Update:
Been practising everyday, sometimes just for a few minutes, sometimes a lot longer.
Still holding at Chords A & D and practising timing and strumming and strumming pattern and finger exercises. Just to keep it fun, watched and been practising Justin’s vid on the Blues Brother riff 
Also, I found some video’s on youtube which are very simple backing tunes so I’ve been practising strumming and strumming patterns and chord changes to that. I found that REALLY helpful and made it much easier to find some rhythm. Rhythm… Such a hard word to spell…
2 Likes
Keep it up, John, slow and steady wins the day!
1 Like
Still plugging away folks, callouses are forming nicely and so far I’m resisting the urge to pick at them as that will set back my playing while I wait for them to heal.
An unexpected but pleasant side effect of learning to play guitar… I’ve stopped biting my nails! I’m 45 years old and I’ve always bitten my nails, for as long as I can remember. Except I often don’t remember biting them but I sometimes catch myself doing it.
Never been able stop before and tried most things. Giving up smoking was easy but nails… Another story.
But I’m proud to say that for the first time, my little nails have white at the end of them! I’m pretty chuffed with that, marvellous! 
4 Likes
You’ll be trimming those nails before long on your fretting hand John when they start messing with your playing!!
Just caught up with your intro and update about inspiring your son and by the sounds of it you’re getting along with things really well and have truly caught the bug, congratulations! Indeed, take your time, enjoy the progress and keep on smiling 
1 Like
Thanks Notter!
If your calluses get to thick or ragged you can file them with an emery board so the don’t catch on the strings
1 Like
Not much to update here, been working some long shifts and as I work earlies, lates and nights I am pretty much knackered all the time!
Biggest progress is my son. I think I said before that after a week of me learning, he decided he wanted to so I bought him a guitar and introduced him to this place. We’ve had a few sessions together which is absolutely AWESOME but he’s doing most of his learning alone in his room.
I don’t know on he is on here, but Jack if you are, tidy your room!
Jack is doing phenomenal! He is already far ahead of me! In the last week his chords and strumming have really come along and he’s working on a few songs which when he is practising them, I can recognise them easily! #ProudDad 
4 Likes
Hi John, good your son is progressing well with his guitar playing. I would advice you to adapt your guitar practice to whatever time and energy you have available.
1 Like
Adult life does make the guitar time allocation a bit more difficult John so don’t worry yourself! In many ways to have your son as motivation and inspiration can’t be a bad thing right!!?
All the best 
1 Like
Still takes me about a week to change chords and of course I still have to stop strumming to do it…
So pigging frustrating, I have co-ordination with my hands and arms to move them independently with hand hand circling forward and one backwards at the same time then switch it, or rub the tummy and pat the head then switch it and do both arms and I’m not sure I’ve met anyone else who can do these things but this guitar malarky is ridiculous!!!
Although I will say that little riffs and picking is a lot easier for me to pickup and learn…
And breathe…
Hi John. Remember that at the beginning you can do just one down strum on the first beat of the bar, on the one, and while you count 2, 3 and 4 you get ready for the next chord change (supposing the song is 4/4 and chord changes happen every bar at the beginning of the bar). To practice the chord changes you can do it with the one minute changes (OMCs) in Grade 1 or later in Grade 2 with the Perfect Fast Changes (PFCs). When you try to strum your focus should be in keeping a steady rhythm even if your chords are not perfect. Once you get your chords memorized and get some muscle memory in the fretting hand it will be easier. Go as slow as you need to and increase the speed just a bit each time you feel you are already comfortable with the speed you are already working at.
1 Like
Hey, still plugging away at it. I’ve expanded the kit to include an electric and an amp too which I find easier than the acoustic for some reason…
Anyway, I’ve not been strictly following the Justin lessons but have been learning and practising some scales and other bits and bobs but only because I have the attention span of two year old toddler on Red Bull…
I’ve also been trying to learn some music theory too but for some reason this just isn’t going in. Like trying to learn a new language without a translation or Rosetta Stone… But I’ll stick with it and stick with Justin to do it as I’m sure one day it will just “click” with me.
I’m also getting some very minor improvements with my strumming…
This was Teddy this evening when he decided he’d had enough of my practising…
6 Likes
Hey all, no update from me for a while but I’m still plugging away. I’ve been inconsistent with practice for quite a while due to… Life. but I’ve kept dipping in and out. Built up a small catalogue of songs to play along to although I’m still in the simplified versions of everything.
I decided for a while to stop trying to learn more and just play with what I already had so I could improve on it and have some fun with it instead of feeling the pressure to learn and progress. This has worked well for my confidence for a bit and also fitted well in my crazy work schedule.
However I’m about to take on a new role at work which although COMPLETELY different to anything I’ve ever done before (great, another steep learning curve) is actually a mon - fri 8-4 job so I feel like I’m actually going to get some of my own life back!!! Got big plans for this year, whole house needs to be re decorated again, I’m going to study for the next work promotion exam, continue to work on my fitness and now I can factor in guitar practice more easily too.
So I’m heading back to the lessons again as I feel like ability has now caught up with where I was in the lessons.
Hopefully this isn’t a silly question, is there any difference in following the lessons online via this website compared to the youtube channel?
Thanks for reading!
1 Like
YESSSSSSS!!! Barre chords have just “Clicked” with me!!! I feel like I’ve levelled up! 
What a day! Barre chords have led to understanding chords in keys ie major, minor, minor, major, major, minor.
Really do feel like I’ve had a bit of a breakthrough!
6 Likes
Err… Kinda accidentally bought a new guitar today… I dropped my daughter off this morning with her pal and realised I was near my local guitar shop and I hadn’t been there for a while so I popped in. Sat there chatting for a while with the owner and spotting an electro acoustic which was a lot slimmer than normal full size. Chatted about it he passed it to me… Suddenly I felt like I’ve been wearing the wrong size shoes for ages and then put on a well fitted pair! It just felt “right” and comfortable!
£300 later and I am the proud owner of a bouncing baby Yamaha APX600
4 Likes
ooooh that’s the next guitar i wanna buy
you have good taste !!!
1 Like
I’m absolutely in love with it, feels so good!
1 Like
Picture please !
Happy NGD.
1 Like
thanks now i know that i definitly want it XD
1 Like
Isn’t that the best way!! Happy NGD then John, please share some pics and of course some playing when you’re ready! What colourway is it??