Thanks for the input, it’s a good point because sometimes I do 1 song the entire time (the picking in Hurt is giving me headaches even after weeks at it, for example) but sometimes I do 5 so I think working through 1-2 each time will really help.
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I’ve been doing it from a spreadsheet so maybe that’s why it’s so succinct lol. This is my “must do” routine, after that I’ll allow some YouTube or clicking around the site here, but I had to stop myself wandering 
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Thanks for this, I know I need to do it and it’s good to hear some success stories!
Great first post in your learning log. I like how structured you are, with clearly defined goals.
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9/24/23 - 9/30/23 Plan and notes for the week ahead
Fretboard Memorization
Natural note finding: skip a string then go back 1
Add in sharps and flats this week - up and down, 40 bps
Scales
Position 1 of the minor pentatonic - 3s in a line, 4s in a line, note skipping
Improv to backing tracks.
Chords
D chord - still miss this every now and then during songs, perfect changes this week
E minor barre shape - Working on wrist position being more neutral. Injured myself doing it at almost 90 degrees over a period of 8 weeks it seems. Thumb sideway along the neck.
Songs:
Good Riddance - working on the picking pattern
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - working on the strumming pattern, bar chords and dynamics for chorus
Johnny Cash - picking pattern, focusing on chord changing and bringing the pick to the right level simultaneously
Wonderwall - strumming pattern
Live Forever - F changes
Notes:
Working on YTL’s with resistance band for posture
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Great log of your learning Shaun and allied to your 6 month video you’re doing great.
Shaun … please check yourself here.
Do not learn five patterns all at once.
This applies to everyone.
Learn one pattern fully, make music with it and it only for some time.
Improvise with it and it only for some time.
See here: First Steps in Blues Improvisation using Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1
For the reasoning see here: https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/when-not-to-learn-scales-sc-104
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Roger that. I actually missed that part of the initial video where Justin advised to do that, make music and then learn more. Appreciate your input.
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First thing, this log has been great for keeping a running draft of what’s been going on!
Positives:
-
Technique/Scales - Worked through @Richard_close2u pentatonic progression, I’ve been working through this scale for ages now and it really paid off. 3’s and 4’s in a line were easy to pick up, onto to starting working on licks with it, bending really is alot more challenging (to do right) than I thought!
-
Chords - No more pain from my F Barre chord, warmup work prior to playing and focus on proper wrist position has this solved (I think)
-
Songs - Picking patterns really starting improving after slowing right down, a good reminder that neurons that fire together wire together, go slow to go fast etc. Switched out Wonderwall for Fast Car so I had some variation in my playing, made really quick progress with this song and was so satisfying because I remember trying it when I first started and giving up immediately!
Changes/amendments:
Working through all the same stuff for the rest of the month. I’m going to slow down areas I’m having challenges with and focus on perfect technique as it’s helped me in a few areas this week.
Picked up Levi Clays guided guitar practice foundation book and have been working through those drills too. I’m in a slow period for work at the moment and have lots of free time while the kids are at school so I’m getting in a good 2-3 hours per day. I really enjoyed having the audio and tab of Levi’s drills to work through!
Final note, picked up an acoustic this week too. It’s a Martin GPC-11E, really liked the feel of it at the store and it sounds great, although way less forgiving that the electric! Also picked up a RAT pedal, for no reason other than it’s what Alex Turner used on the first 2 Arctic Monkeys albums and wanted some more distortion
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9/31/23 - Plan and notes for the week ahead
Fretboard Memorization
Finish of Sharps and Flats, been working on this for weeks now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJddQ6Q0UDo
Scales
Position 1 of the minor pentatonic - 3s in a line, 4s in a line, note skipping
Improv to backing tracks, lick 3.
Chords
1 minute perfect changes for Barre Major/Minors
Songs:
Good Riddance - working on the picking pattern
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - working on the strumming pattern, bar chords and dynamics for chorus
Johnny Cash - picking pattern, focusing on chord changing and bringing the pick to the right level simultaneously
Fast Car - picking pattern
Live Forever - F changes
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Haven’t posted for a while, but I’ve been working hard Decided to try and take a more long term view to my practice and playing after realizing that while I could play the chords of a song with the right strumming patterns, I couldn’t actually play with the song itself. This was quite eye opening and it dawned on me that in my quest to learn as much as I could as fast as I could, I lost focus on the music and the fact that I didn’t yet sound very good.
