Guitar Practice Summary 2008
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 05:38AM As for December, hammering chords this month did me a world of good. I'm much better at chord switching. I also did more 'jamming' to songs that I like. It's nothing you'd want another human being to hear, but it was vast amounts of fun.
As for the year, this day, last year, I did not own a guitar. I did not want a guitar. I could do nothing guitar related. I knew nothing.
Today, I can play Blackbird, Dock of the Bay, Hurt, Everybody Hurts, and I'm still working on Black Hole Sun. This is saying very little. It's a paltry repetoire, but I won't play a song I don't like. As it is, I had to learn the lyrics to those songs. Unfortunately, I'm not fond of, or never heard, most acoustic songs labeled "beginner" or "intermediate."
I know two scales from any position on the fret board, but only one shape: Pentatonic minor, and the Blues scale. (They are very similar, after all.)
I can strum. I can play fingerstyle. I can play barre chords, and I know a A, Am, B, Bm, C, D, Dm, Dsus, E, Em, F, F#, Fm, and G. In at least one position, by heart, without refering to a chart.
For the first year, I cannot complain at all. I'm quite proud of myself. In year two I'd like to play more like Jose Gonzalez or Rodrigo y Gabriela, but mastery only comes with more practice. Everything requires more practice.
My greatest lesson for the year - Just play. Keep playing. Play something.
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Reader Comments (2)
Learning to play guitar will go better when you’ve a good guitar.if you are serious in studying how to play guitar then you need to make a investment in a good guitar.Learning to play classical guitar starts is the same way as any other type of guitar playing.
I disagree.
Learning to play will 'go better' when you have a love for what you're doing, and a commitment to learning and growing ones knowledge of music. All an expensive guitar adds is a different sound, perhaps less difficulty with the fretboard, and sweeter tuning.
None of these things make a better guitarist. Learning needs love and passion. Shiny gear can come later, when it is worthy of my experience and hard work.