I just set up my road case, before I transfer the data from the old forum.
3 Likes
Welcome to my roadcase Dec 2020
First adventure -
I initially tried to learn guitar in 2004, but I didnt have the discipline or patience to practice regularly, so this attempt was short lived.
Below is my first guitar that I ended selling.
Second adventure -
After many years, last November I decided it was time to try again and this is when I discovered Justin’s course and bought my first electric guitar and amp
It didnt take long before the GAS syndrome took hold and I purchased an acoustic guitar
As it was birthday in May, my girlfriend bought me a looper pedal and as my amp didn’t have a FX loop, I treated myself to a new amp
Around this time I was struggling with the F chord and didnt really focus on following the beginners course and stopped playing briefly for two months in September.
3rd time lucky-
I recieved a voucher from work for Christmas and decided my looper pedal needed some company, so I built my first pedal board and recommenced Justin’s course at Grade 2 last week and decided to learn songs instead of using the app
My next guitar purchase is planned once I have completed and consolidated the beginners course.
Learnt Songs - Mad World, Walking the dog.
Songs in Progress - Live forever, wonderwall and Dont Panic
1 Like
Goals 2021
After reading several roadcases with their guitar goals, I thought it would be a good idea to set myself some targets also for this year.
Im just about to start Grade 2, lesson 10. So my target firstly is to finish Grade 2 and before moving onto the next stage I want to record 5 songs that demonstrate the skills learnt in Grade 2.
Song 1 - with stuck 3/4 chords and proper rythmn pattern
Song 2 - F barre chord
Song 3 - Power Chords
Song 4 - Blues
Song 5 - Finger Style.
Progress Feb 21
The difficult question is when should you move on to the next stage of the BC. If I wait until I master each element then I could be doing the beginners course for eternity.
So with this in mind, after spending just over 4 weeks on module 10, I need to move on to keep my interest alive.
Positives -
- After more than 6 months, I feel confident about playing the F chord, however I still find it difficult to play in a chord progression above 60bpm.
- Alternative picking on the C major scale has gone well - 100 bpm
- improvising using the C major scale.
Negatives
- I struggled with the La Bamba riff, counting and keeping time is difficult for me.
- No learnt songs due to difficulty with F chord progression.
Next 4 week goals-
- Continue to work on F chord progressions.
- Learn a riff using sus chords (Summer of 69)
- Learn a simple fingerstyle song (Everybody hurts)
- Learn Happy Birthday fingerstyle.
- Attempt to write a simple song.
Stay safe and keep on rocking. 
March 21 progress
Now it’s time to put my cowboy chords away for a while and play some dirt -) Power Chords await for the next 4 weeks.
Monthly positives -
- I enjoyed fingerstyle and made some progress learning REM everybody hurts,. So I will keep in practice routine.
- Learnt Happy Birthday fingerstyle - need to get the timing smooth.
Negatives-
- F chord still proving difficult to play in a song - I will keep in practice routine.
- 2nd month not learning full songs, only parts.
Monthly goals-
- Learn Cocaine for Power chord slides.
- Learn Smells like teen spirit for PC string jumps
- Learn All the small things for palm muting
- choose 2 additional PC songs from Polly, Anarchy in the UK, Sweat leaf, American Idiot or Hells bells.
I hope my neighbours appreciate when I crank the amp to 11!!
May 21 - Roadblock
It’s been 2 months since I updated my roadcase.
End of March, my plan was to learn some power chords, but I decided to put this on hold and learn new songs instead.
However, this hasn’t really happened either and it’s difficult to find the motivation some days to play the guitar. I am trying to find the right balance with the guitar and everyday life (work, social, fitness etc)
I am practicing 4 songs with the F chord and some days my fingers forget where the fret board is and other days they work well. So I am pleased to be making slow and steady process with this F…Chord.
I am also almost there with my fingerstyle for REM everybody hurts 55BPM, so only another 8BPM to go. I still need to improve my transition from D to Em and A to D.
