Update for 2025-07-22: today I recorded a passable version of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son, and I’m thus marking it “complete” (at least for now) and moving my practice to other goals. In the end playing a “super light” strumming as in the original record proved super complicated and I compromised by picking the two lowest notes on each chord and then strumming, in this pattern: (here “b” stands for “bass note”, the first one would be the lowest root, followed by the next thickest string in the chord)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
b b D u D u
As for instrument, I tried recording it with my acoustic, but did not like the sound, and with its thicker strings, I still have less control of the dynamics on it than on my electric, which is where I ended-up recording it.
No AVOYP for this one, while I’m ok with the result, I did not bother to record video this time.
Update for August/2025: currently making slow progress with the structured course, I’m stuck in grade 2, module 14, but not laser-focused. If I am to progress linearly (and I believe that’s the right way to do it for me right now), I need to start putting together a structured practice routine and work on it - but off course learning songs is more fun, and I’ve been indulging in it for a while.
In August I had a go at the jazz standard “Fly Me to the Moon” (simplified version, just the melody notes) which sounds AMAZING for such a simple melody line, as well as Blue Monk, from Thelonious Monk (which I ended-up not liking much).
On a more complex subject, I’m trying to learn “Life by the Drop” (Stevie Ray Vaughan), first exercise (the intro) after the break:
Next goal is to get the chord progression for the song memorized to be able to play all the way through.