JokuMuu's Learning Log

This is really great to hear Nicole. It’s been a rocky ride but glad you have your mojo back! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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Great update Nicole and I’m pleased your practise sessions are going well.
Yes I agree, that Eddie Vedder song sounds simple enough but has a load of learning opportunities within it. It’s a classic example of what Justin calls a “grower”, start simple and add things to it as your playing improves. Same thing goes for the terrific solo too. I’m sure with a bit of time you could get that down.
I didn’t know the Velvet Underground song but the melody is really good. As for Lou Reed’s vocal……he makes Bob Dylan sound great! :grin:

Very likely it will always be a rocky ride, Toby @TheMadman_tobyjenner

Gordon @sairfingers… Why am I not surprised? :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

I confess, I like the original version less than e.g. this cover version (see below)

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Ha! the usual shade on Dylan’s singing :wink: Let me tell you, sir, that Bob Dylan made it possible for Lou Reed to be a lead singer. :grinning_face:

I once read a review of the Dire Straits album Making Movies, where the author said that the vocals sound like Mark Knopfler doing an imitation of Lou Reed doing an imitation of Bob Dylan. :laughing:

I’m actually a major Dylan fan despite his vocal style. :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:
I’ve seen him a couple of times over the years and I’m going to see him again in Glasgow this November.

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And I am one because of it :laughing:

(among other things)

I knew you were a Dylan fan, hence the good-natured kidding. (I think I’ve seen you cover something by Bob, yeah?)

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Note to self: You get what you ask for… Sometimes you might want to keep your big mouth shut. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

In my 1:1 guitar lesson last week. there was an AC/DC song book sat on the table. “Who is learning AC/DC songs?”, I asked. "Surprisingly many. Hey, some of these songs are not even that difficult. Want to take a look at “Highway to hell”? Sure, it’s an iconic song after all… :sign_of_the_horns: :sign_of_the_horns:
:sign_of_the_horns:

So, I got some homework :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

The change from A to D/F# is breaking my back at the moment. One finger A to D/F# is tricky. The same applies to one finger power chord A to D/F#. Somehow there is so much movement going on… Should open A really be the correct choice? Right now rumours have it that ACDC uses quite a lot of open chords…

Luckily Justin has an (old, old) lesson. I absolutely have to check it out what version of A he uses.

EDIT: Interpreting, one finger A (I had suspected as much), but according to Justin, Angus plays the D/F# with fingers 2; 3 and 4 instead of 1; 2; 3. I think I will simply go for the D/F# version that I can change to fastest.

EDIT: Looks like this is a great song example also for learning muting. I’m muting instinctively, but couldnI do it better? Definitely something to bring up in the next 1:1 lesson…

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I do.

I’m playing this riff using my thumb to fret notes on the low E, both for D/F# and G. You can try it, maybe you’ll find it easier as well.

Now you should be here to see me with my mouth wide open, Artem :grinning_face_with_big_eyes: :grinning_face:

That’s what I suggested in the 1:1 lesson “Hmm… I could also use my thumb to fret the low E. Feels more comfortable…” Answer, yes, if it works for you, you can do that as well… However, no comment that it’s actually a good idea :light_bulb:

Thank you. If it works for you, I will try indeed!!! Maybe this way, the speed in which I manage to play the intro will at some point evolve to something better than " Forest path to a hot place" :hot_face:

That would be the Byway to Hell version.

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Highways or byways… I’m decidedly meandering at forest path speed :evergreen_tree: :deciduous_tree: :evergreen_tree:

Can’t beat a bit of Acker Dacker. Tried that a couple of weeks back but the trigger fingers flipped me the bird :fu: so one to save for another day.

Have fun and enjoy !!

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AC/DC songs can sound deceptively simple, I struggled some years ago with Back to Black, the rhythm shifts are not easy to get and the riffs in-between power chords are tricky, for me anyway. I’ll have to another go.

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Hey Nicole, I’m really happy to read you’re right back on track :guitar::love_you_gesture:

:see_no_evil_monkey::speak_no_evil_monkey: I’m afraid I know what you mean!

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I’m not sure if I’m on track really. Right now, I am completely happy with being on this spiralling, ever-meandering forest path, which is lined with many rabbit holes :rabbit_face: I know, where I want to be and this path might or might not take me there in the long-run. For now, it’s most important that playing guitar makes me happy.

Speaking of which. I could not help laughing when playing along with “Society” on YouTube (someone invent a count-in function please…). Solo and outro showed me that I played on time using the strumming pattern I wanted and that I remembered the chord progression.
As soon as I turn off YouTube and play by myself, what I’m playing seemingly unconsciously changes to a different strumming pattern than the one I intend to practice. This happened repeatedly and it was just so funny.

More to learn. I’m glad that a simple song has so much to teach me :grinning_face:

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“It was better than last week”, said my guitar teacher. I agree. It’s far from a highway yet, but maybe the forest path has been opened for pony carriages.

While continuing to work on the highway, in the lesson today we also took a look at T.N.T.

Miraculously, Justin has a tutorial for this song as well, so it looks as if I have this week’s homework laid out for me.

At the moment, combining 1:1 lessons with JG works well. Fun times :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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Hey, it’s great to read your lates updates! :slight_smile:
I’m glad this works fine for you!

I’m sure your path will take you closer at least and then… also you might see some new paths open up during the journey.

Haha! :slight_smile: I remember similar things happening to me. Sometimes, it’s even hard to find some explanation, but after insistent practice, most problems sorted out for me at some point. (While of course, there’s always a certain amount of unsolved problems, otherwise I wouldn’t need to practice anymore :slight_smile: )

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Nicole…in my dictionary you definetely are on the right track :100: Apologies for the late reply :grimacing:

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You are too kind, @Silvia80 :face_blowing_a_kiss:

Thank you as well @domi7 As mentioned somewhere else in this LL recently, I am really lucky with my new guitar teacher, it’s so much more motivating to hear things like “You are almost there” or “it’s better than last week”.

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Probably my favorite moment of the day:

I sat in the kitchen and had dialled some nice distortion tone, practicing “Highway to hell”. My husband came in, listened and started singing…

Looks like there is some work to do yet.

(Later he said that he had only been trolling. I’m still laughing nonetheless :rofl:)

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