Kim Lodro Dawa's Learning Log

Community Hub Learning Logs
34

Nice you got introduced to Erik Satie. It is indeed very interesting how he use the notes. Many documentaries and other programs on TV, used Gymnopedie as background track. When I have introduced it to others, many here in Denmark would say: Oh I heard this music before, they used it in such and such Documentary or program. :slight_smile:

It’s very interesting with music and how it is so personally related. Our individual perception. It is amazing how we are totally the same and totally equal and yet, so very individual and different. It’s like a myriad of endless expressions. But that is exactly what I find so magic about the world and its inhabitants :slight_smile: :heart: :pray: ------- Listened a few time to Klara Kormendi, both Gymnopedie and Gnossienne. For me she just doesn’t have it. My perception is, that there are no feel in Gymnopedie and Gnossienne is being played too fast and without substance. — I haven’t compared it to or listened to Anne Queffelec here at the same time, so it’s not like I compare, but my ears tells me that Klara Kormendi is too sterile when playing. I find it very interesting. It’s not that I am right, just my personal perception. :heart: :pray:

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35

The Guitar Corner

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My collected stuff so far:

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I give the bridge and fretboard a little oil (grape seed oil) Grape seed oil is what is used for oak cutting boards for those who know how to cook and butchers etc. Best oil for that. Here in Denmark it can be very dry in winter with frost and very humid also. We have water all around Denmark and I live at a place where there is max 30 km to the beach in 3 directions.

When getting a scratch/wound on the fingers or other places, we have this kind of band aid, and its pretty good on the picks, to hold it better. When I swallow a big mug of tea, my hand start sweating. ( The reason my first video was with sweating hands, not because I was nervous :wink: ).

Just a quick post, now back to theory and guitar practice. :nerd_face: :guitar: :musical_score: :notes: :musical_note: :cowboy_hat_face: :sunglasses: :partying_face:

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36

At least 50% of time I choose to have fun on the guitar. It’s all about having fun. Of course there have to be some training and consolidating in the foundation also. But without the fun, it become boring and almost torture as a beginner.

I don’t use the mobile app, since I don’t use mobile phone unless I really have to, so finding alternatives and my own way to practice, in order to keep up with the foundation. Justin made some suggestions in different videos, so have tried to pick up those practices, in order to become better and faster at chord shifts.

I have wanted to do this video for some days now, but I am seriously busy. I live alone, so also have to cook, shopping, cleaning and all the other chores, beside translating texts, writing different stuff, reading and study, prepare for some seminars coming up and many other things.

It can quickly become way too serious with the guitar journey. Personally I will encourage you to also post a video on how you have fun. How do you have time off from the practice, WITH the guitar? How do you have fun, how do you explore if you do so, what is your thought process, how do you relax and have fun, even as a total beginner like me??? Maybe it could help others to let go of the seriousness, like wanting to be good before time so to speak. Because, sometimes our striving to become better in a hurry, actually slows us down. My philosophy is that we learn way faster when we have fun. Children learn much faster when it is fun, and beginners like me are kind of children on the guitar journey.

My plan was actually to make a better video, better content, not rushing this (Seriously way too busy atm), but also feel it is important to get this fun aspect into the mind stream. Still I hope and have the wish, it can inspire some, help to loosen up, not to get into the feeling of not being good enough, showing you, that we can be equal confident as a beginner as one who have played for decades.

The video became a little longer than I thought, but it also show a tiny glimpse on how I combine different kind of trainings. Example is to combine metronome with learning the notes on the 6th string and maybe a riff also. Like that, combine different trainings to make the best of the time used.

My free hour is up. Here is the video:

Now back to the life on the busy highway. :cowboy_hat_face: :sunglasses: Have fun. Enjoy. Much luv :kissing_heart: :cowboy_hat_face: :+1: :sunglasses: :partying_face: :heart: :pray:

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37

Hi Kim. Yes, having fun is the most important thing about playing the guitar. There are some things a person can find through free exploration that could take ages, if ever, to learn it through conventional lessons and practice. I think the best is a combination of both. I also agree that pushing to be ready prematurely may not help. It’s something that just happens the day a person less expect it. A natural product of regular practice.

