Phil @philsmith
Great read.
You do sound as though you keep going round the roundabout and not sure which exit to take, I am sure you will make the right choice.
Michael
So time for an update to my learning log, and to set forth goals for the year.
I really love this community and feel that it has done so much for my guitar playing experience. I would not be as far along as I am now without it, if only I only did the lessons. I have attended most of the clubs too and I think they are a great addition, I think they provide an insight into how other people feel about topics in the moment, so you realize I am not the only one, who goes from understanding to being overwhelmed, seemingly instantly.
The community also helps me to see that others have similar hopes and reservations for things like performing and songwriting. Bottom line I just have to get over it.
Looking back on my last update, I thought I didn’t know my direction, but upon reflection, I think it summarized what I want to achieve. I also think that having a range of things on the go at any time allow me to remain interested, although probably slow down my progress.
I have been consolidating what I know in songs for grade 2/early grade 3 since the summer, adding in regular fingerpicking practice and also keeping singing. Combining fingerpicking and singing is like patting your head and rubbing your stomach still to me. At times it works and then goes off the rails.
Over Christmas I was out running with friends from the running club and they asked me to play guitar for them sometime, as they were interested. We had 12 people for dinner on New Years Eve and I decided to go for it. We stayed at the table and I played the songs I know on the acoustic. They continued to talk, so I was just background noise rather than the focus. I started to sing and got the strong hint from my wife not too. Afterwards she explained, it was causing people to focus on me, not my struggling to sing. I played 4 or 5 songs, I survived. So that is a major hurdle out of the way.
My learnings from that are it is amazing how hard it is to hear your playing with 12 people talking in a room. I was very focused on my playing, and now that I messed up a few times, but nobody cared. Most of it is a blank of what happened. They all said I was good, but nobody would really say anything else. One of them is a musician and we talk about recording and stuff when we are on our own, so I may get some thoughts from him in the near future.
I am glad I did it. I had books/sheets as a reminder, once I got each song started it was fine, without worrying about lyrics it was easier tbh. Need to get started organizing songbook pro so I can use that. I need to know the chords and strumming, as I can’t “hear” songs in my head to know the pattern without a prompt, and lyrics of course.
I have also continued going to the songwriting group, although I haven’t broken my songwriting duck yet. I have done lots of reading and youtube videos to try to learn the process, but I recognize it is just procrastination to avoid writing that first bad song and sharing it.
So my goals for the year.
- Have fun playing and learning
- Consolidate Grade 2 and work through the rest of Grade 3.
- Complete strumming SOS - incorporate different patterns into songs
- Take PMT beyond grade 1
- Practice more on electric - particularly string muting
- Embark on solo blues - licks and bending and listening
- Participate in more community OM’s
build a setlist of songs that I am comfortable with, and aspiring to - Perform at a live OM before the end of the year.
- Write and share a song at the songwriters group, and here in the community.
- Give transcribing a real effort
Boy I’m glad I’m retired with that list. I have some ideas about how to have a rotation of how to attack all that, but it needs more thought. I love Toby’s spreadsheet concept, but I know I am not disciplined enough to pull it off.
I think my wife is amazed that I have stuck with it so long, and play everyday. I am more into it now than when I first had the crazy idea to buy a guitar in 2019. That is thanks to a lot of you here for direct advice as well as the indirect learnings from reading and watching a lot of threads, even if I don’t always comment. Also watching others progress is very inspiring.
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Hehehe… interresting read Phil. I can see we have quite a lot in common in our guitar journey…
Huge Cred for playing for youre friends and wife. I can recognise the feeling, and i would have been very uncomfy doing it myself.
I have decided to take a step back and start from module 2 again. This time with electric guitar, also started on music theory, need to understand whats going on down that neck 
I also mess around with blues licks… wants to do solos, but not really there yet. Thinking about heading down the blues path, but need to finish up grade 3, came half way on it and laid it to rest for way to long…
But hey… as long as you pick up that guitar daily and having fun… all that matters!
Really hope you can cross out if not all, than most of youre goals this year!
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This weekend I participated in my first Live Open Mic at a local brewery.
As I have said before a few posts up, I have a lot of things on my things I want to do list. Sometimes it feels a little overwhelming, but I am happy with my progress this year.
- I played for friends and family - it was New Years Eve, but I’m counting it.
- I played another community Open Mic - a little less nervous
- I have written the words for a song, need to do the chords and melody part. The next songwriters group is in 3 weeks, so maybe I can flesh something out by then. I think I am going to try the dice approach as, I don’t have a musical imagination yet.
- I played at a live open mic, and stood in on the jam at the end.
