Welcome welcome Robert! What a great intro. And the drool worthy toys. So much fun. I’m right with you in your learning path. Started June 2020 and consolidating end of grade 2 and starting grade 3. Soon I’ll upload a video as well. But now that I read there’s an issue with iPhones, I’ll have to figure that out.
Looking forward to hearing you play! Cheers.
@SandyMusic and goes along with this simple equation:
Appropriate number of guitars to have = Current number of guitars + 1 
I am in need of a bit of advice. In the ‘old days’ I would have posted this in the Just Chatting section, but not sure where to place it here in our new digs. I thought this might be a good spot.
Here is my slight dilemma:
Earlier I decided as a consolidation exercise I would record and submit at least 10 songs from Beginner 1 and Beginner 2. I have now posted 3 of the 10. As I bring other songs up to snuff for recording, I find I am not content doing a simple strumming pattern for many of the songs. I find I want to add embellishments to make the songs more entertaining, but many of the things I really want to add require skills I have not yet covered in the first 13 lessons.
A couple examples would be a more up-tempo strum for Are You Feelin’ Alright? Perhaps not quite a 16th but a jazzier 8th note strum. Another song I wish to record is For What It’s Worth. I want to add the harmonics for the intro and first verse. My current approach is the harmonic on beat one, followed by the chord on beat two. Beats 3 and 4 are silent in the intro. Getting the harmonic to ring out at the same volume as the chord is a challenge. As the song builds, I want to incorporate some of the lead lines where appropriate.
The dilemma is: Do I risk possibly creating issues that will need to be unlearned when I continue on with Beginner 3 and beyond? Should I just stick to the simpler (more boring) versions presented in the early lessons? I am trying to balance a more structured approach with Justin’s suggestions of stretching and exploration. And of course, keep it all really fun and fulfilling.
One last request: I really want to record my interpretation of Fever, by Peggy Lee. The song was on the earlier version of the Beginner song app but is not on the new version or in Justin’s song books. I cannot seem to find a tab for it anywhere. If someone could point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.
Robert
Seems like a sensible place to park this given the question, as its part of your learning journey. If I was you I would look at this in the way Justin talks about the 4 levels of songs you are working on and some being in development and others a big stretch way down the line, play in you dream type ! I would suggest recording as they are for consolidation and then add them to your development list. When you are ready to record at the next level, you have something to compare against and you will see how far you have come as a player. That should give you a shot in the arm, so a win win all round. Just MHO 
On the Peggy Lee front I can’t vouch for content but Ultimate Guitar has some entries but they could be pants ! And a lesson but not watched it. Hope that helps.
(https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/peggy-lee/fever-chords-783603)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHnBVh0LFnU
Hi Robert
I think the mere fact that you have thought about and are aware of the possibility of creating these issues means that you will avoid them.
You’ve got to stretch yourself. Maybe even have a ‘peek’ ahead at some of the lessons that are further down the line. But keep coming back to where you are and keep consolidating what you’ve already learned. That way you’ll not get ahead of yourself.
And of course don’t put yourself off and get discouraged by trying things that are too difficult at the moment.
@ChasetheDream
Hi Robert, my feelings about this is that if you feel that you can achieve what you want to without going down a rabbit hole and it won’t distract you too much from what you’re doing then go for it!
Yes it’s more advanced but if you learn it PROPERLY then it will become useful for later on.
Just a brief update on what I consider to be a major change in my guitar journey.
I recently decided that I would start the Beginner 3 lessons while I continue to get my Beginner 2 consolidation songs AVoYP worthy. As part of the ongoing adventure, I also subscribed to Justin’s Music Theory.
The results of taking this fork in the road is my guitar playing/practice time has evolved from 20-30 minutes/day to two hours/day. This has necessitated a major restructuring of my day. Something had to give. I used to spend a couple hours early in the morning reading email, news and a couple of forums. The forums other than this community consumed less than 20 minutes. This forum demands much, much more because the people and the content deserve it. I am eliminating much of the news stuff because it adds very little value and much frustration at times. That time has been better utilized with guitar related stuff. So now my day begins around 4am with coffee and browsing, an hour of practice or theory or tablature, chasing my other passions until 3pm, then an hour of playing songs that I wish to record at some point. Happy hour and quality time with Linnea starts at 4pm followed by a hot tub or jacuzzi, dinner and trying to keep my eyes open as long as I can before bedtime. After all, I am supposed to be ‘retired’. 
Occasionally I sneak a nap in there somewhere 
Sundays are reserved for playing a bunch of songs, some with the beginner app and some I actually can play without any prompts. At long last my life as direction! 
Nice update Robert. Its good to hear that you’re making the most out of your retirement. Make the most and enjoy every day.
Makes perfect sense Robert. I found my practice periods extended when I went back to do the new Grade 1 and 2 material and then started Grade 3 as its being rolled out and a couple of additional area I started working - in addition to the established routine. Spreading it out during the day makes it more achievable and better than a 2-3 hour slog. You’ll make good progress this way, one of the benefits of retirement.
