Over the last 6 weeks, I mainly worked on songs and making process even if its slow
I have also worked on some techniques for finger style, such as playing multiple notes at the same time and palm muting. My fingers start to know which strings they should be on without the need for me to look, but using my ears to know when its wrong.
Yesterday, I had my first private guitar lesson in french with some english. The teacher had taken the time before the lesson to prepare the vocabulary and theory in french and english to help both of us. (This I appreciated a lot). I agreed to take two lessons per month with the focus on technique of the right and left hand and also some work on rhythm and the chromatique scale (9 patterns) to build strength in the fretting hand and co-ordination with the pick.
Directions going forward
Work on finger style patterns, techniques and songs
Work on music theory, chromatic scales, fretting hand positions and rhythm.
Until the next update, have fun and enjoy the guitar.
Hi Rob,
Nice work… good to read that you also take lessons… that is certainly an added value, who knows, maybe I’ll do that too one day… I wish you a lot of fun,
Greetings,Rogier
This last month, I had the pleasure to see two giants of music in Concert.
Beginning of July, I went to Lyon to see Rammstein and Wow, what a concert. The show was fantastic and the music so loud! (Even sat in the gods, you could feel the power) and last weekend I was in Paris to see the Rolling Stones, much quieter, however It was an enjoyable concert. Its hard to believe that they are nearly 80 and still rocking.
For the guitar journey, I had another two lessons with my guitar teacher, mainly working on fundementals of strumming and rythmn. I worked some on my fingerstyle (Hallelujah, the scientist and Mad world).
For August, I will be on Holiday and my time on the guitar will be limited. So I will begin in September.
Hi Rob, good you had a chance two see not one but two shows of recognized artists. It is incredible that some of these artists are still touring despite some physical limitations they have. Hopefully the customized private lessons work for you on putting your skills where you want them to be. I think a tailored in person tutoring can ve a very good complement to Justin Guitar lessons if the teacher is very open minded and receptive.
Hi dobleA - There is benefit to supplement the lessons from Justin with a private teacher. I appreciate tbe immediate feedback and discussion with my teacher.
Also with Justin I learnt so much, that would take a long.with my guitar teacher.
**After my holidays in Augiust, I have started to play again at the beginning of september. I am taking two paths on my learning one with a private teacher and the other with a musical association at work
Private lesssons - With the private lessons, we continue to focus on the fundamentals, although I can see an improvement in my playing, ts beginning to get boring. I have a lesson this Friday, I will get him to change the lessons
Group lessons - with the association at work, we are 3 people with the teacher and focus on playing songs. I have attended 3 times and the first week was nice as we learnt ‘Islands in the sun’ and 'l’amour a mourir" however it was complicated yesterday, as we attempted wonderwall with the 16th note strumming. I was lost with the rythmn. The conplication for me is the explanation in french and the request to sing the notes (its not 1e+a!). Next week I get to choose a song to learn.
In terms of practice, I am working on my strumming, finger independce and lots of different songs with the weekly group (we pratice a new song every two weeks). At the moment, its the Pixies - where is my mind?
My biggest weakness and frustration today is barre chords! After 3 years of playing, I still cannot play songs with barre chords (too long to form the chord and make changes). In 2023 I will fnally master this issue
And I forget to mention, I just passed my 3rd Guitar anniversary.
Its been a long time since I updated my learning log and almost as long since I lasted posted on the community:-(
During the last 7 months, I mostly spent my time trying to play songs and not so much focus on the technical skills on the guitar. So I still have the same troubles with the F barre chord, 16th note strumming and timing.
Even through my struggles and sucesses over the years, my love for playing the guitar is still strong and there is nothing more satisfying then picking up the acoustic and playing some tunes. My neighbours must be tolerate or deaf, but they havent complained yet!
My current learning goals are as follows:-
Learn some music theory
Ear training
Create my own fingerstyle arrangements
Travis picking
finish Grade 3
Hopefully my next update will be sooner rather than later
Somedays I feel lost on my guitar journey and I have the feeling I go backwards with my technique (Strumming and playing chords in time).
However, its not all bad In the last month , I have started to write my own fingerstyle covers of songs and this has been an interesting and at times frustrating expérience. I realise I have a lot to learn on moving chord shapes to be able to play the melody with the bass notes. The solution so far has been to use a capo and this has worked so far.
I hope to post soon an AYOYP of one the songs or maybe I post a work in progress.
