Hi Stacy, I’m a little late, quite busy in this times. Just wanted to let you know, that there are others, like me, outside, who have those certain days of frustration sometimes. I too had a time during Modules 9 to 11 where I sometimes felt a bit overwhelmed by all those new stuff and techniques to learn. I’m a litte perfectionist and sometimes I get a slightly upset, when I’m not able to get things to 100% (or 100+, where I set unneccessarily my individual goal). It wasn’t a simple part of the game, like the F Chord f. ex, that made me unsure, it was more a kind of an overall feeling, maybe of not mastering everything to 100% and the feeling that the things I could not do to 100% perfect got more and more even with a lot of practice. Grade 1 was only one first step, hitting Grade 2 just showed me, how much more there is to learn, only to cover basic items.
I was never upset or lost my motivation, because I feel blessed to have the chance to learn, but from time to time, I try to readjust my learning style. I moved forward to the fingerstyle module (which needs a lot of practice) and did the Power Chord Module as well (very strenous for my fretting hand). Then I felt, it’s time to do some “Inner Grade Consolidation” before moving on to the Blues Section. Know what? As soon as I slowed down, took the “pressure” of moving forward out of my practice schedule, I made a real big step ahead on many topics I had on my “revisit” list. I’m working calmly on my wrist position and reduction of pressure, rerun certain subjects and progress much more than the weeks before.
Don’t set yourself under pressure, you’re joung, there’s no need to speed up. Take your time and enjoy the process!
Ditto. I’m right there with you buddy! I’m also on module 9 and also feel like I’m not make progress. Chord changes suck, thumb placement awkward, etc, etc. At 62, learning anything new is def not easy for me but I’ll stick with because even with my slow progress, there are days when I feel pretty good about it. I look at guitar like my golf game - I’m not great at it but every once in awhile I surprise myself with a great round that makes me wanna come back. Guitar seems to be like that for me. Keep at it my friend!
It does seem like a common occurrence is to feel a bit discouraged around the module 8-11 range. I remember that too.
My opinion is that it is the time when we have learned just enough to realize how much there is to learn, right when we haven’t quite yet solidified some of the basic tools that take us there.
It can look quite daunting from that position in your journey.
Not that anyone in this thread is dropping guitar, but I would encourage that Justin’s course is really well developed, this forum is super supportive and as you pass through this hump (or valley?) the feeling of progress and excitement builds. It is as if our teacher and colleagues want us to succeed!
I feel, from my experience, that after some self reflection in my hopeless guitar playing, I pushed on and although still daunting, feel very much excited and determined to continue to move forward at my pace, knowing that l, yes, I can do this.
You know, I did the same- I decided to move on to the next module. Something about module 9 just made me feel like I was dragging. I spent over a month on 9, not that the concepts were difficult (the F chord is, no doubt) but because there were so many things to practice. I am thinking each module from here out may take a month at the very least, and I am fine with that. Module 10 is a little scary with some really new concepts (some I am really ready to get exposed to), so I am feeling better than I did when I posted this topic.
I’m glad you’re feeling some satisfaction with your playing. It really is necessary to have some motivational boosts and feeling proud of your progress is about the best one I can think of to have.
Thank you for posting these! Some of them I find familiar because I do them, others I rarely think about or haven’t thought of before. There’s no exam, this I think I regularly forget. And I completely agree that knowing a bit of guitar technique makes watching live music much more interesting.
A fellow perfectionist. Isn’t it difficult to accept the “80% (or less) is enough” concept? Urgh! I think you’ve summed it up well- feeling a little overwhelmed with many new techniques being piled on while not getting any of them perfected is spot on for those like us. We see things as building off of previous things. A good bit of your advice that I will take to heart is to not put pressure on myself.
Thank you! It is interesting that many people have come in to say that modules 8, 9, 10 are challenging their learning spirit. Gotta look down the road at times like these, not down at my feet.
Yes, as I just replied to the previous poster. Interesting to see a lot of people feeling the same at this point in the journey. I think you’re exactly right, it is a point where we are getting a little reality check, and it does result in seeming daunting.
One thing I will not be able to complain about though, is the lessons themselves. I literally could not ask for a better set of presentations, and some of these techniques and concepts are hard to translate from a musician’s feeling to an instruction for a beginner, but Justin is so good at it. And he teaches compassion for ourselves along with excitement about learning the physical movements. So grateful! And as I have said before, this forum is amazing. Wonderfully supportive and participatory, and understanding of the challenges, be they mental or physical.
And I shall push on as well.
I’m glad it’s useful. It’s such fun. As it should be.
I posted a video here about learning last year you might find amusing. It’s called “Having Fun Learning” I think
Sorry that video was “Having Fun Practising”
I thought my Jeff Beck Artist Strat’ would see me through all set-lists and tonal variations - silly boy!!
I got a Gretsch G5220 for some LP-like weight with some jangle on the bridge pu… I could get the Mick Ronson and Joe Perry tones I couldn’t with the Strat’… also Petty/Campbell and Page sounds… should be enough, right? Nope…
A Telecaster and/or Epiphone Modern with the tap/phase switching options is beckoning… plus the ‘obligatory’ acoustic… likely a Faith Blood Moon Venus or Taylor KOA 224CE-K…
Once you enter guitar emporiums and take in Rickenbacker, Duesenberg etc… there’s no stopping… well, available moolah notwithstanding of course 