I almost posted this in the lesson specific thread, but I thought it might benefit other beginners that are on either side of the particular module I was in. For context, I have just viewed the lesson on linking chords with scales in Module 15. If I need to move this to the lesson thread, Im happy to do so, moderators please let me know.
Reading through the thread on the lesson I noticed many people having a time trying to use the strum pattern Justin uses along with the fretting. I did as well. So it’s led to two questions:
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Is it a good time to do the entire strumming course in between Grades 2 and 3? I’ve paid for both strumming courses but haven’t gotten too far because I thought I might need some fretting technique under my belt to be able to do any potential strumming challenges. But here I am, finding myself struggling with strumming technique trying to do fretting challenges!
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(Having to do with the chord linking lesson in Module 15) Im trying to decide between learning this technique with the alternating bass pattern Justin mentioned. BUT on starting to drill the finger movements, I got the feeling I was setting myself up to memorize a very specific set of movements INSTEAD OF learning the technique so that it’s free flowing.
Is this common for a beginner- to get in a rut of memorizing finger sequences that takes a lot of work to expand from, instead of learning the technique to use freely and with easy flow?
I had that familiar feeling, while making my fingers do the walking up and down exercise, that I get quite regularly when I’m trying to learn a song on piano, which grabs my attention. I was hoping to go about learning guitar in a different way than I play piano. I don’t want to brute memorize, I want to gain skill and use it comfortably.
At this stage, is it possible to be learning as anything but forcing muscle memory? If so, how am I looking at it wrong, and how do I practice so that I’m not just cementing down sequences (in not only this lesson but all the others)?