WHAT WE DID IN LESSON:
- learned the parts of the guitar and what they do
- learned the names of the strings
- learned D major, C major and G major
- learned about strum patterns
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on memorizing the parts of the guitar
body, neck, head, machine heads, nut, bridge, saddle, fingerboard, frets, fret wires, fret markers, pickups, pick guard, tone control, volume control, pickup selector, jack
2) Work on playing D major, C major & G major
- You can find the chord diagrams at this website: http://www.learnguitarmusic.com/images/guitar-chord_diagram.gif
- The chords we learned were major chords, but you won’t see the word “major” behind them every time. If it says “G,” it’s a G major.
OTHER:
- Go to Downtown Music and get a set of electric guitar strings
- Paid $37.50 for April lessons
1) First Guitar Lesson
Believe it or not, I’ve never used this website before as a guide for lessons, but this guy’s first lesson looks much like ours! It has WAY more info in it than you can cover in a 30-minute lesson. Maybe his lessons are 60 minutes. But anyway, this is a general review with some pictures.
If you point at the chord letters (they’re blue), a chord diagram will appear to help you remember how to make the chord. This website has almost any song you can imagine on it, so feel free to look around.
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Strung the missing E string
- Learned how to use an electronic tuner
- Reviewed D, C & G
- Reviewed strum pattern for “Sweet Home Alabama”
THIS WEEK
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- The strum pattern is down/down-up
- Play the D once, the C once and the G twice
- Our goal this week is to get familiar with the chords and with moving between them
- Next week we will work on “closing the gap” between the chords
OTHER:
- Check the links above for the lyrics & chords to “Sweet Home Alabama”
- If you don’t have an electronic tuner, you need to get one and start using it at home to keep your guitar in tune. We will continue to review how to use it until you feel very comfortable with it.
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Tuned the guitar
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Introduced the concepts of “cheating the upstroke” and “thinking shapes” as ways to close the gap between chords
- Practiced “Sweet Home Alabama”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Work on closing the gaps by “cheating the upstroke” and thinking of chords as shapes
2) Work on your D formation
- It’s OK to play chords in personalized forms that work better for you, but you need to know the standard form and how to play it
- Pull up the chord diagram in the post above to see the standard D if you need it
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Looked up new songs
- Worked on closing the gap in the strum pattern
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Our goal is to close the gap. Remember to think shapes and cheat the upstrokes. Also, slow down the tempo of the song so you can get from chord to chord more smoothly. It’s more important that the song sound smooth than for the tempo to be fast.
OTHER:
- When we get ready to work with a capo we will play “Wonderwall” by Oasis.
- When we’re ready to learn barre chords we will play “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes.
- Paid $50 for May lessons
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Introduced “Folsom Prison Blues”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep practicing “Sweet Home Alabama”
- The goal is still to close the gap between chords
2) Practice “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Don’t let the measures and measures of repeated G mess you up
- Keep working on closing the gap in this song, too
OTHER:
- Your guitar playing is really coming along! Keep it up! Good job!
- Chords for “Folsom Prison Blues”
G8
I hear that train a’coming, it’s rolling ’round the bend
And I ain’t seen sunshine since I don’t know when
…..C4………………………………………………………………..G4
I’m stuck in Folsom Prison and times keeps draggin’ on
………….D4……………………………………………..G4
But that train keeps a rollin’ on down to San Antone
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on setting up the guitar to get the high E string to stop fretting out.
OTHER:
I’m very sorry the guitar I recommended did not play perfectly right out of the box. I put a shim underneath one end of the nut and one end of the saddle and they brought the high E string up enough to stop the fretting out. See how the guitar plays this week. It’s going out of tune a lot because the strings are new and are still stretching. Play it and tune it often. If you’re satisfied with the way it plays, keep it. If you would like to try another one, contact Musician’s Friend and see if it can be returned for another one. It’s not uncommon for a guitar to need set-up work like this; guitar shops routinely have to set up guitars straight from the manufacturer. However, I am not a “pro” at set-up yet. I would not be offended if you want to get a second opinion about the guitar and the set-up I attempted on it.
