not giving up , but this is frustrating

[StevePlout]

it's been a couple weeks and i just cant get past seating easy blues, practicing a couple hours a day, think im doing ok ,but when i try to play along at the slowww pace i fall apart somewhere, must of played it hundreds of times, does anyone really play along after a couple takes, its like im getting worse, although im not to good anyway, hope something clicks here soon

 

[tommytubetone]

Give it a break and work on something else for awhile. It will probably seem easier when you come back to it.

 

[jmin]

it's been a couple weeks and i just cant get past seating easy blues, practicing a couple hours a day, think im doing ok ,but when i try to play along at the slowww pace i fall apart somewhere, must of played it hundreds of times, does anyone really play along after a couple takes, its like im getting worse, although im not to good anyway, hope something clicks here soon

I'd identify the somewhere(s) and work on just that. It's really rare that we all don't have a "problem area(s)" while we're learning something new.
Slowing down really is a key for learning most stuff. Guitar playing takes an incredible amount of patience and practice. Good luck!

 

[Silicon Valley Tom]

Good advice from Tommy and Jim!

It might also help to break a piece of music (Blues specifically) into four bars. Treat each four bars as a musical phrase. Begin to tie them together after learning a phrase. Listen, slow down, and record yourself. Soon things will fall into place.

There is no one way to learn anything! It is good to find positive results after exerting personal effort into anything we do in life. Trying different approaches to solve a problem is so important. Some schools of thought insist that there is only one way to do anything! The people who often succeed think outside of the box. That can infuriate some teachers on any given subject.

You might also try playing a different piece of music, and return to your present piece later. Some pieces of music may have one of more difficult parts. If that is the case, try "simplifying" the problem area. You can use software or even a piece of paper to jot down your arrangement. When it comes to the Blues, you can change what you like, and if it sounds good, it is good!

Tom

 

[Dr. Ron]

Knowing when to walk away or change up your practice regimen is as important as sticking with a certain program you
come up with. The guys above know what they're talking about. Listen to them. You're doing fine.

 

[PapaBear]

I think all the bases have been coveed

 

[patb]

If it's a short phrase troubling you drill on those 3 or 4 notes for a minute or two and then return to the body of work. Usually when I replay Griff's lesson I pick up something I missed or am mis playing. . The guys above are correct. This isn't easy.
Pat

 

[Paleo]

What Pat said.

And to drill on a problem area a looper/slow downer program will be your friend. I've been using one ever since I first started with BGU 1.0.

I loop the first phrase of a solo and slow it down as much as I need to to get it counted, played and memorized; in that order.

Then I loop the second phrase and do the same.

Then loop the first two together.

Then move on to the next phrase and when that's under control, loop all 3.

Continue phrase by phrase adding to the "string" of phrases from the beginning.

Then gradually raise the tempo.



For "Sitting Easy Blues" that's pretty much learning one measure at a time, then always going back and starting from the beginning.

At any time, loop any group of notes that give you trouble, slow it down until you get it, then put it all together.


And if playing along with Griff's play-along throws you off, you need to go even slower!!!


And there's a strange effect that always seems to happen when you start speeding it back up.

You'll get to a point where it seems too fast for you, but when you go back down to what used to seem too fast it will seem too slow.

Take it slow and you will get there.

 

[TerryH]

As everyone else has said it really is a question of a few bars at at a time. If you have any kind of software that enables you to cut and paste the licks individually into itunes, they will loop automatically. But now I use the free version of Song Surgeon that’s available a free app on tablets or phones. The free version is a bit clunky compared to the full one (I assume), but you can still select any section of a song and loop it. It will also slow it down. I’m getting better now, but in the beginning I always used to slow down the slow version. It would be great to just play something well after a couple of takes, but I have practiced some solos hundreds of times. I really wouldn’t worry about that. It gets easier. Griff’s advice about dividing the practice into smaller time sections is invaluable. Two hours non stop is sometimes counter-productive. You just end up practising mistakes.

 

[Silicon Valley Tom]

When it comes to how long to practice, that is a great question! These days I like to play for about 1/2 hour at a time, several times a day.

