Grade 1 Module 7
Here’s my first video, I’m working on dynamics, having smoother dynamics, manipulate better the picks and well, getting the chords sounding perfect, including the dreaded G four fingers grip. I’m playing a brazilian song which has a 16th note strumming pattern. It’s not taught this early on Justin Guitar but I kinda have a groove for it, and I think it’s quite popular here on pop songs.
Cheers!
Good steady strumming and fairly clean chords Renan. Well done for posting your first video.
Next time you post try to include the whole guitar showing your strumming and fretting hands, guitar positioning etc. That way you’ll get better feedback on things you could perhaps improve.
Well thank you 
I can try but I don’t know if it’s possible, I was filming with my tablet and I put it very close to the guitar’s sound hole to try to get a good sound record.
The positioning of the guitar depends on where I’m, the living room is different from my bedroom. But I can anticipate that the guitar rest comfortably on my right leg since I am right-handed. Sometimes I lift my leg and somethings I don’t. In my bed I sit completely differently. Justin doesn’t teach that you need to lift your leg, but he does it in the videos (I can’t tell if it’s on all of his videos or just on some of them, but I definitely have seen he doing it). In the classic course, if I remember correctly, he taught to put books under your leg (feet) to lift it. I think he deleted that video. So I’m kinda discovering this by myself.
I’m also practicing to keep my right arm, hand and shoulder to be relaxed and I’m trying to not hit the body of the guitar with my strums, it’s kinda hard. My guitar doesn’t have pickguard. But as far as I know, even with pickguard we should try to not hit the guitar’s body. @LadyOfTheCastle Strumming Mechanics - #45 by LadyOfTheCastle told me I while ago to not hit the guitar’s body in one of my questions, I don’t know if it applies when having a pickguard, I think it does.
Cheers!
Be careful with this. It is true that you will often see the advice to lift your right leg (as a right handed player to position your guitar. However, no physiotherapist or doctor will ever give you this advice. Lifting your leg tilts your pelvis and causes your spine to curve instead of remaining straight. In the long run, this can lead to back problems.
Indeed, even with a pick guard you should try to avoid hitting the body with your pick. But the fact that so many guitars do have a pick guard tells you that loads of guitarists hit the body from time to time. So it’s something to aim for (as it will help to prevent the pick getting stuck between the strings), but not something to worry about too much.
Thanks for the advice, I didn’t know that, I guess I’m keeping the leg down from now on 
What about classical guitar players, they kinda do this, don’t they? They lift the left leg and play with the guitar vertically.
That’s sounds funny to me
Showing my posture and the guitar a bit, the smartphone doesn’t record the sound properly, I made several videos trying to play: (1) no dynamics, (2) with dynamics and (3) with extreme dynamics. All sounded garbage on the recording, this is the best one, this is with extreme dynamics if I’m not wrong, all the other ones sounded the same (or maybe it’s my fault too? I can’t tell because I can’t record properly ).
And oh man, I didn’t knew that I lean over and tilt my head like that 
If you move the guitar so it’s a little more in front of your body rather than by your side it will force you to sit more upright. That should also help with the sound as the sound hole will be directed towards the camera. The video and sound is good enough for a learning log. Your strumming chords is not bad, you’re making progress.
The four fingers G chord I think it’s holding me back, you can see I play the hacked version on the video, the two fingers version is as easy as Em. I’m playing the hacked version from now on . I’ll try to fix my posture 
Well let’s hope I don’t stop learning this time . I’m on the last Module of Grade 1, beyond here it’ll be all new, I can’t wait
Can’t quite see from the angle but is your left elbow resting on your leg? If it is, get out if that habit.
I meant to say this in response to your first video but 3 minutes 54 seconds is too long for a strum only recording. No one is going to listen to the whole thing. 
It’s not, sometimes it was touching it but I made minor adjustments. I think it’s always correct now.
Ok
I think I lean over and tilt my head like that to relax my arm, hands and shoulder (Justin is always saying to relax the strumming arm), but I suppose that’s not a good positioning?
If you lean over it adds more tension to the neck, shoulder and arm. If you sit upright there is less tension. Another tip to relax the body is to do this slow breathing exercise, breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, breathe out slowly for 4 seconds.
The 2 finger G is great, I wouldnt even call it the hacked G I call it the Folk G. You will see one reason in grade 3 why it is so cool (hint you have free fingers to do stuff 
).
The 4 finger is harder, I can do them both now but it took a while and I only do the big rock 4 finger G when the OG artist used it or if its something that is heavy and needs all that big low notes droning in the song.
Justin calls it “hacked” G, so it is the “hacked” G. I mean, he is a legendary teacher, so you need to call it “hacked” as well.
Just kidding 
But really, Justin is awesome 
Folk G is weak finger G.
Play it with fingers 3 and 4 meaning fingers 1 and 2 are available for embellishments when you are ready to develop those skills.
Praise justin
I finished Practical Music Theory Grade 1 and now I’m doing Ear Training introduction practice while consolidating the main guitar Beginner Grade 1 course. I’ll jump to Ear Training Grade 1 after mastering this introduction part. Justin recommends doing these extra two courses when consolidating Beginner Grade 1 so I did. I’m having fun but my back is hurting as always.