When I did my last Learning Log and I said that I was enjoying the Grade 1 Riffs @DavidP uggested that I put them up on AVOYP, so here they are.
Before viewing can I just paraphrase the immortal words of Eric Morecombe “I am playing the right notes (at least I think I am, my comment) but not necessary to the right rhythm”
I am only on Module 6 so very much a beginner and I am really using them for moving individual fingers around on the fretboard, picking the right strings and coordination the two. The rhythm or tempo are not right but hopefully that will come with more practice.
I have included Peter Gunn Theme, Seven Nation Army, Sunshine of Your Love and Come as You Are. They are all played on my Yamaha CG120MS using a Tortex 0.6mm pick, and I combined them in iMovie.
I have also including the intro Riff to Brown Eyed Girl, which I am working on, as it is one of the five songs, I am using to pass Grade 1. However, I have a problem in that I don’t have a cutaway guitar and the third bar is played between the 12th and 17th Frets, so I have improvised and played the first bar again. There are two versions, Take 1 is just the riff and Take 2 is shortened version and then going straight into the chords. I have studied Justin’s lesson on the song and I am pretty sure after he has played the riff he does an up strum so he can get his fingers down to the end to play the first chord which is an open G. Because I wanted to do this, I have used a Jim Dunlop 0.38mm nylon pick for this riff. If you listen to the original song there is also a definite note(s) after the eighth bar, ear training must be having some effect, as to what it might be is beyond me.
Your playing is clean, with good fretting and picking/plucking. I think you’re making marvellous progress and laying solid foundations. Keep up the good work.
Being aware of this will most definitely bring improvement. Rather than leaving this important aspect of making music to sometime in the future, you might like to spend some practice time working with a metronome set at a slow bpm so you continue playing with the accuracy you already have, and get the feel of the rhythm at the same time Michael.
Well done Michael. For 6 modules into the course from scratch, you are progressing well mate. A lot to be proud of here.
As you say, getting used to moving the fingers around and hitting the right notes is the aim here. Not easy at the beginning, but just keep doing what you’re doing with focused practice. Coming along nicely.
I would concur with @batwoman regarding rhythm practice with a metronome at a slow pace as the next phase in this.
Hi Michael, good share and sounds like the riffs are coming along nicely. Notes ringing clean.
Brown Eyed Girl is pretty tricky to play at speed btw - and yes, a cutaway needed for most people.
A little tip on Seven Nation Army. The original was played on slide guitar, so the riff sounds better if you slide between frets rather than lift. Adds quite a different sound to the riff. Give it a go.
Well done for sharing your riff progress Michael.
You already know that being steady in the rhythm is vital - and slowing down to play perfectly will help in that.
One aspect I was looking at was your right arm / wrist / hand / fingers.
I would encourage you to try to loosen them up. Your arm and wrist are straight and stiff. What you ideally want is some relaxing of that so that you are not picking individual notes on separate strings in a way that relies on perfect accuracy of the movement of the biggest limb involved in the process - your forearm. That is an unreliable method prone to inaccuracy. Instead, reduce the arm movement significantly, and allow your wrist and your fingers to be the ‘moving parts’.
Well done, Michael, making great progress in the playing and the recording to share in AVOYP.
In addition to the encouragement and suggestions already made, I’ve a thought on playing the Peter Gunn riff.
I think one of the benefits of this riff is helping to develop stretch, the ability to play over 4 frets. I notice that you are moving your hand up the fretboard to reach the note played with pinky and back for the note played with the index finger. I suggest looking at your hand position when you play the note with the pinky, see the position of the index finger. Then try and fret the note with the index finger without moving the hand back, or at least with just enough movement to fret the note.
You have given you some great bit of advice. Nothing more I can add of value other than encouragement.
Riffs are great for developing finger independence, dexterity and strength. It was great to see you play the ones you have learned so far. Keep up the good work.
There has been a wealth of advice offered already but for a few months in you are making good progress. Boy wish these riffs had been part of the old Beginner Course but they are all good fun to learn and play. Top man !
@batwoman
Maggie
Thanks for reply as you say rhythm needs working on. I have been concentrating in the last month on learning songs both playing and singing so perhaps not doing as much on structured lessons as I should. However, during the process of learning songs, I realised my rhythm was not right, so in the last week I have been strumming with the metronome at different speeds. I find the issue I have is that I always seem to get ahead of the metronome but at least I know what I need to work on.