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Introduced new strum pattern
- Introduced strum pattern with picking the root note
- Introduced “Achy Breaky Heart”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Achey Breaky Heart”
- Use the new down/down-up/up-down-up pattern
- Keep working on closing the gap between chords
2) Keep practicing “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Use the new pattern and try really hard to close the gap
OTHER:
- We’ll pick a song that’s not a country song for our next one!
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Achy Breaky Heart” with new strum pattern
- Reviewed “Folsom Prison Blues” with new strum pattern
- Introduced “Wonderwall” with yet another strum pattern
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the verse of “Wonderwall”
- The strum pattern down/down/down-up/up-down-down
- Remember to play the last two downs on the next chord
- Remember that the chord names on the website aren’t correct because we’re not playing it with a capo, but the formations are
OTHER:
- No lesson next week.
- I will be out of town the following week (July 10th). I would like to do make-up lessons for that week on Saturday, July 12th. Will that work for you?
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed verse of “Wonderwall”
- Introduced chorus of “Wonderwall”
- Introduced G-F#-E walk-down
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Wonderwall”
- Really work on smoothing out the rhythm
- Focus on the chorus. Try to get the walk-down
OTHER:
- We talked some about how to modify your “touch” so your strings don’t buzz so much. You’re strumming pretty hard. Try using your wrist more and avoid “straight-arm” strumming. Also, get some thinner picks. I recommend the gray Jim Dunlop picks.
- We will do our make-up lesson next Tuesday, July 22nd at 5:30PM.
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Wonderwall”
- Worked on the chorus and practiced playing straight through the song
THIS WEEK:
1) Play all the way through “Wonderwall”
- Watch the lyrics and play through the verses, pre-chorus and chorus
- The song sounded great today! Good job!
OTHER:
- Your strumming sounds much better! Good job!
- Next week we will start lessons on Monday (probably). I’ll call you over the weekend to verify the change.
- We will move to a new song next week! Good job!
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Wonderwall”
- Introduced “Every Move I Make”
- Reviewed standard G major an C major chord formations
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make”
- Strum pattern is down/down/down-up/up-down-down
- The last two down strokes in the pattern are always on the C major in transition to the next chord
- We should only be on this song one week.
OTHER:
- Next week we will begin working on “Simple Man” by Lynard Skynard. You already know the C and G. You can begin working on the Am. In case you’re wondering, I’m concerned that this week’s work won’t be enough for you between now and next week. So here’s some “extra credit”!
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on August 25, 2008 6:06 pm
August 25, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Every Move I Make”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Every Move I Make”
- We need to stay on this song one more week. Remember that you play the C on the last two down strokes of the strum pattern. You can get this with some practice. I know you’re just behind because of the missed lessons and I don’t want you to get farther behind by lingering on a song too long, but we need to get some level of competency on this song before we move on.
OTHER:
- You asked about your guitar buzzing still. I recommend taking it to Mike Crosby at Downtown Music in Moultrie and asking him what he would charge to set it up. I am learning to do set-up work but I’m definitely not a professional at it. Mike does it frequently and I’m sure he could do a better job at it than me. He can also adjust the neck if necessary, which I am not comfortable doing. If he quotes too high of a price for the work, I will lend you my Peavey acoustic and keep your Epiphone and do whatever set-up work I can do and will not charge for it except parts (most likely about $15 or less for a set of strings and a plastic nut). I can’t promise it will be done in a day or two… it would be more like a week or two.
