Hi Fam,
I did a live stream on FB today where I just wanted to check in with all of you and how your guitar goals for 2021 are going. If they are progressing toward them, that's great! If not, I have some encouragement for you.
Sometimes progress can feel slow. That's how I've felt with my fingerstyle goals lately, but looking back at it, things have been moving a long quite nicely. I've had some success here, but it could have been much faster if I would have been more diligent about the quality of my practice. With that in mind I'm revisiting two books, the Practice of Practice and The Talent Code.
In this live video I just talk a little bit about quality of practice and how any of us can play the things we want as long as we slow things down enough. Let us know how your 2021 guitar goals are coming along.
Ok I’m circling the parts on Windy and Warm so @nate we can work on it together..once I get through your lesson basically its those bends that are getting me right now... among a few other things .. but I honestly think the tune is doable.... but very slowly right now. It’s funny I see a big difference in my playing from now verses last year..... 😊. Ready for Deep River Blues Also... you know I’m from Doc Watson Side of the state so excited you are doing lessons for these two songs,,, hate I missed the live stream... maybe next time.
That's awesome that you're seeing a big difference in your playing compared to last year! I bet it feels really good to see how far you've come. :) Keep up the great work!
1. Finally reeping the fruits of my labor of concentrating on fingerstyle the past year. I have a half dozen song down pretty good. Even started doing some of them on Live stream. Also have been playing a few strumming songs as fingerstyle lately (usually on the fly just for the heck of it) and feeling pretty good about it.
2. I am in the middle of the Bar Chord Masterclass and all was going along rather great until I got to the dreaded D & Dm shape. They are kicking my butt. But I will overcome and defeat them as I am seeing improvement.
3. Blues lessons coming along steady but slowly. I’m really enjoying the blues and feel as tho it is helping me with many other things also.
4. playing by ear; just getting into it slowly this past year. I’m starting to hear what’s next in progressions. beginning to hear intervals as well. Transposing keys.
5. Finally getting into various strumming patterns and dynamics with Nate’s help.
I love hearing about your progress! I also like your attitude toward the new bar chord shapes. You will overcome!!
So far I've been following my goals that I set out for 2021. I'm at a point where I'm slowing down with my guitar playing and instead of always challenging myself with new techniques I've been learning songs.
I don't think we realize how many songs we can play at our current skill level. For example if you can only play open chords there are millions of songs out there that you can play, once you start looking past the most popular well known songs it opens up a whole new world of covers that you can do.
Learning songs is my favourite way to work on my playing. And I agree that it's important to celebrate what skills you've acquired already. It's easy to get so focused on what we don't know yet that we forget how far we've come. Thanks for this reminder!
I've been heeding the excellent Guitar Fam advice. From @Nate Savage , honing in on something specific is the fastest way to improve. Yup, I'm all in on fingerstyle. From @Chelsea Amber , and Chelsea, you should patent this one; it's that good- Practice what you are going to use. Since my objective is to play songs fingerstyle, that is what I practice. You get instant gratification, because when you practice songs, the practice leads to making music, a win win! And speaking of making music, working on the dreaded open chord to bar chord transition. Because things open up wide if I can get that down!
I'm so glad you find that piece of advice helpful! I have to follow it or else I get overwhelmed by all the directions I could go in.