So I decided to start taking lessons. I am investing so much time and energy into the instrument that I felt like it was worth getting a second set of eyes and ears to give me some guidance. I found an online teacher I really gel well with and we went right back to the start and quickly banged through all of the “beginner” material and now I’m back where I started 2 months ago with much more solid fundamentals around the open position and strumming - but still got a long way to go
So I’ve been working on:
Buying a new Strat - love it compared to the PRS, playability and feel is so much nicer
Open Chords
Various different strum patterns focus on “feels” rather than ups and downs
Playing Standing up
Playing without looking at the neck constantly
Playing with tracks
Here’s a video I took a few weeks back of me banging through some tunes in a way I never could prior.
Now I’m focused on:
- Pentatonic phrasing with jam tracks
- Bar chords (having to relearn my formation of the chord, getting the bar down first so the root is there and “beefy”
- Songs that incorporate the Bm and F# Bar shapes (With or Without you, Hotel California, Peaceful Easy Feeling)
- Playing the songs I love
I’ve been at this a year on December 19th, and given I have no musical background, I’m right where I wanted to be!
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Sounding good, Shaun, glad you are feeling so satisfied. Keep on keeping on
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Some bar chord progress
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Quick little update, been working through getting the 4 major bar chord shapes and actually using them! Two good songs that have been measuring sticks for this have been “Lookin out my back door by CCR” and “Brandy by Looking Glass”. The pushed strumming in Brandy plus all the different strumming nuances combined with the bar chords have really been tough going! HEre’s where I’m at.
I’ve also done a whole lot of work on pentatonic shapes, linking patterns, focusing around roots and adding some slides and bends which is coming along nicely
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Shaun, I really did enjoy your latest video with barre chord songs. So, if I understand correctly, you would recommend those 2 songs to start praticing our major barre chords ? Or you started with simpler ones ?
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Lookin’ pretty relaxed with those barre chords mate. You’ve obviously put the work in on em. Sounding good. 
When you next add a couple of minor shapes, a crackin tune - and a great barre chord workout - is America’s “Sister Golden Hair”.
Cheers, Shane
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Looking nice and comfortable with those barres Shaun, and nice mini-barreing on the A shape ones. That was a nice performance
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I’m not really in a position to be recommending anything to anyone, I’m still new to this as well! Advice I was given was to work some F#m and Bm Bar chord songs like Changes in Attitude Changes in Latitude (Buffet), Love Story (Swift) and Hotel California (Eagles) and then work up to Lookin out my back door (CCR) and Brand (Looking Glass) for speed. It seems to be working out ok for me so far, but that’s not my advice
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Finally in a position where I’m thinking I could actually be soloing in the next few months which is such a huge motivator.
I’ve spent a good few months working all 5 forms of the minor and major pentatonics and doing basic phrasing around the roots in 8th notes. This has been a really fun process because now I can hear if I’m not resolving it properly versus worrying where the notes are. I’ve also made a point of starting in different positions and different stings in different keys.
Ive got this to a point where I can comfortably do it at 120 BPM. I’ve been learning licks along the way and trying to use them in different spots. I’ve also got the diagonal runs down with the slides.
I also learned all the notes on the fretboard and now that’s memorized I’m feeling like I’m about to make some good progress this year.
Probably the worst phrasing you’ll ever here but it’s foundational to lead so I’m super excited I can do this and not crash and burn now I can take breaks because I want to instead of being to.
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Coming along nicely Shaun.
Looks like you’ve put in some decent amount of work, and are getting to know to the fretboard.
Sounds like a 4 chord progression you’re playing over?
Are you doing any soloing/ lead practice over a 1 chord progression, or a 2 chord progression? Great for really focusing on the sound and the phrasing, as you’re not chasing chords.
Another great exercise is to limit yourself to 2 positions only; say, the E shape and the D shape. You’ll find these type of exercises good for developing phrasing.
Yet another is limit yourself to top 3 strings, middle 3 strings, top 2 strings etc.
Of course what yoi’re doing is great as well I reckon. Limiting yourself though will force you to come up with more ideas, so its a win/win.
Its a long but worthy road I reckon, playing lead. I’ve been at it for a 2-3 years now, and still feel very much at a foundational stage.
Cheers, Shane
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