Hey, guys! Maybe it was the beer or I just went crazy, but I decided to video-record myself playing some random song. Decided to go with Bon Jovi’s “These Days” (from the same title album of theirs of 1995). Naturally, it’s a simplified version of the song, because, if my memory does not deceive me, there’s a piano, lead melodic electric guitar and some power chords thrown in to the mix of the original. Anyways, I tried recording 4 times and even on the 5th try it’s still wasn’t to my satisfaction (due to additional pressure that someone will see it. AAAAAAAAAH!) Made a couple of chord mistakes at the end of the last chorus (instead of ending on a G I ended on an Em). But, um, yeah, as I’ve said, additional pressure.
Thanks very much for sharing. We all get a little nervous putting ourselves out there to be reviewed. First there are no Simon Cowell here that will pass judgement. We are all learning and improving. I am a Bon Jovi fan and posted myself playing a couple of their songs here. That one seems reasonably easy to play as far as chords. You are absolutely correct in simplifying the song to make it playable. There is nothing wrong with that. One thing I noticed is you stop playing for a second when changing chords or finishing a lyric. Try to keep your hand moving. If you are trying to think of next chord or lyric when that happens, just strum the last chord a little extra time until you can move on. I do that sometimes and it sounds better than silence, even for a few seconds. Maybe keep a simple strumming pattern like all downstrums as you learn and then move on to something harder.This is a really good effort and you have the melody of the song down. My songs are not perfect, but putting yourself out there, although uncomfortable, will get the feedback you needed. Thanks very much for the post
Hi there congratz on the first recording it is always stressful but once you push the boundaries you’ll see there is nothing to be scared about I agree with Jeff a bit of extra one minute changes on most trickiest chords, keep right hand moving throughout the rhythm and just practice the song and you will get there all the best
Haha, thank you Yeah, I’m aware about the non-continuous strumming. So far, I can only do that with certain chords and certain strumming patterns, but its slowly getting there on most of open-chords that I know.
Decided to add some notes regarding my short stops in strumming. I noticed that with certain chord changes, mainly when going from Em back to Cadd9, I do that abrupt short pause, because if I don’t do that my pinky finger tends to simply miss the high e string most of the time and, if continuing to strum (I know that this is supposed to be continue strumming no matter what), then that would mean additional one or two notes, which for my ears ruins the sound, so I choose to at those instances stop strumming for a split second. But my long-term goal is to work on correcting this.
Bravo, Aurimas, good to take the plunge and get into recording.
I hear you in terms of choosing the slight hesitation but would encourage you to rather slow the song tempo down to give your pinky that little bit extra time to get into position. Getting too used to a slight pause could become a habit that is hard to break later.
So, after These Days, I considered input regarding continuous strumming, and decided to go with that in a song, which does not have sus chords in it. Though, I don’t know about the strumming pattern, because I did adjust it to the way I’d sing the song (mind you, this is not a vocal version, just instrumental), so I chose a simple DDDU strumming pattern for each chord, just to keep it simple. Though, maybe, should have gone with DDDDU, since the song is 4/4 time, but, eh. Anyways, in my opinion, the strumming is better than in These Days song, though, I’m on a fence with the strumming pattern, have no idea whether I’ve chosen it correctly or not. But I personally like the melody (though the original song is waaaaaaaaaay different) that I got out from it.
I was going to create another topic, but I decided against it. So, I decided to add vocals this time to the song and film it again. For my amateurish ears, since I actually decided to “sing” lounder, this is a bit better than These Days vocal wise. Regarding strumming, I tried to keep it consistently, but since I did this actually in one take, I think while reviewing it I saw where I changed the beats in a bar a bit in two places (sometimes three beats, sometimes five instead of four), but I guess I did that subconsciously to finish-up the note I was “singing”. Also, mumbled-up a couple of lines in the end of second verse “bad man bad” And viewing myself in video, that reminds me, damn, I really have to go to a hair-dresser these days…
Hi Just been learning Sweet Child O Mine intro with my guitar tuned down half a step but when I carry on and play the chords for the verse and chorus it sounds slightly out. Is all the song tuned down and if so are the chords Justin plays correct or do the chords have to change - help
I agree with Jeff a bit of extra one minute changes on most trickiest chords, keep right hand moving throughout the rhythm and just practice the song and you will get there 
Yeah, I’m aware about the non-continuous strumming. So far, I can only do that with certain chords and certain strumming patterns, but its slowly getting there on most of open-chords that I know.
+ 
= inhibitions out the window!
And viewing myself in video, that reminds me, damn, I really have to go to a hair-dresser these days… 
