Guitar Related New Year's Resolutions - 2020 Edition

[matonanjin]

We are, everyone is no doubt aware, about to ring in the new year which means it is time for our annual tradition:

Guitar Related New Year's Resolutions!

And, as is also our tradition, we (meaning "I") did not post this soon enough.  So we are going to keep this thread open a while past New Year's Day, but post your resolutions and soon as possible after the first of the year.

And there is only one real rule here.  Keep it guitar related!  Yes, a weight loss goal is admirable.  Going to quit smoking? Great!   Going to manage your time better?  All admirable, but not guitar related,

What are you going to commit to accomplishing this year in your guitar learning journey?    Let us know.

[matonanjin]

And, since it's my thread, I will start.  And, unfortunately, I should go back and find last year's resolutions and just "cut and paste"!  😡☹️

But here they are:

1) I am going to finish Learn and Master Guitar.  I made some progress this last year.  I only got through a couple sessions.  But this year I think I can realistically finish.

2) I am going to get on stage somewhere, sometime and and play a song.  I'm doing my weekly jams but those are not in front of an audience.  When I do this will most like be at a jam but it will be at a jam with an audience.  My neighbor has an annual birthday part with his band playing where people can join in.  It may be there.

3) I am going to learn a complete song and play it for my wife.  Not a song that I like but one that she likes.  Maybe "Sleepwalk". 

[Eracer_Team-DougH]

I'm nowhere near the end of LMG,  even after years of working on it.

Guess if I made "resolutions " I'd be finished by now.

Alas I don't make them.

Still trying to get 5-10 "bar gigable" songs going, then get back to LMG 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Eracer_Team-DougH

[pkotof]

Steady as she goes for me. I've been becalmed for a few months, but things have settled down at work enough that I have a lot more energy. I realized that I've been playing to the standard, so I'm going to get moving on the chord sessions. I'll continue obsessing with notes on the side. :-)

Currently I'm playing with getting my amp on the edge of breakup. I've been playing with getting a clean, round "jazz tone" for awhile. The advice holds true for me that time on the instrument guides the search.

 

Rock On!

[Oldjock]

I have never been one to make resolutions but continue on my path and go with the flow. The L&M course has never had a deadline for me, so I keep plugging along, learning and loving this wonderful instrument.

I have been sidetracked with learning to play songs. Jamming with my group gives me an opportunity to learn from more experienced guitarists. I constantly find myself drawn back to the course to increase my knowledge and understanding of a song I may wish to learn.

A sort of resolution this year will be staying on Chapter 13 Playing the Blues for a bit, because this genre of music tugs at my heart.

Henk

 

[Blue Dog]

Learn all you can where ever you can.  Is all you need . That's It ! 

[Wim VD1]

 I just started the L&M fingerstyle course some weeks ago, so that will be my main focus in 2020.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wim.

[Gary Nelson]

I think @Blue Dog hit the nail on the head.   Just accept Steve's challenge and learn all you can.   For me, that means spending more time with L&M (more emphasis on the "master") and getting started on the Fingerstyle course.  But most of all, just relax and enjoy the process.

[Plantsman13]

Here's a blurb from Griff at BGU on this topic:

 

 

I get it... 2020 is here, new decade and all that...

 

All I've heard the last several days is about my "goals" for the upcoming year.

 

So, here are some "goals" I've heard over the last few days - both from my own students and random posts on facebook and guitar forums...

 

1 - To get good and playing both electric and acoustic guitar

2 - learn new songs

3 - Learn all of the scales

4 - improve my soloing

5 - learn how to play the blues

 

and there are more, of course, but you get the idea.

 

Here is the problem... not a single one of those goals is setup to be a success in 2020... 

 

Or ever, actually, because they don't have a clear definition of when they'll be achieved.

 

"To get good," what does that look like? Is it a technique goal, where you want to be able to play a certain song that you think is difficult? 

 

Or is it that you want to be able to improvise a solo over a slow blues at a jam and feel good about it?

 

"Learn new songs," which ones? How many songs? How long per song? Are you playing them solo or with a band?

 

"Learn all of the scales," again, which ones? I don't even know ALL the scales - almost nobody does. 

 

And how will you know you have "learned" them? Do you have to be able to use them in an improvised solo? Do you have to be able to play them in all 5 patterns?

 

And, as you can probably guess by now, "improve my soloing" and "learn how to play the blues" are equally as murky - and that much harder to achieve because of it.

 

Be super clear about what you want, "I want to sit down in my living room and play 4 choruses of blues in E on my acoustic guitar, by myself, and like what I hear."

 

Or, "I want to play a solo over a 'Sweet Home Chicago' jam track I have and use both the major and the minor blues sound comfortable around the 12 position. And when I can do that, I want to be able to do it at the 7th position."

 

And when you're clear about those goals, it'll be clear what you need to work on to get there.

 

That clarity, my friend, will carry you through not only this next year, but the rest of your playing career.

  

Talk soon,

Griff

Edited January 4, 2020 by Plantsman13

[matonanjin]

@Plantsman13, I saw that as well.  I almost wish he had taken it a little further.  But his point is well taken.  So many resolutions, New Years or otherwise, or goals are, in fact, not goals. 

Having had a couple goal setting meetings over my career it is somewhat pounded into me.  To be a goal it must

• Be realistic
• Be time defined
• Be quantitative
• Be measurable

Saying, "My New years resolution is to lose some weight" is not a goal.  It may be desirable, but not a goal.  Saying, "My goal is to lose 12 pounds by April 15" is a goal.  Realistic, time defined, quantitative and measurable.

To relate it to guitar, to say, "I am going to improve my blues playing" or "I'm going to work on my strumming" are both admirable probably to any guitar player, but not goals.  To say, "I am going to learn to play this, this and this blues song by April 15" or "I am going to complete this strumming course by June 15" would both be goals.  One could probably state something like n number of new strumming patterns by d date. 

I think this sums up what Griff was saying.  Now stepping down off my soapbox🙄