Hello, about learning 5 easy songs to play at parties : I have been practicing with the paid app and I still feel like playing a chord every x seconds is not at all like playing the song. With the song playing on the phone it’s okayish but myself and my guitar at a party would feel rather silly. Am I getting something wrong ?
Also, are we supposed to try and apply the old faithful strumming pattern while playing song that sometimes have different speed patterns ? Example : Hey Joe.
The early songs in the app are simplified for your early stages. There may be some songs that feel ok that way but some will seem to lack the stuff that makes the song what it is until you add vocals. I found that in many cases, I was dissatisfied and leaned towards songs that felt like I wanted. Hey Joe was one and I recall For What It Worth being another that could stand on their own with simple strumming. The latter did need vocals but it was easy to play more like the real song.
For strumming pattern, Justin is giving you patterns to learn as a basis for later. Old Faithful is appropriate where YOU think it fits, not every song. For Hey Joe, I thought it sounded fine with down strums to match the Hendrix recording. I don’t think I would be happy trying to wedge Old Faithful into that song. It could be done, but I wouldn’t think it sounded like I wanted as I write this imagining it.
As you charge ahead (yes, I get your nickname) you will initially be given stuff to do, but slowly Justin will back off and tell you you have choices. Music is an art, and subject to the performer, so if playing Hey Joe with Old Faithful sounds good to you, do it. If it sounds off, then try something else. There is some benefit to taking a pattern and fitting it into a song that doesn’t use it, figuring out how to make it sound good. That idea isn’t covered through grade 3, not directly, but I do see benefits from a learning exercise if you feel like experimenting a bit outside the lessons.
Finally, welcome to the forums. Get familiar with the search - there is a lot of information here to be discovered.
I don’t have the app anymore, but if I remember correctly it’s possible to choose just the click-track version. Have you seen that there is a song lesson for “Hey Joe” here on the website? Justin recommends two different strumming patterns you can try to spice up the song a bit. You can use either of the two strumming patterns to play along with the click track on the app for example (or you can try them without the app).
Below you can find more song lessons for Grade 1. A range of these songs is on the app as well … Hope this will help you to have more fun with your strumming
Robin, I second what @JokuMuu has said. If you are unsatisfied with the strumming in the app and want ideas to make the song sound more like the original, then I highly recommend that you go to the website and look at some of the song lessons or tutorials. Justin doesn’t usually play through all of the verses of the song as in the app, Justin does show both how to play with a simple beginning strum and then suggests new strums and sometimes new chords to make the song sound more like the original. Some of that information is also found in the Justin Guitar Beginner song books 1 and 2, if you are interested.
Ahhh! I need to play something in front of someone. This spells doom. I never do things in front of anyone, I guess there is no helping me and I just need to pull myself together and do it;)