So my next target is have a song ready for the next Open Mic and hopefully record one of the songs that I am working on.
Sept 21 - still in a rut
Since my last update, I feel like I have treaded water, and apart from August due to holidays, I played 3 or 4 times per week. (same songs, without a specific practice routine)
I am still enjoy playing the guitar, but I am little lost on my guitar journey. My temporary departure from the course is now 6 months and I need to find a way to reconnect.
My aim is start my learning progress again in Oct and probably spend the rest of the year completing Grade 2 before commencing the intermediate course in the New Year.
Dec 21 - New Hope Returns
My 2nd year review
At the beginning of the year, I was making steady progress until I arrived in March with the power chords and bang! I hit a roadblock which I have struggled with motivation to get back onto the begineer course.
Also during this period, I moved house and this is also stressful with all the organisation of the move etc
After an short exchange with DavidP on how he categorised songs (campfire, developing and dreamer), I sat down and wrote the songs for campfire (Just one!), however I had maybe 14 songs that I would be confortable to play with the chords in front of me.
Then I made my dreamer / developing list and now have a list of maybe 40 songs to learn (happy days).
Today, I rewatched Justins video on the powerchords and now I ready to try again! I have my practice routine which I will start again in the New Year.
Overall, I am happy with my progress and lets see where I am next December in my guitar journey.
2 Likes
Rob
Good write up of your journey to date and good to see another Roadcase like Adi’s that is more focused on the ups and downs of the voyage. There will always be hurdles and also plateaus when you think you are just standing still. But you mojo will come back and you will press on again.
Good to see at the moment you making progress again.
Cheers
Toby
1 Like
Nice to take a trip down memory lane with you Rob. It must feel good to be happy with your progress. My wish for you is to fly free as you explore your music in 2022. 
1 Like
Thanks Toby, It’s difficult to cut almost 70 posts into 4, but as this is a record of my progress then it’s needs to show the good and the bad moments of my journey.
I’m sure that going forward, I will hit the wall again and bounce back.
You are right, I found my mojo again and I am enjoying practicing again and even had thoughts today of joining or starting a band!!
Time to lay down.
1 Like
Well done Robert. It’s certainly not easy to cut a RC down from the old site and post it here.
In my own case I feel mine lost so much as I haven’t included all the chat and comments from forum friends that helped to make it into a story that was my record of what I’ve achieved with guitar.
1 Like
Rob, glad to hear you have your mojo back. I think we all have our ups and downs. I try to be gentle and compassionate with myself when I am struggling with something. Look forward to next updates as you rock on.
1 Like
Jan 22 - Update
This has been the longest module so far and it nearly broke me. I started module BC 2.12 in April last year and quickly hit a giant roadblock, however I came through this temporary block and re-started the power chord module at the end of December 21.
Module positives-
- I had some fun attempting power chords and I found it difficult to move the shape around along the same string and between strings.
- I now have a better knowledge of the root notes on the 5th & 6th String
Negatives:
- I tried and ultimately failed in attempting the Enter Sandman riff. I simply didn’t have the flexible in my fingers to play without causing pain in my hand. So I introduced a finger stretching exercise into my practice routine.
Other items.
- The F chord is still causing me issues in songs - but I will succeed one day to have the good smooth changes using F. I have two or three songs that I practice using the F barre chord. (Losing my religion, Runaway Train and Whole of the moon)
- 8th note strumming, I have been learning ‘Heroes’ using the 8th note strumming with the accents on beat 2 and 4. For a long time I was not able to get past 80bpm and now I am almost there at 100/105 bpm.
The problem was simply, i was too tense when playing and now I try to relax and enjoy the experience. - Fingerstyle - I am working on 3 songs at the moment (Fields of gold, Wonderful tonight and House of the raising sun to nail the mini F Chord). These for the moment only have simple patterns, nothing too complex yet.
- Singing - This is a matter of interpretation - I practice each session singing and playing the guitar. My last feedback by a friend was you ‘Tu chant faux’ - i.e bad and out of tune. So I carry on regardless and hopefully my voice will improve over time or not!!