In preparation for the open mics, I have chosen 5 songs. They are each a little different stylistically to try to make them interesting when I do get to perform. I have been practicing them all everyday since December, really the focal point of my playing and practicing. I have put them into songbook pro on my phone. Unfortunately haven’t got them onto my Ipad as it is too old. I am working on it.
I decided that there will never be a right time to step out in public, and the community are very supportive, so this weekend it was. I told my wife earlier in the week. She was going to attend, but in the end didn’t feel well.
I got there “early” but was still 7th on the list behind a really good player, my wife’s favorite. So I had lot’s of time to think and plan. I tuned and practiced a little before my turn.
When it was my turn, it all happened fast. I didn’t put my phone on the stand, so no lyrics. (it wasn’t a problem really). I played my 2 songs. I know I messed up some chords and lyrics. After 2 songs, I decided that I would stop at that point. I felt my brain was going to butcher other lyrics. My next song would have been Good Riddance, I struggle with the picking strings in the first verse, and I could drop that, but I feel I want to play it that way when I do it. I didn’t want to start trying to set my phone up.
Hearing my guitar and voice through monitors louder than anything I do at home was something new to me, and takes some getting used to. Playing unplugged in the jam, I couldn’t hear my guitar at all (probably for the best).
My friend Keith introduced me and said how he had been encouraging me to play. All the musician’s were very supportive, and asked if I would do it again.
The Jam at the end was something I was looking forward to, but knew would be hard. I figured I could watch chords and follow. This is where I got lots of learnings. The better players, played the chords in varying positions, their finger positions are not easy to see and especially not from the side. One guy had left a tuner on, so I could pick up some of the chords that were being played.
I expected to struggle so I stayed unplugged and spent most of the time strumming muted strings. It was really interesting to hear how they talked and communicated between each other as the songs progressed.
I have done some music theory and sort of know how to figure out the chords in the key. The speed that you have to do it, was a real eye opener. I also have been trying to practice triads and thought I could use a few shapes and play something. That was a real non starter, my mind couldn’t process shapes, frets and timing to even make it an option. One of the songs was a 12 bar blues, which was easier to follow along as it was more predictable, as Lieven said it is a good choice, although it would be a long time before I ever dream to lead anything
The experience of being on stage with a band was great. Feeling the music physically and being involved in it was great. The audience reaction even though it was for nothing I did was good. I am definitely craving more. Watching the experienced musicians navigate songs they knew and songs they didn’t was great, the chatter between them was interesting. Being able to get up and join in with people playing is what I really want to be able to do.
So for a path forward, I may relax playing my set a bit, and adding some new songs. Learning more about song structure, trying to learn 12 bar blues in different keys and forms. I also am going to try to improve my music theory particularly chords in the key.
I plan to do more with backing tracks and my Trio/looper to just get more comfortable with playing with others.
All in all a great start to the year, onward and upward. Looking forward to next month maybe. Having done it once the barrier to doing it again should be lower.
I feel like I am getting more integrated into the local music scene, which is great and fairly difficult for someone who is introverted, especially when not supremely confidant in my ability. I can get over it in a technical setting and push myself. Music is a different kettle of fish.
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Nice read Phil, thanks for sharing. Terrific for your early 2024 progress, some very big boxes ticked already!! 
Well done Phil, a great read. I’d somehow missed your last few updates so caught up.
Bravo Phil. Sounds like you have a supportive and encouraging group and are sure to come on in leaps and bounds through playing there.
I feel it is time for a bit of an update. Since my last episode in Feb, I have spent my time really trying to consolidate a lot of what I have learned so far. There is a big difference between understanding what you should do, and sound like and what you actually do and sound like. The more I know the wider that gap seems to become.
I have been focused on playing the songs in my set, most days, trying to make them more interesting and varied too. I have also been paying a lot more attention to the musicians I see and hear. I think leaving a lot of space and having great dynamics are what you see in accomplished guitar players.
We recently went on a trip to Memphis and Nashville, which was really fascinating. The quality of musicians in Nashville particularly was phenomenal. We went to an open mic at the Fox and Locke at Leipers Fork, to watch and it was 3 1/2 hours of great musicians playing mostly originals. 2 songs each and the place is packed every Thursday, you have to get ticket reservations. A few months ago Chris Stapleton signed up and played 2 songs apparently.
We also went to a writers round at the Bluebird cafe, 4 songwriters taking it in turns to play their songs, that in many cases famous people have recorded. We were just behind the players. Interesting to see they have lyrics taped to their guitars so they don’t forget. They are great musicians in their own right.
Also went to the Grand Ole Opry and saw a few country artists, Kid Rock showed up as one of their guests and did a song. Not one of my favorites, but he can certainly sing. Saw Don Schlitz who wrote the Gambler for Kenny Rogers perform it himself.
