Background
My guitar journey started back in 2005, at the age of 18. I bought one of those cheap starter kits - don’t ask me what brand it was - and made my way through a learn-to-play-guitar book with ‘hundreds of chords you need to learn’. I didn’t have any plan whatsoever and barely enjoyed what I was doing. After many failures and frustration I was able to play some riffs like Smoke on the Water and Seven Nation Army semi-decently on the sixth string only. Alas, I stopped making any meaningful progress and gave away the guitar.
Fast-forward a few years later. I wanted to give it a second try and discovered Justin by coincidence. It must’ve been in his early tutoring days because the videos I watched weren’t even shot in Full HD. Anyone remember Jedi? I spend nearly 10 years making my way from the old beginner’s course to the old intermediate foundations.
I watched some of the older videos again recently and it’s amazing how they’re still relevant. But there’s no denying the fact that Justin has massively upped his teaching and production skills since the last major website overhaul. This was exactly what I needed because I was once again struck in a rut after ‘finishing’ the intermediate foundations.
The redesign of the beginner and intermediate grades got my blood pumping again. I’m still not sure which goals I’m pursuing, but I wanted to be more than just a bedroom player. I then discovered this community and got inspired by others to start expressing myself and share my progress. Et voilà, here we are at my learning log.
Strengths & Weaknesses
I’ve spend some time defining my strengths and weaknesses, hoping this will help me to set clear goals.
Play various and complex rhythm patterns
Have an adequate knowledge of music theory
Recognize intervals and transcribe easy songs by ear
Play lead lines, varying from easy to medium difficult
Being a father of two girls and a caring husband, I’m struggling with time management
I do not apply all the music theory I know to my playing
I have not yet shared an original song, only covers
Various technical aspects need improvement: muting strings, bends, vibrato
Goals
Other than working on my weaknesses, these are the high level goals I hope to achieve one day, not in any particular order.
1) Create a topic with a pretentious title
2) Write an original song
3) Learn to sing and play the guitar
4) Perform at a JustinGuitar open mic
5) Play in a band
Gear
Acoustic guitar - Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE
Electric guitar - Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy
Electric guitar - Fender Standard Stratocaster
Boss Katana 100W MKII amp
Rode NT2-A condensor mic
Shure SM57 dynamic mic
Recording setup
I use one or both mics to record the acoustic guitar. I play the electric guitar through the Boss Katana amp, which I record either with the Shure SM57 mic or the USB recording capability of the amp.
The output signal from the amp or the mic goes into a SSL2 audio interface.
Mixing and production is done in Logic Pro X. I play all or as many guitar parts as possible and download backing tracks to mix in the vocals, drums, bass and possibly other instruments.
Songbook
Title | Artist | JG Grade | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Anarchy In The UK | The Sex Pistols | Grade 2 | Feb 12, 2023 |
All the Small Things | Blink 182 | Grade 3 | Feb 12, 2023 |
Basket Case | Green Day | Grade 3 | Feb 22, 2023 |
Californication | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Grade 4 | Mar 4th 2023 |
Wild World | Cat Stevens | Grade 3 | Mar 21, 2023 |
Plush | Stone Temple Pilots | Grade 5 | Mar 29, 2023 |
Space Oddity | David Bowie | Grade 4 | Apr 7, 2023 |
Brown Sugar | The Rolling Stones | Grade 4 | Apr 21, 2023 |
Ace of Spades | Motörhead | Grade 5 | May 10, 2023 |
Paranoid | Black Sabbath | Grade 3 | May 28, 2023 |
Run to the Hills | Iron Maiden | Grade 5 | June 13, 2023 |
Black Hole Sun | Soundgarden | Grade 6 | June 19, 2023 |
Wild Horses | The Rolling Stones | Grade 2 | June 26, 2023 |
Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen | Grade 3 | July 19, 2023 |
Where Is My Mind | Pixies | Grade 4 | August 24, 2023 |
We’re Not Gonna Take It | Twisted Sister | Grade 3 | September 21, 2023 |
All Your Love | John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers | Grade 2 | October 20, 2023 |
Times Like These | Foo Fighters | Grade 3 | November 17, 2023 |