- Also, I offered to swap guitars with you if you like the Peavey better. I really hate that you’re not satisfied with your Epiphone guitar and you may like the way the Peavey plays better. They’re comparable quality but Epiphone is a better name brand for guitars. However, your Epiphone doesn’t play as well at this point at the Peavey. If you want to invest in a good set-up, that could fix the problem.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 8, 2008 6:03 pm
September 8, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Introduced “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- strum pattern: down/down-up/up-down-up
- we’re using the same suspended versions of the G and C from “Wonderwall”
STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
………..G2
I have climbed highest mountains
………..D2
I have run through the fields
…………C2
Only to be with you
…………G2
Only to be with you
………..G2
I have run, I have crawled
………..D2
I have scaled these city walls
……………..C2
These city walls
…………G2
Only to be with you
……..D1………….C1………………….G2
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
……..D1………….C1………………….G2
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
(THE REST OF THE VERSES PLAY THE SAME AS THE FIRST AND SECOND)
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongues of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
I believe in the Kingdom Come
When all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I’m still running
You broke the bonds
And you loosened the chains
Carried the cross
Of all my shame
all my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 15, 2008 6:04 pm
September 15, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- Introduced “Won’t Back Down”
- Worked on palm muting
- Discussed dynamics in music (crecendo & decrecendo)
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Won’t Back Down”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/t/tom_petty/i_wont_back_down_ver3_crd.htm
- If you strum straight through the song without palm muting, remember that the Em and D on the verse uses the down/down-up pattern and the G is the down/down-up/up-down-up pattern
- When you start incorporating the palm muting, you’ll use only down strokes and play the Em with four strokes, the D with four and the G with eight
- Remember to add an extra G before you move to the chorus and before you move to the verse
- Also, when palm muting, remember to pick your palm up off the saddle on the last G and crecendo into the C at the beginning of the chorus
OTHER;
- You’re doing a great job! Keep it up! We’re really making some progress now. You should feel good about how it’s going
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on October 13, 2008 5:03 pm
October 13, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Finished up “Slide”
- Introduced “Name”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on verse from “Name”
- Remember that you’re using three strum patterns for the verse. #1) down/down/down-up 2) down/down-up (fast one) 3) down/down-up/up-down-down
- Feel free to work ahead if you want http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/goo_goo_dolls/name_ver2_crd.htm
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for October lessons
- Sorry for not posting last week’s lesson
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on October 27, 2008 5:02 pm
October 27, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Name”
- Introduced “Here Is Gone”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the chorus of “Here Is Gone”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/goo_goo_dolls/here_is_gone_ver2_crd.htm
- The strum pattern is down/down-up/up-down-up except for where it moves from C to F. That pattern is down/down-up
- The tab that I linked to says to capo it on the first fret. We’re not going to do that
OTHER:
- We’re having our new baby, Karis, this Thursday! We should be home from the hospital before next week and we’ll be able to have lessons as scheduled. If something comes up and we’re not able to make that happen, I’ll call you.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on November 3, 2008 6:00 pm
November 3, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on chorus of “Here is Gone”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on chorus of “Here is Gone”
- You’re having to retrain your fingers to play the chords in first-position. Keep working on it and don’t give in to the temptation to go the easy route. If you still want to move on to another song, we’ll do so as soon as we get the chorus of this song nailed down.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on November 17, 2008 6:06 pm
November 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed verse and chorus for “Love Song for No One”
- Introduced bridge
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep practicing “Love Song for No One”
BRIDGE
Am…..C/B…………………..C
……………..I could have met you in the sandbox
Am…..C/B…………………..Em
……………..I could have passed you on the sidewalk
Am…..C/B…………………….C
……………….Could I have missed my chance
…….C……………….C/B……Em
And watched you walk away?
OTHER:
- We should be ready to move on to another song next week
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on December 22, 2008 6:06 pm
December 22, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Love Don’t Live Here”
- Introduced the concept of barre chords
- Worked on “Every Move I Make” in E major using E, A2 and the open B
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Every Move I Make” using the new chords
- Remember to make the E with your 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on January 12, 2009 6:34 pm
January 12, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed E, A2 and B in new positions
- Introduced more new formations for E and A
- Introduced the concept of chord voicing
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make” using all the new chord formations
- Use the first position E and A2 on the verses
- Use the open E and A formations on the choruses
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for January lessons. Will pay the other $15 next week.
