Dec. 31st 2024
I was inspired today while perusing the learning logs of others in the community. @MacOneill and I think it was @Silvia80 were two that stuck in my mind. I really like the idea of not so much structuring each practice ahead of time but at least I will try to track what I’ve done. At times I’ve done it in a collection with in a Bullet Journal if any folks are familiar. The advantage here is that others can comment, motivate and make suggestions. So here it goes. (will be improved upon as I go no doubt, but striking while the iron is hot for now and spewing out what I can)
several minutes of concentrated and slow air landings of Bm chord. Trying to land all fingers at once. Also some extra focus on landing fingers 3 and 4 at some points and also of landing finger 3. I find if I focus on landing finger 3 I have a bit easier time of landing everything nearly simultaneously.
2 runs of using the Justin song app to play Country Roads. Still working on the ultimate goal of being able to play this super clean all the time. I return to it every so often to keep it up but will renew some focus on this to try to get it super clean. Will work up the courage to share a recording to share soon.
Found that my G to D of all things, was a bit shaky today so I spent time focusing on that and did a few minutes of fast chord changes G to D.
That’s it for now but will return to more practice throughout the day and then record. I’m still getting accustomed to how posting works but I think adding to this as a running log will work. It might be the best method over new installments each time? Later the same day
After a short break did 6 runs of, I Walk the Line, all down strokes at 70 percent tempo then 7th run at 80 percent. As a side note I worked on keeping beat with my leg I do not support the guitar with… I tend to find my guitar support leg most often starts but working on getting the non support leg to do this as suggested by Justin…lol.
Hi Steve
Yeah, the best way for your learning log is to have it as one running log and keep adding to it each time. I was beginning to wonder how many Spaceys there are!!
I’m sure Richard @Richard_close2u or David @DavidP will be able to put all your previous log entries into one thread.
Quick question. To do the running log, do you just reply to your own original post. I did an edit just now to add but I think the proper way is to reply to your own post?
Did C major scale practice, alternate picking while saying the notes.
Alternate picking, open strings (no fretting) while naming the strings
-2 play-thrus of the song What’s Up
practiced a about 10 - 20 air landings of A to Bm trying to land Bm fingers simultaneously… this is actually starting to work… sound is messy but during play-thru of What’s Up, I broke my habit of putting down fingers 1 thru 4 sequentially…almost there!
(before practicing, I did look up some practice exercises for flat picking… found a couple of them I liked and will soon incorporate into practice session)
Jan 1st, 2025
Watched the finger gym exercise in module 15 and began working on it. Took more concentration and work than I expected. Spent more time on this than I care to share…lol. The intention from this point on is to incorporate this as a part of my daily practice for a while.
Also watched the Practice Routine lesson. Maybe will have a look at the tools on the site to set this up. Not sure I’m ready to give up my random haphazard practice style yet…lol.
Jan 1st, 2025
Continued here and there throughout the day working on finger gym and almost at a point where I am ready to try it with the metronome. Also did 3 play thrus with the app of “I walk the Line” still doing all down strokes and staying at 80 beats. Did a play thru with the app of " Country Roads" as well.
On Jan 2nd, 2025
While watching world juniors (Can lost to Cze) and Senators vs Dallas, I did finger gym and A to Bm. Still feeling that finger gym needs lots of work before going with metronome. On A to Bm really focused on landing the 2nd finger on that 2nd string third fret… very difficult when completely letting go and then trying to land it… no base and no reference. Watched someone doing this while demonstrating the What’s Up Song. Sometimes I still wonder if it will ever become like 2nd nature… even cowboy chords I’m not always super clean on…lol. Maybe I do reach a lower ceiling than some but I still have hope for continued improvement.
I love that you’re trying to fine tune your technique. That’s one of my main goals that I need to fix. Sometimes when I step away for a while and listen to my recordings of songs I did I hear sloppy technique and poor quality. Hoping to fix that this year😎
thank you! I’m just trying to keep my head above water kind of thing… just to get and or stay at the sloppy level…lol. I will have to start recording again. I’ve only done it a few times but probably the best way to gage progress. Cheeers
Jan 3rd, 2024
More finger gym work today. I do each pairing 2 or 3 times and then one run start to finish.
I think I did about 4 or 5 play alongs with Musikman’s play along for What’s Up… actually starting to land the A to Bm with more speed and better accuracy… yesterday i was deflated slightly but today it felt good.
3-4 play alongs with the Justin song app of Take Me Home Country Roads… one play along I sang with… good fun.
Did ‘I walk the line’ first at 80 percent speed, then 90, then 100 and went pretty good. Doing the all down strums but soon will do the alternating baselines. Still need to work on E to B7… did a few isolated ones after the song. Will keep working on that.
Almost forgot, did a few runs of C major scale this practice session as well.
Hello Steve and well done on starting your Learning Log!
This is an approach that I think works well, keeping track will help you to know where you are and to work out that little bit of structure that is needed to keep on going effectively!
You can decide how often record and self-assess, find what works better for you.
This is no side thing! I found in my experience it’s really important…only I most of the time tap my foot on the side where the guitar is ooops
Saturday Jan 4
Very tired but doing house stuff but managed to get a short practice in.
Watched the first couple of minutes of Bass Note Chord Links lesson and tried C to G to C etc. Started getting it, a bit tricky to get the rhythm down so more work needed.
Finger gym
Practiced ‘I Walk the Line’ at full speed 4 times. Soon ready to graduate from all down strokes.
Thank you @Silvia80 ! I’ll go like this for a bit then try to work up to a more structured format that Justin talks about. I may be going a bit overboard trying to log everything but going to run with it for now…lol. I have let go of the foot tap since that one lesson. Must get back to that!
@BarrhamianSteve Steve, you now have just one Topic in the Learning Log area for your’s. Just continue to reply to thjis topic when you want to update.
ooops 