Today’s blog is a video blog (vlog) where I’ll answer a question about practicing for beginners. Always practice 1 bar + 1 beat…
Today’s blog is a video blog (vlog) where I’ll answer a question about practicing for beginners. Always practice 1 bar + 1 beat…
24 replies to "[VLOG] Practicing 1 Bar + 1 Beat"
Hi Griff, For some unknown reason now when your lesson opens up the video pane drops out on my laptop so I can’t watch the lesson. When you provide the WMV link to down load the lesson that works as I save it to Hard Drive and then play the lesson.. I am running Windows 7Pro and updates are recent.
Thanks
Michael -Sydney-Australia Nov 21st 2017.
Hi Griff and BGU community. Question: When you say “one measure plus one beat” are you saying to physically play the measure and the next beat, then go back and play that beat again? Or, are you telling us to move the fret hand to the next chord (for the 5th beat) in order for us to make the chord change seamlessly? Thanks in advance for any response
Hello: Griff is very good practice. I am beginning how long do you recommend to practice per day? Thanks very much
So simple – so effective
Just a quick suggestion from my own experience back in the beginning: If you are right handed set your music stand (table or what ever your using) to your left and below your guitar neck. That way when you do have to look back at the music it is less of a full head turn and more of just an eye movement. It is easier to find your place on either the guitar neck or the book when you look back which means less hesitation in between changes and gives you a smoother feel to your changes sooner. Rock on!
Thanks Griff it was real helpful
Just like learning abc. If one follows this simple advise, it can be very fruitful.
This was very useful for learning songs. I’ve looked at several methods. This one is best for learning the rhythm guitar track. With lead lines I like to use the natural breaks or changes and add the next note change that’s hard. With difficult lead I just keep adding one more note once I nail the last 1st note them I’m on to the new first note.
Another strategy for learning a lead track is to do it backwards. Begin with the last note. Play it. Then play the last two notes. Then the last three notes and so on until you reach the beginning. You’ll find that you memorize the track much faster by beginning at the end and adding notes till you reach the beginning.
There is a simple logic that makes it work great for memorizing but it would take another paragraph to explain. Point is it really works for fast memorization.
Griff,I been trying to learn for years my biggest trouble is my arm starts hurting at the shoulder in no time at all An my fingers can’t seem to be comfortable in any chord is this common. Should I give up the guitar due to my bad heart An terrible joint pain or have you a clue on this issue
Eric, I had that problem for decades and it stopped me from passing that pain threshold so many times it’s painful to think of all the lost years. You should see a chiropractor to find out if there is any issues that could cause injury from pushing through the pain.
It is only after several years of daily playing, stopping whenever the pain was too much, then starting again. It’s better to stop and start a lot when there’s pain so that your body heals and repairs the pain.
If you have terrible joint pain and it’s arthritis then if you are in a state that allows medical cannabis I’d recommend it highly if you’re over 40 and especially if you’re over 50. It is the least toxic pain killer you can use. Because it is not toxic it does not cause the damage so many drugs do.
It has the added benefit of giving you a great sleep and it really makes the pain easier to manage. Many people have actually cured their pain not just masked it.
That’s hard to do when it’s illegal in your state.
Griff, says video is restricted, says try signing in with google apps account
Interesting…nice lesson I guess I never approached my playing this way, probably as I began just as a vocalist, later moving to guitar,vocals and bass…so I was able to focus my changes on the lyric and so the flow became natural…and when moving through solo or phrases I was just able to roll with it…BUT; this nice short explanation gives me a bridge to help new players when I’m asked about smooth chord changing to move more easily through the beginning phases of playing. And for that a great, big thank you, Griff….nice lesson & explanation.
Now that was great..I am practicing chord changes but I have noticed my electric acustic guitar is fatter so it is different in changing chords because you can’t see the neck…my electic guitar is closer so I practice on it then try it on my electric acustic guitar…That is one lesson I need to get along with Acustic blues..I have printed what I am practicing and put it on the wall so I can just look up at it and play…I have many chords and parts of every corse on th ewall that I have from griff along with some email prints….that was great…..
Great advice. Thanks Griff.
Super! That is a big help to me.
There is never a day when I fail to learn something from you and your excellent courses! Day after day, year after year awesome!,,
Thank you Griff Hamlin! I’ve been learning guitar for over 50 years now, and until I came across BGU, I was just picking stuff up randomly, either by ear, or by someone showing me a chord pattern, a rhythm or a riff. Your teaching methods work really well for me. I appreciate your efforts in this arena. Keep up the good work!
Griff , this is great that you go back and explain the basics . I have been with you for 6+ years , and have a few of your courses . But it still helps to go back over this occasionally . Thanks for this lesson . Mike Z.
Thx Griff! I’ve been playing a long time(40 + years).friends tell they want to learn guitar but they think it’s to hard or they don’t have the talent.that’s when I talk about you and bgu.this video today is a prime example.20 years from now I hope I’m still getting your emails.( they usually come around 5:30am.) Like it or not I’m your student for life. Love you man! B-)
Thanks! A good tip for moving forward.
Impressive Griff. I joined recently knowing I will dig into your course later this month when I escape down south for the winter. I’ve been playing for a long time but am going to start at the beginning as I’m sure there are things I’m not doing being self taught. I can see you don’t forget about your students after they join up and your structured step by step method will make anyone’s progression easy. Looking forward to improving my playing and playing more lead. Thanks from Canada and I’ll see you in the states.
Mike
To me, learning to play guitar was a process of learning how to multitask … especially when you throw in the singing part. If I actually think about what I do when I’m learning a new song, I realize I have a faint picture of my guitar in the back of my mind (just like I was looking down at my guitar neck). I can see the next chord (or solo position) in that picture and my fingers just seem to go to the correct spots in that picture. Sort of the musical equivalent of patting your head and rubbing your stomach. But then, I’ve always been kind of weird anyway.
Another great post Griff. Thanks!