That all sounds wonderful, Robert. I reckon those dreams must be looking over their shoulders nervously now as your chase accelerates 
That sounds like a fantastic way to spend your days - chasing the things your are passionate about vs. running on the gerbil wheel of the corporate rat race. Looking forward to some AVoYP. I’m sure if you are dong level three stuff, your playing is absolutely fine to post up.
That’s impressive Robert! Just remember that if you catch the dream you might just get up and meet yourself coming to bed! 
I’ve heard guitars are circular 
Oh, wow, I just received what to me is seriously deflating news. 
I was not going to mention this until after the fact, but now there is no fact to be after.
I had made arrangements to attend Justin’s Guitar Workshop in July at the Petit St. Vincent resort in the Grenadines. The workshop focus was on finger picking. Linnea was going along to hold down the beaches and trails while I immersed myself in guitar and perhaps the real highlight and impetus for the whole deal, meet Justin in person and shake his hand.
PSV just sent me an e-mail stating that the resort will be closing in June for restoration and the workshop has been canceled!
To say I am bummed would be a most serious understatement.
I think I will have a good scotch and muster up the desire to get on with the afternoon practice.
If the workshop is rescheduled next season at a time we can go, we will most certainly go then.
That is such a bummer, Robert.
I was kind of expecting a health scare for you or your loved ones after that, so ‘relieved’ that it’s ‘only’ the workshop. Having said that, I can empathise 100% with your disappointment.
I’m sure many of us have had a quick click on those holiday workshops both in Italy and the Caribbean, only to baulk at the price and move on. It is something I would contemplate if circumstances permitted. You have made the guitar a central part of your life and this is a logical consequence of that. I’ve never met anyone who regretted spending money on something they enjoyed, but regretted it later.
I don’t think anyone from the forum/community has ever gone on one and shared their experience with us. It would have been cool to have an eye-witness account.
I trust there will be another opportunity in the future
Man that sucks Robert, disappointed for you. As Brian said, I’m unaware of anyone attending one of Justin’s offshore sessions and that’s since 2014. Just put it on the shelf for now, as I am sure the boat will sail again at some time.
So, a few days have passed and as mostly the case, I have moved on from the crushing disappointment to just disappointment. And the silver lining of the dark cloud is becoming more apparent. 
I had been quite focused on learning enough finger picking skills by July that I would not be the person who slowed progress for the class. Now I can get back to my regularly scheduled programming, continue my Beg 2 consolidation and explore the first lessons of Beg 3. All is good…cue 3 Little Birds
Thought I would take a moment to add to this log. The last couple of months have been an up and down adventure. But still good overall.
I wanted to get another video out and chose Yellow Submarine thinking it was low hanging fruit that I could pull together relatively quickly. WRONG!! It has taken weeks of diligent practice to get a reasonable handle on the song. I am getting there and hope to record something in the not-too-distant future.
While I struggle with YS I continue to delve into lesson 15. One of the modules is playing a duet using a capo. Not having found anyone to regularly play with, I decided it was high time I learned to use my Trio+.
Talk about an eye opener! The process of constructing the four loops I wanted really exposed my poor sense of timing and not very good chord fretting. The remedy of course is to back up some and put timing and clean chord fingering front and center in my practice routine. Now I understand why Justin said it would take 2 - 3 months to consolidate Beginner 1 and 2. In my case it may take a bit longer but I am resolved to shore up my foundation before going much further into Beginner 3. Fortunately the structure of lesson 15 allows ample time to go back and clean up stuff.
My decision to delve into the Music Theory class is paying dividends. I really do feel I am beginning to understand how it all comes together. Beginning is the operant word but the fog is lifting.
One other major piece of my music adventure has been missing and holding me back a bit. Remember how I stated my goal was to learn to play guitar well enough people would no longer leave the room when I picked up the instrument? Well even with my struggles with timing and chord grips, I have progressed enough that when I have played for folks I have gotten good vibes and encouragement to keep playing; however, there is this one piece of the puzzle that I can tell still causes angst with my number one fan. Linnea tells me that my guitar playing is good to her ears but my singing leaves a lot to be desired.
I can’t fathom playing and not singing. After all doing both is great fun for me and a necessity if I want to play at an OM, a Farmer’s Market or just busking.
After a lot of cogitation and head scratching I came to the conclusion that I should approach the singing aspect of performing exactly as I have approached playing the guitar. So today I signed up with Chris Liepe for his 12 week Discover Your Voice course. The amount of time I will be devoting to this whole crazy adventure just increased. But I ain’t getting any younger and chasing the dream requires a re-prioritization of my daily activities. After all, the little voice in my head keeps telling me I am retired and I should start acting like it 
So, off I go to see what awaits me around the bend…
Love the update, Robert, sounds like you are making good progress.
As for singing, I felt the same and did the DYV course. It took me nearly a year. For me that 12 week course became a 12 module course, and many took quite a few weeks.
While on DYV I continued with songs and consolidation, but it somewhat marked time.
But it as so worthwhile overall, DYV made a massive difference to my ‘singing’.