@sclay
Shane
Agreed rhythm needs work. One of the issues with the riffs is Sunshine of Your Love was the only one I really knew before as I can well recall it when it first came out when I was a teenager. Must have sounded ok when I was practicing as my 28-year-old daughter said she recognised the tune. Must have brainwashed her with my generations music when she was young.
@jkahn
Am I right in thinking the slide guitar sound is like the rasping noise of your fingers moving along the strings. Must confess I was trying to limit that sound rather than enhance it.
@Richard_close2u
Richard
You are quite right, I am too stiff and tense when I am playing, I think it a beginner’s desire to concentrate hard to get things right.
By a total coincidence I was reviewing Justin lesson on Take Me Home Country Roads, one of my songs for grade 1. I was playing about with what Justin was showing of playing the base note and then strumming, not intending to do that for Grade 1 but what I did was play the base note with the pick and a down strum with my index finger, which of course opened up my fingers up and so my hand was not tense. So, I then strummed I was conscious of untensing my fingers and it sound a lot better. However still need to move my arm a bit more. But things are coming together slowly.
@roger_holland
As you say lots of advice but thanks for taking the time to listen.
@DavidP
David will look at the video again on Peter Gunn about stretching to get four frets.
I am doing the finger stretching exercise and currently get to the second fret with some difficult which is more of a struggle on the 5th and 6th Strings
@Socio
Thanks James
The dexterity issue is a strange one.
Apologies if I digress. I am righthanded and my handwriting is extremely poor which I have always blamed on poor dexterity, thanks goodness for typing on a computer at work. My preserved lack of dexterity is a strange one, as when I was at school you had to take some time called General Studies which was completely different to the exam courses you were taking and as part of this I learnt to touch type (never got the hang of shorthand unfortunately). Bearing in mind at this time computers took up whole floors in office buildings and you input your program on punch card or tape. The ability to touch type has stayed with me and of course was valuable skill when keyboards came in. Sorry about the aside but my lack of good handwriting has always puzzled me when my fingers can do other things so perhaps my poor handwriting had nothing to do with dexterity.
Well done Michael. It’s a valuable exercise to practise picking notes on individual strings and these riffs are a great way to do that. You’ll find the skill comes into it’s own if you want to strum and pick out bass notes at the same time.
Later on when you want to try scale note improvisation over a backing track…….
You have already identified that the rhythm isn’t spot on but once your fingers automatically know where they are going then the rhythm will follow. Still, you could tell what the tunes were, so you’re more than half way there.
@SgtColon
Thanks for the comments Stefan, as you say rhythm is what needs working on.
I think there might be a reluctance on beginners to post something up that is not nearly perfect which I think is a mistake. All guitarist have to start somewhere even Justin. This was only my second AVOYP but the comments you receive identify what needs working on but also looking at the video with some honest self analysis is a very valuable. Hopefully at some time in the future I will look back on these posts and see that I have come a long way from there.
I agree with you Michael, especially, if like me, you have no one else to ask where you might be going wrong with things. We all seek perfect and if we thought about it, we’d never post anything because and I’m sure it’s true of professionals, we all make mistakes and are always overly critical of ourselves. This I think just comes with playing. I have played for my family and made mistakes but I don’t think they have picked up on them and have said, “that was really good” and I’ve thought, “meh”.
Could not agree more Michael. I think many people are posting recordings in their Learning Logs since the name change which do not get the same exposure and the resulting feedback they would do here.
But for those a little shy there is always the Beginners Safe Space
This was a common starting place for newbies to post their first few recordings on the old forum and gain some confidence before stepping into the lights, Unfortunately it seldom gets used as it is no longer as visible as it used to be since we moved here. Last post was Feb.
Absolutely Michael. If we waited for perfection (a relative term of course) we wouldn’t post anything. If we were capable of true perfection we wouldn’t be on this forum - we’d be out there making making a fortune and having Eric Clapton round for dinner.
My most recent AVoYP was far from what I wanted to achieve and I knew that was the case but I posted it anyway despite knowing that if I did 30 takes I could improve on it.
I looked on it as a line in the sand. It generated a bit of discussion in the thread and made me think about what I was trying to achieve.
@TheMadman_tobyjenner
Toby
Thought I knew most parts of the community forum but not really aware of this particular topic but it is good idea.
If I missed it so might others.
I guess I have gone straight in at the deep end
Gordon @sairfingers
You are right we are not likely to reach perfection but there comes a point where you feel it is good enough to post and get some feedback.
Michael
