Discipline seems to be an issue with me. I have neglected practicing this week, the reason not so much being rule Nr. 2 or stress at work, but our air conditioning system at work. There is a heatpump located directly behind my desk at work, and said heatpump had been blowing so much cold air to my neck that it resulted in a stiff neck, stiff shoulders and massive headache for most of the days. In other words, I did not feel like moving more than absolutely necessary.
Learning and note to self: There is no harm in wearing scarves inside even if it’s more than 20 degrees outside.
@tRONd had made me think a lot about my rule Nr. 2 in the last days, and I might just modify it at least. Still to be seen how, but I’m reconsidering things.
Resistance to change has been an important topic for me, when I started practicing again today. Found an easy version of Tom Waits’s “Hold on” on Ultimate Guitar, and played it just for fun both with a random strumming pattern and easy fingerstyle. I managed to sing to it, and in the past that would have made me happy.
But then I started thinking whether I want to take shortcuts all over again. After quite a lot of fighting with myself, the answer is: No, I don’t.
Thus, I went back to the very beginning and finally forced my fingers to accept the alternate A-shape, that Justin recommends. Overwriting old muscle memory seems to be an interesting process. As soon as I am not concentrating, I am back to the old and familiar shape. Chord changes are also slower with my head forcing my fingers into the new A-shape. For the first time I am understanding the importance of anchor fingers though, and I tried to be very mindful while doing the anchor finger exercises. The more I did it, the more it made sense.
This evening I will reward my self with practicing strumming
Other than that four weeks of vacation are beginning tomorrow and I cannot wait to go back to mindful chord exercises tomorrow already. Time to forget about old habits and fight my resistance to change
I think, we should allow ourselves to let things flow from time to time, because that keeps us motivated. A little lurk over the fence from time to time doesn’t hurt as long as we don’t skip relevant contents. I’ve divided my practice time into several parts. There is a part I use exclusively for excercises, lessons and NOTHING ELSE, a part for rhythm and strumming, a part for working on songs seriously and sometimes another part left for having a look at songs that come to my mind, try them out without having a goal, get a feeling wether it’s worth to add them to my routine.
Thank you You are surely right. In fact I still have to work out a routine that works for me, and for that my vacation will be gold.
Maybe the way I found today by accident actually works for me. Finding a song I love. Experimenting with it. Realizing I need more skill and knowledge. Thus going back to the beginning and practicing chord changes with the unfamiliar chord shape.
Later strumming exercises with metronome, muted and with the chords. And finally - as a treat - back to the song. In the end, I could notice that I have learned something
And I think, for me realizing that I need discipline in the mix, was an important step today.
Okay, well… How can I say it? I have to warn you, but you had asked for it at various points in time @kimlodrodawa@SDKissFan and @tRONd .
I got addicted to the Peter Gunn thingie and have been messing around with it and a metronome. I purposely have not checked the original speed… Please bear with me, my hand should move less and there are many notes that are not clean. But that’s what happened, when I tried play it at BPMs 60 to 140.
There is a tiny spark of sunlight in that video, a small stuffed cow. And while my user name JokuMuu ( joku muu) simply means “someone else”, in many languages “muu” is exactly the sound cows are making. Thus the stuffed cow on the couch.
well! You play that many times better than me. I cant play it…
ibthink this is very good. You can follow the metronome most of the time.
Timing is extremy important and it seems like you have «thing» for that!
A lot to be happy about, and a lot to build on further down the road!
Great Nicole! Keep it up
I’m glad to see you use a metronome early in your learning journey. You did excellent staying in time. If I could go back to day 1 I would have focused more on timing than anything. That melody is a lot of fun and I loved how Justin introduced those kinds of things early in the course.
Hi Nicole I’ve enjoyed reading through your learning log and seeing how you’re getting on, i hope you’re enjoying your vacation and getting some quality time with the guitar hope you keep at it and find those routines that work for you and you keep having those little breakthrough moments, they’re so important for motivation early on. All the best
In what world can I play better than you? I will soon check out your videos - only have seen the bit funny one yesterday - and will continue crying a river
I seem to have an ear for timing and rhythm. I have no idea why. I do need those first beats of the metronome though without that it’s impossible to remain in a certain time.
I took to using the metronome because early on in the strumming course Justin says how useful it is. And while my strumming does not sound particularly nice at the moment since my chords are not as clean as they should be, I will keep those riffs as a special treat. After strumming to random songs with which I started in the early midday.
You know, you can always go back. Thats the beauty of these videos in the modules. No-one there to judge you but you yourself
That’s my full intention Learned today that I have to be at work in week 24, so I have only three weeks vacation now, but will enjoy every minute of valuable guitar time in the next days as much as I can.
I have to give full credit to @Richard_close2u for helping me with timing early on he sent me some information that was brilliantly helpful. Nicole. Try not to worry about what others here can do. I remind myself all the time that we are all learning and to compare you to yourself last week. Nobody here is. Getting a Grammy or opening for a major act in concert. Celebrate your impressive victory today.
