How to proceed on Justin Guitar

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Hi everybody

I’m a little lost as to how to proceed on JustinGuitar. After completing the placement questions, I was told to start at Beginner Grade 3, where I am now in Module 15. At the same time, I have worked through the Effective Practice ebook and am diligently incorporating everything into my practice routine. And because I realize that I’ve picked up a few bad habits, I’m also going through Beginner Grade 1-2 to consolidate everything.

Now, I want to play blues and already know a thing or two. So I’ve put myself on the waiting list for next year’s Blues Immersion course. But now I’ve seen that there’s also the new Solo Blues course, which has just come out. Then there’s the Blues Club, the app for learning blues licks, and all the blues lessons on YouTube and in the individual courses. :grinning_face:To be honest, I don’t really know where to start; it’s a bit overwhelming at the moment. Or should I just go through Beginner Level 3 first and then start with the blues? Because blues is what drives me and it’s why I started playing guitar again.
Thank you very much for your help and feedback. :grinning_face:

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Hello Dom,

I think it is really important to not take “too big bite” at time. I really recommend you to focus on something your need to work on - I read your introduction topic and it seems like you got some bad habits that you need to work on. When you fix them you can do whatever you want. Best to follow Justins grade system.

I am fingerstyle player and if I can recommend you something bluesy from Justin, it is this lesson. It feels so great to play and it also sounds great in slower tempo. Also I heard really great reviews for BLIM, so all I can do is to recommend it. :slight_smile:

Is this something you can handle or it is too much?

Boom Bass With Lick - Justin Guitar

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Hi again,

from the beginning … if you know everything you can fly through the lessons … check out the last “what should you be able to do” ( see the example link below) at the end of the modules for a quick look at whether you should also do the very first one … a good solid foundation makes life fun :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Greetings ,Rogier

How to PASS Grade 1

Consolidation

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Hi @Domi79 , I was in a situation similar to yours some years back and I have a few thoughts.

First, I would go systematically through Grade 3, just following the Beginner’s course. At the same time, you could also do some “extra-curricular” blues study. There are a number of specific blues lessons in Grades 1-3 (maybe only 2-3), that you can check out. Just skim through all the lessons to find them (the search engine will give you too many hits for “blues” to be useful).

EDIT: I just noticed that Module 13 in Grade 2 is fully dedicated to the blues. You may know this stuff already, but check it out in case you don’t.

There is also a Grade 4 module “Blues Studies”, that has 4 blues lessons, which you could check out. (I quite liked these).

Then, if you want to keep going with the blues, there are a couple of ways to proceed. At this point, you might want to decide if you want to pursue solo acoustic blues (think Bill Broonzy or Lightnin Hopkins) or electric blues (BB, Freddie and Albert King, e.g.). They are quite different, of course. Solo acoustic is designed to basically get you playing blues instrumentals by yourself on acoustic guitar. Electric blues teaches rhythm and lead playing that would take place in a band context, typically.

If solo acoustic is appealing, you could check out the new Solo Acoustic Blues course (it’s paid). The first few lessons are free and can be found here:

https://www.justinguitar.com/classes/solo-blues-with-matchmysound-solo-blues

You will see from these free lessons if this interests you and if you are at the right level. Some experience with fingerstyle playing is required, I would say.

If you want to pursue the electric path, BLIM would be the way to go (so I understand, I haven’t taken it). In the meantime, you could also check out the Essential Blues Lead module in Grade 4:

https://www.justinguitar.com/modules/essential-blues-lead-guitar

and the blues rhythm module in Grade 6:
https://www.justinguitar.com/modules/essential-blues-rhythm

(One final caveat in what I’ve written here: most things can be played on either electric or acoustic guitar. Some people play the acoustic blues stuff on electric (though it sounds better on acoustic! :slight_smile: ) and you can play much (but certainly not all) of the electric stuff on an acoustic. )

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People who ask your question in this community are almost always told this:

But you wrote

I’m curious about this, where are these placement questions? Is there something on Justin’s site that helps you find your level? This might be a better way to place people then simply telling everybody to start at the beginning.

