Math07's Learning Log - Beyond the Blues Immersion

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My Guitar Journey officially kicked off on June 13, 2021. I’ve been hanging around this community since then… but somehow never started a learning log. Well folks, today’s the day. Break out the confetti! :party_popper:

Chapter 1: The Acoustic & The App (2021–2023)

It all began with my trusty acoustic guitar and the magic of the Justin app. Strumming beginner chords along with backing tracks played by actual bands made it way more fun (and gave me the illusion of being a rockstar, minus the groupies :joy:).

Chapter 2: The First Electric (2023)

Then came the moment of truth: my first electric guitar. Why? Power chords in Grade 2, of course. :sign_of_the_horns: I grabbed a Fender Stratocaster because it was on sale and had a return policy. At that time, I wasn’t even that into electric guitar… so, did I return it? Or did I fall victim to the infamous GAS? (Spoiler: the next chapter might give it away. :smirking_face:)

Chapter 3: The Rock Songbook (2023–2025)

Well, once you’re holding a shiny Strat, the universe expects rock riffs. So I dove into the Rock Songbook, inspired by @alexisduprey’s challenge of recording the first 15 songs.

Going from not playing anything outside the app… to tackling 15 complex songs was a brilliant plan, right? :sweat_smile: Let’s just say I could have chosen an easier challenge. :joy: :joy:

A prime example was Song #4 – La Grange by ZZ Top. For a moment, I honestly thought the project would defeat me. (Billy Gibbons definitely made me sweat.) But somehow, it worked out, and I survived with my beard still intact. Believe it or not, 13 of the 15 songs are now recorded, and 2 even made it to the open mic stage. :microphone::guitar:

Chapter 4: The Grade 3 Rut & the Fingerstyle Detour (2023–2024)

I kicked off Grade 3 but quickly hit a rut. New structures, transcribing exercises… my brain went “nope.” So I took a detour into acoustic fingerstyle land—mainly David Hamburger blues and Justin’s Christmas songs (yes, I tortured my family with endless carols). :mx_claus: :santa_claus:

Eventually, I found my way back to Grade 3 and completed it properly. Looking back, I’m really glad I did : it turned out to be the gateway to many of the good things that followed. At the same time, I kept chipping away at the Rock Songbook, using it to consolidate Grade 3.

Special thanks to @SteveL_G99 and @ziggysden for a discussion in their learning log which inspired me in my grade 3 rut.

And then came the inevitable thought: Wouldn’t humbuckers be cool? Enter a PRS SE McCarty 594 in glorious blue. I told myself it was a “Grade 3 graduation present.” (That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. :sweat_smile:)

Chapter 5 Teaser: The Blues Immersion (2024–???)

Next up on this epic journey: Blues Immersion Class 1. :musical_notes: Will I finally bend strings without sounding like a dying seagull? Will my shuffle groove swing or stumble? And most importantly… will more guitars mysteriously appear at my door? Stay tuned. :wink:

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I enjoyed reading this :slightly_smiling_face:

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Great summary of your guitar journey Mathieu. I’ve seen your rock songbook videos and you playing on a recent OM and you always have a smile on your face.

Thanks for posting.

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Bravo Math! :clap::clap::clap: Super first entry to your Learning Log! Clear and structured, and with some humour too, which never harms…by the way I don’t know the sound of a dying seagull :joy:

Welcome into the world of LL’s updating…have you got a plan about it? I mean how often you’ll update, and what contents you’ll put here…it would be perfectly fine if you haven’t already…but maybe you’ve started it with an idea in mind?

I loved reading about your journey…wow! You’ve achieved really a lot in only a few years and a lot more is on its way to come!

I’m looking foward to your next update already!

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Very interesting read and may I say, you have a way with words; I started out of curiosity and finished out of genuine interest.

I will be watching the Rock Songbook videos for inspiration, that’s a great idea/project/challenge.

Ouch, that hits true here. Not at the point of doing blues immersion myself, not yet at least, so seagulls it is, LOL.

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Hi Mathieu, this is a great summary. You had thanked me, but actually you have inspired me more. I thought that when you had started your Rock songbook project, that you had a lot more experience than me with playing on the electric guitar. Now I have no excuse :smile:

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Hey Mathieu,

it’s great you started your LL and I am looking forward to reading the next part :slight_smile:

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I liked the structure of the LL and your writing style and am looking forward to the Blues update!

Which Rock Songbook are you working through, I couldn’t find one on the store front, just the beginner, acoustic, Christmas and Uke songbooks. Maybe it’s only sold via some third party site?

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Congratulations! Slow and steady wins the race

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Hi Mathieu,
Great :smiling_face_with_sunglasses: …and I really wouldn’t have thought or guessed that you didn’t have an LL :flushed_face: :grin: …have fun with it :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Greetings

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@MarkPeters @Prof_Thunder @Silvia80 @heckler @SteveL_G99 @domi7 @Beatup6String @jvlynch @roger_holland
Thanks everyone for your support, it’s really appreciated! :slight_smile: I love reading other people’s learning logs; they’re so inspiring. And I’ve just discovered that writing one can be fun too — reflecting on it made me realize I should probably sneak more acoustic guitar into my practice since I really enjoyed it in my first years.

@Silvia80
Good question, Silvia. I think my LL will be a space to reflect on the intermediate stage, with updates every couple of months. The Blues Immersion led me into the intermediate stage, and now I’m at a crossroads, reflecting on what the next bridge might be. The intermediate world doesn’t come with a clear map, but this supportive community feels like a compass. :slightly_smiling_face:

And maybe a few cute pictures of my dog to compete with @roger_holland :bird: :bird: :bird: :joy:

@Beatup6String Justin’s rock songbook. Worth every pennies. :slight_smile:

Ashu, here’s the detailed page on the website. It’s also available at Amazon if you are outside Europe.
https://www.justinguitar.com/store/rock-songbook

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Hey Mathieu
I enjoyed reading your learning log too :smiley: It’s also very inspiring, both with your starting your learning log (something I’ve been considering) and your guitar journey. You’ve made amazing progress since 2021!
Looking forward to your updates :slight_smile:

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Hey Matthieu, Good to see you have started a learning log. Will you be going for a structured approach or freestyling? :wink: It’s worth including a list on the first post with links to all the recordings that you’ve posted to date.

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Good to see you starting a log, Mathieu.
You write well and I’m looking forward to the Blim episodes!

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Thank you Jasmine, James and David. :slight_smile: @Avalon426 @Socio @BurnsRhythm

I think it will be freestyle. When a new chapter in my journey happens, I’ll share it here. :slight_smile:

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I’m looking forward to your next post.

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