I started learning guitar about 4 months ago (age 36 with no prior musical knowledge). Currently using the JustinGuitar app, Ultimate guitar tabs and in person lessons from time to time. I aim to practice at least 30 mins, 5 times a week and some weeks I do more, but I did have busy periods where I had to put down my guitar aside for a few weeks.
As I’m approaching the end of Beginner Grade 1 I’m kind of wondering what to do next, as I do not feel I am ready to move on to Grade 2 even after all this time. I know what the chords are, and can manage 30 changes between most of them (C is still giving me a hard time). Chord changes while strumming are hit or miss, even on the beat, so memorising 5 songs doesn’t seem to be on the horizon (I believe this is one of the requirements to move on).
The answer to this will probably be “practice more” but I am finding it challenging to structure my practice in a way that it feels like there is actual progress being made. I want to get better from a technical pov but I also would like to learn songs, and I’m not managing to do either right now. I have also considered getting off the app for a while and just focus on practicing my skills until I can actually move on to Grade 2, but the big question is how?
Apologies for the long write up, I realise that this question has probably been asked quite a few times but I’m hoping some experienced players, or possibly people in a similar situation have some practical advice to offer as I do not wish to give up on learning. Thanks everyone!
@stradikata Jeanine, it is a good question. I am not familiar with what is included on the App. I suggest you view this lesson on the website which may offer some direction
I also encourage you to include the lessons on the website. I always recommend that the primary source of learning material should be the website. The App is excellent for learning songs and a convenient way of consuming lessons when maybe not convenient to access the website or as a backup/refresher.
Appreciate the quick answer, and to be honest I’ve actually viewed that lesson in particular. I was more looking for “practical” answers on how to achieve those goals, as I do practice but I cannot see myself achieving them. As I said it’s been 4 months, which I’m pretty sure it’s a pretty long time for most people at my level, and as much as I’m not in a rush and appreciate the process I’m not sure what I should be doing to improve or what I might be doing wrong if anything.
fwiw.
I don’t set out to memorize a song.
However what I’ve found is that to play a song, I gotta play it over and over, with the music in front of me. If there are hard parts to the song, I gotta play them slower and work up to speed as I discover how to play the hard part.
I’ll do this over and over .
Funny thing is, after a good long while of playing with the music in front of me, I can start to remember how to play bits and pieces of the song to the point that I can near remember how to play that song. Without the music in front of me.
This just naturally happens for me. As I said, I’m not setting out to memorize.
So, imho, play it over and over and over. You’ll remember it soon enough.
This over and over thing for the song will also give you chance to work on strumming, timing, playing chords clean. The whole playing thing comes together in that one song your learning to play.
There are many things taking place to be able to play a song.
‘Think’ ‘Music’ too when your playing the song. For me, if I don’t, it can be the difference between a song that like I’m playing mechanically vs playing musically. You’ll know when your playing musically, your music will just start to flow…
Be patient with yourself too. This playing guitar is a long journey…
[quote="stradikata, post:3, topic:409017”]
As I said it’s been 4 months, which I’m pretty sure it’s a pretty long time for most people at my level,
[/quote]
I will quote Richard
Beginner Grade 1 has 75 lessons plus essential consolidation. Each lesson requires at least one day of practice time but by the end of Grade 1, in Modules 5, 6 and 7, I would say that to do the learning justice and really get solid in the basics, each lesson should respectfully be given several days or a week or more, each of the seven modules probably starting at one week for module 1 up to several weeks for module 7. I would even (albeit exaggeratedly to make a point) go so far as to suggest treating each module number as a guide to the weeks required.
Modules 1 to 7 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 28 weeks. That is more than six months just there.
Grade 2 has 68 lessons. And as the learning ramps up the technical challenge and skill, each lesson and each module will require extended time to really get to grips with. I would suggest a similar approach.
Modules 8 to 14 = 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12 + 13 + 14 = 77 weeks. That is more than a year.
Okay - those cumulative totals are on the high side. But I would rather encourage that over the opposite of not taking enough time.
Jeanine, everybody learns at different speeds. I would not consider the time taken to be either short or long, it simply is. Better to take your time and lay a solid foundation. If you follow the guideance of all the lessons on the website, and practice diligently as you describe then you are likely doing nothing wrong.
What can help is to share recordings of you playing songs. Once you have A, D, E down then you can play some songs. Doesn’t matter if not at 100% tempo. If you share in Community Recordings > Audio-Video Of You Playing and become active there, then people will offer feedback. Generally just positively encouraging but if there are some obvious bad habits creeping in, someone may well point that out.
I would say the app is excellent for practicing rhythm with a backing track but not really learning songs. It would be better to select 5 grade 1 songs from the website lessons and start off with learning the level 1 approach as Justin teaches. A lot of those songs are still covered by his old beginners song books. I’d also recommend checking out the Nitsuj videos.
