Last video for a while. I did this one last year before I started working on playing without looking. Not a good look per Justin’s example in the lesson lol. I use this as a warm up and today it probably would sound the same. I just use more fingers for each note than I did then. This was “Baby What Do You Want Me To Do” from Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback special. It’s super fun and want to practice bluesy stuff again. Elvis - Baby What Do You Want Me To Do
That sounded cool, liked the groove, Jeff. When you come back to practicing this my suggestion would be to slow the tempo right down to the point where you can play bars 9 & 10, the lead notes and form the chords (especially B7), and stay with the beat. And once you have that then slowly bring up the tempo. Looking forward to hearing it again.
This one is One More Light by Linkin Park. I wanted to give it a shot with strumming. It has only been a day of practicing, but let me know what you think. Also this is the first attempt at singing the song so hopefully not super awful lol. For the new guy Gary from UK-play this one to remember your wife
Jeff, probably too soon to see noticeable progress after just one day. I thought the strumming action was pretty consistent, smooth. Couple of the chords didn’t sound quite right to me, maybe just not chords I am familiar with. Keep on keeping on and you’ll polish up the changes and clean fretting of chords where there’s the odd hiccup. Rock on!
I am taking everyone’s strumming feedback to heart. This does not match the recording, but hopefully it is somewhat decent. I have about 7 or eight guitars but my favorite is this Martin guitar-best acoustic.
I prefer the sound of this guitar when you thumb strum rather than using the pick, Jeff, like the tone of it. Strumming action looked good. I shan’t comment on vocal phrasing and timing (above my play-grade and don’t know the song).
This week I am trying to play at an even tempo with a 1&2&3&4& pattern. I am working towards playing in tempo to the original song, but I’m not there yet. The goal for now is keeping my arm moving evenly. I see I missed one person’s suggestion not to slouch and hold guitar more vertically. After I master this I will move to the old faithful pattern, break up patterns between verse and chorus, and work towards playing in time. For now, here’s a Cinderella song played at lower vocal range than Tom K. Lol
Can’t tell if it’s because of the video angle, but the body of the guitar looks a bit loose. Are you holding the guitar in place with your left hand too? If you are try to work on wedging it in place with your strumming arm.
You’ve been doing some work haven’t you . Good stuff. Much improved strummin there mate - cruisy, in the groove, and good rhythm. When you move on to ‘old faithful’, remember its the same mechanics - you’re just not hitting the strings on every strum.
As an aside, my mate and I were big KISS fans in our teen years ( early 80’s). Played those records to death. My mate went on to become a bit if a collector of KISS memorabilia. Great times.
That’s pretty cool. I’m still a fan since the 1980s . I just saw them for the end of the road tour last year. Took some good videos. I had great seats and when Paul Stanley flew across the crowd to the middle he was a foot away from my seat. Will send a video sometime.
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That sounded good, Jeff. Focus was on the strumming, keeping it simple, and you achieved a smooth steady groove. Keep working that until you have that on autopilot, no need to think and concentrate on keeping the arm moving. That will make starting to skip down strums easier when you start that.
I think it has been mentioned before and I can’t recall your response, Justin’s Strumming Techniques course is helpful to improve strumming. It is one of those that you have to purchase but well worth it and affordable.
I noticed your index finger popping out and standing apart from the other fingers when you were making the chords with the other three fingers. No idea why this happens but it is common. Justin calls it a flying finger. A good idea to do some chord change work, at a slow tempo, and really concentrate on trying to keep the index finger tucked in closer to the middle finger.
Almost makes me sweat when I work on this, trying to get that finger under my control, it’s a battle of wills that I will win in the end.
A definite steady improvement there Jeff. Much better from a strumming hand perspective. Again I’d urge you to make sure you practice against a metronome/backing track so you know you’re staying in time. Also as someone mentioned look at the positioning of the guitar and whereabouts your hand is when strumming. It’s very forward of the soundhole and probably needs to be slightly further back. Try moving the guitar slightly across the body making sure you support the guitar with your body not the left hand/arm which needs to be free to move along the fretboard. Good progress though.
. Good stuff. Much improved strummin there mate - cruisy, in the groove, and good rhythm. When you move on to ‘old faithful’, remember its the same mechanics - you’re just not hitting the strings on every strum.