I thought that it might be worth recording an update on my learning log on my progress on the supplementary beginners fingerstyle course that I’ve been doing during Grade 2 Consolidation.
So far I have completed 60% of the course and feel that I have learned a lot whilst laying down good solid foundations. I feel that thumb and finger independence is developing nicely and I’ve continued to strengthen the fingerstyle foundations that I learned in the JG beginner grades.
My Practice sessions now include practicing with a metronome ten 1 minutes picking exercises to warm up and help build speed, strength and dexterity. I’m slowly starting to see the benefits of the exercises in my playing. It will still be a while before I get up to 100 bpm but the key message is practice slowly and accurately and speed will develop itself.
I’ve been making progress with playing patterns with alternating bass and multiple notes at the same time. I’m reasonably comfortable now muting the bass which is an essential technique particularly to ensure that the bass does not get in the way of the melody.
I’m slowly working my way through the solo fingerstyle guitar module where the guitar is the band. I think this module is going to take me a few weeks to complete but it’s very enjoyable. It’s really helping develop that little finger which I need to control for the melody lines which will also help with playing embellishments.
Whilst I’m working on that module I’ve started working on the next module developing a few techniques for strumming without a pick including pick & strum with alternating bass. This has been an interesting one for me abandoning the pick.
That leaves me with three more modules to commence excluding the bonus module. I’ve got two more modules of strumming and picking, one on picking without a pick (essentially playing single note lines without a pick including triplets) and strumming and picking at the same time. Then it’s onto introduction to fingerstyle blues which I’m really looking forward to learning.
After that it’s consolidation, learn songs, learn songs, learn songs to really embed the techniqus I’ve got ten songs to learn which I’m currently working on the first two songs.
I’ve found that Justin’s beginners course really laid down good foundations needed to delve further into fingerstyle at this stage.
After I complete that course, the plan is to commence the Fingerstyle Blues Volume 1 Course along with Grade 3 of the JG beginners course and Justin’s solo blues course.
Nice update James, I do like that you’ve bitten into the finger style course as a bonus to your consolidation phase, whilst i’m focussing on songs atm I am definitely thinking of something extra as well before I move on. It’s all quite an interesting block at the end of grade 2.
Looking forward to seeing the fruits of your continued labour!
@Notter
Thanks, Mark. I like to think of the consolidation phase as an opportunity to both consolidate and further develop the skills and techniques learned. When you start a Grade your time is limited to what you are being taught at that moment in time. The consolidation period allows you a bit more freedom to work on, further develop and explore specific things whilst having time to focus on learning songs. I just try to keep anything new I’m learning at an appropriate level and not push myself to far ahead.
I’m in your same phase, so i’m excited in looking forward to your songs choice for your consolidation. I also agree with the message that i liked.
Can i ask you what are the specific course that are you integrating? Playing old classic blues in fingerstyle is a target of mine, so in the future i will absolutely do it.
I’ve still got some work to do on the song front particularly power chords. Though, focusing the now on fingerstyle and learning a couple of songs that’s are in my bucket list of songs to learn.
For acoustic blues I’m integrating Justin’s solo blues course along with an external course specific to fingerstyle blues course. I’ve sent you the details of these blues courses.
@TheMadman_tobyjenner
Cheers Toby. As long as I make some form of improvement from the day before or even the month before then I’m a happy bunny. As they say Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Socio , Kev here , my experience with a stringed instrument was started 6 years ago with a group of people learning the ukulele. I’m retired now and thought the guitar is a nicer sound for around those camp fires etc. So 9 months ago I went to Cash converters and checked out a second hand what sounds nice and heaps of room between strings and a wide neck and I’ve been into Justine’s lessons and find I have a classical guitar and find not the right thing for Barr chords or f chords etc . I like the finger picking style and the mellow sound. Do you think I should lean towards a acoustic guitar to carry on with my learning journey.
A great learning log you’ve got going on here! I think I’m going to borrow your idea, in your first post, of keeping a running tally of the modules I’ve completed. You’ve put a lot into practicing guitar, and logging it here! Strong work!
@Kevandoli
Hey Kev, I would guess that the wide neck makes playing barre chords more difficult whilst the tension of the nylon strings offsets the difficulty a bit. I’ve no experience playing classical guitars, so not best placed to advise you but maybe @Jamolay can give you his opinion as he plays both. Note that even when you play on steel strings barre chords can still be difficult especially without a decent setup.
Hey Todd, thanks for the read. Keeping a running tally of what you’re learning I find is a good way to both keep track of where you are (as we all take little detours now and then exploring) and the progress made along the way. It’s always good to update the first posts and add links in the first post to any significant posts as it’s the first post new visitors to your learning log see.
