I’m like oh I need to slow it down because everything’s in slow motion
- I got myself a new acoustic Fender FA235
concert
Awesome, I should have gotten a new
acoustic a while ago. The one I had
was horrible.
- Going thru beginner grade 2 again
- Thinking about my goals aspirations
GOALS
**- play acoustic good. With melody
- Have a Repertoire 10 songs campfire
- improvise over Pink Floyd tracks
Play like Gilmore with that unique
Pink Floyd sound.
I want to be able to play songs and entertain people on the acoustic. With the electric more soloing stuff. Pink Floyd and Oasis.
Current songs working on
Acoustic Hurt (finger style) Let’s Go Home Together (finger style) Wish You Were Here (w/solo) Handle With Care
Electric guitar
- Solo’s,
- Looper pedal
-Delay pedal
- Improvising w Pink Floyd tracks
Audio / Video of You Playing category