As per the introduction here. This is a reset of sorts. I am working through the “before you move on” requirements of the modules and working on what is weakest.
2023 Goals:
2025 Goal: Be able to play the majority of The Edges of Twilight by The Tea Party
Current weaknesses to work on:
Welcome to the Community, Christopher. I’ve read your intro post.
I encourage you to stick with your approach to revisit lessons, modules, and grades to ensure you can put into practice what is taught. There is a proven progression to lay the foundation upon which you can then continue to learn and progress towards the player you want to be.
For all but those rarest savants, there is no shortcut. If playing the songs in the app at Grade 1 simple level doesn’t inherently inspire you then be inspired by the sure knowledge you are progressing towards your goal. There’s no alternative to developing your strumming in that methodical way with a metronome (or regular drum beat) to develop strumming consistently with the foot-tapping.
You could also consider the Strumming Foundation course, which consolidates all the lessons into a single programme. Note that is one of the few premium courses which is subscription based. https://www.justinguitar.com/store/strumming-sos
Doing this, slow and steady, really is the only way to develop the abilities needed to achieve the goals 1 and 3 that you have set yourself.
Rock on!
I like that you’ve put some goals into your learning log and may borrow to make mine more tangible.
Hi Chris. Good you started your learning log. What you can use it for is whatever work best for you. Some benefits are being able to find that you’re progressing after all when you’re feeling stuck, and receiving advice and encouragement specific to your learning process and needs.
An update! I have bought the strumming SOS first course and it’s going well and I’m still trying to figure out what my practice routine is going to look like with that as a foundation. Right now it’s pay attention to the strumming exercises and go back and practice the stuff I can do sorta well but to a play along or metronome now. I’m thinking I’m going to keep doing this until I get to the end of the second strumming course then reassess against my goals.
Learning log update March 30 over the last few days and what the next few days looks like:
Warm up Last Kiss play along Fender Play (usually electric with headphones)
Warm up Brown Eyed Girl play along Fender Play (usually electric with headphones)
Muted string rhythm practice 1 DUDUDUDU up to 5 minutes 80-100 tempo
Muted string rhythm practice 2 Old Faithful up to 5 minutes 80-100 tempo
In process of selecting three more rhythms to practice (feedback welcome for patterns that will help with Nirvana, Tom Petty, Noel Gallagher)
Play along with About a Girl Electric on Youtube (strumming, power chords, a solo)
Learn House of the Rising Sun on Fender Play / Justin’s lesson (“sweep” technique and good rhythm song)
Scale practice with metronome that I am guilty of skipping too often lately (Open E minor or A minor)
My goal is to make sure I get at least the muted rhythm practice in every day.
Current issues:
So far I am seeing some progress in matching the rhythms better in my song practice, but it also falls apart way too easily.
Left knee tapping falls apart if there’s not a down strum to accompany
Crappy excuse - work is brutal busy lately and practice at the end of day is compromised by being too tired, gotta remember to break it up through the day.