April 2023
Dear Learning Logā¦.
My apologies for not updating you. Iām tired and weary from all my work and I ache. I havenāt played guitar for over two months so I have nothing to update with.
We will continue but I donāt know when.
I have plans for a lot less work in future so there should be more time and energy for guitar.
šø David
May 2023 Update
Itās been a tough start to my year and by April I was shattered. Things have started to ease since then and hopefully my life will continue to get easier over the next couple of years.
I donāt want to go any further into it here other than to mark it as a reminder of this period when Iām looking back through my log.
I eventually picked the guitar up again in early May, but even now at the end of the month I havenāt got back to what I would call regular or structured practice.
Initially it was just messing about and then I decided to have a look at the Blues in module 13. It seemed to suit my mood.
It was a good decision because by sticking to the key of A Iāve found it fairly easy.
The A D E dominant 7 chords are easy enough.
I can play the shuffle riff from memory and Iāve more or less got the solo from memory too.
Iām learning to count bars and everything has been with the standard 12 bar Blues so far so I still have the slow and quick change progressions to learn.
Iāve done a bit of chord practice with G7 C7 B7 - a bit trickier but not bad - so Iāll be able to start playing in the keys of E and G
Iām going well on in Grade2 but I think the Blues is something of a starting point for me. Iām not familiar with the old Blues songs, though I know the Blues has had a huge influence on the music of my life. So I think the Blues could become a focal point and my playing can radiate out from there.
That doesnāt mean Iāll focus only on the Blues, thereās a lot of other things to learn as well.
I just love the chunka chunka blues shuffle rhythm !!
Itās good to be playing guitar again!
šø David
Hello David, welcome back! Iām happy to read things got better and you can find now the time for your guitar practice. Iām not into blues and I couldnāt understand much what you wroteā¦but I understand youāre much inspired from the stuff youāre working on and this is what counts.
Greetings 
Hi Silvia!
Thank you, much appreciated.
Iām slowly getting back on track. It was actually hard to pick it up again after being away from it for so long.
It should have been rock in m12 next but I was feeling a bit down and the Blues suited me better.
I can listen to classical now and then but it doesnāt inspire me to want to play it. You are obviously inspired by it and so thatās the way you go!
We can all be on a different path and yet still follow the same JG course. 
Welcome back! Hopefully it should be easier for you to keep at it now that youāve broken the inertia. Getting started is often the hardest part!
I havenāt reached the blues segment yet, but itās one Iām eagerly awaiting. It really is fun how many different directions people can take the same JG course!
Hello Hilary, thank you!
Yeah, getting started again seems hard. And then, once started you wonder what all the fuss was about. 
The beginner course is for everyone and although some modules can be seen as genre specific, the guitar skills in them can be used across genres. They all give us a good grounding.
I suppose we can think about and look at different pathways now but the end of grade3 is probably the time to follow a particular path.
Iām sure youāll enjoy the blues when you get there. Have fun! 
Itās that time of year again !
I wonāt be as busy with the contracting work this summer as Iāve cut down on the number of customers. Iām getting too old !
This pic was today, mowing just 50 acres for my brother, and I was well ready for getting off it !
Good too be busy, but too busy sometimes not. I put myself almost over the limit with work earlier in my life, but now I would think it twice before doing so.
Iām pleased youāve got back into it again sometimes life can get in the way but hopefully you can get some momentum going now, have fun 
Hi AndrƩs!
Sometimes we donāt help ourselves. They say, if you want something doing, ask a busy person!
My plan is - less busy, more guitar. Sounds good! 
Hello Lee! Thanks.
Yeah, Iām hoping to build some momentum too. This week is a busy one, as in the photo. Next week I should be able to settle down to playing guitar. 
July 2023 Update
Practice hasnāt been as regular as I thought it might be this last couple of months, but not to worry, what practice I have done has gone well.
My module 13 blues playing in A is pretty good.
Chord playing is good.
The blues shuffle riff is good.
The solo is good.
Iāve been looking for something to continue with the blues as I go forward but I donāt think I need it yet. Whilst all the above in A is good, in other keys itās not.
I need more practice with the chords to be able to speed up my slow blues in those keys.
