finally moved on from the "warm-ups" to "timing" today

[Olivia]

After being on the "warm-ups" for months and months (literally)
I finally moved on to the next chapter today and I'm really glad I did... it's reward-time at last

I'm still doing the warm-up exercises of course, and I'm not claiming I can do them all well and sounding like say... offhand... Griff ... especially example 3 (no way!!!) but it really was time to move on to the next lesson as well, so I've just added some extra practice time for the new lesson to my current "practice-schedule"

I'm enjoying those new examples big time!
Together with the SRM course I'm on top of the world right now
Olivia

 

[mountain man]

This course will test you all the way through!!! Keep it up!! You will need to work hard! Rewards will come!

 

[HotLks]

After the first day of working through the warm ups I noticed an improvement in my fretting skill. Definitely worth the time!

See you down the road!

 

[Olivia]

This course will test you all the way through!!! Keep it up!! You will need to work hard! Rewards will come!

Yeah, I can feel that...
I've got a good combination going here with SRM and I don't regret putting ABGU on hold for the moment, although I still play the examples I know up to where I was... just for fun and because they sound so cool... and because I don't want to forget them!
I guess my next step is to look into how to make a recording but that's a project in itself
So for now I'll just enjoy playing all the new stuff...
Thanks for the encouragement mtman and HotLks you're absolutely right... it is definitely worth all the time I can put in it
Olivia

 

[mountain man]

You are working on the two courses I believe are the building blocks for the rest of the BGU curriculum...... (and playing guitar for that mater) I took both of those courses early on too. I've never regretted them. And I know what you mean about recording. I still need to just get that done. I've have the audio interface for a few months now........

 

[WindInTrees]

Congrats on moving to the next lesson Olivia. EnJOY the new stuff.

 

[johnc]

Great to hear of your progress and please keep up your enthusiasm. If you can get to the point of recording, I believe that it will be well worth the effort. Recording your work is an excellent tool, motivator and in itself. Gives you those snapshots of your playing along the way to look back on, but the main thing for me is that it really forces a hard and intense workout on the piece I am recording having to try and play it through the best I can. This can involve hitting that record button so many times till my fingers are too sore and try again the next day an so on. But the results are worth the pain..

 

[luckylarry]

I applaud your progress Olivia Well Done

 

[MikeS]

Congrats. I don't think I've ever gotten past the warmups (Tried three times).

 

[Olivia]

Thanks to each and everyone of you who took the time to send me some comments.
I'm very grateful and I really do pay heed to what is being said even though I can't possibly comment individually (!)
it would take forever unless there were only one or two replies - not that I am complaining there are more... on the contrary, it's great and kind of really humbling

Anyway... I'm really enjoying this lesson!
I can do the 8th notes and the triplets at 60bpm properly.
and as of today the 16th notes as well although I do keep on messing this one up but it's real fun and nearly there...
There is no point doing it without the metronome anymore and I've tried slower than 60bpm but it's just not happening.
This is the way to go... and as a bonus, now, when I go back to the other two they feel so "easy" and "slow"
(that's not at all how it felt a few days ago!)

I've also started to count my slurs (warm-ups ex.10 to 15) as triplets when I practice them now.
I peeped ahead to the next two lessons in the manual and also watched the lessons on the video, so I'm preparing myself here... I can see what's coming and I doubt very much I'll sail through that as easily as this!
I gave a go at counting them as 8th notes as well to see if I could pull it... and surprise, surprise... not a chance!
better not run before I can walk... or stand... for that matter
it was fun to try (and inevitably fail) but all I need to concentrate on right now is the sound when I'm practicing the slurs from the warm-ups and counting them as triplets comes naturally because that's what they are technically... and it feels better to count them as well, might even try with a metronome in a couple of days...

Anyway I'm ranting on as always just don't know how to keep things in a nutshell... sorry!
Many thanks again.
Olivia

 

[Olivia]

All euphoria from yesterday set aside, here's where I'm at after today's practice on this lesson:
not a chance on the 16th notes with the metronome... it's messy all right (!)
with no metronome I can count it right and do it quite fast but put that metronome on and it's just not happening!
With just under 10 minutes practice-time left on this lesson, I got bored so I considered learning Box 2 but thought there was not enough time.
So instead I tried the 8th notes and triplets at 70bpm and was surprised to see I struggled with the triplets... yes... I kind of expected them to just play themselves
SO NOW maybe I should just slow down a little!