I wasn’t really a country fan, but would be more willing to try to play some now.
I have also been doing a lot of reading and listening to podcasts on songwriting, as well as attending my songwriting group once a month. I have been writing bits and pieces. It was fascinating to listen to the writers in Nashville, who write songs about their own personal experiences, but artists record them and also have a connection to them.
Just before I left I previewed the lyrics to my first song at my songwriters group. I left with the instruction to put it to music by the next class which is tonight. Keith the group leader says that he may have a go at putting it to music as well.
I was still procrastinating, but this weekend I actually put the words to some music and recorded it to share tonight. Recording your own song with a tune you put together, is next level hard for me. I shared it with my wife on Saturday and thought I should upload it here. It is certainly not polished, it was only the second take of playing it through once I had finished.
This place is the biggest source of inspiration to me so I wanted to share it here too.
It is called Pictures or it Didn’t Happen. based on my inability to see pictures in my head.
Pictures or it Didn't Happen
Growing up creating memories
playing games and having fun
concerts, road trips, and the parties
All those crazy things we’ve done
To all the people that I knew
I try so hard to recall you
I really really didn’t forget
No mental images come through
Pictures or it didn’t happen
it’s a phrase you hear a lot
when you’re memory don’t have them
Did you live or did you not?
To solve a problem visualization
Hypnosis is such a powerful thing
No real solution, just frustration
Because there’s no imagining
Pictures or it didn’t happen
it’s a phrase you hear a lot
when you’re memory don’t have them
Did you live or did you not?
Lie awake in the darkness
every night I try to sleep
Try all the methods I can harness
I only count cos there’s no sheep
Pictures or it didn’t happen
it’s a phrase you hear a lot
when you’re memory don’t have them
Did you live or did you not?
And when my time on earth is ended
the highlight reel begins to play
no places, people, friends presented
Theres only screens of cold dark grey
Pictures or it didn’t happen
it’s a phrase you hear a lot
when you’re memory don’t have them
Did you live or did you not?
Pictures or it didn’t happen
it’s a phrase you hear a lot
when you’re memory don’t have them
Did you live or did you not?
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Phil
Well done on writing the whole thing, words and music. Two suggestions I’d make: slow it down a little, allow the song to breathe; experiment with changes to the strumming pattern and / or dynamics to differentiate verse and chorus. Really good first song and I look forward to hearing more.
Brian
I managed to track down a video from my first Open Mic Public performance from February. I am psyching myself up to go out and do it again tomorrow. I am certainly enjoying playing my setlist each day as practice. I get the occasional comment of it sounded good, from my wife when she hears me (I am downstairs in the basement, so the distance helps 
. It’s all relative, but I am having fun.
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Yesterday I went to the local open mic that I played before, got there early and signed up. I was first on the list as others were waiting for band members. After the host I was the first performer. I played the whole set that I have been practicing. It went very well and I really enjoyed it. It was a small but very supportive crowd, I recognize how I am a beginner, beside people who have performed much more. Also some of crowd joined in which was a great feeling. The Zach Bryan song at the end, I struggled with the singing pitch, it seemed ok in my basement but not hearing it in public. It was better when I really went for it in the choruses, but singing needs a lot of work. On returning home, my wife regretted not coming, as she didn’t want to be there all afternoon for me to do one song, after hearing my tale, she says maybe I should do singing lessons. There is just so much to learn and it gets hard to juggle, but it is fun. Now I need more songs to change up my setlist. Playing early also let me have a beer and enjoy the rest of the show.
Jakl OM 5/26/2024
House of the rising sun
The Animals
Knockin’ on heavens door
Bob Dylan
Good Riddance Time of your life
Green Day
Mad World
Gary Jules
Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
Something in the Orange
Zach Bryan
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Not really an update just wanted to link the post of my first original song video in my learning log.
Bravo on all the progress made, Phil
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Posting video from my second Open Mic referenced above… Boy I need to slow down.
Green Day - Good Riddance
Tears for Fears - Mad World
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Phil
Good guitar o both songs: as you say, the Green Day one needs to be a bit slower and a more regular tempo. Mad World was better, in terms of its tempo, and again could be played more slowly. Well done!
Brian
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I thought it was about time I update my learning log. On Sunday I played again at my local Open Mic, I did play over the summer as well but have no evidence of that.
Guitar
I am dabbling in some classes beyond Grade 3, I spent a long time consolidating Grade 3 and needed some new material to keep my sessions interesting and hopefully moving forward. I am also going back and reviewing earlier techniques that I realize on reflection I can and need to improve. I am trying to investigate some of the pentatonic scale work from the Essential Blues Lead Guitar Class. Which is fun but trying to make it sound anything but robotic is hard.
