Great performance @JokuMuu! You managed guitar and singing in parallel in a great way (which at least I find really hard)!
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… and so you should be proud of your performance, Nicole, I thought it was a solid performance.
Well done … 
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Well done Nicole. Solid rythym and pretty clean chords too. Great that you’re playing and singing, you seemed pretty relaxed with it all.
The thing I’d suggest is to add a bit more of a dynamic into your strum pattern. Perhaps emphasise beats 2&4 more and emphasise the chord root notes a bit more.
Good stuff and I look forward to the next one.
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Immediately I got transposed…and I was watching that Belushi movie. You hit right on it! (Plus pls know I use my phone camera for all of my YouTube videos…can’t beat the value, right?!?)
Advice: I say work on the hard chords with fancy names and the intricate runs when you are just noodling around. But when you performing focus first on beat/rhythm,
then lyric. The nuances and special flavor of your homework noodling will, for sure, just kind of bubble out.
You are on your way Nicole and, with every thing you put down, you will advance. And its yours forever…but please share, because I and we all here want to hear you! _R
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I thought that sounded very nice. Nice solid strumming, and I really liked the tone on your guitar for the song.
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@andyPlays @Elixir1253 @sairfingers @Rmking60 @Mari63
Many thanks for your positive feedback 
@sairfingers Finally some input how I can get this better 
I agree, there is work to be done still. While this might be good enough for the stage I’m at now, this song can grow, even if it sounds simple on the surface. I have been thinking exactly about those notes the bass plays in the original. There has to be a way to integrate them into the song even when there is only one guitar playing it. Accordingly, this song will stay on my “songs to work on” list. It will be interesting to check what the song would sound like at the end of grade 2 for example
@Rmking60 Robert, you hit the nail right on the head. Obviously Dsus4 isn’t difficult as such, but I hadn’t really integrated it into my practicing. Only when recording I got the idea that it would sound good. And it did… Once or twice. Most often it threw my rhythm a bit just like in the video and I needed to play a few bars that simply don’t belong there. I’m greatful for the advice.
@Mari63 Thanks for commenting on the tone, just like e.g. Toby and Trond have done already. Makes me prouder than it should, because in the end it’s a preset in the Spider. But yes… I chose the tone and the loudness consciously after having experimented with others ( clean settings simply didn’t cut it )
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Hi Nicole, I heard your song this morning and enjoyed it very much 
. Good to see you back on track 
! Very nicely played and sung. Relaxed and consistent strumming, clean chord changes and a decent voice. I guess you are already a big step past Grade 1 and your practice within the last weeks pays off! I read your other post about your new guitar a few days ago, but didn’t have the time to reply, so congrats on the new guitar via this thread. Great looking guitar and nice sound too! I wish you lots of fun together and many happy practice and playing sessions
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Thank you so much, Andrea Yes, the Godin is a dream. I’m really happy with it.
That’s technically true. Absolutely. If I wanted to I could start with Grade 2 immediately.
But… There are still three songs missing that I tasked myself to learn by heart first 
For Grade 2 and for everything that comes after that I’ll need a foundation that’s why I want to stay put for a moment still. I have learned so much practicing this Grade 1 song that I know investing time in my missing three songs will pay off in the long run
That was very nice Nicole. Really nice playing as well as the vocals and loving your new guitar 
.
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Nicole really well done cover, for a G1 to play and sing along is HUGE! So hats off, you are a good example of how a proper structure and diligence can helpn achieve one’s guitar learning goals 
all the best!
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Hi Helen0609 - I also commented on Nicole and, well, overstepped. Esp. by uploading something I had worked on. Did not intend for it to be a slight/was just sharing. But, you know time and place. I’ll try to do better.
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@Eddie_09 and @adi_mrok Many thanks to both of you
You have no idea, how much this means to me. My first reaction was: What me?!? No way. Not me. The more I’m thinking about it however, the more I realize that there is a seed of truth in your words. Perhaps, if something is not working well for some time and things seem to be hard, all it takes is resilience, discipline and hard practice to overcome certain obstacles.
