Loved the story. Impressive…I always enjoy your covers.
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Looks like the Road Cases have become Learning Logs. Here’s mine.
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Love it! As a sometimes sawyer I could relate a fair number of stories concerning ‘learning logs’.
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Hey Gordon nice intro and glad to see you sussed the photo load via mobile. I gave up and will just use the PC but don’t post here to tell me how its done. I will remain blissfully ignorant.
Nice Log !!
Cheers
Toby
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I enjoyed going back through your Learning Log. I didn’t remember about your love of bike riding. Maybe you added that since I read it last. I’m a biker also. However, don’t ride as often. I have a Hybrid Flat Bar Road Bike. Your electric bikes sound pretty cool!
Love your growing list of songs.
I just re-listened to “Lying Eyes”. Great job!
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@pkboo3
Thanks Pam. Lyin’ Eyes wasn’t one of my better vocals. The key wasn’t quite right and I was straining a bit.
I added the bike bit onto my road case late summer ‘21. I did 250 miles in 3 weeks when I first got it. I’ve calmed down now though. As I said in the post, it’s sitting in the garage just now - too cold.
My latest AVoYP is here.
Four Strong Winds - Neil Young - sairfingers
classic Gordon. Please don’t ever lose your sense of humour. 
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Chapter 7
It’s the 11th of February again. Four years to the day since I started learning guitar - discounting my brief teenage foray - and a year since starting this Learning Log (Road Case as it was then). Where did that year go?
As is inevitable on an anniversary of any sort, one looks back at what has been and forward to what has yet to be.
Ok, a look back at the past 12 months.
In terms of forum/community AVoYPs I’ve posted 10 songs and 4 improvs.
Pretty much all the songs were one takes and as I’ve said before elsewhere on the forum, I’m not so sure this approach does me any favours as I know I’ve played most of them better prior to pressing the record button. I like the format though as it’s representative of where I was at that moment in time. Eventually I hope - like we all do - to be able to produce my best version of a song on that first take.
I was a late starter to AVoYP and take my hat off to others who post early on in their journey. It really is valuable to be able to watch a song back and get constructive feedback on it from others.
That said, the whole point is to put down markers that can be looked back at and improved on. That said again, I’m not sure I’ll go back and try to improve them. I like to feel I’m moving on, not continually going back over old ground. Of course I’ll keep the songs going as part of my repertoire and I’ll revisit them now and again and hopefully they’ll get better the more they’re played. I can add new techniques/styles/embellishments etc. that are learned along the way but I won’t deliberately go back over and over them. There are too many more great songs waiting to be learned and played.
The improvs are a different thing. At the moment I find it almost impossible to repeat an improv. They turn out differently every time! So for them I recorded a few takes and posted what I thought was the best of a bad bunch! Much work is needed there!
I follow all the improv and solo posts from others with great interest.
What did I cover in the past year with Justin’s lessons?
DavidP and I had a discussion a year ot two ago about when can you reasonably start to call yourself an intermediate player. We didn’t really come to a conclusion. Of course it doesn’t matter what you call yourself, it’s what you can do that counts.
In my mind I’ve been calling myself an early intermediate (it sounds better than advancing beginner😉).
During 2021 Justin released the new Grade 3 Beginner Course lessons. I realised there was a lot of new material included there and some of the other lessons in the Beginners Course have also been revised and updated so I’ve been looking at those. Am I a beginner again? I’m happy to think simply of myself as someone who’s learning to play guitar and as we all know, that is a journey without end. I don’t need a label or a Community badge. 
And now a look forward.
I’ve been working through the Major Scale Maestro lessons on the new Intermediate Course and as mentioned already, trying to get my head around improv and Blues licks. Don’t tell Justin but I’ve downloaded a TrueFire course, 30 Blues licks for beginners and I’m working on that too. Bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, vibrato, double stops. Learning the language and using the words to create sentences and stories are all part of something I don’t fully understand yet. I know it will be a long and bumpy road.
