Well I’ve been active on this forum for a while now and regularly posting messages. I’m at the end of Grade 2 and consolidating but was never very comfortable about posting my first video on the forum.
Anyway, I decided to post a video on the Justin Guitar website for the Wish You Were Here challenge. But it’s also my very first video playing (and I decided to sing as well), so I thought I should put it on the forum, especially as it’s a criteria for participating in future open mics.
I’ll sing better next time, I promise!!! Sure is a lot easier to play this song if you don’t sing as well.
Ya looked real comfy to me Ian.
Your playing and singing looked laid back too.
You did a great job on that cover!
And your right about singing and playing at the same time. It’s just plain hard to do. And I thought you did very well at it.
imho, you sing good too. Much better than me anyways.
Your levels were pretty darn good to. I could hear you and I could hear your guitar. Your production of a video was very good too.
Ya just did a great job with this cover.
Now that ya’ve broke the ice on audio/video of your playing. You will have to do some more for us.
Your version is right on man! I enjoyed your music!
The first time is always the hardest, it will get easier each time. You really did well on this one, lots to be proud of! The singing was just fine and you played smoothly, too. Doing both at once can be quite a challenge itself. I enjoyed your rendition and am looking forward to some OM contributions in the future.
For a first up, ‘on camera’ performance, on a deceptively difficult song too, you should be well stoked with that.
Feels good to ‘break the ice’ too doesnt it?
Most crucially, you have captured the pulse of this song very well, which seems to be the trickiest part of this tune for most people.
Also good picking, cruisy strumming, and your voice is pretty good as well.
Hi Ian,
My goodness why did you hide for so long …Congratulations on your first video , that’s a big thing, and how good …In the last few days a lot has come by where the timing is constantly missing with the riff and strumming and that is of course super difficult but you do that well and then you also sing … you have a calm voice for me,
First time , dont wait that long for the second ……
Hi Ian, what a fantastic first AVOYP, many congratulations. I only recently found playing and singing together (while challenging) a huge pleasure, I hope the same was true for you.
Compliments of the season to you.
Great job Ian!. You have a strong voice and you are very comfortable on the guitar for this early on. I can’t imagine coming close to playing that well, not to mention singing too, when I was at Grade 2. Keep at it and keep sharing!
Thanks so much to everyone for all the positive comments. I hope that I’ll get good enough to do an open mic in 2026. My plan now is to spend a bit more time consolidating what I learnt in Grades 1 and 2, but particularly by trying to put those things I learnt into practice in full length songs.
I tried WYWH when it was introduced in a Justin lesson (in grade 1 or 2) but at the time, I found the lessons a little confusing, especially the one about the intro. The new lesson, with the 5 stages, that Justin posted a few weeks ago, was a game changer for me. I’m really pleased that he updated the lessons because the new video really takes a nice step by step approach to this song, building up the complexity. It’s much easier to follow and makes a lot more sense. You can see by watching old Justin song lessons and newer ones, how much better the lessons have become. What great teacher.
Here in my video I’m at about stage 2 in Justin’s lesson and step 3 is to add some more relaxed small strums during the intro, which is what I’m going to try next. However, I’m working on U2’s One, Tom Petty’s Free Fallin and Stuck in the Middle with You (great practice for the percussive strum) and hope to make videos of at least 1 of those over the holiday period.
Thanks Colin. That’s a Squier Affinity Telecaster, and the first guitar I bought. I have other guitars, but whenever I have to learn something new, I always pick up that guitar.
well done Ian! great job on the singing and playing
You looked and sounded so chill and relaxed
And congratulations on your first AVOYP
Looking forward to hearing more of your videos and seeing you in the OMs
Wow Ian! What a first AVOYP! Congratulations for taking this step and breaking the ice and all my admiration for the performance which was really good and much enjoyable to listen to.
The singing was just fine and you played smoothly, too. Doing both at once can be quite a challenge itself. I enjoyed your rendition and am looking forward to some OM contributions in the future.
…Congratulations on your first video 
, that’s a big thing, and how good 
…In the last few days a lot has come by where the timing is constantly missing with the riff and strumming and that is of course super difficult but you do that well and then you also sing 