Hi Todd, and congratulations to your fast progress and finishing grade 1 lessons .
As you, the last open point in my consolidation list was learning 5 songs by heart. As I not only wanted to learn to play them, but also to sing, it took quite a while before I was ready for grade 2. It was kind of an extra challenge.
Incorporating the F chord in your song learning process, will definitely prolong your consolidation phase. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but be prepared for it and remain patient.
I wish you lots of fun with the learning process and look forward to hearing more about your progress .
Thanks for sharing! I’ve also just started my module 7 consolidation, and it’s helpful to see others’ posts and know that we all have similar struggles (maybe someday I can convince myself to make a post and be one of those helpful people ). I agree the consolidation practice and working on songs is pretty fun!
I will update as I pick a couple more songs, but, I wanted to sort of ‘speak into the world’ what my song choices are thus far. I think that sometimes helps when one is setting goals.
Todd’s Songs for G1 Consolidation:
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and the Wailers (1977)
Working on maybe doing a different strumming pattern than my prior DDDD recordings. Right now, it might be D, D, DU, D. (I’ve watched multiple tutorials on it, but I don’t think I’m ready to try the more advanced techniques with palm muting and whatnot. I think I’ll stick to just refining the skills I’ve learned so far… I think that’s the point here anyway!)
“Silent Night” - Gruber & Mohr (1818)
This is a traditional Christmas song, but, it also happens to use two of my newer chords which “Three Little Birds” does not: G, and C, as well as D7. Since it’s in 3/4 time, I’m also exploring some strumming patterns other than the 1-per-bar I did in my impromptu Christmas performance. I think it will be fun. (Trying to decide between D, DU, D and D, DU, DU.)
“The Addams Family Theme” - Vic Mizzy (1964)
I’ve been practicing the opening riff recently. I’ve got the tab for the song, with both the melody and a chord progression. I’m not a quick enough plucker for the melody yet, but I can strum the chord progression. This could be a song to grow into, as Justin might say. Someday, I would like to do a multi-track recording of myself singing, strumming the chord progression, and playing the melody. Right now, just concentrating on the intro riff, outro riff, and chord progression. It also uses G, and C, and one of my slowest chords, Dmin! So, I think it’s a great choice to get me working on C and Dmin, my two slowest chords. (Also, if I’m going to get it up to the original tempo (~118bpm), those will have to be some relatively quick changes, so I think that’ll be good, “forcing” myself into quicker changes as Justin puts it.
I think I’ve got three more songs picked out, for a total of six songs for my consolidation.
“For What It’s Worth” - Buffalo Springfield (1966)
This uses just A, E, and D, but, it was one of my favorite songs to play when I finally had those three chords, early on in Grade 1. It has the “Stop, Hey, What’s that sound?..” sections where the progression changes. This made me feel like I was really playing something recognizable and musical. Also, in Justin’s video on it, he recommends a small change to the strumming pattern for those sections, so I plan to implement that.
“Mad World” - Tears for Fears (1982)
Funny enough, one of my work colleagues commented that the recordings of my playing which I post on my social media are all sad and make her want to come over and give me a hug. So, I told her I would play something really cheerful, like “Mad World.” Also, on a practical note, it’ll use another chord which isn’t used in my other songs so far, Emin.
“A Horse with No Name” - America (1971)
I just love this song, so I was happy when I saw it on the app when I was searching for songs using Emin.
So… I think that’s a fairly eclectic little list I’ve made. I don’t know if there is any common thread throughout them, other than all having been released before my birth.
I think I’ll record a performance of “Three Little Birds” soon. I’ve got that one down.
I’ve been pondering if “Horse With No Name” will be rather boring, as it’s literally just me switching back and forth between the same two chords for the whole song. I guess I can learn to sing it also just to make it more fun.
One interesting thing about “Horse With No Name” is its use of an unusual, but easy to play, chord, D add 6 add 9 with an F# base, as Justin calls it. The app actually uses a totally different fingering, D add 6, which I had been practicing with. I’m going to try the chord from Justin’s video next practice.
After practicing it for the first time, “Mad World” is really fun! (Especially for such a depressing, creepy song.) I just like how the chord progression works, kinesthetically, as it feels like a circle I’m making on the fretboard. (Em, G, D, A)
If you just want to watch the video here and comment instead, here you go! I welcome your feedback on my first of six consolidation songs within Todd’s Consolidation Hoedown EP.
Hi Todd,
Good to see your video,clean chords (almost all ) and it’s (as in all life) not about not making mistakes,…but about how you deal with them , and you do it well ,… I really enjoy following you and sometimes can’t wait to see how you do in a year or …???,…but let’s not forget or rush through today ,…I wish you have a very nice day,
Greetings,…
Thank you, Rogier! Yeah, I noticed a couple of not-so-clean chord changes in there… some disappointment may have even slipped across my face when it happened. Yet… I suppose it’s a good thing that I have enough experience now that I notice these things quickly. Always a silver lining!
Thank you! I always look forward to your comments as well!
