I have meant to update this blog for days (make that weeks!) but life is busy -- too busy. Still, I am focused on my original goal: to play the guitar every single day. And I have.
As a quick update, I am progressing, although slowly. My goal was to go through the Justin Guitar beginner course a second time, really focusing on the skills, so I have a good foundation for taking the intermediate course. Over the holidays I had less time to practice and spent much of my guitar time playing songs I enjoy.
Thank goodness I didn't put the stipulation on myself to write every day, because that would have been an epic failure. I don't like to fail.
I also am competitive. I have seen some attempts at something similar to my 365 Guitar Project (such as playing guitar every day for a year) and the blog fizzled after three months. Not me. I will complete this project and play 365 days. I just won't write about it :)
As a quick update, I am progressing, although slowly. My goal was to go through the Justin Guitar beginner course a second time, really focusing on the skills, so I have a good foundation for taking the intermediate course. Over the holidays I had less time to practice and spent much of my guitar time playing songs I enjoy.
In making goals in other areas of my life I realize I need a bit more structure than just "go through the course again." So I typed up a chart with all the various lessons, the day I watch the video for the second time, and the day I feel I have mastered the skill. I have plan to tackle lessons on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The other days can be a little bit of practice and then just play for fun.
What have I improved on since my last writing? B7. I can easily hit it, where before it took a little finagling to get my fingers into position. In fact all my 7th chords are better. I'm doing a different fingering for A7 than I did in the past and it flows much more smoothly.
I am still struggling with the damn F barre chord. I practice it most every day but I cannot, for the life of me, get the B string to ring out. It is always dead. That's my big issue. Well, getting my fingers into position quickly is probably a bigger issue. So when I play songs I play the mini F. Talk about frustrating.
And honestly, my strumming still feels "off." I am now holding the pick correctly, but my upstrums just are not natural. I have tried changing the position of the pick as it hits glides gently over the strings, and sometimes I think yay! I've got it. And then the pick shifts in my hand and I feel clumsy once again.
I just found out that the dad of one of my son's friends teaches guitar. While I am really resistant to taking lessons (although I'm no t sure why) I may see if I could meet with him on maybe a monthly basis to give me tips and evaluate my progress. He would be able to give me honest and objective feedback. As I type this I think why don't I just take lessons? And here come the excuses: I don't have time. I really value and protect my free time. A lesson would involve a commute.... OMG. Just typing this out I see how ridiculous that sounds. Seriously? I will give real thought to contacting him. I might get past my playing hurdles a lot faster with a real teacher.
Until next update...
Image credit: photogen.com
