Just out of curiosity

Ratfink

Blues Newbie
Would anybody know how long it takes the average person that has no experience playing guitar, how long it should take to get through the BBG course giving it a half hour to an hour a day of practice?
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
I can't answer your question directly because I had some experience before I started that course, but here are a few things to think about:
We all progress at our own pace. Things like how limber your fingers are & how quickly you pick up things like timing and chord fingerings can vary the time widely. Something that can take one person a day or week to learn might take another a month.
I have yet to find ANYONE that couldn't learn to play at least well enough for their own satisfaction (None of us will be playing at Carnegie Hall in this life)... IF they stuck with it. I always tell new player that; The only people that don't eventually learn to play are the ones that give up.
The key is to keep at it. If you are on one lesson for what feels like too long, just stop and move to the next lesson, then come back to the one that was giving you fits.
This forum is a great motivator. Be sure to log on regularly. It will keep you focused on your playing. Don't be afraid to ask questions here too. You will never find a more open and friendly bunch.
If you have the ability to record yourself (even just with your phone camera or recorder app), be sure to do it. We don't always notice our progress without the ability to go back and see where were were when we started.
 

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
True words Mike! :cool:

If you had a teacher you went to each week, you would have to be able to practice at least one hour a day to earn new material. That is an average. The advantage of methods like Griff's is you can have a job, and family, and set up a schedule to practice at least 20 minutes a day. More if you can afford the time. You can go at your own pace, and learn as you go. No need to get ready for next weeks lesson - do or die! ;)

Enjoy the ride! Ask questions as you need to.

Tom
 

Rick23

Blues Newbie
When I first got BBG about 5 Years ago, with virtually no guitar experience, I looked at it as a step to "get through" on my way to bigger and better things. I pushed my way through it in about 3 or 4 months and moved on. Since then, I have gone back to it many times, because when I finished the first time I didn't know what I didn't know. This course isn't a step as much as it is a foundation. And a house is built on a foundation, not a step or a front porch. If I could go back and do it over, I would not worry about how fast I could get through it, I would concentrate on how well I could learn each lesson, no matter how long it takes. Each time I go back, whether for a particular lesson or skill, or just to practice something basic, I find something else that I had missed, skipped over, or just didn't put enough time on. And a lot of the things that stump me in whatever course I happen to be working on at present, I can go back to BBG and find a lesson in it that will give me a basic skill to work on to make the current problem a little less daunting. Oh, and when Griff says count out loud, count out loud. If you don't learn that at the start, its harder to do later. Wish I had listened to that as well.
 

Ratfink

Blues Newbie
Thanks for the input, I've been at it for about a month now and I am up to strumming and the D7 chord. I start practicing with Sitting Easy Blues, then on to Full Out Blues before I start the lesson I'm on, I still can't seem to catch the right string all the time when I'm not looking, and when I start to concentrate on which string to pick I tend to lose my left hand, I guess that's why they call it practice. I'm also going through Essential Blues Chords when I need a break from BBG.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Thanks for the input, I've been at it for about a month now and I am up to strumming and the D7 chord. I start practicing with Sitting Easy Blues, then on to Full Out Blues before I start the lesson I'm on, I still can't seem to catch the right string all the time when I'm not looking, and when I start to concentrate on which string to pick I tend to lose my left hand, I guess that's why they call it practice. I'm also going through Essential Blues Chords when I need a break from BBG.

Sounds like you are heading down the right path. Learning guitar is a LONG journey. The more natural the basics feel to you the easier more complicated things will be to learn. And as Rick said. DO THE COUNTING!!!
I learned to play long before I met Griff and I find it really hard to count. There are folks on the forum that did the work up front and can count now. It makes many things easier down the road.
 

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
When I first got BBG about 5 Years ago, with virtually no guitar experience, I looked at it as a step to "get through" on my way to bigger and better things. I pushed my way through it in about 3 or 4 months and moved on. Since then, I have gone back to it many times, because when I finished the first time I didn't know what I didn't know. This course isn't a step as much as it is a foundation. And a house is built on a foundation, not a step or a front porch. If I could go back and do it over, I would not worry about how fast I could get through it, I would concentrate on how well I could learn each lesson, no matter how long it takes. Each time I go back, whether for a particular lesson or skill, or just to practice something basic, I find something else that I had missed, skipped over, or just didn't put enough time on. And a lot of the things that stump me in whatever course I happen to be working on at present, I can go back to BBG and find a lesson in it that will give me a basic skill to work on to make the current problem a little less daunting. Oh, and when Griff says count out loud, count out loud. If you don't learn that at the start, its harder to do later. Wish I had listened to that as well.
Well stated! :)

Tom
 

sdbrit68

Student Of The Blues
Impossible question to answer..................

Heres an example. I have heard people bitch and moan about 9 chords and how they avoid them. I picked up on 9 chords in like 5 minutes, but I struggled with 5th string 7th chords.

6th string barre chords were fairly easy to me......but other things were not. Point being, you will find your own journey, no two are alike, but dont stress the courses or time. I have gone halfway through many courses, then do something different and come back
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
Impossible question to answer..................

Heres an example. I have heard people bitch and moan about 9 chords and how they avoid them. I picked up on 9 chords in like 5 minutes, but I struggled with 5th string 7th chords.

6th string barre chords were fairly easy to me......but other things were not. Point being, you will find your own journey, no two are alike, but dont stress the courses or time. I have gone halfway through many courses, then do something different and come back
This is the gospel truth, right here.

I'm always amazed at the things that give one person trouble, while another person sails right on through. Don't try to judge your progress by someone else's, it never works out.
 

Ratfink

Blues Newbie
This is the gospel truth, right here.

I'm always amazed at the things that give one person trouble, while another person sails right on through. Don't try to judge your progress by someone else's, it never works out.
Funny you should mention that, the timing aspect seems to come pretty easy while grabbing the chord itself remains pretty difficult. Muscle memory is just going to take a lot of time it seems.
 

Thatman

Playin' for the fun of it.
Yeah, there was a time I used to wonder about how long a course would take but now I don't. I have a number of courses, Griff emails and various blog lessons that I dip into and out of. For me now I am at the point where I feel comfortable just playing right notes over a backing track and stretching my knowledge, such as trying the major pentatonic notes over the one chord and stuff like that. You never know but one day I may be able to play a melody to a song and suprise the heck out of myself. Good luck and enjoy the journey. (y)
 

Ratfink

Blues Newbie
I am enjoying the lessons and trying to absorb everything I can, it is a slow process and having mechanic's hands it makes twisting my fingers into chord shapes a little challenging. I'm looking forward to when I can just play the chords without thinking about it and not having to look to see which part of my finger is muting a string.
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
I am enjoying the lessons and trying to absorb everything I can, it is a slow process and having mechanic's hands it makes twisting my fingers into chord shapes a little challenging. I'm looking forward to when I can just play the chords without thinking about it and not having to look to see which part of my finger is muting a string.

For me, learning challenging new chords works best by repetitively forming the chord at whatever speed it takes for it to sound correct, with the least amount of pressure on the fretboard. At the point that I start making mistakes, it is time to quit and try again later. If I do that over the course of an evening, chances are good that the next morning I will be able to play it without overthinking it
 

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
One useful exercise (seen it proposed by lots of teachers) is bouncing. Form the chord, then raise your fingers and bring them down again. Can be a little tedious but it’s a good avenue for building muscle memory and you can incorporate that into games or noodling or other diversions to liven things up.
 
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