After attempting to play the guitar on and off for years, I finally feel like I am actually getting somewhere with Justin’s website, apps, books, etc.
I think I started when I was eight at school and learned A, D and E before we moved house. That was it then until my early twenties when I found a great guitar teacher and had lessons with my boyfriend. That went well until we broke up…but I did find I enjoyed playing classical guitar and learnt the dreaded F major chord.
Then my StepDad gave me his classical guitar when I was 46 and I started classical guitar lessons. These were great until I found out I couldn’t really afford them. By this time I had my classical and a steel strung electro-acoustic.
Then things changed…I found out about justinguitar.com and I am loving every single minute of it. I am practicing regularly, playing with YouTube and I have played my first improvisation in the Grade 2 lesson. That was an eye-opener…I might just have to write a song one day
I am still working on building my repertoire, I have three that I am currently working on…What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes (was a favourite but may be playing it to death now) which I can play in time with YouTube but still can’t sing at the same time…Working Class Hero by John Lennon, it’s taking a while to get the bass note picking right…Wonderwall, strumming pattern is an issue but chords are fine.
During Grade 1 I went and bought a second-hand pink punk Jaxville guitar for £40, what a bargain so that I could practice without making too much noise because my husband was working from home. Luckily, working for myself I can move my hours around to fit in my practice, running and walking my dog.
So, that’s me and now that I have bored you all to death I am really looking foward to being a part of the community and maybe I might meet up with you one day at one of Justin’s overseas retreats…really fancy that when I have improved some.
Wonderful to see you here Emma. Good to see you taking a dip in the impro pool, always good fun.
Hopefully your classical background will help your development but nothing wrong with sharing some of that here. If it guitar its good ! Looking forward to you being part if the community !
Yey! Someone else from Staffordshire!
Thought I was the only one here
Mind you, it’s a while since I lived there…I have been in exile down South for some years… since I left school in Stafford to go to University
And confusingly, my Eccleshall isn’t the town outside Stafford, it’s just co-incidentally the name of the make of acoustic I play…
Hope you have as much fun with Justin’s lessons as I’ve had - they are brilliant
all the best from
Ruaridh
Great to hear that you have found Justinguitar it is a great place to learn and the way he teaches and his enthusiasm just makes you want to keep learning.
Hi Emma, I’m not a million miles away from you, I’m in Dudley!
Looks like you’ve got off to a good start, consistent practice makes the world of difference to how you progress!
It’s a great idea to record yourself playing (doesn’t matter whether you can sing along or not - it gives you a good record for being able to assess your progress; even more so if you post it on the AVOYP section for critique, you will get advice and encouragement from the community, it definitely helps boost your confidence and helps get over the plateaus that occasionally happen.
Join in and enjoy being a member of the community, have fun!
Great intro, Emma! I’m sure your experiences with classical lessons will be very useful. I want to see and hear that pink Jaxville! Does it have a name? I’m not big on naming mine, but something like that sounds like it has to have a personality and a name!
I was so overwhelmed when I walked in but they were so friendly and helpful. They ordered my amp on the Saturday afternoon and it was delivered on the Sunday. Awesome service.
I want them to have a look at the electronics on my electro acoustic that I have had for ages, but I am scared to go back in.
it hasn’t got a name yet. It wasn’t something that I had thought about doing to be honest.
Happy NGD!!