The DVD's are Critical to your Sanity

[Russ]

As most others, I started out with BGU and was seriously relieved as a beginner when Griff came out with BBG. That said, I still find myself a victim of wanting to move forward too fast. I want the lessons over with and the experience and knowledge now, now, now, I said NOW!

In posting this, I'm hoping to convey the major impact Griff's DVD's can play in a beginner's progress.
I am on a well deserved staycation (home bound vacation) this week and am setting up a basement shop. In the process, I have a TV and DVD player down there. I occasionally watch the BGU DVD's to become motivated. While I was finishing something this morning, I decided to go back and watch a few previous lessons in BBG. Well wouldn't you know I'm at a stand still and have been hard on myself for no reason. According to page 46, the lesson on 5th string Barre tabs, you're supposed to barre and play the 5th and 1st strings with your barre. Well, if you actually WATCH AND PAY ATTENTION to the Griff's 5th string barre introduction video, Griff himself tells you straight out that he mutes the 1st string. I've been after myself for weeks to do this barre correctly and one decision to watch a video releases "stress". If a man who has multiple successful bands tells you he mutes something, I think it can work for you.
Yes, there have been other members who've said they mute the 1st string because they don't like the sound. I respected their opinion as ear preference and kept going. I actually like the sound when it's done correctly, so I've been trying my hardest to get it right.

Like I've said, watching the videos multiple times, skipping around for motivation and backtracking for anything missed, is a major contributor to your success. I could have been back to BGU by now if I'd just reviewed that one lesson, sooner.

Before I again forget to mention this, I want to say one thing about callouses. Make sure to keep practicing your lessons such as Little Mary's Farm, Fast Walking Blues or whatever you enjoy. Maybe you could pick 2 lessons per week to warm up or cool down with while you are learning Barred Chords. I say this because I've learned the hard way. My callouses have disappeared since I've been working on Barre chords. Even though 3 fingers are still fingering strings, they all have lost the tough skin. So, I've started going back in the lessons in an attempt to rebuild my fingers.

I'm hoping this can be a "thank goodness he told me that" kind of thing. I'm looking for "props". I'm just trying to use this forum for the exact reason its here. To help my fellow player.

 

[luckylarry]

Good post Russ. I like you wanted to get through BBG to get to BGU. As a result in my rush I missed things. When i got to the first solo in BGU I realized I was over my head. I have gone back to BBG to find out what all I missed. If I hadn't rushed I would likely be at BGU now. On the other hand hand I look at learning not to rush as the most important lesson I have learned in my quest to play the Blues. So like you I try to give beginners the wisdom to help them on their quest. 

 

[Thatman]

Your not wrong Russ, I started with BGU but soon realised I needed BBG, and I'm making myself stick to it but oh how I'd love to move on, but then I have to remember working with BBG is progress. I must learn to be patient.  :-?

 

[luckylarry]

One thing I tell myself now when I get the urge to just go on when deep inside I know I haven't perfected a technique is this:

Do I want to be a master of one song or really bad at a lot of songs?

 

[Thatman]

One thing I tell myself now when I get the urge to just go on when deep inside I know I haven't perfected a technique is this:

Do I want to be a master of one song or really bad at a lot of songs?

Well don't leave us hanging there Larry, what's your answer.  :-?

I'm sure there are quite a few opinions on that one.  :-/

 

[luckylarry]

