"Three Little Birds" - My Second Performance

Community Recordings Audio-Video Of You Playing
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I posted my first performance about nine days ago in the Beginner Safe Space. This is my second performance, so, I suppose I should be out here in the wild!

I’ve interacted with many of you, and had a delightful time so far. But, if we haven’t crossed paths, you can find my Learning Log or Intro Post below:

If you’d like to see my first performance for comparison, it can be found at this post:

The short version: I’m Todd. I’ve been at this program for 8 weeks now and I’m loving it! I attempted my first performance of singing and playing after about 6 weeks, working on Grade 1 Module 4. It’s nine days later, almost 8 weeks in, and I’m now working on Module 5.

I had looked ahead at what Grade 1 consolidation looked like, and saw that it involved at least one performance, and learning five songs. I would say, at this point, I have performed this one, and I’m well on my way to learning it. (Maybe I have learned it, after I got done making this video, I did the chorus and the verse again without looking at my songbook. So… four more songs to learn! :slight_smile: )

I welcome your feedback! I know there is a lot more to learn, and things to improve on, but, at the same time… I’m actually very happy, downright joyful, at how learning this song is going.

Grace and Peace,
Todd
:guitar: :mountain_biking_man: :ambulance: :stethoscope:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates

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Hi Todd, congrats to your second recording. Just 8 weeks in and you seem to progress very well. That’s amazing. Clean chord changes and your singing was nicely done. You are such a positive guy, a real enrichment for the community :+1:. Keep on playing, hope to see and hear you again soon.

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Hi!

Thank you so much! I definitely had a couple of hiccups in there, regarding chord changes, I think because of the brain rebelling against singing and playing. :laughing: But, I think you’re right, that, generally, they were pretty smooth. And… I do try to stay positive, but, also, I’m pretty excited about learning to play, so, maybe a bit of that comes through. Glad to be here! :slight_smile:

Grace and Peace,
Todd

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Hi Todd,
Good for stepping out of the comfort zone :sunglasses:…this is a great performance for 8 weeks of playing, you are doing a great job… :sunglasses: :clap: ,…and there is no doubt in my mind that if you keep doing your daily practice than in no time you can /will be playing live in the company of people watching or singing along :sunglasses:
Greetings,Rogier

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Wonderful, a big step up showing. :slight_smile:

R.H

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Well done Todd. Steady strumming, clean chords and a vocal too. Not easy to sing and play when you’re starting out. You did a good job of it.

My suggestion now would be to play the same song but without looking at your screen for the chord changes and lyrics. If you can’t remember the lyrics just repeat the same verse and chorus. Can you switch off what I’m assuming is the app and perhaps use a metronome to keep your timing going?

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Hi Gordon!

Thank you so much! :slight_smile:

I think that’s a solid suggestion, practicing without the songbook. I’m pretty close at this point (I’ve done the chorus and the verse without the songbook once each at this point). So, I definitely want to keep practicing it that way, so I can just pull this song out any time a campfire breaks out or whatever. :wink:

I was not actually listening to anything, neither app nor metronome, during this performance. I’ve practiced it both with a metronome and with the original recording. (The song isn’t on the app currently.)

Best Wishes,
Todd

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Why the headphones and wire tangle issue? :smiley:

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Nicely done again Todd.

Everything looks to be progressing nicely. 8 weeks in and that is some pretty sweet stuff going on there.

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Why the headphones and wire tangle issues? :smiley:

So that I can hear the guitar, amplified. The guitar is running into my computer, and through an amp simulator. So, I’m hearing the guitar how you are hearing it in the video.

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So many replies, trying to put some together in one reply here so that I’m not cluttering up the page. Thank you for all the kind words, so many of you, so quickly! I appreciate you all! :slight_smile:

@roger_holland

Thank you so much! I look forward to that! :slight_smile:

@SgtColon

Thank you so much, Stefan!

@Libitina

Thank you so much! :slight_smile:

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Todd that was even better than last time! Well done you should be proud of yourself! Personally I think you can keep this song in your routine and work on it but at the same time you are more than ready to try a new song too. That will make your practice more interesting for sure :wink: all the best

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Hey Todd,
Sounds good on this end. Your strumming is good and steady. Vox is nice and your tone on guitar is there. It’s a complete package and you are progressing well!

All the best and keep up the great attitude!
LB

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Well done Todd :clap:t2: your attitude and the obvious enjoyment you get from learning guitar is an absolute tonic :smiley:

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8 Weeks in and Todd jumps across to AOVYP !!

3r03oKJ

Yay well done sir, certainly an improvement and steady rhythm, plus I am still amazed you are singing already. Great an enthusiasm displayed in your recording, including the honest self critique ! Super stuff.

Did you not see the video on guitar recording health and safety ? :rofl: Watch out for the cables !
And then the end confession about having some previous, on the singing front !! Well good for you as that musicality will help in your guitar journey, so see that as a bonus !

Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

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@adi_mrok

Thanks, Adrian! I think that sounds like a good plan. I’ll definitely keep practicing this one occasionally to keep it up, but, I do want to work on another one. Eventually, I want to get five songs going for Grade 1 consolidation.

I guess that leads to a question, when Justin says to learn five songs for Grade 1 consolidation, does that mean being able to play them from memory, or does it also include vocals?

@LBro

Hi LB! Thank you so much! I appreciate it! :slight_smile:

@Nancy15

:grinning: Thank you! I’m glad to be here.

@TheMadman_tobyjenner

Thank you, Toby! I appreciate you! :slight_smile: And, you’re right, the cables are a health hazard! I guess, now, I understand why some musicians love their wireless systems. :rofl: If only I were rich enough to afford that sort of setup.

The prior history of vocal performance definitely helps. It also helped me with Grade 1 of Music Theory. That was mostly review, though some of it was very old in my mind (college was a long time ago!).

Grace and Peace,
Todd
:guitar: :mountain_biking_man: :ambulance: :stethoscope:

“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” - Søren Kierkegaard

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Hello Todd, I missed the first video. I say you’re doing great: timing is steady and the singing goes along nicely, the chord changes are very smooth and the fact that you’re playing without looking at the songbook adds a lot of value to it. Well done :raised_hands: :blush:

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Todd for a Grade 1 student singing along is way further down the line, you are already exceeding expectations so focus on playing songs and add vocals once your play is comfortable for you :slight_smile: it might get trickier when you start going into more complex strumming patterns hence vocals are left off for later. In fact I don’t think anywhere in the course later it is mandatory to sing along, it is an added bonus :slight_smile:

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Great stuff again Todd. The improvement is really noticeable! Amazing where you are after just 8 weeks. You have an infectious personality and enthusiasm which adds to your performance , and it will make people want to listen to you. Keep it up!

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Hi Todd, very well done and definitely progressed :smiley:. The chord changes were much smoother, and singing and playing simultaneously was really spot on (I know, how difficult that is) :clap::+1:.
I‘m looking forward to hearing more from you :hugs:.

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