Born 1966. Bought my acoustic guitar 1st March 2023. Never played before. Have short fat farmer fingers. Campfire music and “I luv you more than you luv me songs” are really not my style. 20 sec and I am done. Also I totally avoid using a mobile phone. So finding alternatives to get through the lessons, so I can keep up with the program / progress. - I am more into Erik Satie Gymnopedies, Segovia, Al di Meola, Pink Floyd, Paco de Lucia, Sting… so a big variety. So finger picking more than strumming. The metronome have become a really good friend. Helps a lot. - Beside learning to play guitar, I study and practice Tibetan Buddhism and have done for 25 years. - Justin / Nitsuj rocks!!! 
12 Likes
Welcome to the forum Kim
2 Likes
Welcome 
2 Likes
Hello Kim,
Welcome here and have a lot of fun playing reading and learning and this often all together 
Greetings,Rogier
2 Likes
Oh I haven’t heard this in a long time, have it playing now.
That is quite a wide variety of music. Welcome to the community.
2 Likes
Hello Kim… Welcome to the community!!
2 Likes
Thnx a lot for the welcome and also here I will thnx all for the welcome. What an amazing community!!!. Yes, Erik Satie is very unique with his Gymnopedies, Gnossienes and Avant-dernières pensées. Have read all about Erik Satie. Very interesting story. When thinking about Erik Satie, his story, the time and place he lived, I feel Anne Queffelec is the one to nail it on Piano. I somehow feel she play as Erik Satie wanted it played. He uses the tones in such a unique ways in those pieces. Amazing. Hope I will be good enough to play it on guitar before next life is coming 
lol
3 Likes
Hi Kim, welcome to the community! Short farmer fingers won’t be too much of an obstacle . A lot of people have small hands, big hands, short fingers, fat fingers…
One aspect of learning to play guitar is, to suddenly see music from a different point of view. I’d never thought, I ever would like to play cowboy songs or campfire songs. But now, I’ve realized, that some of them are really fun to play and that I try to play songs I never considered as my taste of music. I wish you a lot of fun with your guitar!
2 Likes
Hi Kim,
Welcome to the community, wish you good luck with your journey.
A
2 Likes
Hello and welcome to our community Kim.
Your fingers will overcome I’m sure. Fingerpicking is very cool. Enjoy.
2 Likes
You are totally right. 3 weeks in now, can do the following chords by heart, A, Am, B, C, D, Dm, D7, E, Em, Esus, F, G and G7. - Nearly all I can do clean. Still big problems with F and G. - When I shift from Am to C I use the pinky. I still can’t properly reach with the ringfinger on 3rd fret in the C chord. I can do 30 - 40 shifts per minute with half of the chords I know and 25 - 40% clean. - People should not be discouraged. 3 weeks ago, I wondered if I would ever be able to play a chord, let alone shift between two without 15 seconds gap… lol
2 Likes
You are right. I found one that my ear doesn’t find too bad… lol. “House of the rising sun”. Good thing is it can be played with so many different styles, including fingerpicking. It is fairly easy… if the F haven’t been there… lol. - I am already having so much fun. Also I am really finding good alternatives to strum along with those campfire songs. - If I was young, I might go into it. But my mind already know what route it wants to take with the guitar. Especially as beginner, it is mentally best to do what is fun and pleasant. That way learning speed up a lot. Only 3 weeks in, I know 13 chords by heart. I know the C major scale. I have looked at the “Circle of Fifths”, getting a better understanding, which increase the joy and speed up in other areas. - So now I don’t see it as a hindrance anymore, not playing along those campfire songs. It actually have pushed me, to find awesome alternatives. - Now I am so happy my ears can’t stand what it sees as organised noise… lol. it’s not to put that kind of music down. My ears simply don’t want it. ---- many of them are excellent songs and so on. I used to sing along on some of them… I just grew older I guess… not sure why and how…
2 Likes
Welcome to our Community Kim, it’s seems like you clearly know what you want and this will help you to set your goals on your guitar journey. Go for fingerstyle if you like it more, don’t bother too much if they say it’s more difficult than strumming…things come easier when they are more motivating! I wish you a lot of fun and fulfilling hours of guitar practice!
2 Likes
Thnx a lot for the welcome and encouragement Silvia. - I still take the lessons as they are made and follow very strictly. I feel its important. I am at Grade 1 Module 3 now. Just ordered a capo, should be here tomorrow. - I still want to learn the strumming etc. So instead of following along a tune, I use the metronome and just randomly choose chords and beat and train in it that way. Also I looked at the “circle of fifths” and listening to what chords sound good together. Just started to keep strumming pattern going while trying changing chords. No coordination at all yet…lol, but it will soon come. - Since Justin is such an excellent teacher, it is very easy to understand, what it is that have to be trained, what the purpose of that training is. Then it become very easy to find alternatives. - The most excellent though, is the thinking Justin have and how all this (most) is donation based. That is very much according to Buddhist way of thinking. Very beautiful. Sharing is caring!
2 Likes
Welcome in the group Kim 
2 Likes
Hey Kim, welcome to the forum. I’m also a big fan of fingerstyle, when I started that’s all I played. Look forward to hearing more from you.
2 Likes
Hi Kim, welcome!
2 Likes
Thnx a lot. That’s encouraging. If I keep practicing, you will for sure be hearing more. I have a hard time being quiet… lol - I have looked at the Travis picking style and also I follow one who teach classical music. Many teaching Travis style recommend an anchor, where as the classical guy say not to use an anchor. So I move a bit around to find what feels comfortable without strains on the body. - Also I train getting the feel of the strings, so I can get control on the sound produced picking the strings. - I understand now why it is not recommended to go this route for beginners. But rather it should be said, that those with little or no patience, should not go the fingerstyle to start with. Also it is way more delicate, so a calm mind helps a lot when going the fingerstyle route. - I hope it will work out fine, but only time will tell, and also I never see myself as a failure if things doesn’t work out the way I thought or wanted… just another experience in life…
2 Likes
I learned Travis picking fairly early and took to it with gusto. I don’t use an anchor, I believe it’s a very personal thing. Many have suggested I should anchor yet when I’ve tried it didn’t like the anchor. I attended a ‘master guitar workshop’ and had a 15 minute one on one with a world renowned artist. I asked him about anchoring as I noticed sometimes he did and some times he doesn’t. He said he doesn’t anchor and go with what works for you.
When I started I was only interested in fingerstyle so that’s all I played. But as I got involved in playing with others, and also with some songs, I just needed a plectrum either to get volume or because it suited the song.
Enjoy!!!
2 Likes