Started getting into the APP lessons April 12, 2022, and am now trying to figure out how to make entries and keep my logbook up to date. Right now I can’t seem to get anything to record on the APP, so I am trying it here. I don’t know if I am even in the right place to do this, so let me know if I am all screwed up!
4/12/2022 Went through beginner lesson modules. worked on practice items for chord finger placement, chords D and A, and chord changes D-A, A-D. got changes up to about 37 changes per minute, but not good clean chord sounds. Worked on strumming 1-2-3-4 and tried working with a metronome on chord changes.
4/13/2022 working on getting better at using the APP. Repeated work on lesson 1 modules and practice items.
4/15/2022 Repeated lesson 1 modules and practice exercises. worked on songs, chords D-A, Blowing Smoke and Dance the Night Away. Dropped the tempo down to about half and worked on making the chord changes. Did fair but fingers get jumbled up and inaccurate placement pretty quick. Need lots more work.
4/17/2022 Worked on chord finger placement and chord changes, D-A-D, Got up to about 32 per min. Worked on Strumming 1-2-3-4 doing D-A-D on the 1 beat. Worked on strumming the right strings. Songs- worked on Dance the Night Away, dropped tempo to 113 BPM. Ragged on most chord changes. Seemed to be better practice if I strummed all four beats. Feel like it is getting better, even if just slightly!
April 18, 2022 Short practice. Just worked on doing D-A-D chord changes without music or beat. Feel pretty tired so that will do for today.
April 21, 2022 Missed yesterday, had to get a epidural shot in the spine. Not fun but not too bad. Back feels better anyway!
I tried to watch Justin’s lesson on how to log in and set up practice routines, and items, and data, and other stuff. Quickly got lost and too much time trying to figure out the detail of it all. Today I reviewed chord finger placement and chord changes. Pretty good chord tones at about 34 changes /min. D-A-D. REdid Strumming lesson keeping 1-2-3-4 beat. Did slow but good chord changes D-A-D for 3 min. Did 1 min. fast changes D-A-D and got 35 changes per min. with pretty good tones.
This is May 26th, and I hope I have found how I am supposed to update my learning log, or at least continue to report what I have been doing on the guitar. I am working on completeing grade one, module 6 of the beginner course. I use the App a lot to work on chord changes and songs, also getting into the strumming patterns. My chord changes are still slow if I want to also be accurate in finger placement. I have been working on chords A,D,E, Em. Am, Dm, and starting on G and C. Song work has been mostly Three Little Birds and Dance the Night Away. I have a lot of problem with keeping the strum going and changing the chord at the right time, but it is getting a little better. Also as I go through a song my finger placement gets kind of spastic after the song gets about half way through due to finger fatique I guess. My mind also gets a bit jumbled up trying to get the fingers to go to the right chord. I guess it is all just needing PRACTICE!
Hi Bob,
Welcome to the community. The app is a great tool to practice songs and has a great interface for the practice exercises. I’d highly recommend having a look at the website too. The lessons videos are as per the App but the web pages include additional information. On the website if you go to your dashboard you can also do the lessons with Justin in the background giving you that extra bit of encouragement and it also keeps a log of your progress. Unfortunately at the moment in time the app and the website are not linked. But its always good to use both to reinforce the lessons. As for logging progress creating a learning log like you have just done is a fantastic way to set goals and record progress. You will gets lots of feedback, advice and encouragement from this community. Wish you all the best with your guitar journey.
You’ve started the Log in the right way, Robert, which is something many folk find helpful.
Not sure what you mean by this?
Keep on keeping on with the practise.
Thanks much Socio! I am gradually stumbling around and hopefully beginning to get a few things right. I don’t know all the detail about the terms in logging practice. ie Routine and Data. I am just logging what I work on each practice.
Robert, the way most people update their Learning Log is to post a new reply, rather than editing the first post in the Topic.
Sounds like you are making good progress. As you say, just a matter of continuing to practice and you’ll keep improving. I guess that is the pattern in a never-ending way.
Welcome to the Community Robert. I haven’t any personal experience with the app but many others here find the play along to backing tracks function really helpful.
Eventually you’ll need to wean yourself off that and ‘go it alone’, so I would echo the advice to follow the online website lessons too as they contain much more information.
Good luck and I look forward to following your continued progress.