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40

Kim, I have looked and listened to all of your videos. You are making great progress. Your chords sound clear. I think that your right hand is more advanced than left, but your chord changes will get faster with time and more playing. I have been playing Grade 1 chords on the guitar for many years, but I still benefit from Justin’s One Minute Chord change exercise. It is amazing how tired my fingers can get with just a minute of chord changes, so it really is a good exercise to continue using even after you have mastered the chords. You look more relaxed in your videos now and seem to be having more fun. Good luck with all of guitar journey adventures.

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42

I had a quick flick through your log, Kim :smiley:
Good to see you jumping right into the deep end, pushing yourself, experimenting with new chords, composing, not to mention exploring theory with the good Richard. Be careful you don’t burn yourself out or spread yourself too thinly
 and don’t forget the boring, really basic repetitive one-minute-chord changes, which will allow you to play complete songs from start to finish without pauses :smiley:
I see you’re a Kim Larsen fan. I remember listening to Rabalderstréde as a teenager and my (Danish) dad coming into the room saying he couldn’t understand a word that was being sung :roll_eyes:
Kvinde min and Langebro still grab my short and curlies and I used Sommerregn in one of my mum’s old 8mm cinefilms as a backing track.
Hilsen etc.

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43

Kim 
 given where this started (discussions of Dmaj7) I think you may just fall off your chair when you know that those two chords are Amaj7 and A7 respectively.
Familiar??

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46

Haha, that is precisely Justin’s philosophy. It’s not a ‘speed thingy’ :wink:
We’re supposed to do it slowly and correctly, so it sounds right.
Then repeat.
Ad nauseam.
Eventually when we grasshoppers repeat it enough, we become ‘faster’ or ‘automatic’.
Regarding feeling. Well, once you have the right chord technique, feeling comes from timing.
In order to add feeling, you have to subtly vary the timing. You in order to do that, we have to learn how to be able to play in the regular rhythm to add in variations.
I know that kind of sucks, going against the ‘wild free spirit’ side of things, but hey, that’s life :wink:
Oh yeah, don’t forget to keep your individuality.
Too many of us sound the same :rofl:

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47

Kim, If you practice 5 hours a day, then you greatly outperform my 40 minutes of practice each day. I understand that you are not playing continuously for the 5 hours or your fingers would be too painful to use. It sounds like you have the freedom to spend hours exploring music and following each musical path that you find interesting.

I understand your philosophy of playing clean and precise rather than fast. You might benefit from using the training technique Justin introduces in the beginning of Grade 2 for Module 8 practice - Perfect Fast Changes. In this training you only play as fast as you can make perfect chords, but you still count the number of changes in a minute so you can track your progress.

The benefit of changing between 2 chords continuously for one minute is to focus on the chord changes, including using anchor fingers. When you play a beginner level song, much of the time is holding down the chord without changing. This training exercise will help improve your chord changes in songs. If you do 5 minutes of Perfect Chord Changes, you might be able to reduce your practice time to 4 hours and still progress just as well.

If your goal is to write and compose songs the theory is good. You will also benefit from viewing and playing along to as many Justin’s song lesson videos as you can. Justin starts each song with simple strumming and chords and then shows how to use more complicated strums and rhythms and sometimes more advanced chords.

Have fun on the guitar. I look forward to see and hearing your progress in the future.

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49

Kim, please accept my apology. Sometimes I try too hard to be helpful. But as you say, I mean well :slight_smile: :grinning: :slight_smile: I can understand that your wish to focus on composing and not performing means that timed chord changes may not be for you.

I do think that looking at many of Justin’s song lesson videos on the JG website will provide additional training on learning to improve the rhythm and chord structure for songs.

P.S. I haven’t visited Denmark, but my university German language instructor 30 years ago was from Denmark. Some day I will visit your beautiful country and the city of Copenhagen.

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53

Well said! Kim Lodro (by the way, for some reason I think this is the way I should use your name, rather than just Kim, but I could be wrong). You may find this from @Richard_close2u to also be inspiring in your song-writing (if you’ve not already seen it): Using borrowed chords - introduction + examples

55

Song writing.