- Rescheduled next week’s lesson for Tuesday, January 20 at 4PM at the church.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on January 26, 2009 6:37 pm
Missed Jan 26 lesson with no notice. I apologize for not posting the rescheduled lesson material from last week. Honestly, I have forgotten what we covered in that lesson, so we’ll have to catch up next time and I’ll get our postings up to speed.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on February 16, 2009 6:01 pm
February 16, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed last week’s material (sorry for the missing post)
- Introduced “Savin’ Me” by Nickelback
- Introduced the Bm barre chord
- Discussed the method behind barre chords
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on February 23, 2009 6:06 pm
February 23, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed last week’s material
- Worked on the Bm in “Savin’ Me”
- Introduced “Shimmer” by Fuel
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Savin’ Me”
- The main thing you’re still hammering out is the barre chord. Remember to put your finger on the back of the neck and it’ll help you a lot
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on March 9, 2009 5:04 pm
March 9, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on “Shimmer”
- Reviewed “Savin’ Me”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Shimmer”
- Work on the verse, bridge and chorus
- Remember those quick passing chords in the strum pattern
- Here’s the link to the music video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0QMfK9hzgA
April 10, 2008
WHAT WE DID IN LESSON:
- learned the parts of the guitar and what they do
- learned the names of the strings
- learned D major, C major and G major
- learned about strum patterns
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on memorizing the parts of the guitar
body, neck, head, machine heads, nut, bridge, saddle, fingerboard, frets, fret wires, fret markers, pickups, pick guard, tone control, volume control, pickup selector, jack
2) Work on playing D major, C major & G major
- You can find the chord diagrams at this website:
http://www.learnguitarmusic.com/images/guitar-chord_diagram.gif
- The chords we learned were major chords, but you won’t see the word “major” behind them every time. If it says “G,” it’s a G major.
OTHER:
- Go to Downtown Music and get a set of electric guitar strings
- Paid $37.50 for April lessons
Also, the strum pattern is down/down/up. We’re working on “Sweet Home Alabama”
Wes – here are some links I found for you.
1) First Guitar Lesson
Believe it or not, I’ve never used this website before as a guide for lessons, but this guy’s first lesson looks much like ours! It has WAY more info in it than you can cover in a 30-minute lesson. Maybe his lessons are 60 minutes. But anyway, this is a general review with some pictures.
http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aa071200a.htm
2) “Sweet Home Alabama” chords & lyrics
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/lynyrd_skynyrd/sweet_home_alabama_crd.htm
If you point at the chord letters (they’re blue), a chord diagram will appear to help you remember how to make the chord. This website has almost any song you can imagine on it, so feel free to look around.
April 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Strung the missing E string
- Learned how to use an electronic tuner
- Reviewed D, C & G
- Reviewed strum pattern for “Sweet Home Alabama”
THIS WEEK
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- The strum pattern is down/down-up
- Play the D once, the C once and the G twice
- Our goal this week is to get familiar with the chords and with moving between them
- Next week we will work on “closing the gap” between the chords
OTHER:
- Check the links above for the lyrics & chords to “Sweet Home Alabama”
- If you don’t have an electronic tuner, you need to get one and start using it at home to keep your guitar in tune. We will continue to review how to use it until you feel very comfortable with it.
April 24, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Tuned the guitar
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Introduced the concepts of “cheating the upstroke” and “thinking shapes” as ways to close the gap between chords
- Practiced “Sweet Home Alabama”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Work on closing the gaps by “cheating the upstroke” and thinking of chords as shapes
2) Work on your D formation
- It’s OK to play chords in personalized forms that work better for you, but you need to know the standard form and how to play it
- Pull up the chord diagram in the post above to see the standard D if you need it
May 8, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Looked up new songs
- Worked on closing the gap in the strum pattern
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Our goal is to close the gap. Remember to think shapes and cheat the upstrokes. Also, slow down the tempo of the song so you can get from chord to chord more smoothly. It’s more important that the song sound smooth than for the tempo to be fast.
OTHER:
- When we get ready to work with a capo we will play “Wonderwall” by Oasis.
- When we’re ready to learn barre chords we will play “She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes.
- Paid $50 for May lessons
May 15, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Sweet Home Alabama”
- Introduced “Folsom Prison Blues”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep practicing “Sweet Home Alabama”
- The goal is still to close the gap between chords
2) Practice “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Don’t let the measures and measures of repeated G mess you up
- Keep working on closing the gap in this song, too
OTHER:
- Your guitar playing is really coming along! Keep it up! Good job!
- Chords for “Folsom Prison Blues”
G8
I hear that train a’coming, it’s rolling ’round the bend
And I ain’t seen sunshine since I don’t know when
…..C4………………………………………………………………..G4
I’m stuck in Folsom Prison and times keeps draggin’ on
………….D4……………………………………………..G4
But that train keeps a rollin’ on down to San Antone
- Strum pattern: down/down/down-up
Missed June 5 lesson. No notice.
