dan0725

Moving this to the recording challenge. (Sorry about the bad lighting.) Merry Christmas, everybody. The First Nöel.mp4

Thank you!

Merry Christmas a little early... The First Nöel.mp4

Thanks! I appreciate that very much.

Just an update: I'm on my 3rd week with Session 4. I've gotten really good at playing Simple Gifts. I uploaded a video. I've worked on a number of Christmas songs including The First Noel, Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, and Blue Christmas. The Minuets continue to improve and I hope to upload videos for those at some point soon. I've also seen some improvement on The Star Spangled Banner. I will be trying that with the slow backing track tonight. I'm hoping to begin adding a few of the bonus exercises. All the best! Simple Gifts.mp4

Great advice. I'll be switching over to my acoustic for about a week. My Stratocaster goes in to the shop for a set up tomorrow (first time since I've owned it, it's due). I think that playing on a slightly wider neck for a while will be good for me. Bye for now.

Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and life always seemed to get in the way. I'm blessed with a wonderful wife who understands my desire to learn and leaves me to it (as well as talking me back from the ledge when I start getting frustrated). I have checked out the bonus material and I'm saving that for later. I did have some frustrating practice time recently. I was having trouble with fretting notes on the higher strings, most notably D on the second string. I realized that was letting the guitar "droop". Getting neck back to about a 45 degree angle seemed to help. Not as much of a problem now. Getting really good on Simple Gifts. I can play it at about 80 bpm and with some alternate picking. The other songs still need some work but I'm making progress.

I've listened to a couple of these, so far, and find them very informative. Thanks for sharing.

A little bird has leaked the information that the locking tuners are coming for Christmas. Even though I could probably install them myself, I think I'll take the opportunity to bring the guitar to the shop and have a true set up done on it. It's been a few years since the last one. Gives me a chance as well to get the nut adjusted. The low E doesn't fit the slot very well. Spa day for the guitar I guess. 🙂

Available on Apple devices via the podcast app. I've been looking for something to listen to during my lunch breaks. I'll give it a try.

Nice looking guitar. Mine has the HSS Texas pickups. I swapped out the black pick guard for a white one.

Thanks for the information! Since I need to change the strings, I think I'm going to go ahead and do it.

Is your Strat Special the one that has the HSS configuration? If it is, that's the one I have.

Hello All... I started Session 4 for the second time about a week ago. I remembered it as very challenging, and wanted to really do well with it. As part of a learning strategy, and in the spirit of the holidays, I found some Christmas melodies in the keys of G, D and F so I'd get some practice with sharps and flats. Some are in 4/4 time and some in 3/4, and most have 8th notes sprinkled through out. I've also picked out a couple of songs from Hal Leonard Easy Pop Melodies (Nowhere Man is my favorite to play). Slow and steady. I bought a new Matrix metronome recently, because the one I had didn't have volume control and was very loud when I use headphones. Another thing I like about it is that it has the click that Steve likes but it can be set for different time signatures. Beat one has a different click, which is helpful to me when playing songs with pickup notes. Still having some troubles with the Star Spangled Banner, but the other tunes I'm playing fairly well at 66 bpm. If I have one problem, it's hitting the right string (and sometimes whiffing the high E) even though I've braced my hand on the guitar. I guess that will improve over time but it does get frustrating sometimes. I'm going to hold off on trying the bonus exercises. Frankly, some of them are very intimidating. I will get there though. I'm determined. Till next time... Dan F.

I've been thinking about replacing the tuning machines on my Stratocaster with locking tuners. I was wondering if anyone had experience with them and can tell me about what the pros and cons are. Thanks.

I've been long absent as well. Over the last few years, my wife's had two cancer scares, I lost my job and was out of work for 6 months (you'd think I'd have some time for guitar, but not really), we lost my dad in February and it looked like mom wasn't going to make it through the end of the year. My wife's doing great, I've been back to work for almost a year and mom's improving so my Stratocaster came out of the case and I've rebooted L&MG. Up to Session 4, taking my time, determined to make it all the way this time. Glad to have found you all again. Dan