Don, we each have to answer the question. As I see it it is not bad to be kind of OK at a few songs if that is all you want. If you really want to be very good then you have to "master" one song at a time.
Having said one song at a time that doesn't mean to ignore everything else. What I am doing is working on "mastering" Need Your Love So Bad. This is the only song I am working on. I still work on Griffs Theory course, learn a few easy licks, play the pentatonic scales and just jam to backing tracks. I also work on BBG and BGU as time allows.The main thing is I put most of my playing into the one song.
You have to also look at what your goals are. I have no desire to play in a band, or for any one else for that matter. I play for my enjoyment. Once I have "mastered" this song I will choose another to "master". The amount of time to "master" is irrelevant. I do know that because my technique will be vastly improved from "mastering" this one song the next will be easier and so on.
While a year ago this would have seemed boring and not productive and certainly not learning fast enough I have a whole new perspective. Now I play the intro and first few bars to Need Your Love So Bad better than anything I have ever played. The sheer amazement of the notes I produce, the timing, the emotion and so on makes this the greatest thing I could do. Before I was "OK" with what I was playing. Now I love what is coming out of me through the guitar.
Don't know if this makes any sense to anyone but as they say...don't ask a question unless you are prepared for an answer LOL

 

[Thatman]

Larry, fully understand where your comming from and would love to be able to play a great song well but I'm not sure when the best time would be to provide that focus, I have so much basic experience to get under my fingers first and try to get away from this beginner status then I can make a play list. Your list of work that you mention, for me, would take up a lot of available guitar time and I need plenty of time to learn a piece. The other key thing is I need somebody to show me the fingering and timeing, It's not easy to just set to, that's why Griff's DVDs are so important.

Well you've picked a great tune and I love Peter Green so good luck with the song and look forward to hearing it one day. 

 

[luckylarry]

Don, what I am describing works for Griffs course. The lesson is don't move on to the next lesson until you really have the present one down. It will seem to slow you down but in the end it is a better, faster way to learn and you will be really good where you are at. If you do like I did (and others) and feel you have to get out of beginner and into at least intermediate you will unconsciously take short cuts and never be really good at where you are. I can tell you the mind can really fool you because there are places in the courses where you will get really good really fast and start to think you have this learning thing down pat. Then you will end up like I did doing a lot much of which is passable but not good. that is why I had to go back and find out what I missed. The other thing I found is that different players get stuck at different places. I remember AB having a real difficulty with Barre chords. I didn't have as much trouble but there were places I bogged down where others just wizzed by. These were the ones I didn't "master" before moving on. These are the ones that caught up to me when I got deeper into BGU. The other thing is we get really good advice from the forum and don't always follow or fully understand it. I can't count the number of times I read that it is not a race, take your time and so on. Unfortunately my ego got in the way and I didn't heed this very important piece of advice.
Sorry to ramble on but I am hoping that other beginers will read what we have posted and will be able to understand what you and I are going through and will benefit from the discussion.
Here have one of mine from my special reserve.  [smiley=beer.gif]

 

[BlueBoyWL]

Don and Larry.

Thank you so much for your discussion in 2012. Very helpful! I just jumped in to the forum as an almost absolut beginner facing the delivery of BBG. There is so much what you mentioned I hopefully will remember once I get started. In any case I will focus on one issue at a time and try to be patient. Which seems to be very hard  :

 

[Alexander Blue]

        Thanks for the post Russ ... well stated   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

    @ luckylarry : Very true Larry ... man I'm a tellin' ya : I had one hell of a time with barres ... folks on the Forum helped me through ... one was Stratogeezer who took some photos and e-mailed them to me ... I believe that was my toughest time learning here so far.

        A.B.

 

[MikeS]

        Thanks for the post Russ ... well stated   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

    @ luckylarry : Very true Larry ... man I'm a tellin' ya : I had one hell of a time with barres ... folks on the Forum helped me through ... one was Stratogeezer who took some photos and e-mailed them to me ... I believe that was my toughest time learning here so far.

        A.B.

I have trouble with Bars too... I can never pass one without stopping for a drink!     ;D

 

[Alexander Blue]

        Thanks for the post Russ ... well stated   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

    @ luckylarry : Very true Larry ... man I'm a tellin' ya : I had one hell of a time with barres ... folks on the Forum helped me through ... one was Stratogeezer who took some photos and e-mailed them to me ... I believe that was my toughest time learning here so far.

        A.B.

I have trouble with Bars too... I can never pass one without stopping for a drink!     ;D

               [smiley=lolk.gif]    [smiley=thumbsup.gif]