Thanks Steve. I learned perfect day at Jerry’s Guitar Bar. It’s a good song to work on strumming, picking individual strings and hybrid picking.
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Congrats on your 3rd Guitar’versary James! 
Good things come in small packages 
You’re progressing so well and just one Original is worth 100 covers! 
I found the Blues recording good, what I have noticed is that you were in the music with all your body and that made a difference!
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grazie mille silvia 
there’s something about fingerstyle pieces and solo blues pieces where you can just connect with the music and let the feeling come out in your playing.
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James @Socio
I saw your LL when I was away on holiday and decided I would wait till I got back before responding, so here it is.
Three years, wow, as you say doesn’t time fly when you are enjoying yourself. Have you reached the stage where when somebody asks you how long you have been playing a guitar you have to give it a bit of thought.
I think the ups and downs are part of any learning that involves using your brain and manipulation both hands and fingers, at least its my excuse.
You sound that on the journey you are about where I am with the Grades and Fingerstyle (it makes a nice change from just strumming away doesn’t it)
BLIM, I was aware you had enrolled on this and what I can see as an outsider there is a lot time and input required, which as you say limits time for other things such as AVOYP. However, I have got to admire and applaud your efforts on original songs.
Roll on year four, all the best.
Michael
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Hey James, a very belated Happy Anniversary! 
You’re a good egg and have acquired ‘Pilar status’ in the Community. (Is there a badge for that? 
)
I’ve been here for twice as long, so am probably twice as good as you, but won’t rub your nose in it, as you might pick up a thing or two in that blimey thing 
Enjoyed the muddiness 
Here’s to the next three
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Thanks Michael. Yes, there is a lot of time and effort required for BLIM and I’m not really getting the time to focus on anything else but I have great expectation that the intermediate grades won’t be too challenging when I arrive there. I do miss a bit of fingerstyle and my acoustic guitar is starting to feel neglected but there will be plenty of time in year 4 for that.
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Thank you Brian. Not sure about ‘Pilar Status’ but I’m definitely catching up with you 
Yeah, BLIM has been a blast and taught me a lot (not that it’s transpired to my fingers yet) but it has been a great experience not just in learning but meeting new people, friendships, banter etc.
As another year draws to a close it’s time to reflect and set the wheels in motion for 2025.
The highlight for 2024 was obviously BLIM. Over the course of 6 months I learned so much and feel that I have made a lot of progress in my playing in such a short period of time. I feel much more comfortable moving about the fretboard and confident in my playing.
My study group the BBP, was another highlight of the year. Over the course of 6 months we’ve managed to hit almost 10k posts between us. It’s a really positive, supportive and encouraging group of like minded individuals that love the blues.
It’s been great getting to know everyone of them and we plan to continue the group as we consolidate what we’ve learned and continue to develop our blues playing. So not only did I learn to play the blues using the 5 minor pentatonic patterns, I gained 5 really good friends.
Gear
Over the course of the course of the year I’ve made a few gear purchases. Some of which I’ve posted on my learning log and some I’ve not. Below is an updated list of my gear.
Guitars: Epiphone ES-335 | Ephiphone Humminbird | Cort Gold A6
Amps: Boss Katana 100 Mk II| Boss Katana Go | Fender Mustang Micro Plus
Pedals: Boss VE-8 | Boss GX-10 | Boss JS-10 | Boss RC-500 | Digitech Trio+
AI: Focusrite Scarlet 2i2
Software Tools: EZ Line Software Bundle | Izotope Music Production Suite 6 | Bias FX 2 |Neck Diagrams 2 | Guitar Pro 8 | Transcribe | Reaper | RipX DAW
Recordings
I’ve not really recorded much in 2024 as I’ve been so preoccupied with learning everything BLIM has covered. Below is an updated list of everything I’ve recorded to date which I plan on adding to in 2025.
Covers:
Bad Moon Rising Cover
Sweet Home Alabama Beginner Cover
Three Little Birds Cover
The Circle - OCS Cover
Don’t Look Back in Anger - Oasis Cover
Lost - Anouk Cover
Writing to Reach You - Travis Cover
The Humpty Dumpty Love Song - Travis Cover
I Should Have Known Better
Why Does It Always Rain on Me?