When I was growing up, I would practice for at least 1 hour. In 1963 I had a good deal of time to play and spent ten hours a day doing so. I was getting ready for an audition at UC Berkeley, to get into the Masters Class with Andres Segovia. What I realized was that after two hours of playing, I could play anything I wanted, play it well, and felt so free!

There was a small "wood spider", that would come out while I played guitar. It would move about two inches from under the wall trim and stay in front of me, and if I stopped playing it would return to the area beneath the wall trim. As soon as I continued to play, the little spider would come out again. It is nice to have an appreciative audience!

These days my wife is my audience, and she has always enjoyed the music I play. She is a good singer, and sings many different types of songs.

Tom

 

[sdbrit68]

couple of hours a day ?

I think you have gone past the point of diminishing returns, try an hour a day..........do the warm ups 15 minutes, a rhythm for 15 minutes, licks for 15 minutes, then either a song or improvising

 

[Al Holloway]

Then I loop the second phrase and do the same.

Then loop the first two together.

Then move on to the next phrase and when that's under control, loop all 3.

Continue phrase by phrase adding to the "string" of phrases from the beginning.

Then gradually raise the tempo.

All good info. However somebody on here suggested you actually start with the last phrase. Then add the one from last and so until you have it all. The advantage of this is when you are playing a large part of a piece. You start with the bit you don't know and practice that more (if you are restarting due to mistakes). The normal way you start with the bit you know and constanly practice it.

cheers

Al.

 

[ThomasTully]

When it comes to how long to practice, that is a great question! These days I like to play for about 1/2 hour at a time, several times a day.

When I was growing up, I would practice for at least 1 hour. In 1963 I had a good deal of time to play and spent ten hours a day doing so. I was getting ready for an audition at UC Berkeley, to get into the Masters Class with Andres Segovia. What I realized was that after two hours of playing, I could play anything I wanted, play it well, and felt so free!

There was a small "wood spider", that would come out while I played guitar. It would move about two inches from under the wall trim and stay in front of me, and if I stopped playing it would return to the area beneath the wall trim. As soon as I continued to play, the little spider would come out again. It is nice to have an appreciative audience!

These days my wife is my audience, and she has always enjoyed the music I play. She is a good singer, and sings many different types of songs.

Tom

You should write a song about that!

 

[StevePlout]

thanks everyone for the fed back, its been very helpful, putting alittle more joy in my journey.

 

[JohnHurley]

Ummm practice what you are having problems with a couple of times but put in plenty of time doing something that you like and enjoy that does not make you feel bad!

 

[Paleo]

What is it about "Sitting Easy Blues" that is giving you trouble? Maybe we can help you get through it.

 

[StevePlout]

having some issues playing along with the video

 

[Paleo]

having some issues playing along with the video

I don't know what advice Griff gives in this course, but usually he advises NOT to use a metronome, a backing track or Play-Along (with him) until you can count it out and play it in your own time.

Make sure you can count and play each measure in your own time. Your timing at this stage does NOT have to be consistent.

It's difficult, at first, to do everything you need to do all at once.

Once you've got it pretty much memorized, then try and play along with Griff.

You'll still want to try and identify whatever it is that trips you up.

Is it the counting? Or finding and playing the right notes? Or playing a chord and then changing to single notes?

 

[Elio]

One off the advantages to this forum is that if you can record and post a recording, you are likely to get some very good feedback. It's also a really good way to see and hear things that are difficult to appreciate while you are playing.

 

[giayank]

When I’m learning a new piece of music I never can play it well until I have memorized it completely. At my age I find this to be as challenging as playing the licks themselves. I’m not sure if you’re trying to read the tab watch the video and play all at the same time but if you are your sure to fail. Make sure to memorize the song completely and then watch your fingers as you play not someone else’s. As you move along play from the beginning but if you make a mistake don’t star over pick up where you last played it right. Continue along in this manner which allows you to keep practicing the harder parts. Practice slow and develop muscle memory. The better you memorize the better you’ll play.
To be able to play while reading sheet music or tab as well is a learned skill that takes yrs of practice.