A bit of fun ahead of the new year but maybe something to check back in on 12 months from now…
Do you have a guitar playing related goal for 2024? Feel free to add other aims for the year too, but maybe it’s a specific you want to learn, or perhaps it’s to do your first open mic event or something. I’ll set the ball rolling…
Guitar related - I’m still a beginner so I’d I like to be able to confidently sing AND play one song by the end of the year. Yes, I can play some simple songs but I definitely can’t hold rhythm and sing right now. I’m going to aim for Bad Moon Rising by CCR. A bonus goal would to be able to play it for friends (other than a brief video I posted here I’ve never played in front of anyone).
Non-guitar related - Away from guitar I also do yoga and have do for around 5 years. There’s a pose called half moon pose (it involves standing on one leg, with the other out straight, one arm up high and facing to the side), it’s my current nemesis, so it’s about time I cracked that!
And for what it’s worth, before anyone says it, I don’t do new year’s resolutions either but I think there’s a difference between setting yourself a definite achievable goal and a typical resolution which usually involves going to the gym or giving up chocolate and will be broken by January 5th!
That sounds like an achievable goal. I made a similar decision a couple years back, and it has worked out well. My guitar playing and singing have become a mutually reinforcing positive feedback loop that makes both improve faster.
Coincidentally, that was the first song I successfully sang over. It’s fast, though, at 180 bpm. Don’t be afraid to slow it waaaay down at first.
Also good is that the phrasing is simple…most of the vocals line up with the chord changes.
I found it really useful to create my own chord and lyric sheet, with the chords exactly aligned over the exact syllable in the lyrics. Most crowd sourced (e.g. Ultimate Guitar) lyric sheets only approximate this, and it can be very confusing for beginners.
i also wrote in the count in cases where the lyrics didn’t line up.
As a measure of where I am today, I can play through close to full speed well, but need to need to work more on my chord change accuracy because they get a bit scruffy/inconsistent at full speed.
In terms of lyrics, I mostly know them but couldn’t sing it through without a lyric sheet in front of me - I know that to accomplish my goal I need to know them inside-out and back to front standing on my head, if I’ve got any chance of singing and playing the song, so many more listens ahead of me!
Fortunately it’s one of the songs in Justin’s songs app so I’ve got that as a good reference to work with and will be able to slow that down as suggested
While calendar events are not something I am driven by, I do hope to get a grip on blues riffs (pun intended). I have a pretty good mental image for what I want to play, just cannot yet put it onto the fretboard. I’m sure that will take me at least all year.
Agreed. On the other hand I think it’s good to take stock occasionally and have a goal for fear of drifting and the change of year is a convenient time to do that. It’s good to have something to work towards (like you with the blues) rather than a pass/fail one like playing for 30 minutes every day would be
Agreed I think it’s good to have something to aim for. Resolutions get a bad name largely because people say they’ll do unrealistic things. If you set a target such as learning a specific song then you’ll get closer to it every day you play. Maybe things will go well and you’ll have it mastered by March and you can set another, or it proves harder than expected and it’s still only 80% there next December but you’re still heading in that direction
I’ve got a half marathon booked for mid-November but first I’ve got a load of strength exercises from my physio that I’ve got to do day after day if I’m going to get round in better shape than I did this year!
wow! Similar goals …
One of my goals for 2024 is to play a song in front of someone too, in some form. I haven’t played in front of anyone yet apart from people that I’ve lived with (kids/ flatmates) and they didn’t always seem all that happy about me making the same noise again (for some reason… ), or shared a video with anyone, so I’m including that as accomplishing this goal.
Non-guitar related - I do some yoga too, (my other love ) I’m doing yoga teacher training and will be finished around April, so I’d like to be teaching some classes later in the year. I’ve been working on handstands and would like to do them without the wall there helping me.
Half moon IS challenging
I keep getting asked about doing yoga teacher training at the studio that I go to but I think I’d find it as anxiety inducing as playing the guitar in front of people! It is a big time commitment too. I’ve found that the mindset that I’ve developed through yoga practice as being greatly beneficial to my guitar practice. Handstand remains a distant dream for me. I can headstand but the kick up to handstand (even to a wall) is much harder and I don’t have a lot of space where I can safely try (and fail) at home. Good luck with your training
I don’t do New Years resolutions either but as many, I (re)set some SMART goals.
I usually create a mindmap to make sure I have a broad and complete idea of the fields that need my attention.
I still need to do that exercise for 2024 but I have a good idea what it will include.
Some of it will be expandign chord knowledge AND knowing where and how to use these shapes and flavours. Some new covers, some writing for solo and band, some tech ideas (replacing classic cab with PA/FRFR unit) etc.
Over hte years, I found it easier, less overwhelming and more flexible to make small, achievable things and build on that moving on. A Year is LONG is you do a lot of small things to build a big one. For me, this approach of many small iterations is how I did tihngs as a kid and now the corporate world calls it “Agile”.
I could lose a bit of weight though. Also there, small iterations, I’m gonna start with 5 minutes of exercise a day and gradually add. I’ll use the principe of ‘showing up and doigngthe reps’. As justin recommends it, I do too, Atomic Habit (James clear) is free as audiobook on Spotify and perhaps a good idea to check out for the New Year!
My aims are to get my finger out and do a bit more playing and to record something new to post here, there’s quite a few of you that haven’t heard any of my stuff yet! I’m also going to try to get a video done instead of just sound, but that’s longer term!
My primary guitar goal for 2024 is to get out and play with people.
I found a local non-profit music and arts organization that has adult classes for Rock and Blues. At the end of each semester the bands that get put together do a show. I went to the fall semester’s show in November to learn more about it. It was a fun night, and it is the kind of thing I would like to get involved in. The bands had a broad range of guitar player levels, advancing beginner to advanced, and broad range of ages, 20-30s to 60-70s. Auditions for the Spring semester are sometime in January. I suspect that the auditions are primarily to get a sense of the skill and experience levels and music tastes to help in how to form the bands. The semester runs from January to May and culminates with each band performing a 3-4 song set to an open-to-the-public audience. I’m excited about the opportunity to meet other people to play with and for the coaching that comes as part of the program. The performance part, well… It’s been 55 years since I performed in a band, but I remember it as a fun and exhilarating experience (not that I should trust a 55-year-old memory). Plus, I’m a much better and more knowledgeable player than I was then. Thank you, JustinGuitar! I’ll be nervous, of course, but I know what I need to do to have confidence in what I’m doing.
Non-guitar plans: Snowboarding (come on snow!), hiking, and biking with my wife and the extended family that includes our 5-year-old grandson.
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), or shared a video with anyone, so I’m including that as accomplishing this goal.
) I’m doing yoga teacher training and will be finished around April, so I’d like to be teaching some classes later in the year. I’ve been working on handstands and would like to do them without the wall there helping me.