Well. For one. I cannot play that riff at all
And i really think youre timing is great. I struggle a lot with that. You have way better timing than i have, when i look at your recording.
Jeff had a very very good point… do not compare youreself to others. You are you, and you will find youre own way and youre own voice on the guitar in due time.
Remeber to have fun when doing so
You are much better than you think Trond give the answer. Timing/rhythm, be in time. and besides that, doing at 140 does take some practice and that training will keep spilling over, so many things will come more easy as you advance and progress. Finger and hand coordination is well. The important things are working for you. You really should be content and happy and just keep moving.
I have no one string melody I can do at that speed and that one I never even tried.
Also really good idea with these early videos. When I look back at my first video, I know I have come little further, even my donkey stubborn mind can’t convince me otherwise
But of course, you are right. I intend to take as little pressure from this as possible. This is joy for me mainly. Although… A colleague of mine will have a barbecue party in August. I had asked can I bring my guitar and the answer was “Only if you can play.”. Oh I see myself bringing that guitar now playing that riff for hours Most interesting question is: where do I find a Blues Brothers suit?
This is an interesting discovery indeed. Second time in my life that I actually spend some time on melody playing. Fascinating. And that’s exactly why this Learning Log and all you guys’ feedback is invaluable.
Thank you for your support. I have come a long way from that “I would never…”. I actually have to go back to your Leaning Log. Last I saw,.you had been making an own song already.
I am blessed that I have such great and talented company
One final thought… There’s nothing wrong with being inspired by others who have a similar level of experience here. I was inspired by @tRONd doing a song with finger picking last year. I still can’t do that but it’s okay you have to decide what to learn and I’ll get to it eventually. Another example is Travis @Traveler plays local gigs in his hometown and has a similar experience level. That’s what I want to do and hearing those stories inspires me.
I am truly grateful if i have inspired you with anything Jeff… makes me really happy. And it makes my day thanks a lot for such kind words really appreciated… just keep at it. You will get there…
Surely not There are so, so many talented people here. And there will always be certain things that other people can do better.
I regret that I forgot how much enjoyment guitar gives me for so many years. But this time I am in it. And if it takes 20 years until I can play anything solid then it will.
Well thank you for that compliment @SDKissFan !! I have been fortunate to receive the support that I have in my area. Ultimately I still have a ton to learn and still kinda feel like I’m closer to the beginning than the middle.
There are a ton of inspiring people on this site. It’s really neat how everybody brings something different to the table. Keep jamming all!
I‘m going to do the same in about 10 days at a friends birthday party. I offered to bring my guitar along and to play some songs of my small repertoire. It will be the first time for me to do this. But I guess it will be fun .
Hi Nicole, you are doing great. Developing a feeling for rhythm and timing is very, very important and you are doing it right from the start. This surely will pay off in the long run. I’ve always practiced with a metronome and it helps a lot. Suddenly, you get and feel that inner beat and that helps a lot, when you play a song without any support. But you know that already and everything is fine. Have a lot of fun on your holidays!
That sounds so nice. I’m sure it will go great. I remember when long long ago my sister’s boyfriend and the boyfriend’s brother visited us around Christmas time (I was still living at my mother’s place then it’s really long ago). One of them played guitar, the other one, who is a drummer, turned another guitar around and did percussion. They sang and played for us. That was a wonderful evening full of warm and fuzzy feelings. I guess, your friends will experience something similar with you singing and playing
What a very strange day. I have not even noticed how many hours I sank into playing the Epiphone and the Gretsch
Started with checking whether I can actually sing “Hold on” and it went ok. Played the song with very easy 4/4 fingerstyle and noticed there is work to be done. My fingers have not accepted the new A chord shape yet.
Then I stumbled across the video of the 1st pattern Gmajor scale (no idea why I even clicked that link) and got lost in it. It was so much fun learning that scale step by step - and it was a brilliant exercise for my insecure fingers. I stopped after I had played the scale correctly two times there and back (for the lack of a better expression in my now tired brain).
After that I scolded myself that I should immediately return to Beginner grade 1 module I don’t know what. Did that, watched videos I had seen before and for the first time did not skip the Seven Nation Army video.
That riff will haunt me tonight. I am sure I will see nightmares of football stadiums and me having to play that song and failing.
Regardless…Never mind. How I love playing riffs and melodies. I never knew I could. I never knew I would
I’ve enjoyed reading through your learning log and seeing how you’re getting on, i hope you’re enjoying your vacation and getting some quality time with the guitar 
I will soon check out your videos - only have seen the bit funny one yesterday - and will continue crying a river 
Trond give the answer. Timing/rhythm, be in time. and besides that, doing at 140 does take some practice and that training will keep spilling over, so many things will come more easy as you advance and progress. Finger and hand coordination is well. The important things are working for you. You really should be content and happy and just keep moving.
Most interesting question is: where do I find a Blues Brothers suit?
really appreciated… just keep at it. You will get there…
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