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I can still remember a questionnaire that determined what your level was … let’s just say that this was not an unqualified success …

I don’t see what is wrong …or a beter way…with let show someone who comes here new ( or long ago) at least watch a lesson for 3 +minutes to determine whether he or she knows the lesson material from that grade… as I do above with the link added … it saves a lot of questions and unnecessary words on the screen, I think …

Greetings

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Hi Carreta
Thank you very much for the Input :slight_smile: “The too big bite” is actually something I always struggled with, so I decided this time with Justin to follow the Plan and take things slowly and yeah I also think It’s probably the best to follow the grade system. I was superhyped for the BLIM course and I’m also on the Waiting List for it but then I also saw the Solo Blues with Matchmy sound coming out which also looks great from the Lesson you just posted. So Rightnow I’m unsure where to put my Focus on but I see there is more great advice from roger and jjw so will digest all this and then decide how to proceed. Thanks so much Carreta :slight_smile:

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Hi again Roger

Thats what I thought, from the beginning but then I noticed I know almost all of the Stuff in Grade 1, but still I didn’t wanted to just browse trough because there always some titbits and stuff to take away :slight_smile: Like you say I also think that a solid Foundation pays dividends along the way. The Info you gave me about the “what should you be able to do” and How to PASS Grade 1 is a real Gamechanger. Now before I go through it all I will first check this out and see what makes sense. As for the Blues I’m still unsure I first should go Grade 1-3 and then do for Example the BLIM or if have capacity and time to do some Blues Stuff parallel to the Beginner grades. Thank you for your Help :slight_smile:

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Hi jjw

If I remember correctly there where a couple of Questions what I could or not could do on Guitar when I set up my Account on Justin Guitar. Yeah it’s sure a good thing to know where to start. Till today my guiding principle was better start from the beginning so I have a good Foundation and don’t miss anything. The Downside is that you get bored quick if you can do most of the stuff. :slight_smile:

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Hi @jjw :slight_smile:

This is so exciting! Feels good to read that somebody was in the same situation and knows what I’m talking about. I think you are right, I will keep going systematically through Grade 3 and do some extra-curricular Blues study This is what I’m doing right now anyway, here is only my free time the limiting Factor :sweat_smile: When I’m done with Grade 3 I will go direction electric Blues cause thats where my heart is. So with this being the Plan I guess BLIM has to wait for a while longer. But lets see where I’m at the end of the Year, cause BLIM would be in early 26 I think. Thanks for the links and the wise words, I really appreciate it. Now I feel that I have a better understanding how to proceed and where to go. :hugs:

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I just think it’s painting with a very broad brush, sending everybody to lesson 1 without taking into account their current level.

Yeah, the summary lessons that you linked to are very useful for Grade 1, though I don’t see the equivalent for Grade 2.

Basically, though, I just feel like the blanket advice “Start at the beginning” is not correct for everybody that shows up here.

Of course, if “Start at the beginning” means scroll through all the lessons and study the ones that you think you need, well, that might be more reasonable. That’s what I did around 10 years ago.

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Oh well…patato pateto
:joy:

Greetings

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Good, I like the enthusiasm!

When the time comes, there are plenty of people around here who can advise you on whether to dive into BLIM, based on your ability at the time.

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Indeed! :slight_smile:

I guess I would have said “Sure, start in Grade 3, but also have a look at earlier lessons to see if there is anything you need to fill in.”

Anyway, I think the idea has been conveyed!

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Hey @Domi79!

I think Blues Immersion would be a great course for you!

We’re launching Class 4 this December, which includes a prep module that takes you through Grade 3 of the Music Theory course before the first Unit.

Blues Immersion isn’t for complete beginners—it’s designed for Grade 3+ confident advancing beginners and intermediate guitarists with a deep passion for Blues (which you seem to have!) You should be familiar with core skills like:

  • Basic Blues techniques (12 Bar Blues, Shuffle)
  • Easy Barre Chords
  • Basic music theory (intervals, major/minor scales, keys)
  • The CAGED system
  • Transcribing by ear (not an absolute must, but definitely helpful!)
  • Essential rhythm and lead guitar techniques

Blues Immersion is an intensive 6-month program, but many students go at their own pace. Depending on your current knowledge, some parts may take more or less effort to work through!

