I saw some really inspiring Logs in the Community Forum so I thought I might as well start one too!
A bit about myself:
My name is Pauline and I’m from the West of Germany, I’m 22 years old and a fan of everything Vintage!
A little backstory on my guitar journey: I bought my first guitar last saturday. (27.07.24)
A semi acoustic Ibanez AF55-TF.
Here’s the link for all of you that are interested: Ibanez Artcore AF55-TF Tobacco Flat | MUSIC STORE professional
It might not be the best out there but I already love her to pieces. Nice to play and even nicer to look at!
I’ve been playing Ukulele for a few years on and off again, never really serious about it, just for playing around and singing a little while doing so. But I am a huge fan of vintage music.
Rock n’ Roll, Rockabilly, Jazz and Blues! And I felt like listening to it wasn’t enough and I really wanted to be able to play these songs, that I love so much, all by myself! And that was the last bit of motivation I needed to run down to my local music store and finally make this dream of mine come true!
On the same day I started JG Beginner Grade 1 Module 1, overall it was not that challenging but I credit that to my little experience of Ukulele and am aware that this will change any day now!
My fingers are killing me, even got blisters on my finger tips! But now callouses are slowly coming in hopefully, would’ve never thought I wish for that someday
The chord changes are going very well so far, although I think the finger pain is holding me back a bit. My strumming patterns are also improving! I was in a rut of one singular strumming pattern that I used for everything on the Ukulele, but I couldn’t shake it off! In the beginning I always fell back into that same exact pattern but with the leg bouncing and counting I’m slowlyyy getting the hang of it.
Currently I’m on Beginner Grade 1 Module 3
And I must say I really enjoy the Seven Nation Army Riff, it’s just fun to play over and over! Even though my plectrum and I are not quite friends yet. I’m so accustomed to strumming with my fingers but I really want to be good at both so I’ll take the hard route. And of course I bought the wrong picks, I bet the people at the music store could smell the beginner from miles away but I know better now and ordered myself a big mix of picks, including really soft ones that hopefully make strumming a little easier on me.
Tommorow I think I might move on to Beginner Grade 1 Module 4 and see what Justin has in store for me there, haha! Will come back here to record my progress and problems…
Always happy for some feedback!
Hi Pauline, welcome to the community. That’s a really nice guitar you’ve chosen, the Artcore range has a really good reputation with some jazz players I know. It’s also a really good looking guitar. You’re 22 so will probably learn at a quicker rate than some of us older people around here but I would encourage you not to rush - the journey is the point here, not the destination. As you move through Grade 1 you will find it takes a while longer to properly get through them and get the skills locked in. Time taken now, pays off when you get to the higher grades. Your ukelele playing will help you somewhat, I think the uke strings are tuned the same as the bottom 4 strings of the guitar so basic chords should be similar.
Take your time, let everything sink in thoroughly and above all have fun in the process!
It’s a very nice guitar that you have and will suit you very well for a good few years into your journey. Beware of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) it’s very sneaky and pounces on you at the slightest opportunity, oh and also remember that the number of Guitars you want = n+1 where n = the number you have now!
Yes, Justin recommends really thin ones to start with and that’s the way to go. They don’t sound great and are a bit ‘flappy’ but are very forgiving in the early stages. As your skills progress you can move on to thicker ones. Have a look here. What picks do you use?
Welcome Pauline. Fabulous update and lots of sound encouragement given.
Enjoy the process. I no longer say it’s a journey as that tends to suggest a destination. And in the broadest sense it is the never-ending journey, for many a life-long adventure.
Hey there everyone! Thought I type up a quick follow up to the introduction!
I gladly have no problems with the C Chord as I already used it in a few songs that I played just to have fun and experiment.
Whenever I don’t have motivation for the 20 minutes of practice, I start by playing a few songs I found on the “Tabs” app (I think thats the name but I’m not completely sure) and then more often than not I also push through with the regular practice!
Haven’t missed a day of picking up my guitar since the beginning of the month and I’m quite proud of that
The strumming patterns I still have to get into more. I always fall back to the one I’ve always used since starting to play the Ukulele. It fits most songs so it’s not necessarily bad but I’d like to be a bit more versatile in that regard.
The riffs are always the most fun part in my opinion! I get really motivated and play them over and over again till I get them. Must look crazy if someone would be watching
Also played with someone else that plays the piano, for the first time!
Just a few songs like “I walk the line” by Johnny Cash , but making music together is even better than I thought it would be! Whenever I have friends over I always make them sing something and accompany them on my guitar ( with no regard for their singing talent )
I think I may stick to the Beginner Grade 1 Module 5 a few days longer and then I’ll move on.
Generally I get the requirements to move on quite fast, but I think still sticking to each module a little bit longer can’t be wrong.
That’s it for today! If you’ve come this far: Thank you very much for reading!
Thanks for this cheerful update. Reading it made me smile a lot. Sounds as if you are very much on the right track with your practicing. It’s fantastic that you get to make music with your friends, btw
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