Perfect Day
Blues Studies:
JustinGuitar Acoustic Solo Blues
Beginner Fingerstyle Blues Piece No. 1
Beginner Fingerstyle Blues Piece No. 2
Beginner Fingerstyle Blues Piece No. 3
Beginner Blues Rhythm Piece No. 1
Beginner Fingerstyle Blues Piece No. 4
July Blues Studies
Originals:
Living Your Life In Your Head
Shadows Of Our Former Selves
Hold On
Soul Shaker
Blues and Beyond
What’s in store for 2025? More Blues!
The plan is to work on consolidating everything that I have learned from BLIM and build upon it. I do plan on continuing some non blues stuff that I parked to the side for BLIM but the blues will be the main focus.
Therefore, it feels fitting to start 2025 afresh with a new ‘Blues and Beyond’ AVoYP Learning Log to record and share my progress with my community friends and maybe inspire others to follow me down the route that I take at the crossroad.
Wish you all the best for 2025!
P.S. I’ve got one new original to record and share with you at some point.
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I look forward to listening your blues studies.
That is one very cool new avatar! I love it! 
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That was one busy year BAB and its going to get busier, thanks for sharing the journey !
And some cool merch to boot
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Bravo on a wonderful year James!!
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What a busy, productive and wonderful year for you, James!
I wish you all the best for the upcoming year with a lot of “blues and beyond”!
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Great update James. Are you and Toby going into business together with online guitar themed clothing? 
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Hi James ,
Nice to read and just like your previous avatar, it is clearly recognizable,
but @TheMadman_tobyjenner , like a few others, it is unrecognizable to me because of its darkness (nice pic but to dark for me 
), now I know that my laptop is set quite dark, but it cannot be brighter So I hope I’m the only one Toby, but I wanted to say it because I’m afraid I’m going to miss some and more things…
Greetings
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That sounds like an amazing past year, James!
I’m happy for you that joining BLIM accelerated your guitar learning that much and, best of it, got you even closer to five like minded fellows. 
I’m looking forward to your next updates and what’s about to come in 2025 (especially the new Original), may the next year be as fruitful guitar wise as the past one was!
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James, congrats on an impressive year of accomplishments. I look forward to hearing what you post in the coming year.
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@Boris1565 @TheMadman_tobyjenner @DavidP @Helen0609 @sairfingers @roger_holland @Lisa_S @SteveL_G99
Thank you all for taking the time to read my update and for your kind words
Pleased to hear that you like it mate. I figured it was time for an update to reflect this wonderful blues path we have taken.
I wouldn’t have had it any other way my friend. Now we’ll need to get another get together planned for the new year.
Thanks Andrea. I can’t wait to get started with all the blues performance pieces I’ve got planned for 2025 to consolidate everything that I’ve learned.
Now there is a thought, maybe we should go onto Dragons Den for some investment unless you want to invest Gordon
Don’t worry my friend I will make sure you don’t miss out on anything
I’m looking forward to getting that one done. It’s one I’ll need to record the vocals and guitar separately as for the life of me I just can’t sing and play this one at the same time. I think it’s one of those one where you write a song but not really for you to sing (if that makes sense - once again different from all the other ones).
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Looks like you had a blast on BLIM1, although 10K posts between you in 6 months does sound rather a lot!
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Great update to your Log James…reflecting your wonderfully busy year with Guitar! Ok the Blues, ok the Blim etc…but what I’m really looking foward is
I wish you all the best for 2025 with a lot of Music and Guitar playing! 
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Well it was good to start off 2025 with another original:
Now it’s time to get back to the blues. BLIM Class 1 may have finished but the consolidation and learning continues. I enjoyed the format of lessons dropping every month, so pleased to enrol in a 6 week online blues bootcamp starting in February with lessons dropping every week to continue my development 
looking forward to starting the bootcamp with my classmates
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