I recorded for you my final exam of Grade 1. Lets be honest I am not meeting criteria that Justin states, because I am adding here more strumming patterns, fingerstyle, hammer on, higher strumming speed… I hope its still good enough to pass grade one.
Prologue:
I can remember how I wanted to learn guitar - did not know anything. Just wanted to learn few chords and one pattern and I would be good… how blind I was. I can remember how hard was for me to hold my first chord… do strumming on speed 40 in time… its like more I know now, less I know. How Justin said in one video. I am really happy that I experienced my first ever hammer on in Anouk Lost. I am really into fingerstyle but would like to go forward with pick and finger strumming - I am missing dynamics and backbeat in harder patterns. Sometimes I just like closing my eyes, laying head on guitar and listening to my “number 6” fingerstyle. Its sooo nice and it is inspiring me, so chill.
Music list:
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry
Lost by Anouk (fingerstyle)
Wonderwall by Oasis
Zombie by Cranberies
Bonus random fingerstyle, something I found by myself and I like it
Epilog:
I think I am more critical to myself, than I should be, but please if you see any mistake or problem just tell me. I cant get better without knowing what is wrong. While I was recording this video it was really hard for me… started sweating hands, did not know where to look. I guarantee to you I play a little bit better when I am not in front of camera. I am really proud that I started to learn every session with metronome - this is what learned me to tap foot in different places. Even in work or car when I drive on tempomat. Still safe, dont worry. I have so much to tell you but I dont wanna eat your time. Feel free anyone to tell me what do you think about my Grade 1 Final Exam and if I sucess I will jump to Grade 2!
I would like to thanks to Justin, Justin community including approved teachers and members and different YouTube creators which are inspiration for me.
Last words (I promise): thanks to all teachers on Clubs. I really like Clubs. You are all amazing.
@MacOneill Thats what I mean by “I think am more critical to myself, than I should be”. Because everytime I was getting ready to final exam I found something I should learn so I can really pass and with this thinking I could go over all grades without finishing grade one because I would not feel “enough” to pass. I went through all points which Justin state to reach, but then I just continued and did not feel any “stop”. These songs arent still best to me, we all know it… I cant wait to compare them how I will play in next year. Thanks for you time.
@beejay56 Thank you very much… fingerstyle is something I go for and its so natural… like I am learning “Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day” and I should pick strings… guess what, it is hard for me, so I instatly started fingerpicking and its much easier for me, because I dont have to watch my right arm and I can more focus on chords. About that Zombie… I probably put microphone too close to AMP, so it was not that clean - I am learning with this technology for first and I can feel there is a lot to learn. Thanks for your time.
@roger_holland Thank you very much, you cant see how nervous I am while waiting for someone if he proves I can go on or I am really bad and I have to recap grade one. Lets go number two!
to pass a grade you just need to learn whats IN the grade , not the whole website
They’ll never be any " stop " , the guitar journey is infinite
You’re way above grade 1
@MacOneill I said this in another post “I take guitar as a life route” and thats what I am really into. This was just little problem inside me… maybe because sometimes I am little bit more perfectionist.
Thanks for summary - strumming and changing chords doesnt feel “presure” to me and I am relaxed so I believe I am where I should be. Cant wait to watch Grade 2 and fresh “Hey how you doin”.
As others have said, you’re way beyond Grade 1, so well done!
I think most of what you played was good, but one point of critique:
To me it sounds like something strange is going on in the first part of Zombie. I think you are not consistently playing 4/4 bars, but sometimes changing chords too early. Like, you play the first chord for 8 beats but the second you only play for 7 beats. Actually, many of the chords in that part you only play for 7 beats.
When you move to the second part you play 4 beats to the bar consistently, I think.
Other than that, really well done. Have fun in Grade 2!
@jacobbonde Thank you very much. Gonna slow down the video and check what is wrong - for my defense Zombie is the last song I started to learn so I did not play it that much as other and I still have to think about strumming pattern in head, but thats not excuse of course. I like you found something I can focus on now.
Hi Michal. It was excellent overall, definitely beyond grade 1. Some things are only coming later, but you have started already - fingerstyle, weak G…
I think your strumming hand is relaxed and you can keep a steady rhythm. Having said this, the Wonderwall strumming requires more work. You change smoothly between chords, but your fretting hand looks a bit tense to me. Overall, try to relax both hands when playing. One of my main discoveries is how little power is needed to play and how much unnecessary force we apply as beginners.
That distorsion in Zombie was way too distorted, you missed the sound there.
Hi Michal, you so clearly passed Grade 1! Go and watch the Grade 2 videos!
Your strumming and time keeping is great. I wish I would have taken that more seriously when I started out, I can now play a lot of more complicate stuff but without a steady rhythm it just doesn’t sound good.
And fingerstyle is great isn’t it? My favourite, too. From what I have seen in the video some small adjustments to your hand position should make it even easier: make sure the thumb is clearly in front of the other fingers so they have their own space, place the index, middle and ring fingers on the strings and then pull each finger in towards the palm of your hand. It’s a grasping movement as if you were catching a falling mobile phone. And then look forward to the fingerpicking lessons in Grade 2.
Definitely past grade 1 and let me tell you, don’t give up on lost by Anouk! That fingerstyle was almost breathtaking. Grade 1 my foot, don’t lost that, that was beautiful. Almost brought a tear to my eye
That last fingerstyle was awesome too! That is why I am a huge fan of fingerstyle. Good choices.
Hi Michal, congratulations on successfully completing Grade 1. You’re making good progress and more than ready for Grade 2. That’s an interesting looking electric guitar you have there and was pleased to see you swap to it for a song. Good luck with Grade 2.
@MollyT Thank you very much. I bet you are playing much better than you think. Thumb placement is something I was discussing some time ago and I have to say I watched lot of videos… I think I am little bit different than standard and even when it looks I need little adjusment I dont do any colision during thumb and other fingerpicking. I dont feel presure, so I think this is more likely my natural form of placement than bad habit, but of course I will see in future… but for now I can tell on Anouk Lost or random fingerpicking, that I am able to do it as long as I want without pain or colision. Thanks for the tip.
@JROB623 I really like Anouk Lost and after this I am working on bridge and another parts… I wanna reach that ultimate goal - playing whole song with all chapters. Thanks for your time and nice words. That last fingerstyle is something that I found when I was just chilling and “let it play”. Who knows… maybe in future I will build it up and make it longer, because original part was only changing between C and Fmaj7, then I added hammer on, then pinky on all chords and then variation on A string.
@Socio Thank you! I cant wait to go Grade 2. That guitar is merged Harley Benton Kit and 3D printed body - it was really interesting project. My second hobby is 3D printing and I really like how it can go together. Sometimes I am printing picks. Also that kit and 3D body teached me a little bit more about guitar anatomy and how it works. Guitar is in tune on 12th fret, so its great for me. I also 3D printed full ukulele and there is everything printed, only strings are bought in shop. Printed few wall mounts… really like it.
Thanks for you time.