The solo should be good to go in any key as itās just a case of moving it on the neck.
The shuffle riff - now thatās a different matter. Replacing the open strings with fretted notes is going to mean a bit of a stretch for the shuffling. I know playing this riff in other keys isnāt part of the module but no harm in having a go. I havenāt tried it yet so we shall see.
So I think thereās still plenty to do here before looking for more blues lessons.
I am otherwise starting to move on, although in this case, itās moving back - to module 12 and the power chords. Iām practicing the chords and they are fine. The shape is ok so Iāll start practicing chord changes and learning songs with them.
Iām thinking that working with the power chords will help me with those upcoming stretchy shuffle riffs.
Time to crank the amp then, and get rockin !
David
Hello David, Iām glad to read that your practice is going well and that you feel competent in the things youāve been practicing! I wish I could learn the power chords as well and play some of my fav rock songsā¦one day maybeā¦ keep up the good work and yess songs songs songs
Hi Silvia!
Circumstances mean my progress is slow this year but thatās ok, Iām not in a race. My interest remains and so I keep doing a bit. Time will come back to me eventually.
You wish?! No reason why you canāt learn power chords when you get there. They arenāt just an electric thing, you can play them on acoustic too, or, you could treat yourself to an electric guitar
We have Silvia, the classical player,
Silvia the acoustic player,
Silvia rockin out on electric guitar would suit very well! And the kids would love it too!
Glad things are going well, David. Iāll be in Module 9 awhile longer though I am itching to be able to try some blues. Still having mini F chord problems though as well chord change troubles.
Thanks Rebecca.
Yeah, learning and playing the blues is a lot of fun. I already knew the A minor pentatonic scale from way back so I was okay jumping ahead to the blues. The scale is in module 12, so if you donāt know it then youāre better off taking the modules in order.
Mini F is a chord Iāve known for a long time too and Iāve always been okay with it.
What specific struggles are you having with it?
Simply the bottom 2 strings do not ring out. Iāve only gotten it to happen a couple of times and to do it my finger lies completely on its side alongside the nail. Doesnāt look that way at all while Justin is playing it. My regular bar chord F is just peachy but not its little brother! Canāt even practice changing chords to the mini as it doesnāt sound good at all!
@LunaRocket
Okay. You donāt want your fingers straight. Justin emphasises that. Your fingers should be angled like the C chord.
Place your first finger on the 2nd string as with the C chord and then, keeping the finger curled, pull your palm under the neck a little bit while maintaining contact with the 2nd string. This should bring your finger onto the 1st string as well. Itās okay for the finger tip to touch the 3rd string. Then place fingers two and three, careful not to have them muting strings if theyāre too flat.
I have my thumb high on the neck wrapping the neck in my palm. That will depend on individual hand anatomy.
Mini F is a movable chord. With first finger on 3rd fret, itās mini G. On 5th fret, itās mini A. etc
You could try it up the neck if itās easier, then work back down to F
David @BurnsRhythm
Catching up on a few posts.
Like you I feel the need to go back on some modules/lessons in Grade 2. I try to convince myself I am consolidating Grade 2 but in reality I perhaps skipped over some lessons quicker than I should have, power chords being one.
Are you getting to the point, that Justin mentions at the end of Grade 3 where you have to make decisions on what direction to go, I see Blues seem to be attractive to you is that one you are going to follow or are you still open minded.
Keep rocking
Michael
Hi Michael
I completely skipped module 12 but not because I wasnāt interested in it. I most definitely am into rock and Iām looking forward to having a good crack at it now. No, I skipped it because I was a bit low at the time and the blues was more appealing. I was always going to go back to it.
I have m12 and m14 to complete before I get to the consolidation stage and I certainly need to go over the whole grade again. It wonāt be in the same step-through way though. It will be song based and finding the things in songs that I need to brush up on.
No, I donāt feel at a point where I have to choose a direction. Iāve enjoyed learning the blues and Iāll continue learning and playing it. I like rock and country (especially country rock) and all sorts of other stuff too, so it wonāt be blues all the way. Very much open minded about it all.
You asked the question Michael, do I detect that youāre starting to lean towards something in particular?