June 12, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on setting up the guitar to get the high E string to stop fretting out.
OTHER:
I’m very sorry the guitar I recommended did not play perfectly right out of the box. I put a shim underneath one end of the nut and one end of the saddle and they brought the high E string up enough to stop the fretting out. See how the guitar plays this week. It’s going out of tune a lot because the strings are new and are still stretching. Play it and tune it often. If you’re satisfied with the way it plays, keep it. If you would like to try another one, contact Musician’s Friend and see if it can be returned for another one. It’s not uncommon for a guitar to need set-up work like this; guitar shops routinely have to set up guitars straight from the manufacturer. However, I am not a “pro” at set-up yet. I would not be offended if you want to get a second opinion about the guitar and the set-up I attempted on it.
June 19, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Introduced new strum pattern
- Introduced strum pattern with picking the root note
- Introduced “Achy Breaky Heart”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Achey Breaky Heart”
- Use the new down/down-up/up-down-up pattern
- Keep working on closing the gap between chords
2) Keep practicing “Folsom Prison Blues”
- Use the new pattern and try really hard to close the gap
OTHER:
- We’ll pick a song that’s not a country song for our next one!
June 26, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Achy Breaky Heart” with new strum pattern
- Reviewed “Folsom Prison Blues” with new strum pattern
- Introduced “Wonderwall” with yet another strum pattern
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the verse of “Wonderwall”
- The strum pattern down/down/down-up/up-down-down
- Remember to play the last two downs on the next chord
- Remember that the chord names on the website aren’t correct because we’re not playing it with a capo, but the formations are
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/o/oasis/wonderwall_crd.htm
OTHER:
- No lesson next week.
- I will be out of town the following week (July 10th). I would like to do make-up lessons for that week on Saturday, July 12th. Will that work for you?
July 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed verse of “Wonderwall”
- Introduced chorus of “Wonderwall”
- Introduced G-F#-E walk-down
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Wonderwall”
- Really work on smoothing out the rhythm
- Focus on the chorus. Try to get the walk-down
OTHER:
- We talked some about how to modify your “touch” so your strings don’t buzz so much. You’re strumming pretty hard. Try using your wrist more and avoid “straight-arm” strumming. Also, get some thinner picks. I recommend the gray Jim Dunlop picks.
- We will do our make-up lesson next Tuesday, July 22nd at 5:30PM.
July 24, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Wonderwall”
- Worked on the chorus and practiced playing straight through the song
THIS WEEK:
1) Play all the way through “Wonderwall”
- Watch the lyrics and play through the verses, pre-chorus and chorus
- The song sounded great today! Good job!
OTHER:
- Your strumming sounds much better! Good job!
- Next week we will start lessons on Monday (probably). I’ll call you over the weekend to verify the change.
- We will move to a new song next week! Good job!
August 4, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Wonderwall”
- Introduced “Every Move I Make”
- Reviewed standard G major an C major chord formations
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make”
- Strum pattern is down/down/down-up/up-down-down
- The last two down strokes in the pattern are always on the C major in transition to the next chord
- We should only be on this song one week.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/d/david_crowder_band/every_move_i_make_ver2_crd.htm
OTHER:
- Next week we will begin working on “Simple Man” by Lynard Skynard. You already know the C and G. You can begin working on the Am. In case you’re wondering, I’m concerned that this week’s work won’t be enough for you between now and next week. So here’s some “extra credit”!
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/lynyrd_skynyrd/simple_man_crd.htm
We also learned how to manually tune a guitar and how to tune with harmonics.
Missed August 11 lesson with no notice.
Missed August 18 lesson with no notice. What’s up, man? Something wrong?
August 25, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Every Move I Make”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Every Move I Make”
- We need to stay on this song one more week. Remember that you play the C on the last two down strokes of the strum pattern. You can get this with some practice. I know you’re just behind because of the missed lessons and I don’t want you to get farther behind by lingering on a song too long, but we need to get some level of competency on this song before we move on.
