April 2023
I started to write this update a few weeks ago but in the last couple of weeks my Dad of 92 years has died. It wasn’t unexpected but was still a shock so things have been a bit raw and busy sorting out the paperwork, etc. He died peacefully due to Alzheimer’s and dementia having been bed bound since Christmas last year. He was happy to go as believes that he is going to a better place. The guitar has taken a bit of a back seat.
It’s about 3 years since I started this journey and would say, as last year, that I am (mostly) enjoying it, although there have been quite a few frustrations along the way.
As @sairfingers has noted in his log “Guitar is a long term learning project and I’ll be saying the same thing this time next year. I’m travelling the long bumpy road.”
Still working through Grade 2 and am about up to Module 13. So two modules in a year!! To be honest this is OK as I have had a major diversion into the blues and the pattern 1 of the Minor Pentatonic scale. Finding this post First Steps in Blues Improvisation using Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1 has really pushed me to explore this more. Probably to the detriment of playing songs which have taken a major back seat at the moment. The 4 in a line, 3 in a line and note skipping exercises are great and can just about do these consistently. Have started to improvise licks and riffs, which I know will never be at the speed of others, but more slow and steady.
Been practicing string bending with the repeat of switching between target note and the one I’m bending exercise and using the wrist not the fingers. Muting the bend at the top is not there yet!
Have also started looking into vibrato & curls using the similar technique of wrist (not just fingers) as bending, and including both into licks.
I also found this lesson https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/using-blues-licks-effectively-bl-406#learn-more which is quite a bit further on from the lessons I am at but nicely links up with the above, and have been learning the “Example Solo” that goes with it. This is great fun.
Also recently founds triads (as a question from one of @Richard_close2u excellent posts, most of which I didn’t understand !!) which look interesting. Not sure where this is going to go at this point.
Can now do the full barre F chord (up & down the neck) which seems to have come (in the middle of last year if I remember correctly) all of a sudden. No idea what I changed to get this.
I am now trying to get the chord changes from F which are giving me some grief at this point. Am at high 20’s which is not really OK for songs!
Started the Music Theory Course and have passed Grades 1 and 2 and now onto the paid lessons. Still working my way slowly through Grade 3 but finding it confusing.
I did try to record myself but not managed to satisfactorily do this as I generally practice with the volume low which then doesn’t’ get picked up. May have to look into a Scarlett interface, or something similar.
Bought myself a second-hand Boss DS-1 distortion pedal which is great fun!!
I still have no desire to perform whether live, for friends/family, OM’s or AVOYP. It’s just not something that I am comfortable with, and just thinking about it brings me out in cold sweats!! Not being able to sing probably doesn’t help.
As I have noted I have just about stopped playing songs as part of any practice I do, as the blues bit is more fun at this point.
I’m looking to finish Grade 2 and progress Grade 3 this year but happy to go wherever practice takes me.
On a sperate note (!) my grandson decided that he wanted to learn Seven Nation Army for some reason so I leant him one of my guitars and off he went. He can play this really well with one finger and plucking with his thumb. Trying to get him to practice chords & get him more interested but he was given a new mobile phone for his birthday in Feb so this has taken a back seat!
As usual I don’ have enough practice time as the pressure of life (work and my poorly mum) will always impact on this.
As usual thanks to Justin and the team for the excellent lessons and thanks to you lot on the forums. I know that I don’t post very often as feel, at this point, I don’t have enough expertise to comment on peoples technique, etc.
Looking forward to another year of practice and playing.
See you in a year😊