You’re definitely on the right track. :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Fanny

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Hey Dominic,

I can understand that very well… lots of courses and hard to know what to do. :slight_smile:

The other nice persons above already made lots of good suggestions.
Me too, came here with a bit of knowledge but still started at the first lesson.
I think it’s ok if you ride dual rails, like continuing grade 3 or other stuff that really motivates you and meanwhile work through Grade 1 up, in order to one day have watched all the lessons.

Me too, I found BLIM great, so I can only recommend it.
I think that there will be more BLIMs after the next, so if you don’t feel ready and can’t commit enough of time to it, you can still take it later.
Justin recommends having finished grade 3 and I personally think you either should commit a lot of time to it then, or you’d enter even with a bit more knowledge. But whatever you do, the lessons will stay there for you, so if you feel a bit overwhelmed the first time, you can revisit it later again (as I am just doing with other BLIM alumnis right now (after my BLIM 2 ended this summer)).

Maybe don’t start too many things at once - or be better organized than me. :slight_smile: But the thing that probably helped me most on my journey was doing the necessary stuff (that sometimes was a bit boring or difficult) but also always do fun things.

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Hey Dominic,

As someone very focused on Blues playing, I understand your confusion. Firstly, its a big genre. Narrowing it down to what sort of Blues player you want to be may help; although there are general foundations to cover as well.

Note: I came into JG knowing some basic open chords, and could play some straightforward tunes. One of those, ‘play guitar for 3 months, then put it down for 5 years’ sort of player.

My path over the last 5+ years since joining JG has been;

  1. Grades 1-3. Studied them diligently; and did every lesson, even if I thought I ‘knew’ it. I was one of those people who went ‘all in’ on Justins teaching method. Whatever he said, I did it. And he was right every time.
    Around end of Grade 3, Blues had me hooked, and I knew it was my ‘thing’.

  2. Continued through Grades 4 -7; lots of foundational Blues stuff here, along with the core intermediate work on rhythm, scales, barre chords, CAGED, triads, arpeggios, transcribing etc.

  3. ‘Completed’ Justins Practical Music Theory course over about 3 years. The knowledge and competencies gained in this course was/ still is, the very cornerstone of everything I do on the guitar.

  4. Did JG Blues Immersion Course. Well worth doing; and some great reference material afterwards.

  5. Have complemented my JG learning since Grade 3, with some other Blues-centric teachers that offer structured Blues courses/ compositional studies etc.

I have not partaken in Justins more recent Blues offerings, so cant comment on these; simply because my Blues attention is focused elsewhere.

My overall suggestion? Continue with the JG lessons till you finish Grade 3. Complement this with selected Blues modules from Grade 4 and 5 and/ or supplementary sources, to see where your Blues knowledge/ competency is at; and go from there.

Cheers, Shane

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Hey Shane

Thank you very much for your Feedback, Story and your wise words. The Picture is getting clearer for me and I think I’m on the right Track. I think I’m gonna go the same way as you and Pull Grades 1-3 trough, I’m feeling I’m like you in this regard, I’m all in and I think Jasons Method is great. I just needed to know that I’m going in the right direction :slight_smile: So do I understand it right, you did the the BLIM after you completed Grade 1-3? Because thats my main insecurity, I think right now it’s a little bit to much, I guess it would be better do one thing after another and the BLIM is not going nowhere right? :slight_smile: Right, your overall suggestion sounds perfect, gonna do it like this :hugs: Thanks so much for your help and have a wonderful Evening.
Greetings Dominic

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Hey Dominique

Thank you so much for your wise words. Yeah the Picture is getting clearer, I think I’m gonna do as you wrote and first go through the Grades 1-3 to have a solid foundation and then go on with BLIM cause it ain’t nowhere right? :slight_smile: I’m also one of those Persons who struggle if I have to much things on my plate, so I’m gonna heed your Words and Fokus first on my Journey through the Grades 1-3 and go and take it from there. And yeah, also play Fun stuff otherwise it gets Boring, that is also great advice :slight_smile: So Thanks again for the Advice and have a great Evening :hugs:
Cheers, Dominc

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Thanks, you too!
Actually I think I am guilty of often putting fun first and forgetting about the duty at times :blush: