Thoughts of Lessons - Again!

[warren0728]

congrats strum....i hope to start my lessons soon....i feel like it is the only way i am going to get where i want to be as a guitarist :greenguitar:

ww

 

[mark wein]

Very cool! You'll have to kepp us posted on how things are going!

 

[peachhead]

Man, I'm jealous. That really sounds great. Someone started up a music school not far from me- lessons are set up by semester and classes are roughly 350/sem. Private lessons are $35/half hour and classes are the same rate but for an hour (I think you get a break for the whole semester). I think I am going to talk to them tomorrow to get a feel for the place.
I like your place's setup though. Wish we had one of those! I am looking forward to hearing more about it. Good luck!

 

[just strum]

The lessons are going great, I look forward to them every Saturday. I can't believe I struggled with bar chords before taking lessons and now it requires no thought. We worked on strum patterns today and Eagles Take It Easy. Now an Eagles fan, but good song for learning strum patterns.

We are having a major snow storm and they called to make sure I was going to be there. I told them there was no way I would miss my lesson and if my instructor wasn't there I would wait around for another. Turns out he was there and we had a very productive session - a half hour just flies by.

I took the new Strat with me and had three instructors drooling:drool: . Very complimentary comments about all aspects of the Strat. My instructor didn't see me walk in and did as usual grabbed a guitar off the rack to use for practice. He walks in with an American Strat - the two sounded sweet together.

 

[warren0728]

sounds great strum....was just goofing around with my acoustic....having a scotch...and reading your post is just getting me more excited about my first lesson on tuesday! :greenguitar:

ww

 

[just strum]

...getting me more excited about my first lesson on tuesday! :greenguitar:

ww

We expect to hear progress reports from you. You are going to love them and they get better with each session.:AOK:

 

[just strum]

Today was a little more work on strum patterns. I'm a little disappointed in my progress in this area. I think I picked up bad habits or technique while being self-taught and it seems to be harder to break those habits and relearn something. The instructor is telling me to keep the strum hand moving at a steady pace and bring the pick down on the strings a specific up or down strums. I tend to pause rather than make the strum motion without touching the strings (I hope I explained that so it can be understood).

Despite that, I am making progress. Last week he had me working with an Eagles song and I am not even close to being an Eagles fan, probably would listen to Karen Carpenter before the Eagles.oke:

So today we worked on The Stones, Love in Vain. I like both the Let It Bleed and Exile On Main Street CD's so it's music I can relate to.

As simple as I figured strumming would be, it is providing me an unexpected challenge. I welcome any tips from the fretters here that might have some good suggestions.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I have had the same problem, and though it is getting better, I still am not excellent at it. I did it a lot on my first attempts at learning Neil Young songs. I was a particular offender on "Old Man".

 

[just strum]

I'm glad to hear it isn't just me. The instructor tells me it's not uncommon to have the problem, but I always take that as a confidence building comment.

I am finding that the first couple of sessions have uncovered bad habits or incorrect technique. I am not a believer in "correct technique" as I am in "best technique" that being - whatever works best for the person doing the learning.

 

[street music]

Strum you said, that you aren't a fan of The Eagles? I'm a little surprised but then I know each of us have different likes and dislikes. IMHO some of the best songs have come from The Eagles and I'm trying to learn to play a few of them.
As for the strumming I have had problems similar to yours , as it just doesn't feel right to keep my hand moving if I'm not making contact with the guitar.

 

[just strum]

Strum you said, that you aren't a fan of The Eagles? I'm a little surprised but then I know each of us have different likes and dislikes. IMHO some of the best songs have come from The Eagles and I'm trying to learn to play a few of them.
As for the strumming I have had problems similar to yours , as it just doesn't feel right to keep my hand moving if I'm not making contact with the guitar.

Regarding the Eagles: It's just not my style of music, plus Hotel California and Desperado really soured me on the Eagles as the airplay became intolerable. The same holds true for Led Zeppelin - After 10,000 airplays of Stairway to Heaven, Robert Plants voice and what I feel is his crappy stage presence, it just soured me on them.

I can probably tolerate a song of theirs every once in a while, but neither rank high on my list.

As for the guitar playing, I basically am having the same problem that you are referring to. Solution: Practice, practice, practice.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

As for the strumming I have had problems similar to yours , as it just doesn't feel right to keep my hand moving if I'm not making contact with the guitar.

Strum, Street, dial up some of Lev's vids on youtube and Robert on dolphinstreet for some good examples. I just try to watch and copy and hope it comes out right some time. When I was really struggling with it on "Old Man" my former instructor said what I was playing was musically correct, but that he "could not watch me do it" because it was so messed up. :rotflmao:

Ok, not in the exact words "so messed up" but that was the general idea. LOL!!

 

[just strum]

Strum, Street, dial up some of Lev's vids on youtube and Robert on dolphinstreet for some good examples. I just try to watch and copy and hope it comes out right some time. When I was really struggling with it on "Old Man" my former instructor said what I was playing was musically correct, but that he "could not watch me do it" because it was so messed up. :rotflmao:

Ok, not in the exact words "so messed up" but that was the general idea. LOL!!

It seems like acoustic songs are so distinct that the combination of video and audio help. I've been watching some Ray LaMontagne and watching his movement closely. If you are able to get the movement, chances are you can do the songs C, G, D7,.... - nothing fancy, good strumming songs.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, exactly. For example, I have focused a bunch on trying to do some Neil songs. One can get some of the basic strumming for the chord changes without too much trouble, and if you just follow the TABs and strum, you can do it well enough for campfire purposes. But if you really listen, he is catching different strings in different patterns depending on where he is in the song, and really changes up the sound. Only a combo of watching vid and listening tells you the full truth. Sheet music or TAB does not. In fact some Tabs I found said something like "Neil does some fancy right hand Neil stuff here. Listen for yourself and figure it out" or words to that effect. LOL! But you watch the vid, and even in parts where clearly no notes or fewer notes than full strums are sounding, he is moving that hand up and down in rhythm, unceasingly in time.

 

[just strum]

Well at least three of us can relate to this part of the journey. I like Neil Young (electric and acoustic) and should probably indulge more in his music. I know bits of a number of his songs like Helpless, Old Man and Heart of Gold to name a few, but never worked them all the way through.

Only one problem Steve - no more acoustic guitars here

But my RP350 that is arriving Thursday has the capability of duplicating a dread and a jumbo, so all is not a total loss:bravo:

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Only one problem Steve - no more acoustic guitars here

Hey, no worries there. I like to mess with Old Man and Heart of Gold on my strat, with the Bad Monkey on to warm it up a bit, straight to the amph. Play light, and that Em7 sounds so nice! If I **** on it too hard, not so nice. Good practice for control and cleaning up my pick attack, strumming motion, etc.

 

[just strum]

My regular instructor is out of town this weekend, so another one filled in. I arrived about 20 minutes early as I normally do so I have time to look and play the guitars. When I walk in, the instructor is standing at the counter, I introduce myself and he asks if I want to get in some free extra time. Not one to pass up "free" (free is good), we got started.

He started off with the usual "What music do you like?" "What artist do you like?" He started messing with Purple Haze and as he started, I commented that I wasn't there to learn "a" song, but I want to learn how songs are structured. He smiled and commented what a pleasant surprise it was to hear that. We then spent about 45 minutes breaking down some songs and reviewing the commonality in many songs.

As I was leaving I asked if it would cause a riff should I request to change instructors. So I changed instructors and beginning next Saturday I will be working with Mike.

I liked the other instructor and learned from him, but there was something clicked with this instructor. I understood his instructions and I recognized where we were going and how the pieces fit together. Now next Saturday cannot arrive soon enough.:rockon:

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Very nice Strum!

As far as strumming goes, when I first start a pattern or a new chord progression, I try to just make sure that the ups & downs are in the right place & in time. Once I am comfortable, I turn the amph up and explore the nooks & crannies.

There is so much expression to had in a simple strumming pattern. I keep playing it over & over again. At some point the thing starts to take off & take on some life of its own. That or my wife tells me she's gonna shoot herself if I don't use my headphones.

Then it's back to square one for the next pattern/progression .

I agree that notation doesn't tell the real story for rhythm or for lead.

 

[Childbride]

very cool, Strum! :dude:

 

[just strum]

Worked on a couple of things today at lessons. Some blues, two scales and then worked on "Keep On Rockin' in the Free World". It is a song that both the instructor and I like, so it was a fun time to put in some minutes on the song.

When I got home I was looking at a couple different versions on youtube and came across this one I hadn't seen before.



I thought I had the audio to the original Neil Young version on my computer, but I either erased it or never had it in the first place. Anyway, fun song, except my 10'x11' room doesn't provide me the room to roam the stage.

So that was todays lesson. I've been combining my lessons with Mark Wein's lessons and some of the things found on Robert's DolphinStreet. The combination of the three have really helped my progress over the past couple of weeks.

 

[just strum]

Well, another good lesson. Reviewed Keep on Rockin in the Free World from my lesson two weeks ago, reviewed quickly strum patterns, and then started working on Born on the Bayou.

Going into some Hendrix in two to three weeks.

Hope lessons are going well for the others - would love to hear some feedback on what you other guys are working on in your lessons.

 

[warren0728]

Hope lessons are going well for the others - would love to hear some feedback on what you other guys are working on in your lessons.

ok....here is a quick update....i'm currently working on albert king stuff....deconstructing some of his signature licks and am working on "born under a bad sign"....i can play most of the baseline leads and am now working on some of the licks throughout the song....i'm still enjoying my lessons but sometimes get frustrated when my fingers don't move where or as fast as i want them too....you may be able to teach an old dog new tricks but it definitely takes longer! :thwap:

ww :greenguitar:

 

[just strum]

I sometimes find that the things I can do in the comfort of my own home, in my own room, I cannot do as well during lessons. I hate to say it, but I get nervous at lessons.

I guess those nerves are the same thing that prevents me from posting clips or even giving thought to getting up on a stage. Oh, and maybe a little because I still suck at playing guitar.

 

[Childbride]

i experience the same phenomenon. i can nail it here at the house, Shiner and Katie watching, then totally tank in front of my teacher.

mebbe part of it is the perfectionist in all of us in wanting to do well so badly that we psyche ourselves out.

i keep telling myself that i'm doing this for me, and that i love it, and to not over-think... just go in and do my thing.

and i will also state that it takes me much longer to learn/memorize my lessons than it did as a kid/teen. which just reinforces my belief that i need to pursue it to exercise that big ole muscle between my ears.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

That had left me with my old teacher after some months but is back with this new one and after having taken on some different learning projects. A combination of the theory or technique not being owned by me yet and some nervousness due to knowing I don't own it yet make my performance at lessons less than at home. (can I write a wordier sentence?) But I just have to get over it, and I do it now by just telling my instructor I am feeling nervous, and moving on anyway. He is good about it, and sometimes we then get into it enough that the nervousness goes away and I am just playing with it.

On another note, (LOL, that one always gets me.) would any of you be interested in comparing notes (LOL!) on how you are approaching things? It seems that some of us are working on similar things, and Mark Wein is tracking the areas I am working on, so it might be useful for one of us to pick a lesson topic (song, scale, theory etc.) and state how you are approaching it in lessons and how you are practicing, and what is working and what is not. Kinda like a good old study group. CB, I bet you remember those from law school. Once I had my outlines down, some of my most productive study time. Anyhow, how 'bout it? If someone has an idea, start it off, maybe in a study group thread. If no one has an idea, I bet I can come up with one.

 

[just strum]

and i will also state that it takes me much longer to learn/memorize my lessons than it did as a kid/teen. which just reinforces my belief that i need to pursue it to exercise that big ole muscle between my ears.

Boy, I agree with the part about taking longer at my age than it did when I was younger. I don't dwell on it because I don't want to build brick walls, but carries some truth.

Last Saturday when I went for lessons I heard someone playing Here Comes the Sun and doing a good job of it. I expected to walk in the room an see someone in their late teens or early 20's, but it was a kid about 8 to 10 years old. I looked at my instructor and mumbled "damn punks" in a joking way.

 

[Childbride]

SVL... (shudder) study groups. i remember, there were four or five of us that had our outlines for the texas bar. and we pulled so many all nighters and drank so much coffee that i can no longer drink coffee... it wore out my stomach.

blechh. i will have nightmares tonight... :messedup:

but i am not opposed to the idea in the slightest. problem is we're all working on diff stuff, right? and between now and first of june, i'm totally focused on being backup for our gig, and learning all of our songs in case one of the other players can't make it... i'm a team player in all things, tho, and love every opportunity to learn and be better at this thing that we do. i have open ears, and would love to hear your proposals.

Strum... my two main peeps that i'm covering are his star students... two middle schoolers that he's had for four or five years. i get it, in spades.

totally off-subject, but we had a staff meeting today, and as part of the meeting, we watched the lecture from that gentleman from Carnegie Mellon... Randy Pausch...

we all have Greatness Within Us, and i hereby today Pledge to Strive Harder to Prove It.

 

[just strum]

Steve/CB, I like the idea of the study group. Since as CB points out that we are all working on different things, let's try focusing on our approach to the lessons and the practice. Right now I'm struggling with practice because I am having a difficult time tuning out the outside world. I'm not throwing that out as a starter, but just an example of topic.

I guess the easiest way to describe it is making it free form and see where it takes us for now. We can always structure it as we make further progress. Since we are all at different levels to some degree, it might be the best approach for now.

Just throwing that thought out there.

It could be geared toward people taking lessons with helpful input from other members.

Any other thoughts?

 

[street music]

I step in with a few thought since my Guitar teacher decided that pills mean more than his students, I have not found a replacement that I'm confident with.
So I have started concentrating on songs that I know from way back(age factor) so I have worked into playing a good portion of Hotel California , Yesterday, Stand By Me, Crazy and working on a few more. It has seemed to help me finally get better on rythm by working with songs that I already knew or at least very familar with, rather than songs that I never really cared about that much.
Favorite songs seem to hold my interest better and the fact that Kodiak got me work Stairway To Heaven again was great too, I know it's a much hated song but I like Zepplin stuff.

 

[Childbride]

ok, part of being a study group is being Completely Honest. People cannot Trust you if they don't know where they Stand.

on weekdays, i Always have court wed and thurs, my rurals revolve on where they revolve. i get maybe two hours golden during work weeks, usu between 8 and 10 pm. my weekends are my treasure trove. that's where i actually perfect my playing.

my backing track is my savior when practicing. i first pick out the notes, and memorize the sequence. then i figure out what fingerings get me there fastest, and play with my backing track to get my timing down.

next?