While I am here, here are couple of other works I have in progress. One is for my consolidation. It is very rough, though. I expect it to take more weeks of practice before I can really “perform it,” but I want to post this rough run-through to get some advice, and also to compare in the future. This is the Addams Family Theme:
This next video is much shorter. It is just one short riff, but is part of a longer song I want to learn. It made me very happy to play it, so, I decided I should record it and share it.
If anyone wants to really suffer, here is the full video of me attempting to play the Star Trek theme via reading tab. It is sooo bad. Yet, on the positive side, I feel that it shows I am developing the ability to read tablature.
Hi Todd,…again
I hope someone with more time can give better advice if needed,…but I just think you need to keep practicing,you’re doing great.and maybe learning riffs that justin explains well, that helped me a lot…fun fact ,I’ve never seen the adams family nor Star trek or Wars more than a few seconds
Greetings,…
Edit: La Bamba
take a sniff at this,…I found it terribly hard to get into my head and it made me hopeless,…but a son of a friend of 13 years old played it within a week (not in speed )…forget the double notes and the speed ,… just have a look, maybe too early, … but looking ahead is allowed, and this one was a real milestone for me,…
Yes, I do work on the riffs from the lessons. I practice all of them regularly. So, that has been helpful. It was really how I learned to read tab, reading the provided tab along with Justin’s lessons to learn those four riffs which he taught so far in my lessons. Still, it’s fun to try to apply those lessons to other songs which I want to learn. These two which I just posted are very new for me, so, I believe you are right. It will just take practice. Practice, practice, practice.
In the seven weeks since my previous entry, I’ve learned and performed five songs (see here: Todd's Beginner G1 Consolidation Songs). I continue to practice my repertoire of songs, keeping them fresh, and adding improvements (e.g., a new strumming pattern for “Horse With No Name”).
I had a sixth song picked out for my consolidation, but I’ve decided to keep practicing that one, concurrently with continuing in my lessons. Do not fret, Lord willing, you’ll get to see me play the Addams Family Theme someday soon.
This week, I started into Grade 2/Module 8. It’s been going well. The Stuck 3/4 chords are a fun addition, and the minor pentatonic scale is fairly straightforward. So, so far so good.
So, in total, Beginner Grade 1, Modules 1-7, took me a total of 24 weeks from beginning lessons to completing consolidation, in case anyone is curious about those sorts of things. I probably could have gotten it done at least a few weeks quicker, but, I’m a rather busy person, like many of you, and I also had a few times when I wasn’t practicing due to life events. I’m glad to have completed it in the timeframe I did, however.
You’re making good progress there Todd, and youve got the right attitude. Onward and upward in Grade 2.
Loved the Trekky theme song. My wife and I were big Trekky fans in another life. I might learn it myself, and ‘unsettle’ her late one night
Hi Todd, that’s terrific to read, you’ve done grade 1 in a really good and methodical way which sets you up perfectly for grade 2.
There’s some awesome stuff coming your way, keep on doing what you’re doing!
Hi Todd, I don’t think you should have any regrets about how much time you’ve spent in Grade 1. As you probably know from your teaching experience (I don’t have too much of that except some MS Office classes I gave many years ago) previous well acquired knowledge facilitates acquiring more knowledge based on that previous knowledge. Thank for sharing the progress with the themes. I think you are doing right in practicing slowly and putting attention to every note you’re playing. With practice you’ll be able to do it faster. In addition to playing the whole piece I’ve found useful playing a few a times in a row segments of it specially the ones that are not easily coming along. Keep the good work.
Pretty good, I’ve not really done a single song at 19 weeks, even though I’m doing G2 Module like you but I’m very close lol. So, 24 week, thats pretty good.
I’ve spent four weeks on Module 8. I probably could have moved on to Module 9 by now, but, it’s been a busy time with the end of the semester approaching (I’m a non-traditional student, working and in university full-time right now). So, I’ve been content just practicing my repertoire and doing the Module 8 practice. I figure it’s a marathon, not a sprint; at least I’m practicing something. I’ll probably move on to Module 9 soon.
Well, it’s been two months, to the day, since my last post in the JG Community, and even longer since updating the old learning log! I’m sure some of you feared my demise. Well, fear not, for I have returned to you.
As stated in my last post, I stopped progressing through the lessons due to the end-of-semester crunch at school. That lull has continued to this present day. I’m still doing the Module 8 practice a few days a week, just not progressing to anything new. I think I’m finally bored, so time to move on to Module 9. I’m excited to get into the F-Chord.
Is it okay to post bass guitar videos? Bass guitars are guitars, after all… I posted, many months ago about buying a bass. I haven’t done anything with it until, about a week ago! Well, I’ve practiced it a couple times, and I’ve almost got a catchy bass line down from one of my favorite bands (“Chick Magnet” by MxPx). So, that’s been fun.
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). I agree the consolidation practice and working on songs is pretty fun!
Also, on a practical note, it’ll use another chord which isn’t used in my other songs so far, Emin.
) 
and it’s (as in all life) not about not making mistakes,…but about how you deal with them 
, and you do it well 
,I’ve never seen the adams family nor Star trek or Wars more than a few seconds 
)…forget the double notes and the speed ,… just have a look, maybe too early, … but looking ahead is allowed, and this one was a real milestone for me,…
