Will this be the right course for me ?

L

LesK

Blues Newbie
Hi

Last year for my 63 th birthday I got Blues Guitar unleashed . I have been going through the lessons, but each one appears to be in readyness for playing with others . I have no contact with any other musicians at all and never expect to have . So after finishing each lesson I don't get a really big sense of achievement . So my progress isn't as good as it should be as I am getting no real thrill out of this but I do like Griffs teaching style .

Has anyone else been in this situation , where you want to learn blues guitar but just for your self not to play with others

I am just wondering if this will be better for me. So the big question is will Acoustic Blues guitar be better for me. should I get this as a 64th birthday present ?
 
MikeS

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
It will probably be a better course for you. In it you learn to what to play so that you can play solo.
 
mountain man

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
I agree with Mike. You might find that after you finish with the ABGU that the BGU will complement it and you will have a better appreciation for both courses. :thumbup:
 
HotLks

HotLks

Blues - it's in me and it's got to come out.
Welcome Les! I've always thought it is great to be around people of like mind. Especially if it's something in common we LOVE. We all LOVE Blues!

While you can certainly adapt BGU lessons to playing solo, ABGU is created for playing by yourself. It's mostly finger style, playing of partial chords and bass lines. Think of the old acoustic Blues greats performing solo.

See you down the road! :thumbup:
 
cowboy

cowboy

Blues, Booze & BBQ
in short, yes...it might be a better course for where you presently are...Griff has a sale this weekend...great time to get another course...I've found that this forum is a great resource, along with his courses, for anyone wanting to play any style of blues...later.

cowboy
 
jmin

jmin

Student Of The Blues
I think a lot of us have limited opportunities to play with others. This forum has been a great place to share progress by recording and posting. It's that little motivation we all need to keep going. Virtual jamming and sharing recordings seems to be a good, modern alternative to real "live" jamming.
Looking forward to hearing your ABGU recordings!!!
 
sdbrit68

sdbrit68

Student Of The Blues
May I ask, what are you trying to accomplish ?

If you want to go camping or whip out the acoustic when family come over and play some Bob Seeger strumming stuff, there is a course for that.
If you want to put on jam track and solo over it, thats another thing

I have finished BBG and playing on the porch and essential chords completely. These ones have helped me with switching from chords to licks and back.

BGU is helping me to play with others as you said, which I do want a lot, but I could see it as also being a basis for learning to record different parts of your own songs.

I wouldnt be disappointed...............even essential blues chords is a courseyou can do fully in 90 minutes, but it still had good practice, and I learned some things from it I didnt know
 
J

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
I just finished it. I think its a great course and it will teach you to play blues as a solo guitar. A lot of it translates to playing with a band also.

It was harder than BGU, though, it took me a year to complete BGU but took me 2 1/2 years to finish ABGU.

Eric
 
Thatman

Thatman

Playin' for the fun of it.
I know that there is a benefit in being able to play guitar at such a level that you can join in gigs and you can certainly do this af completing Grif's BGU course, however, these course do one thing in the main and that is to master blues techniques, and one you absorb these techniques you do with them what you wish. If you want to play by yourself, and for your own pleasure, as I do, then do just that.

I see you bought ABGU and that is another great course which will be good to progress through so good luck and you just enjoy yourself. (y)
 
mountain man

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
After thinking about this I have an idea for you. As you don't have other musicians close by, there are things you can do to have a better sense of accomplishment. You can get a looper pedal. I've got the TC Electronics Ditto looper. With a looper you can play a rhythm track and have it stored in the looper. Then as you play it back you can put another rhythm over that. And finally you can play a lead solo after all your rhythms are saved into the looper. And then............................. you can get a Audio interface and record what you have done!! and now you have a reference recording that you can compare you future progress!! :Beer:

Looper pedals and audio interfaces are not that expensive.
 
PapaBear

PapaBear

Guit Fiddlier
mtman said:
After thinking about this I have an idea for you. As you don't have other musicians close by, there are things you can do to have a better sense of accomplishment. You can get a looper pedal. I've got the TC Electronics Ditto looper. With a looper you can play a rhythm track and have it stored in the looper. Then as you play it back you can put another rhythm over that. And finally you can play a lead solo after all your rhythms are saved into the looper. And then............................. you can get a Audio interface and record what you have done!! and now you have a reference recording that you can compare you future progress!! :Beer:

Looper pedals and audio interfaces are not that expensive.
Click to expand...

Add a Trio into that mix and you got a band!
 
L

LesK

Blues Newbie
Thanks for all the replies.

I thought I was an advanced beginner but after having ABGU I am back to beginner again, it is quite hard :)
What started me off on this was the playing on the porch lesson. It appeared to be much better that just playing cowboy chords to songs
In the end I just want to pick up a guitar and make a nice noise for myself , and hopefully with ABGU I'll do that
David thanks for the recording, that is just what I want to be able to do
 
david moon

david moon

Attempting the Blues
LesK said:
Thanks for all the replies.

I thought I was an advanced beginner but after having ABGU I am back to beginner again, it is quite hard :)
What started me off on this was the playing on the porch lesson. It appeared to be much better that just playing cowboy chords to songs
In the end I just want to pick up a guitar and make a nice noise for myself , and hopefully with ABGU I'll do that
David thanks for the recording, that is just what I want to be able to do
Click to expand...
I won't pretend it's easy. The hardest thing about that style is keeping a bass line/pulse going while also playing rhythm chords or melody. You may find that the timing/counting is a stumbling block. Playing with a metronome or click track is good exercise.

Griff's materials have a method in how concepts are introduced and build on each other. Take them in sequence, and feel comfortable with a lesson before moving on. But don't insist on perfection- "good enough" is OK.

I have no advice about loopers because I have never used one.

Recording is a whole other subject, I got started with (free) Audacity and a laptop with built-in mic. The tape doesn't lie- you will hear stuff you didn't hear while playing. If you post recordings here you will get honest criticism or praise.
 
B

bobby.boby

Blues Newbie
LesK said:
Hi

Last year for my 63 th birthday I got Blues Guitar unleashed . I have been going through the lessons, but each one appears to be in readyness for playing with others . I have no contact with any other musicians at all and never expect to have . So after finishing each lesson I don't get a really big sense of achievement . So my progress isn't as good as it should be as I am getting no real thrill out of this but I do like Griffs teaching style .

Has anyone else been in this situation , where you want to learn blues guitar but just for your self not to play with others

I am just wondering if this will be better for me. So the big question is will Acoustic Blues guitar be better for me. should I get this as a 64th birthday present ?
Click to expand...
yes Les...I am in the same boat...I think I am just gonna get it as we only go around once...man don't take a chance man don't get a chance
Happy New YEAR
 
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