6July2025 - 3 Year JG Guitar Anniversary
NOTE: I noticed that a couple of the linked classical guitar videos were no longer available. I ‘ve had that happen before, but at least I know now that it is not due to copyright issues. I will fix this soon in YouTube.
The last 6 months of 2024 were spent finishing up grade 3 lessons and grade 2 consolidation. Then I have been able to start grade 4 in 2025. I knew that it would be a little more difficult and I have had some challenges with learning blues licks and starting to learn intermediate level songs. Since I am only averaging 30 minutes of practice per day I can tell this will be a slow marathon of several years. Fortunately I have been able to enjoy the journey so far, so it is easy to be patient.
1 - Grade 3 lessons completed
I finally finished all the Grade 3 lessons and practice sessions ending with module 22 practice finished in Sept 2024.
2 - Grade 2 consolidation completed
Since I have been alternating with grade 2 consolidation, I spent the next 2 months (Sept. to Nov.) focusing on a big project of choosing, practicing and recording 10 songs for grade 2 consolidation. I spent a month listening to Grade 2 songs in the JG beginner songbooks and playing and narrowing song list to twenty-two grade 2 or grade 2 relevant grade 3 songs and practicing and singing the songs.Then in the the middle of Oct. 2024, I narrowed to list to 10 songs that I could sing and play. I finished recording all 10 of the songs for Grade 2 consolidation by the end of Nov. 2024.
In Dec. 2024, I decided to practice and record some of the songs in Justin’s Christmas songbook.
I learned and recorded a weak version of Silent Night chords melody, and an even weaker chord melody version of We Wish You A Merry Christmas. I also started leaning Carol of the Bells and made.a lot of notes as I put into Guitar Pro.
3 - I finally started intermediate lessons in Grade 4 and successfully finished 6 weeks on grade 4 lessons over the 6 month period. Back in 2018 I tried to start Grade 4 in the old classic lessons and gave up in a mixture of boredom and frustration and lack of purpose in my practice. Thanks to all I have learned in grade 3, that is no longer a problem.
At the end of Dec. and the beginning of Jan .2025 - I did a LOT of planning and finally made to jump to Grade 4 practice.
My Grade 4 practice is the technical items from the old Intermediate Foundations 1, combined with acoustic blues solos and electric blues lead from grade 4 and beginning fijngerstyle from grade 5, since I already have some fingerstyle experience. I am also starting to play through the four J G Intermediate songbooks, with focus on
Acoustic and Vintage Songbooks.
I injured my ring finger doing the string bending for the 5 blues licks practice so I put off grade 3 consolidation and focused on classical guitar with the Werner method and the Noad Solo Guitar book and the Practical Music Theory beginning with grade 2 and 3 review and then grade 4. I put lighter strings on my Strat.
I started on Grade 4 songs and also practicing songs on my grade 3 song list. I recorded a beginning version of Sounds of Silence and Angie at the end of Jan.
Sounds of Silence and Angie initial recordings
In March, I started learning the grade 5 song Torn and posted a short intro video with one verse to document my starting point.
4 - Grade 3 consolidation focused on transcription
In Feb. I started Grade 3 consolidation, reviewing all the Grade 3 lessons and practice items and focusing on the transcription lessons, since I did not give those lessons much time in the first time around. In April i finished transcribing all the songs for the power chord transcription In May, I transcribed all the melodies in the listed songs in module 16. In June, I transcribed all the riffs in Grade 3 module 17.
5 - occasional classical guitar weeks
I took a classical guitar break from my regular practice schedule at the beginning of Oct. 2024 to practice and record Layenda (also known as Asturias). While not a metal aficionado, I found it cool to record a metal-like recording of Asturias in GarageBand on my Strat, that was inspired by the Iron Maiden usage in Mother Russia.
I took another classical guitar break at the beginning of Nov. 2024 and recorded both parts of the Minuet in G duet from the Werner method. I gave me a chance to learn to use the iMovie editor to show me playing both parts side by side.
In my week of classical focus in April, I finished playing through the first few chapters of the Noad Solo Guitar book. I made a first recording of the Vivaldi piece in the chapter on dotted notes. It is a chord melody style piece so i need to do more practice to get to performance appeal
5 - supplemental rock guitar practice
I also added the Belwin (no Alfred) Rock Shop guitar method to my practice and started by playing thought book 1 again and also entering the main study pieces or songs into GuitarPro. By the end of June 2025 I completed learning and entering the riffs and licks exercises from Belwin Rock Shop 1 into Guitar Pro. Now I need to consolidate by playing with backing tracks.
I also reviewed the practice exercises in Wolf Marshall Method Book 1.
The next 6 months will be much less structured. I will spend as much time as needed to learn and play the songs that I have started practicing in the last 6 months.
Items to practice and record in the second half of 2025:
Grade 4 items:
Boom Bass with Licks - Acoustic Blues
Vari-Shuffle Climb - Acoustic Blues
Using Lick Effectively study with 5 licks - Blues Lead
Angie - grade 4 song
Dust in the Wind - fingerstyle from Vintage club lessons
Leader of the Band - fingerstyle that I did 15 years ago in an open mike at work
Grade 3 consolidation items:
Greensleeves - Justin’s version on Acoustic and Noad Sold Guitar version on classical guitar
Neil Young’s, Old Man - for D chords up the neck and picking individual strings while strumming
Paint It Black.- picking individual strings while strumming
Blackbird - Thumb and Finger strumming on acoustic and classical guitar fingerstyle
The Sounds of Silence - fingerstyle on acoustic
Before You Accuse Me - acoustic blues
California Dreamin - I had put a WIP video in the AVOYP section back when I was still a little bit of a noob, so I definitely need to record a completed version.
Note: The grade 3 songs will probably change some in the next 6 months.
Other activities as I find time:
Review all the grade 1 and 2 songs that you have recorded, to keep those skills fresh.
Continue with Grade 4 PMT lessons and more practice with GuitarPro and GarageBand.
When you get more experience with GarageBand you can complete the two song projects in AVOYP and/or with Moises tracks:
Fortunate Son by CCR - was WIP and needed a lot more practice
Venus by Shocking Blue - was a special project while waiting for finger to heal. This will be a good song to finish in GarageBand.
Practice songs from Wolf Marshall Songbook 1
Practice and Record the Rockschool grade 1 electric guitar exam pieces.(optional)
It is easy to see why I decided that my consolidation phase should grow from 2 months to 6 months. I’m not even sure if that is long enough time, but I will be able to consolidate a lot.and I can prioritize and reduce my goals as I progress.
Beginning in 2026, I will continue with the rest of Grade 4 practice with JG Intermediate Method Foundation 2 and the rest of grade 4 blues lessons and some grade 5 fingerstyle lessons.I will also continue Grade 3 review and finishing transcription lessons. I will make a detailed plan before the start of 2026.