@Rmking60 You dare to video bomb my thread with videos recorded almost four years ago? 
Now I encourage you that you rerecord this song It would be interesting to find out what it sounds like now - I think I heard the occasional string snaring - and it surely will receive a lot more - well deserved - attention in an own thread.
When it comes to uploading videos here. I think it’s everyone’s own decision whether to upload videos to the community or not. Some people enjoy doing so. Others don’t - and that’s perfectly fine and I think something that has to be respected.
In my case, I had never wanted to upload a video again after @jkahn 's thread had made me think a lot. I was one of these people uploading videos without having practiced enough, simply since I love music so much and it was so easy getting carried away with too much enthusiasm.
Meanwhile I understood that it is and will be fun for me uploading videos that I’m happy with. Videos of songs that I spent hours and hours and hours (more than in this recent case) practicing, etc. But as I said, it’s everyone’s own decision and this should be respected. After all it’s mutual respect that is making this community so unique
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What a wonderful song that was. Everything is looking correct Nicole. Nice strumming and singing. All in time and tune. One to be very pleased with.
Ahhhh, our poor, long suffering partners. 
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What a wonderful cover, Nicole. Nice clean chords and steady smooth rhythm. You’re well on your way to graduating grade 1. Great to hear that you’re sticking with your set goal of five songs before moving on to Grade 2 (though nothing stopping you having a sneak peek). Looking forward to listening to the remaining three songs that you have chosen.
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Not to speak of some neighbours, who according to my husband at some point started singing along very badly 
But, hey, I was playing during the day and it wasn’t THAT loud…
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@Rmking60 I’m totally with you, Robert, but there are very good reasons at the moment for me to postpone my ambitions on recording at the moment. I wished, I could give back more to the community in this area, but it’s a bit challenging these days. So be patient, one day I’ll step out 
! But thanks for the subtle push !
All good, Nicole . I would really love to do some recordings, it just has to wait a bit, you know the reasons, but it’s definitly on my list for 2024 .
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Hey Nicole, good on you for uploading another video. Great to see you’re back at guitar.
That thread you linked - was definitely not about people uploading videos at various stages of their journey. That is to be encouraged. I had a problem with misguided feedback telling people things were great, awesome, wonderful, when they clearly weren’t.
The performance level for a 6 month learner is going to be different than a 2 year or a 10 year player, and that’s OK, and feedback etc should keep that in mind.
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Yes, I remember you saying so in the thread several times. The thread took on some own dynamics, which of course you cannot control. Anyway, I’m very greatful to you for starting this thread back then, because it was one of the factors leading to much needed reflection.
@Helen0609 Good to know Andrea And yes I know, and yes I’m thinking of you quite often. Hope you and Emma have some great, energizing time in the Bavarian winter… And that in the evenings or so you have a wonderful time playing guitar.
You happened to be the one whom Robert addressed directly. I didn’t specifically write my reply with you in mind however. Instead, I had yesterday stumbled across a thread that among others had people apologizing for and justifying why they weren’t uploading videos. Maybe that’s why I wrote my reply as I did. Hope you didn’t find it too harsh @Rmking60
And in your case, my lovely Andrea, I know I will enjoy listening to you playing and singing a song, whenever the moment feels right for you And… no pressure… the Neil Young cover you had uploaded here at some point is seriously good
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Hi Nicole…I’m happy to see you back playing your guitar…All goodness has already been mentioned by the others, what strikes me , positevely of course, is that it sounds very relaxed which is something many beginners struggle with…it’s for sure something I struggled with… very well done! I don’t know the song though I watched Justin’s lesson but it was an enjoyable listening, also the tone of the guitar was gentle and pleasant to the ear
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Grazie mille mia cara Silvia The song is - or at least used to be - played a lot by “the best of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s” radio station-types in Germany
It’s one of Sam Cooke’s major hits, though surely not his best song by far. That’s the iconic “A change is gonna come”