29Dec2024 - Tomorrow I will be taking a big step in the transition to becoming an intermediate guitarist, starting on Grade 4 lessons.
To provide a little more structure to my Grade 4 learning I am using the practice routines and associated lessons in the Intermediate Method book:
The classic Intermediate Method book divides the fundamental skills such as barre chords, closed form major scale patterns and intermediate rhythm into 5 foundation stages. The foundation stages also use songs from the 4 intermediate song books that I will use. The first 2 stages are grade 4. At the same time I will be practicing blues rhythm, blues solo and finger style by expanding the classic IM 50 minute practice routine to a 90 min. practice routine.
In this transition week I will be actively playing along with Grade 4 lessons on the JG website and preparing for practice activities. Here is my first month schedule:
2025 Weekly Practice Focus Log
Week Date Practice focus area
0 12/31 Grade 4 IM Foundation 1 prep – watch and play along with videos
1 1/6 Grade 4 IM Foundation 1, acoustic and electric blues, fingerstyle (1 of 6)
2 1/13 Songs from Acoustic, Rock, Vintage and Pop songbooks
3 1/20 Grade 3 review, transcription and consolidation, Classical guitar
4 1/27 Other method tutorials – M. Schwartz Blues lessons, D. Hamburger Fingersyle
I will repeat weeks 1 to 4 for a total of 6 months of Grade 4 (classic) IM stage 1 practice with new website practice suggestions and focus on blues and finger style guitar.
here is a break down of the Grade 4 stage one 90 minute practice routine spread over 3 days of 30 minute practices:
This is repeated for a total of 6 days of planned practice in week 1.
The first half of grade 4 with foundational 1 skills will be a little boring, since I already know the E shape barre chords, the 1st closed major scale form and some intermediate rhythm. I also tried to practice the IM foundation 1 practices back in 2015. Fortunately the foundation skills or technical exercises are just 10 minutes each day. The other blues, fingerstyle, classical and outside lessons will keep me from getting bored. I know that from experience with the new grade 3, which will continue to be an inspiration to me as I learn how to learn grade 4 lessons.