I also have my set list of 6 songs that I keep practicing, several times per week. I have been getting comfortable playing and singing out on our back deck, even with my wife listening. In my practice area I am happy how they are. In public less so… see later.
Also trying to work on Justin’s Rhythm Reading Book, and strumming SOS.
Singing
I started Chris Liepe’s Discover your Voice course over the summer. I haven’t been diligent, I have dipped into several weeks of videos, rather than doing all the practice I am supposed to. I plan to preview the whole thing then go back and do it properly.
Music Theory
I think I am doing ok in learning what I need for the level I am at.
Overall I am fairly happy with how it is going. Seeing Richard’s comment on Toby’s thread today, I am definitely in the trough of conscious incompetence. Although I am very happy, that I started learning to play and so happy that it fills my day being retired. I am now at the stage where practice can go on for a couple of hours and I lose track.
Songwriting
My songwriting group is having a break, but I am still reading and listening to things about the processes people use. I need to just get some done. Most of my ideas are sad, so I will have to develop some happy subjects.
Open Mic
I have been to watch a few open mics recently and I took my guitar in the car, to make a game- time decision whether I wanted to play. On arrival some of my musical friends were there and pushed me to sign up. My wife came along too, this is the first time she has seen me play in a public setting. W
Waiting for my turn, my mind went totally blank on my songs and strumming patterns etc. I know it isn’t uncommon, but it is very disconcerting. Once I got up there, things went fine and came back to me. I realized that time that singing is a lot about confidence. I tried to be more confident, and am quite happy with my singing, some pitch problems, but getting used to singing and playing through a PA will take time. Having watched the recordings it sounded very different than I was hearing in the moment. Thanks to my wife for capturing the video of every song. I will post them all here for my record.
My last song was my original, unfortunately as my wife said, it is a bit sad to finish a set on.
One other thought is I need to develop some new songs as I want to be able to vary my set, rather than play the same songs. So that will be the focus of my upcoming practice.
Next month they are having a singer songwriter showcase that I was asked to participate in. I was kind of surprised, but they are a very supportive community. I am really happy that I am making musical friends in the area as well as here in cyberspace.
Well that’s enough waffling for now. Till next time.
JAKL Open Mic 9/29/24
House of the Rising Sun
Knocking on Heaven’s Door
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Mad World
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Pictures or it Didn’t Happen (Original)
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That is heck of an update Phil, congrats on your live OM, you made a huge progress since you started your journey with JG!
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A small update here, really happy with my progress. The open Mic I play at, has a singer/songwriter showcase this month. The idea was like a Nashville Writers Circle, where several people would take it in turns to play songs. Keith the organizer (who also leads the songwriting group) was hoping for 12 people and encouraged me to participate at the last open Mic.
At that point I only had one song, and I have been told it isn’t very uplifting. I really wanted to play. I set about writing a new song and came up with Crazy Lady with the Electric Bat.
Keith had said he wanted to do a Wild Card Round at the end where people could do 1 song each.
On the day there were 15 people signed up. Each of them did 3 songs except a few of us in the last round who only did one each. The audience was packed and the event was a real success. The event ran long it started at 3 and I didn’t play until about 6.30 pm.
I wasn’t particularly nervous, although the quality of songwriting was really good. Even Keith said he was intimidated by the quality of some of them. Anyway I played my song, enjoyed it, got some good comments, although the audience was a lot thinner by the time I got on to play, probably a good thing.
It was great listening to over 40 original songs in an afternoon. Listening to the seasoned guys, it feels like they do more than put lyrics and simple chords together. Rather than being sad about that it gives me something to aspire to and the drive to keep doing more.
Overall now I can say on stage, I had to think which of my originals to play. It is great thinking that I can say I’m a singer/songwriter. As I said in the Crazy Lady song thread, I have achieved way more than I ever thought. It is fairly addictive though I want more. Playing in a band would be a great experience.
The next singer showcase is the end of January. I need to write at least one more song to participate fully.
Being exposed to local musicians has been a great experience, like all the helpful people in this community. Guitar has benefitted me in ways I could never imagine. Onward
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My wife didn’t join me at the singer/songwriter showcase as she was looking after our new addition to the family Fern, a 3 year old cockapoo who was rescued from a puppy mill where she has been producing puppy’s all her life. She was kept in a crate/barn. Has clearly been treated badly and is very scared. Doesn’t know what treats/toys/walks or people being nice to her are. It will likely be a long road, but she is walking with us and sitting with us, when we place her there. She won’t come to us yet, but it’s only been 2 days. Looking forward to bringing out the fun in her.
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There are truly some sh**ty people in this world. Hats off to you and your wife for deciding to make a difference, well done sir!
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