I'm open for suggestions big time (that's why I'm posting this)
because I could easily lose myself here if I go about it all the wrong way...
but after today I'm thinking that's how I'm going to go about it from tomorrow BUT any comments welcome!

1) do 8th notes and triplets at 70bpm
2) practice 16th notes with no metronome
3) learn Box 2 (I'll do that tonight actually, just to be ready for action tomorrow)
4) practice Box 2 as well as Box 1 as in 8th notes and triplets with metronome (at whatever beat viable at first)
5) practice 16th notes of Box 2 with no metronome

That should "eat up" my 20 minutes practice on this lesson, and in light of the next two lessons it makes sense.
If I'm bored after 10 minutes of the same exercises and I can't really get any better at them just now it makes sense to add something new which I will need soon anyway!
All skills learnt do transfer... I just need to be realistic about what I tackle!
Can't think of a better "plan" right now...
Olivia

 

[Timothy W. Cook]

I think that only you know for sure what will help you reach your goals.
From a bigger picture perspective though you seem to very concerned with how much time you are spending and the possibility of getting bored.
I try to focus on what I want to accomplish during the time I have and not worry so much about time spent.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Olivia]

I think that only you know for sure what will help you reach your goals.
From a bigger picture perspective though you seem to very concerned with how much time you are spending and the possibility of getting bored.
I try to focus on what I want to accomplish during the time I have and not worry so much about time spent.

Cheers,
Tim

thank you Tim
you're absolutely right on all three points!
the first two are my hang-ups (!) and the last one is what I've started to feel now when I play/practice... and that bit is so nice!
I always go over time these days but I don't stop because I don't want to stop... I'm enjoying it and learning at the same time.
I guess that's the good bit... the "rewards" as I call it (!) it's kind of quality-time more than "just time"
thanks
Olivia

 

[jwerkjr]

After being on the "warm-ups" for months and months (literally)
I finally moved on to the next chapter today and I'm really glad I did... it's reward-time at last

 

[jwerkjr]

I just finished Griff's SRM course and have been pretty much only exploring strumming with a little intro riffs and arpeggios thrown in for good measure. I feel it's time to start working on some lead skills so I purchased his PSTM course. Well I was surprised at how difficult I've found the first warm up to be. The first day was OMG this is impossible but I've gradually improved over the first week. I guess I'm just looking for some feedback as to what to expect with regard to getting my fingers to the point of being able to make the stretches needed. I can't seem to spread my fingers very wide, even when not on the neck! I'm willing to invest the time but will feel more motivated if I can feel it will come with time.

 

[mountain man]

I just finished Griff's SRM course and have been pretty much only exploring strumming with a little intro riffs and arpeggios thrown in for good measure. I feel it's time to start working on some lead skills so I purchased his PSTM course. Well I was surprised at how difficult I've found the first warm up to be. The first day was OMG this is impossible but I've gradually improved over the first week. I guess I'm just looking for some feedback as to what to expect with regard to getting my fingers to the point of being able to make the stretches needed. I can't seem to spread my fingers very wide, even when not on the neck! I'm willing to invest the time but will feel more motivated if I can feel it will come with time.

Stretching the fingers should come with time. The Pentatonic Scales and Technique Mastery course will start you out slow and then work you up to fast. It's a great way to learn all 5 boxes and then to learn different note progressions within those boxes. My opinion is this course is the prerequisite for all lead and soloing courses to come!! Good choice!! You will also learn to count different notes including triplets and 1/16th notes. But you can work on all the different progressions at your own pace and speed. I recommend that you still play the Strumming and Rhythm Mastery as you are working on the Pentatonic Scales and Technique Mastery course as it's not all that musically but technically very important!!

 

[jwerkjr]

I took lessons for a year from a guy when I first started playing a few years ago when I still thought one had to be able to read music to play an instrument! It was a year mostly wasted but I do recall him being able to widen his fingers to the point he could span the frets and get directly down on the tips of his fingers. I wind up more and more on the side of my tips the further down the neck I go. Should I be striving to stay on the middle of my tips. Seems unlikely!

Thanks for your feedback!