Sounding like you’re progressing well Robert. What you’re describing with finger fatigue is pretty common, we’ve all gone through it similarly with the strumming with chord changes. Have faith that with practice it’ll come, and playing songs really is the best way to note your progress.
Good luck! 
Hey, Thanks much for the replies! I will try to get it right on doing the next update on my training log!
I will try to use the reply key next time and see how it works! Thanks Much!!
Bob
I hope I am hitting the right buttons to answer this in the right place! OK, I just got a message to make all my answers in one place, so I will try it that way if I can figure it out.
Hey Socio, I appreciate the coaching and advice! i am using the Justin lessons given on the website and mainly use the App for song practice and some of the Chord change exercises. i find that by the time I start the chord change timer on the App I have lost too much time getting pick in hand and mind working to ever get a accurate number of changes to record for data, but I give it a reasonable estimate. I am following the lesson/module system given on the website for my program. I have a lot to learn about how to make use of all the features of the program!
Bob
Hey Bob, don’t get to hung up recording high numbers of changes. Getting a decent number of changes per minute is important, but remember that in the long run you also want accurate, clean chords. In terms of chord changes in a minute, Justin’s prerequisites for passing grade 1 is 30 changes in a minute. With regards to the Practice Assistant on the website once you get to module practice lesson just click on the practice icon to add to your practice routine. Then when you go to your dashboard just click on start today’s practice. If you select the about tab on the practice page there is a nice little introduction video and description of the features of the programme.
Hi Bob,
if you want to reply to multiple people then just type their user name with the @ symbol in front e.g. @tigerbob and that way you can write a collective response or a response to each person on a single post.
June 5, 2022- I have been away from the guitar for the last several days due to tropical Alex coming through South Florida. It wasn’t a big problem here when it went through, but you always have to pay attention to it in case it becomes a hurricane. WE mainly got a lot of rain.
I have continued to go through Justin’s lessons for Beginner grade 2 and work on getting chords right with finger placement and working on making good changes, not necessarily fast. I have fallen behind on song work, but am working on three little Birds mainly. i am also behind on strumming work, and how to apply strumming work to my work on songs. i am just doing basic 4 strums down watching the AAP for 3 Birds and trying to make the chord changes on time, even working at a slower tempo. I can’t see moving on until I feel good about playing the song and making the chord changes right, and at a faster tempo. So, I am staying where I am in the program for now. i wonder if this would be a good time to add in the theory course? Also the Ear Training?
Glad to hear all is OK post the storm, Robert. Keep doing what you are doing, your mindset and approach sounds spot on.
Thanks much David! I still have a lot to learn about using the Justin website, and also the AAP. Comes with time I guess. We were fortunate in regard to the tropical storm! Still have a long ways to go though for this hurricane season! Bob
Well, my progress has been slowed by many things, including lower back problems and the associated medical appointments and treatments. A few other issues that have required me to pack away my guitars and I will be in that state for at least another week or two. After that other medical procedures and a getaway to St. Augustine. I won’t be doing much progressive guitar work for about another month. I do watch the Justin videos and try to learn what I can. I find there is always something for me to learn about how to get around on the website, and there is great info there, but I have to stumble on to it most of the time! I am not a good computer or smart phone user so it takes me a long time to discover stuff and how to use it. I make gains in learning guitar music theory watching the videos. I hope this makes sense to someone out there!
Hi Bob, sorry to hear about your back problems. Sounds like you’ve taken a lot on learning guitar and trying to find your way around the website and lessons and the community all at the same time. You’re doing alright though, keep looking around and you’ll slowly get the hang of it.
I get the feeling you’ll be picking up your guitar again as soon as you’re able to.
Good luck and speedy recovery
🎸 David
Hi Bob, hopefully you are back playing the guitar soon. I also had a no play time earlier this year due to a scheduled medical procedure and I spent the time learning guitar without the guitar and planning my next learning phase. When you are back be sure you can sit properly to play if you do it seated . Like no playing regularly on a bed or coach and putting strain to your neck or back twisting it while trying to watch your learning material.
Just to let you know, I have been down with some medical issues that have taken me away from my efforts on the guitar. Nothing particularly serious but it makes trying to practice a less important thing to be concerned about now. Hopefully I will be able to get back at it in September. I appreciate the messages I have gotten from Justin and the community. It encourages me to get going again. Thanks much and I hope to be able to report some renewed progress soon!