OTHER:
- You asked about your guitar buzzing still. I recommend taking it to Mike Crosby at Downtown Music in Moultrie and asking him what he would charge to set it up. I am learning to do set-up work but I’m definitely not a professional at it. Mike does it frequently and I’m sure he could do a better job at it than me. He can also adjust the neck if necessary, which I am not comfortable doing. If he quotes too high of a price for the work, I will lend you my Peavey acoustic and keep your Epiphone and do whatever set-up work I can do and will not charge for it except parts (most likely about $15 or less for a set of strings and a plastic nut). I can’t promise it will be done in a day or two… it would be more like a week or two.
- Also, I offered to swap guitars with you if you like the Peavey better. I really hate that you’re not satisfied with your Epiphone guitar and you may like the way the Peavey plays better. They’re comparable quality but Epiphone is a better name brand for guitars. However, your Epiphone doesn’t play as well at this point at the Peavey. If you want to invest in a good set-up, that could fix the problem.
I cancelled lessons on Labor Day because we could miss it and still get four lessons in September.
September 8, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Introduced “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- strum pattern: down/down-up/up-down-up
- we’re using the same suspended versions of the G and C from “Wonderwall”
STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
………..G2
I have climbed highest mountains
………..D2
I have run through the fields
…………C2
Only to be with you
…………G2
Only to be with you
………..G2
I have run, I have crawled
………..D2
I have scaled these city walls
……………..C2
These city walls
…………G2
Only to be with you
……..D1………….C1………………….G2
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
……..D1………….C1………………….G2
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
(THE REST OF THE VERSES PLAY THE SAME AS THE FIRST AND SECOND)
I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing fingertips
It burned like a fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongues of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
I believe in the Kingdom Come
When all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
Well, yes I’m still running
You broke the bonds
And you loosened the chains
Carried the cross
Of all my shame
all my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for September lessons
September 15, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
- Introduced “Won’t Back Down”
- Worked on palm muting
- Discussed dynamics in music (crecendo & decrecendo)
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Won’t Back Down”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/t/tom_petty/i_wont_back_down_ver3_crd.htm
- If you strum straight through the song without palm muting, remember that the Em and D on the verse uses the down/down-up pattern and the G is the down/down-up/up-down-up pattern
- When you start incorporating the palm muting, you’ll use only down strokes and play the Em with four strokes, the D with four and the G with eight
- Remember to add an extra G before you move to the chorus and before you move to the verse
- Also, when palm muting, remember to pick your palm up off the saddle on the last G and crecendo into the C at the beginning of the chorus
OTHER;
- You’re doing a great job! Keep it up! We’re really making some progress now. You should feel good about how it’s going
MIssed September 22 lesson with no notice.
September 29, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Won’t Back Down”
- Introduced “Slide”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Slide”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/goo_goo_dolls/slide_acoustic_tab.htm
- Let the C and D sustain on the transition between the verse and chorus
- Remember that the G on the chorus is played on the last two down strokes of the pattern
October 13, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Finished up “Slide”
- Introduced “Name”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on verse from “Name”
- Remember that you’re using three strum patterns for the verse. #1) down/down/down-up 2) down/down-up (fast one) 3) down/down-up/up-down-down
- Feel free to work ahead if you want
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/goo_goo_dolls/name_ver2_crd.htm
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for October lessons
- Sorry for not posting last week’s lesson
October 19, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed verse of “Name”
- Introduced chorus of “Name”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Name”
- play all the way through the song
- remember that the chorus uses the down/down-up/up-down-down pattern
October 27, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Name”
- Introduced “Here Is Gone”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the chorus of “Here Is Gone”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/g/goo_goo_dolls/here_is_gone_ver2_crd.htm
- The strum pattern is down/down-up/up-down-up except for where it moves from C to F. That pattern is down/down-up
- The tab that I linked to says to capo it on the first fret. We’re not going to do that
OTHER:
- We’re having our new baby, Karis, this Thursday! We should be home from the hospital before next week and we’ll be able to have lessons as scheduled. If something comes up and we’re not able to make that happen, I’ll call you.
November 3, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on chorus of “Here is Gone”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on chorus of “Here is Gone”
- You’re having to retrain your fingers to play the chords in first-position. Keep working on it and don’t give in to the temptation to go the easy route. If you still want to move on to another song, we’ll do so as soon as we get the chorus of this song nailed down.