I’ve got the hard copy book of Justin’s Intermediate Course and will continue to work from that in conjunction with the online lessons although the lesson numbers and format no longer match up since there have been a lot of revisions to the course since the book was printed.
I will to continue to work on my fingerstyle and also want to learn some famous riffs and solos, something that’s not really been on my radar until recently.
I also want to post an AVoYP song using my electric. My style at the moment is very acoustic ballad soft rock and I’d like to rock out a bit more although perhaps that’s not really ‘me’. We’ll see.
As you can tell, I’m finding it hard to pick the direction I want to go in at the moment. The Beginners Course (I did the original classic version) was fairly logical and I pretty much followed it through in the order it was presented as each lesson built on the previous one. The Intermediate Course content is different. There’s a load of stuff on barre chords of course and my A Major barre shape is the weakest and the one I need to work on. But other than that you can choose to go down different routes and do things in different orders.
I know one shouldn’t compare progress to others and this has been said many, many times on this forum but it’s unavoidable. When I see/hear others who’ve been playing for a shorter time and concentrated on one area, fingerstyle for example, I realise I spread my practice time thinly over too many things. I know I know……don’t compare and we all practice differently and for different amounts of time, but……
I read posts from others who have very organised practice routines. I’m not one of those. I tend to pick up my guitar and think “what’ll I do today?” I do keep Justin’s “practice what you can’t play, not what you can play” in mind however. I know the JG website has a practice assistant/log thing but I’ve never come to grips with it. I find it very non intuitive and prefer paper and pencil (it’s an age thing!). As my old school reports used to say, “must try harder”. I daresay with a more structured approach I’d be further on after four years but on balance I’m happy with my progress.
Richard_close2u has a mantra - learn songs, learn songs, learn songs. I don’t have a problem keeping to his mantra as that’s what I like doing best even if it’s only banging out a I, IV, V progression to a song I’ve heard on the radio and haven’t learned yet. At the end of the day that’s surely what learning to play guitar is all about.
I really must try to get to grips with some music theory this year. I’m afraid my eyes glaze over and I start to lose the will to live when it gets overly complex.
I’ll wind up this post with a big thank you to Justin for his superb lessons and to all my forum/community friends. I’m very grateful to all who’ve taken the time to read, listen to and reply with advice, support and encouragement (and of course, banter ). You all know who you are. This place is quite unique.
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A good read Gordon. Enjoyed the update. Always enjoy your playing and singing, and friendly banter. Lots of new people in this new community, which is great, but sometimes I miss that smaller forum that I joined nearly 2 years ago, and was initially helped along by people like yourself. Must be getting sentimental in my old age.
I see you’re still hookin into the improv. I’m goin along alright with it. Its the one area I give myself free reign - other than that I try and stick to the intermediate course. I’ve found that learning triads and arpeggio shapes is having a big impact on my improvisation.
Re an AVOYP on the electric - if you like America’s music, Sister Golden Hair is a crackin tune. A real barre chord workout too, in line with the intermediate course lessons on barre chords.
Anyway, good to hear from you Gordon.
Cheers Shane.
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Hi Gordon that was a very good update.
Those are inspirational words that I really need to take on board.
That reminds me of the old saying the day you stop learning is the day you die. So I’d be happy to be learning to play guitar on a journey that doesn’t end.
That sounds like a great goal for 2022. Looking forward to seeing you rock out.
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Happy forth JGversary, Gordon.
I will keep it short (it is your Topic after all) and just say keep doing what you are doing, enjoying the learning, recording your songs (I think those one takes serve you well), working at your improv.
Cheers
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Good update Gordon and happy 4th guitar birthday! I don’t think the struggles you articulate are that different to anyone elses! at the start just to be able to play guitar is the goal…when you get there is can be a bit of what’s next?
I would look at your comment on spreading yourself thinly in a slightly different way and thats getting a rounder education…you focus too early and you miss out on stuff. You also focus on what you have time for! you can’t do everything.
You know what drives and interests you and I’d focus on improving those things…rather than necessarily spinning out on to something that doesn’t interest you but you feel obliged to tackle.