Goals for Feb 22:-
- Learn the 12 bar blues in key of A,E and G.
- Learn the shuffle rhythm and 12 bar blues riff
- Learn my first blues solo
- Practice improvising over the 12 bar blues
- Learn two new songs (Before you accuse me and maybe Sweat little angel or Crossroads)
That’s all for know until the next update.
1 Like
All good stuff Rob, some things take longer than others but hang in there. Good goals for Feb and don’t worry about the singing, focus on the guitar !
1 Like
Great update Rob. Guitar is all about the tortoise, as in the Aesop’s Tortoise and the Hare fable. Just keep at it, slow and steady, deliberate and disciplined, and you will be able to apply what you learn in each module in time.
Sometimes it may take quite some time. In my case I had to come back to power chords, a couple of years after opting to skip ahead.
Have fun in the blues module. Lots to learn and enjoy, especially if you enjoy the blues.
1 Like
You doing great Rob don’t get too discouraged if you stump on a roadblock it really takes time to get it grasped! And sing as much as you want and don’t worry too much it will all come with time 
Update Feb 22.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as I am now ready to start the last module of the Beginner Grade 2.
Jan 22 postives.
- Premier OM performance. This was an enjoyable experience and now I feel more confident with my playing. I look forward to a future OM, as soon as I increase my repertoire
- First blues solo learnt
- Good progress made on simple fingerpicking patterns (Fields of gold and wonderful tonight)
Jan 22 difficulties.
- Blues in G, the change from G7 to C7 is not so easier. I will keep in the practice routine.
- The shuffle rythmn - Getting it sound nice needs more work.
March 22 Goals-
- Complete Grade 2 Module 14.
- Continue with the Blues in G and shuffle rythmn
- Continue work on fingerpicking (Melody, flick offs etc).
3 Likes
Great achievement Rob, keep plugging away !
1 Like
Good to hear you are having success! Looking forward to hearing some of that Blues!
1 Like
March 22 update
Well the my goals for the month didnt go as planned. I had planned to complete the last module of the BC grade 2 but I got side tracked trying to learn new songs instead.
I hope to record and share at least one of the songs before the end of april. No pressure
Goals for April
- finish and record two songs
- Start Justins ear training
- restart PMT
- Have fun
- Learn more songs
1 Like
Love the goals for April, Rob, especially No. 4 
As you say, no pressure, just direction and intention 
1 Like
April 22 update
Its been enjoyable month on the guitar, even if I didnt complete my goals that I set myself. My current focus is on fingerstyle and I havent touched my electric set-up for a number of months.
- I started the eartraining, but after 1 week I stopped. However I will return to this again, as I see the value in developing this skill.
- I did manage to record Madworld (fingerstyle) but I didnt share because I wasnt happy with the result.
Current songs in progress / status
Mad world - need to work on making it sound nice and fluid.
Wonderful tonight - most parts learnt at 70% tempo, the outro still causing problems
Ring of fire - the transition from the verse to the chorus is a challenge, due to the need to play the D chord as a bar to allow the pinky to play the 5th fret.
The Scientist - two main challenges are during the verse with playing the open C chord then moving the pinky between the 5th and 6th string, however the hardest part is the D shaped chord between the 2nd and 5th fret. Its almost impossible for me to play nevermind in time.
Here comes the sun. Enjoyable song to learn, main focus is getting each note to be clear
Goals for May
- continue to work on songs
- work on palm muting
- Develop my strumming without a pick
- work on basic fingerstyle blues
1 Like
Keep at it. I tend to think of goals as direction without deadlines. I know goal theory wisdom, simplified by that oft quoted SMART acronym, say otherwise, but I’d say if you keep on working to achieve the next steps, then all is good. And glad to read ‘enjoyable’ before the ‘even if’
This is a tricky one. Sometimes it is a good call. Other times, sharing a work-in-progress is helpful to provide an additional perspective on progress, which can be encouraging.
1 Like