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for November lessons
November 10, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed chorus of “Here is Gone”
- Introduced “Love Song for No One”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Love Song for No One”
- Strum: down/down-up/up-down-up
LOVE SONG FOR NO ONE by John Mayer
VERSE
G…………………..Am
Staying home alone on a Friday
G…………………Am
Flat on the floor looking back
Em
On old love
C
Or the lack thereof
CHORUS
G…………..D
I’m tired of being alone
Em…………………C
So hurry up and get here
G……………D
I’m tired of being alone
Em…………………C
So hurry up and get here
November 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed verse and chorus for “Love Song for No One”
- Introduced bridge
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep practicing “Love Song for No One”
BRIDGE
Am…..C/B…………………..C
……………..I could have met you in the sandbox
Am…..C/B…………………..Em
……………..I could have passed you on the sidewalk
Am…..C/B…………………….C
……………….Could I have missed my chance
…….C……………….C/B……Em
And watched you walk away?
OTHER:
- We should be ready to move on to another song next week
No-show on November 24th with no notice.
MIssed November 24, December 1 and December 8 lessons with no notice.
December 15, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Love Song for No One”
- Introduced “Love Don’t Live Here”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Love Don’t Live Here”
- Link: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/lady_antebellum/love_dont_live_here_crd.htm
- Consider getting a capo so you can play with the video
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for December lessons
December 22, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Love Don’t Live Here”
- Introduced the concept of barre chords
- Worked on “Every Move I Make” in E major using E, A2 and the open B
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Every Move I Make” using the new chords
- Remember to make the E with your 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers
Missed Dec 29 lesson with notice. Rescheduled for Jan 2, but missed that lesson with no notice. Missed Jan 5 lesson with no notice.
January 12, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed E, A2 and B in new positions
- Introduced more new formations for E and A
- Introduced the concept of chord voicing
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make” using all the new chord formations
- Use the first position E and A2 on the verses
- Use the open E and A formations on the choruses
OTHER:
- Paid $50 for January lessons. Will pay the other $15 next week.
- Rescheduled next week’s lesson for Tuesday, January 20 at 4PM at the church.
Missed Jan 26 lesson with no notice. I apologize for not posting the rescheduled lesson material from last week. Honestly, I have forgotten what we covered in that lesson, so we’ll have to catch up next time and I’ll get our postings up to speed.
Missed Feb 2 lesson with no notice.
February 16, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed last week’s material (sorry for the missing post)
- Introduced “Savin’ Me” by Nickelback
- Introduced the Bm barre chord
- Discussed the method behind barre chords
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Savin’ Me”
- Chord chart: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/n/nickelback/savin_me_ver3_crd.htm
- Strum pattern: down/down/down-up/up-down-down
- Bm barre chord: http://leslieguitarchord.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/bm.jpg
February 23, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed last week’s material
- Worked on the Bm in “Savin’ Me”
- Introduced “Shimmer” by Fuel
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Savin’ Me”
- The main thing you’re still hammering out is the barre chord. Remember to put your finger on the back of the neck and it’ll help you a lot
2) Start working on “Shimmer”
- Chord chart: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/f/fuel/shimmer_ver3_crd.htm
- Use the first position chords on this one. In case you forget, here is the chord diagram for the C major http://z.about.com/d/guitar/1/0/e/s/c-major-chord.gif
- The rhythm is so crazy that it would be confusing to try and write it out. You’ll just have to feel this one.
March 9, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on “Shimmer”
- Reviewed “Savin’ Me”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Shimmer”
- Work on the verse, bridge and chorus
- Remember those quick passing chords in the strum pattern
- Here’s the link to the music video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0QMfK9hzgA
OTHER:
- Paid $65 for March lessons
March 31, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Practiced “Shimmer”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep practicing “Shimmer”
- Work on playing the song all the way through
2) Prepare to start on “Bad Day” next week
- Get familiar with the F#m barre chord: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2uNzXUDVu44/SOiOtu4a5sI/AAAAAAAAB24/hOHkHur3Cmc/s400/xF%235.jpg
- Chord chart: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/f/fuel/bad_day_crd.htm