Thanks for getting back to me. I feel I’ve managed to get through the first 3 lesson stages of Justine’s course with what I have, but, in process what suited for me at the beginning might hold me back.I,lol contact jamolay and run it by him. Cheers Kev
The past month has been a musical blast. I’ve dipped my toes into some of the Grade 3 material but still have not jumped into the grade head first.
I think this is the first grade that I won’t follow in a systematic manner and will develop my own practice routines incorporating the lessons in no set order as I work my way towards intermediary level.
For example my current practice routine incorporates the finger gym exercise and the double strumming technique (as I require it for a song I’m learning).
Fingerstyle
I’ve reached the 70% mark on the beginner’s fingerstyle course that I have been working on. I feel that I have learned a lot so far and have been making good progress.
I’ve really enjoyed learning to strum without a pick (the different techniques to change dynamics) and to strum and pick at the same time.
This was something that felt completely alien to me as I was so used to strumming with a pick. Now it feels more natural, though, I’ve still got a lot of work to do on it to really embed the various techniques.
I’ve enjoyed learning to play solo fingerstyle guitar and finding it to really help with the development of the little finger which I now have a bit more control over. It’s also helped with playing the weak finger G chord.
Though the one chord that really needs more focus on is the Asus4 using fingers 2, 3 and 4. I find this fingering to be a bit challenging.
Blues
I’ve really enjoyed the introduction to playing the blues in Grade 2. Therefore, it is something that I want to explore and develop further.
Therefore, I’m now progressing with developing my knowledge and playing of blues rhythm guitar and blues/blues-rock soloing. All at a beginners level of course.
The blues also ties in quite nicely with the beginner’s fingerstyle course as I’ll be covering fingerstyle blues in the next module.
This should develop my skills and knowledge nicely for when I reach the blues material in the intermediary grades.
Acoustic
With all the work that I have been doing learning fingerstyle recently I felt that I was neglecting my strumming techniques using a pick. I feel that my strumming is OK but I would like to take it up a level. Therefore, I plan on investing further work on strumming techniques over the next few months.
Practical Music Theory
I’ve still not progressed further than Grade 2. Now that I’m back working in the office a couple of days a week the plan is to progress with the music theory course on the commute. This way I’m making best use of my time.
Ear Training and Transcribing
This is something that I’ll spend a few hours every fortnight on the weekends working on when I’ve got no distractions and can really focus. During the working week I just want to enjoy every minute of my practice sessions with guitar in my hands learning techniques and songs.
Discover Your Voice
I’ve still to get around to progressing with this course with all my free music time being focused on learning guitar and consolidating grade 2. Now that I’ve decided to develop my own structured practice routines as I work towards intermediary level this is something that will be incorporated.
AVoYPs
Last month I did two more cover songs which I learned a lot from both learning the songs but also from the feedback from the community: Lost in Fingerstyle Writing To Reach You
Songs and Melodies
I’m currently working on two songs and a couple of melodies. One of the songs I plan on playing on the electric but having practiced it also on the acoustic, I’m thinking I may actually record both an electric (with backing track) and a stripped-back acoustic version.
For the melodies that I will be learning as part of my beginner fingerstyle consolidation I will likely post them on my learning log rather than individual topics on the AVoYP section depending yon the complexity.
For the blues studies that I will be working on soon I’m thinking of just creating a single topic on the AVoYP section ‘Socio’s Blues Studies’ and then anyone interested can follow that topic.
It’s very interesting to read how other people plan their practice time. It’s very good that you can be this structured and also that you can see what your individual needs are at this point. I have to do some planning myself. I’m thinking to take this as an example and start my learning log, it seems like a useful thing to do with many pros.
@Silvia80
You should definitely start a learning log. I find it helps drive and manage the learning process including adapting and making the most of your practice routines. As I have progressed through the course I’ve found that not everything in the practice routine gets mastered at same time and where I’ve enjoyed something in particular I have an inclination to explore further.
@sairfingers
Without structure there would be anarchy. There is far too much stuff to learn and paths to be explored. More importantly practice sessions have to be fun. Apart from the bitter cold weather this week’s practice sessions have been so enjoyable developing blues rhythm and lead to professional backing tracks and working on applying rests in 16th note strumming patterns.
Great update, James. You’ve made wonderful progress through this year, showcased in a number of AVOYPs. I admire your discipline and organisation, will serve you well as you progress further.
I’ve got ten songs to learn which I’m currently working on the first two songs.
,… that’s how the universe stays a bit in balance 
…
