Wow Tony …3 hours 
Sounds nice 
These are quite a workout for the hands, it’s nice that it’s going so well, and let’s start with the first riff and make sure it’s good in your fingers… a number will easily follow if you play so much… do what you do well and your star will continue to rise
Greetings
Tony, do you remember how I doubted that your next gig would be next year only? 
Seems I was right 
Three hours?! Wow 
Yes I couldn’t see it happening, but I forgot how much my mate loves being on stage
Yes, but I am learning that country music fans don’t like to go home
As you say, start with one riff and work from there.
I have uploaded a video of a short montage of the fun we had Sunday.
That’s very cool, Tony! Three hours of gigging sounds impressive!
But taking a look at the footage you shared, the two of you were thoroughly enjoying it, so did the audience.
Even though it might interfere with you actual learning plan, it still is invaluable and will enable your growth as a performing musician. 
Hi @Lisa_S , thanks for the comments. Yes we really were enjoying ourselves. The 3 hours went so fast. The only thing at the end was my feet ached so much, I had to have a sit down, and a natter and a beer for an hour or so afterwards
I agree the experience is still part of my growth as a musician. It started off a bit nerve racking, until the end of the first song, as it was the first paying gig. All the others were in front of friends.
Another great outdoor party/gig. I finally announced that I WILL sing at the next New Year performance. That gives me a couple of months to get a couple of songs right! No pressure
Fantastic Tony, singing is a new chapter! Do post here once you have a recording. Cheers mate.
@Boris1565 Thank you. I will post a recording of me singing. I will make sure someone videos it.
Hi Tony…that was so good to see you out there making and sharing music with people! Your goals are always very practical and clear…so I guess the winds will be very favourable to your guitar journey! I loved the video, you must feel so proud of yourself! And also grateful you have a great jam buddy who shares all this with you! Regarding the It’s hard to be humble recording I found it quite good already and I thought you’re well on your way to singing. One thing that really helped me was to sing and strum just on muted strings and avoid the chord change, or even change chord and strum only on one while singing and avoid to concentrate on Rhythm…I still find it hard when learning new songs, singing on time and in tune and take care of the playing at the same time: the more we learn to automate the better, I guess…it takes time.
Hi @Silvia80 , thank you for your lovely comments. Yes I am very lucky to have a friend like Clint.
I like the idea of starting using just single strums, I will have to try that. I have started singing along with the choruses during practice and this is improving my confidence. I hope to have 2 songs ready to sing lead on for the New Year.
Once I am more comfortable I will be recoding myself again.
Well, it’s been a while since I updated this learning log. I seem to be in a period where I am not actually learning much just adding to my existing techniques.
With the guitar, I am adding at least one song to my Country repertoire a week. As I listen to country music I will suddenly hear a tune that I like and it is to the ‘to learn’ list. I still have a dozen or so songs to learn on that list so I am trying to learn one a week. By learning, I mean that I can play a nice and easy rhythm version that sounds OK on stage. I have a learning and a couple of practice set lists with usually 3 songs on each list. As a song on the learning list gets acceptable it gets moved to one of the practice list. I play the learning list every practice session and one of the practice lists every session.
On the technique side of things, I am slowly improving on the hybrid picking and the triads as well as gradually incorporating 7th chords and F barre chord into the songs I know. This is slow work, but it is getting there.
With the singing, I still hate it, but it is slowly improving. I have had to by a small mixer unit, so that I can hear the guitar and my singing in the in ear monitors. Without the mixer, I could not hear my singing.
I still have trouble staying in one pitch. I find myself either singing too high and have to drop down or the other way around. I am hoping that it will sort itself out soon.
Well that’s about it for the moment. Onwards and upwards.
Hi Tony,
one song per week is quite a rate at learning new stuff, great!
It probably will sort itself. The good thing is: You are already hearing you are out of pitch, that’s step 1. The next step is (as with every other skill, instrument…): Practice, practice, practice. The more you do it, the more confidence you gain and it will get “easier”. Also your vocal cords need some time to adjust and learn, so you can control the pitch better over time until it works more automated.
In reading my post above, I think I am using the wrong term in ‘pitch’, I think I mean range. I will start off in one range and then run out of the range of notes that I can sing and have to alter the range or octave to sing the ‘missing’ notes 
Ok, that’s a little different then. The range of your voice can also be altered/increased, but it has limits of course. Every voice has it sweet spots, though, and we all require finding them.
But probably with learning more about proper singing technique, you will see your comfortable range increase. Lots of people (myself included) need to get familiar with their head register, for instance (aiming for higher notes) and need proper training to sing there at ease and with “more strength”. The good thing is that it is something we all can learn.
But in some occasion it might be required to change the key of a tune to fit your vocal range better. It may be worth experimenting with the capo a little before you strain your voice too much.
Thanks Lisa. I am now doing daily voice exercises and slowly tyring to increase my range. I am going to see if moving the key will work as well, but I have to be careful as I still need to be in my friends range as well as we will both be singing. Who knew that singing is so complicated
Wow, I just seen that it is nearly 2 months since the last update! I suppose the reason, is that I haven’t really seemed to have added to my guitar playing abilities. However looking back, I think I have. I am still doing an hour to an hour and a half practice most days.
We are getting ready for a new year’s eve performance. Two one and a half hour sets on New Year’s Eve followed by a half hour set after midnight. This has meant ‘learning’ a few extra songs, as althought the first 2 setrs are rock and roll and then country, the final set will be dance/party songs and I do not have many of these in my songbook.
As it was 2 years ago at this New Years Eve party that I first mimed playing a guitar I have come a long way, and this year’s party will be the first time they will hear me sing
The main skill that I have learnt, is site reading of guitar tabs. Providing it is in a key that I know I can play the rhythm part almost straight off and quickly pick up the chord progression. I have also found that within a couple of bars, my strumming pattern has changed to one that fits the song. This has been a very useful thing to develop.
I think that’s all so far. Next year, I really must start learning new techniques to add to some of the songs. At the moment it is still basic chord strumming.
Hey Tony, cut yourself some slack!
You may not be progressing much through the lessons but I imagine you’re learning A LOT by playing in your band.
Very few people do what you’re doing after only 2 years. You have plenty of time to learn new techniques etc, as and when you need them. Take some credit and enjoy it.
That is amazing, what a great ride
Have fun,Greetings
@BurnsRhythm and @roger_holland thank you for your comments. As you say it’s been a fantastic journey and I have loved every minute of it.
For the future, I am really looking forward to playing chord arpeggios to add flavour to my rhythm playing.