For almost 3 years, I was asking around for some to compose music for my poems, but never got any serious reply. So I have taken up the task myself. The reason I got the guitar and eventually ended up here at Justin Guitar. So lets get to work :joy:

I never had a problem with song writing as such. They come flowing when ever they want.
In this sense, I will not be able to provide any help to others in this regard.
I have used an online tool to help a bit with the rhymes, but in general , they just came like crazy and I had to be quick to write them down, else they were lost for me, unable to recall them.

The online tool is called: rhymezone - Really cool little thingy.
Also via that I learned some slang words and got deeper into English. I prefer solely to use British English but as it’s my second language, I might go wrong here and there and use US English.
Also I can use that tool, in case I need to change some words here and there to make the music fit. But I hope, I will be able to change the music, so it fits with the poems as they are.

My issue now, is to compose some music that goes with the poems. How to go about it?
I think I will spend some time and see if I can find some good videos or text, that can give me some hints. It’s gonna be a totally new experience for me.

I already have posted one poem. Here is a couple of others. I might just try out one verse first or what ever comes. I guess when first getting into it, it might start flowing all by itself. That’s at least the impression I get when listening to all those bands and other song writers. Many of them had help from others in the band or around, but also many have done it 100% on their own.

I will go with these 2 poems first and see if I can come up with something:
No, I was never a Choo-Choo man, no clue how that came about :wink:

I once was a Choo-Choo Man

I was a choo-choo man and always had a dream to change
Despite being told it is impossible to rearrange
It came to mind that I have been living in one big lie
Full of disturbing emotions and blinkers for the eye

Everyday I went to work to drive the choo-choo
Liked by all and no one thought I was ku-ku
As long I fakely smiled and held the proper line
Stupidly and narrow-minded and all would be fine

As I suddenly change and become creative
Or sit for hours and look speculative
Many people get confused, run screaming away and think
That I quickly as possible should go to a shrink

Changing attitude and working with the mind
In order to become more wise and more kind
Many think I have gone crazy or just want to abuse
Notice so many weird kind of hidden accuse

When I look at others with my level
It’s all in my mind wether I see an angel or a devil
I shouldn’t judge what others do, say or think
It could actually be me who are on the brink

So since we all run around deaf and blind
Wouldn’t it be wiser and way more kind
If we open-minded and kindly together
Helped ourself and others free of the tether

If I tightly and dearly hold on to the past
It’s impossible to change the mind smoothly and fast
If I think and see everything as impure
It’s like my mind is drowning in a pile of manure

If I always are worried what others think
I would be constantly insecure and on the brink
I don’t want to follow narrow-minded views and stupid desire
I want to find and awaken the original fire

All go uneasy and worry if I act different than I usually do
What they want is just for me to drive the same boring choo-choo
Hold the narrow line strict and proper
Despite it’s all fake and one big whopper

By Kim Lodro Dawa, 8th January 2018

A poem I wrote in response to a good friend who asked me some questions:

Building a fence

Setting up the fence very strong,
Building it tall and very long,
It really never will be enough,
As the maras are very tough,

The fence will cover the inner glow,
Preventing from going with the flow,
Pleasing others will keep you in the tether,
As on a windy day like a lonely feather,

Like a dog sniffing in others trail,
Is a sure way for the mind to fail,
Whether you are with friends or foes,
Others feet are always with smelly toes,

Ego will hold you down very tight,
Just look at it without a fight,
Since there is nothing there to see,
Then just laugh and let it be,

by Kim Lodrö Dawa - 24th March 2019

Half my poems I will not show on here, as they are not that family friendly. They are pretty hardcore. Those from 2016 and 2017 was during my mental breakthrough. In general my experiences and such shines through. I also have a love poem and stuff like that. Of course a love poem, but not really having the strong feeling I had that time, so might be difficult or even impossible. But these two and others, they are still with the same power, also the poem further up the thread “A whittler in da Hood” - But that one was in connection with some special events, so want more experience before taking on that task.