To add to David’s point even if you don’t post videos online, that can be daunting, it’s worth making a private recording for your own benefit. Take a video a month apart and then you can see for yourself how much progress you have actually made. It is hard to feel like you are making progress from one day to the next, much easier to see over an extended period.
Pick one slow tempo song (for me it was three little birds) and play it with one strum per bar and give yourself enough time to get to the next bar on time to play the next chord even if you are making the move on the 4 or even on the 3. Feeling like you are playing along to the song and on time was a big mental “hey I can do this” moment for me and I could tell myself “now I just need to change on the 4 instead of the 3 and later on the & after 4”.
play every day even if it’s only for five minutes. Play what makes you feel good if all you have is five minutes. You may well give yourself another five to work on one specific thing that you need to improve
record yourself, make a list of things you want to work on and do each in isolation where possible. Small wins add up to big morale boost over time.
I move on as soon as I get bored with the current material. I revisit it from time to time then.
If I don’t move on, I just don’t practice, because the material is boring already. So…
I wish I could do it like a robot, step by step, by I just can’t.
Haha please dont apologize at all its totally cool. It is understandable be be concerned about this stuff when you are starting and we all need to describe how we feel with the uncertainties of advancment when we are at this level.
This is what the community is for. i see a ton of great answers from some amazing players. Good advice. Always feel free to ask. Keep up the good work
Hi Jeanine, it is easy to get frustrated when you are beginning. It is even more frustrating when you put down the guitar for a few weeks and find out that your skills are not what they were.
You have gotten a lot of good advice above. I would add that if you started without any guitar experience, then 4 months is not that long. I try to spend about 12 days (or 2 weeks of 6 days) on each module and then you need to add some more days or even better a week or two to practice at least one song for that module even if you can only do one strum per chord. Also it is recommended that you spend several months consolidating what you have learned before moving on to the next grade, mainly by learning and practicing songs. Try going back through the lessons again on the website. ‘The second time around you can review the lessons a little faster, but be sure to pick a song for each module and try to play.
To pass grade 1 pick some songs with easy chord progressions. You don’t need to memorize the lyrics or sing while you play. It helps to pick songs with Song Lessons on the JG website. Justin calls out the chords and playing along as he teaches the chords will help you to memorize the chords better than just playing along with the app. I hope you can find some songs that make you want to play the guitar and motivate you to continue your guitar journey.
Apologies but life happened 5 minutes after I opened this thread - thank you for all the replies, I will be going through them one by one, really appreciate the help and thoughtful comments from everyone <3
Just a comment about speed f learning. I definitely do not think that you are going slow. I was/am slower, for sure.
I got to the end of grade 1 and felt my timing on the strumming wasn’t great - which is something you mentioned. So before trying to move on, I did Justin’s steaming courser. At the time, it was free in the app. It helped me enormously and I still go back to strumming with a metronome exercises from time to time.
Also, if you are using the app, the play along karaoke thing in the app was useful for me as I also felt I couldn’t actually play a whole song myself. And you can slow it right down and then slowly speed up as you get better. I don’t use the app anymore. I just use the website sessions but it was invaluable in the first few months.
[quote=“Alexeyd, post:11, topic:409017”] I move on as soon as I get bored with the current material. I revisit it from time to time then. [/quote]
I agree with Alexey on this. I’m sure I moved too quickly through grades 1-2, and then spent several months re-doing the lessons, what is called “consolidation,” but I never got bored or unmovitated. Follow the lesson plans as best you can, but work on what keeps you inspired to become a guitar player. And Jeanine, if you are struggling with strumming and rhythm (Don’'t we all?), consider spending the money on Justin’s Strumming SOS courses. It is well worth the investment.
Appreciate your kindness. I am writing down a practice schedule to help and have a day in the week where I’m a bit more flexible. Was thinking of dedicating the extra time to learning an actual song on the day, so it’s a bit more “fun for my brain”. I’ll give your method a go - thanks!
Oh wow - this is actually such an eye opener and gives me a better perspective on my learning - definitely helps with not feeling like I’m “falling behind”. Almost tempted to restart the whole grade and make sure I’m spending enough time on each module…Thanks so much, saving this for reference!
Yes, definitely. Now that I’ve seen the suggested dedicated time in another commenter’s post I’m feeling a little less “behind” and a bit more aware of my practice goals. I am a person that needs structure in order to learn and keep on moving, so the less abstract something looks to me the more i’m likely to keep motivated. I’ll try to pluck up the courage to record myself down the line when I’m ready - thanks again for the encouragement!
This is all very helpful advice thanks…my strumming coordination still suffers a bit so I’ll definitely try the slow tempo song method . Good point about playing at least 5 minutes everyday…definitely takes of the pressure and “guilt”.
@Socio also mentioned the Nitsuj videos (which I only just realised is Justin spelled backwards haha) - will give those a look. Cheers!
i see a ton of great answers from some amazing players. Good advice. Always feel free to ask. Keep up the good work