Been good having you along for the ride so far and I look forward to more of AVOYP postings (and perhaps an OM appearance 
)
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Wonderful update Gordon and happy anniversary. I can honestly say that I think you have had a very productive year and made great progress. Despite what you say your one take songs are showing more confidence and you seem more relaxed. On know we’ve said it before but you really are ready for an open mic debut. Your improvising has also come on in leaps and bounds. Keep doing what you’re doing, if that means combining Justin’s lick with Corey’s all well and good. We all know need many licks in our locker, so keep acquiring and working them into your routine and all will be well.
Have a great year five, learn more and keep having fun.
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Congratulations on your fourth anniversary Gordon
You’ve found your own style and your own way of learning and progressing and you consistently post good music. You also enrich the life of this community with your sense of humour.
Every reason to be happy with yourself Gordon.
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A month or so ago Brian posted a topic about minimalist guitar equipment. I replied and subsequently thought I should copy this into my LL. I’m always talking about my ‘line in the sand’ song AVoYP’s so I thought I should put up a ‘line in the sand’ equipment post. Who knows if I’ll succumb to GAS. I’m currently immune! The nearest I’ve got is thinking about a travel guitar.
This is my guitar ‘corner’.
I’m pretty minimalist :-
1 acoustic guitar - Martin D28
1 electric guitar - Gibson SG
1 amp - Boss Katana 50
1 wireless guitar to amp system - Amoon
1 Trio+ band creator/looper and FS3X footswitch
1 pair headphones - audio technica
1 music stand
As for recording, I use my iPhone for video and audio. I have GarageBand on my phone but have never worked out how to use it and as I only record to post my progress here and for self critique, the phone upload to YouTube is enough for me.
I control my amp using the on amp controls and have only connected it to a computer once. That was on the day I bought the amp. The pc crashed (too old to cope, a bit like me!). That pc no longer exists and hasn’t been replaced. The downside of this is that I do everything on the small phone screen.
I’ve also got the obligatory cupboard containing picks, strings, tuner, metronome, cables, adapters, song books, etc, etc.
As I said, this is a ‘line in the sand’ and as far as future equipment goes, never say never! 
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And the reveal, a secret GAS stash !! You do what works for you sir but just keep that Connery film title in mind.
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Love the guitars, Gordon. They look and sound great.
With all that dancing you’ve been doing lately with Layla on the acoustic, my moneys on you getting a cutaway.
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Nice, clean looking setup there Gordon. Not disimilar to mine, minus the guitar stands. I wouldn’t be game in my house with our 50kg Wolfhound lopin’ around the joint, with 2 staffies in tow. 
Goes to show you dont necessarily need to go all high tech to make great music.
Cheers,
Shane
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‘Minimalist is as minimalist does’
Dear me, it is butchery of a quote from somewhere but it is from the darker recaches of the subconscious and I can’t pull the source into the light. I am sure somebody will in due course.
To the point, I guess ultimate minimalist is an acoustic or an electric and an amp. To have both is a little less minimal. Trio is another step.
Go on Gordon, get yourself a pedal to put in front of the Trio to lay down clean rhythm and switch into lead tones with just one stomp … maybe your son has one you can ‘borrow’ (if he has a degree of pedal mania).
My random rambles aside. You do have great gear and deliver great music … keep doing what you do and if I could wish anything … more frequent songs from you. And I’ll say it before you do … I know it is rich coming from me who is a far far less frequent AVOYP poster than in my earlier years. So please do as I say not as I do
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Gordon, you are a purist and I’m liking that setup. It has a lot in common with what I shared, except I left a lot of flotsam and jetsam out of the photo (with classier guitars)
It is minimal in as much as it allows you to (almost) get maximum diversity out of minimal equipment. @DavidP does have a point about pedals, although I would modify his suggestion of a pre-trio pedal to an FS-6 footswitch for your Boss Katana.
In the same way that you don’t want to be fiddling with your fingers on the Trio+; with an amp footswitch controller you can program a couple of your favourite tones on your amp and then switch with your foot while playing. The equivalent of having multiple programmable pedals for one reasonable price
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