You are welcome to use them and give them other words, make changes or what ever. They are free for all to use. As said before if being used and changes are made, it’s all yours. If they are exact copy, then write the source. I don’t want credit or go into any copyright thingy. Just so people know the source. It’s always good to know the source. Any suggestions are welcome, links to videos or what ever. But else. Let the process begin :partying_face: :notes: :guitar: :cowboy_hat_face: :sunglasses: :heart: :pray:

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56

Hi Kim,

For us that we have no formal education in music, putting music to a poem may be more a trial and error process. Hey, but The Beatles didn’t have that formal education so there’s hope for us.

I think you can try singing or speaking the poems the way you think work best, then you can see if the rhythm is 1, 2 (2/4); or 1, 2, 3 (3/4); or 1, 2, 3, 4 (4/4); or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (6/8). It could be other time signature, but the ones I mentioned above are more common. It could be even a combination.

It may be other ways, but I would start trying some common chord progressions and see if one fits better and go from there with your own exploration if needed. You can do single strums in the first bar while exploring the chord progressions and when you have a chord progression that you like you can try different accompaniments, strummed chords, plucked chords, arpeggios, hitting and muting the strings whatever you see fit better.

Other person would go in a different sequence. Can be as many ways to do it as persons trying it, but as your (and my) music and guitar knowledges increase going from wanting to to be able to develop musical ideas could get easier.

Also you can check videos in YT like this:

7 supper common chord progressions and why they work (David Bennett Piano)

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58

Kim,
Let me know if I can help at all with any explanations of how I put the song together.
I wish I’d learned in such a diligent, structured way - where I am wouldn’t have taken half as long!
Cheers
Neil

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59

Now I know this is somewhat sacrilegous, but I am not a huge Beatles fan (I like their early pop/rock n roll singles and far less of the later songs) so not likely to watch the YT video. But I would say that however much theory they may or may not have known, George Martin probably knew a great deal. Again, how much he influenced we will also never know.

I am one of those Reaper users and it has served me well. If not aware, should you have any questions you can post them in #gear-tools-talk:hardware-software-recroding

63

Keep doing what you are doing, Kim Lodro, learning, practicing, playing.

Bravo on sharing a first song. I also smiled while listening. I liked the use of the rest.

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64

Hi Kim, keep working on those originals. Good you’re finding inspiration in Danish artists. The mix of global and local can fuel creativity. Post as often works for you.

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65

What a line!

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67

Well done, Kim, for taking the bull by the horns and just doing it :smiley:
You’re playing guitar.
You’re singing a song that you wrote.
It has personal meaning for you.
Most importantly of all:

Simply sharing what gives us pleasure is fine :smiley:
(If you would like constructive criticism from learner’s who have already been down your path, feel free to ask)
Hilsen

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74

Still unable to play other peoples compositions. Haven’t even started training any yet. :wink: Actually, I couldn’t really care less :joy: :joy:

But I am still plucking away and having a lot of fun with the music. I stopped theory after getting a good foundation. 12 notes to shuffle around, that’s basically it. Modes is nothing but another sophisticated way of mixing the same 12 notes. It does help to have some different octaves to choose from, but guitar is very limited compared to a piano.

Though the massive limitation and despite western music in general is very poor, it is still possible to make pleasing music and to express oneself via the instruments.

Today I am very very happy, I didn’t just blindly listened to the crowd, when they said, learn songs learn songs play others songs
 I would have stopped long time ago and never had the wonderful experience on how the fingers all by themselves find the string to pull and how wonderful sounds can come out of the instrument. I am so very very happy, that I didn’t start with the boring A, D, G 
 but found those easy chords that was pleasing to my ear
 Am, Dm, E
 That made my start way more smooth and pleasant.

Today I made a short recording, despite nothing really works and fingers are stiff and stomach scream for food. But despite all that, I find it so pleasing and enjoyable, to pick up the guitar and just jam away, with what ever the fingers like to do
and funny enough
it more than often is also in line with my thinking and feelings at that moment
so with all this, I can gladly confirm, that it is possible to learn to play guitar and other instruments, without having to learn to play others compositions. Wish you all, a very merry jamming happy new year :partying_face: Just to make a recording https://youtu.be/QLN29b19r0g