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Session 2 - Reading Music & Notes on the 1st & 2nd Strings


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I'm not uploading the files until further response from Steve.  I purposely asked first prior to uploading to make sure it's okay.  I don't doubt that the DVDs work or that reading music notation itself works better over tabs.

I go through the DVD lessons with the Bonus Content the first 2-3 times, but then afterwards I like using GuitarPro files.  For me it's more streamlined to use the gp files I made to go through the lessons.  I can choose to just have notation on or use notation and tabs or just tabs.  For me it's really just liking to have all the lessons back to back in order to play each part of the lesson in a row.  It also makes it where my wife can then watch TV, and I can do the lessons on my computer, since newer laptops don't include DVD players anymore.

Speaking of music notation, I just learned that % means to repeat the previous bar of music and %% means to repeat the 2 previous bars of music.  Guitar Pro offers a free song each day to learn and yesterday had Counting Crows - Mister Jones which used that notation.  First time I had encountered it, but found it useful.

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@zeve  At first thought one may think there is nothing to be done about problems related to fret spacing.  However, there is a solution. One so easily done one may feel guilty as it comes across as cheating.  Tune your guitar flat and bring it back to pitch with a capo.  Place the capo at whichever fret makes the spacing a bit challenging (or not at all).  As the flexibility of one's hand increases, whether from guitar practice or stretches directed toward that end, one can move the capo another fret and continue the process.  Other benefits come from using a capo in this manner.  The lowering of the action at the nut (now the capo) makes first position bar chords easier to play. The reduction of string tension that comes from tuning the guitar flat reduces the pressure required to fret a string, thus one's fingers (and hand) do not fatigue as quickly and one can practice longer.

Learning to form chords requires we learn to do something that just isn't natural.  All our lives, right up to the moment we first pick up a guitar, our fingers have worked as a team. The muscles of our fingers so accustomed to flexing together in a similar way now have to act independently. And we expect them to do so while we are trying to read music, pay attention to a metronome, tap a foot, stay in time, keep an eye on form, and not hurt ourselves in the process.  For those reasons and more it is hard and will remain so until one day perseverance and practice has made it easy.  Training fingers to act independently doesn't have to be done just at the guitar.  Simply flexing one finger at a time while holding the others in place, relaxed and ready for their turn to flex, will go a long way to breaking down the life long habit of moving together doing the same thing.

 

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I don’t  think Steve introduces simile marks until late in the course.  I guess I better take another look at Guitar Pro, I didn’t know about their songs. Thanks!

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I don't think I've ever seen % and %% in music notation. 

 

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1 hour ago, Eracer_Team-DougH said:

I don't think I've ever seen % and %% in music notation. 

 

I’ve heard some folks refer to simile marks as percentage signs, but like you  I have never seen the percentage (%)  used. I assumed  the % was used in this thread because it was close to what simile marks look like and  the author was limited to the keyboard, The double %% used  would be very misleading. 

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Repeats can be indicated in various ways; one being the measure repeat symbol ( image569.gif ). Some others are illustrated here.

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Hey guys,

I don't see a problem with this and I don't think Legacy would consider this anything of note as well.

If it will help folks then go ahead and put them up!

- Steve

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Thank you for the verification @Steve Krenz

As I go through the course, I'll upload .gpx files for each session.

Here are the Guitar Pro Files for Session 2.  I uploaded the Guitar Pro Files for Session 1 under that lesson.

Session 2 - 1 - First String Exercises.gpx Session 2 - 2 - Second String Exercises.gpx Session 2 - 3 - First and Second String Exercises.gpx Session 2 - 4 - Ode To Joy.gpx Session 2 - 5 - Jingle Bells.gpx

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  • 7 months later...

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Hi. I'm new here. I am on Session 2 on the L&M course. I have a small question. Steve suggests that you can move on to next Session when First & Second String exercises can be played at 65bpm, the notes to "Ode to Joy" and "Jingle Bells" can be played at 90bpm, and the chords (C and G7) to "Ode to Joy" and "Jingle Bells" can be played at 90bpm.

I can do the First & Second String exercises and the notes to "Ode to Joy" and "Jingle Bells" at 90 bpm. But I cannot change the cords at 90 bmp. I can probably change at about 50-60 bmp. I still struggle a bit with them, especially the G7, because is a big stretch. I usually form the cords by putting the fingers down in this order: 3th finger, then 2nd finger then 1st finger. If I start with the first finger, as Steve shows, is much harder to strtech. Any pointers?

Also, should I stay on Session 2 until I can change between the chords at 90 bmp?

Thank you.

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@Ionut, very definitely move on.  Whenever you are working any session, if you have all the criteria of "You are Ready to Move On" met, except one, I think Steve would agree to move on.  Especially since you are close on the lacking criterion.  It's my opinion that the first few sessions are primarily about single notes.  The attention that you dedicate to chords should be largely about just memorizing the chord forms and getting them to ring out clearly.  About session 5 you are going to get lots of practice perfecting those chord changes!😉

As far as the order of the fingers in forming chords, I think the ideal, eventually, is that one form the chord with all fingers landing simultaneously.  I can't remember the session but I suspect that Steve shows the chord being formed with 1st finger first just to show the chord being formed in numerical finger order.  One exercise that I have seen Steve show for practicing is, as follows:  Form the chord and hold it for a few moments..  Then completely take your hand off the fretboard and hang your arm at your side. Then form the chord again trying to, as much as possible, position all fingers about the same time.  Repeat.

I'm really shocked and disappointed you didn't get a response to your question earlier.  We are normally much better about this and I promise we'll be more responsive in the future.    Good luck to you and keep us posted on your progress.

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Thank you for the answer.

Two more things related to playing notes on the first and second string:
1 - let's say, as an example, I play the note on the first fret of first string using the first finger. Then I play the third fret of the first string with the third finger. I usually lift the first finger right before I put down the third finger. Should I struggle with keeping the first finger down?
2 - when doing the exercises, sometimes I pick one string open then I need to pick the other string fretted or not. When I do this I can still hear the first string. Should I try to mute the first string? This situation also happens when playing the songs using the notes

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5 hours ago, Ionut said:

Thank you for the answer.

Two more things related to playing notes on the first and second string:
1 - let's say, as an example, I play the note on the first fret of first string using the first finger. Then I play the third fret of the first string with the third finger. I usually lift the first finger right before I put down the third finger. Should I struggle with keeping the first finger down?
2 - when doing the exercises, sometimes I pick one string open then I need to pick the other string fretted or not. When I do this I can still hear the first string. Should I try to mute the first string? This situation also happens when playing the songs using the notes

@Ionut. 1. Dont struggle to retain finger pressure on a string for a note you're not playing. Dont lift your finger , just release the pressure leaving your finger lightly touching in place until you need to move your hand for another position.

2.Open strings will ring. They're supposed to. At this point just play the next note and dont worry about muting strings.  That comes later.

Cheers: Neil 

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Planning to start session 2 tonight.  I used to play drums in school, so I know the note counts and I’ve learned basic EGBDF/FACE stuff and the way whole steps/half steps work, but I’m pretty nervous about reading a line, recognizing the note and translating that too guitar quickly enough to sound like music haha.  Any tips on reading music quickly and making sure you’re not just memorizing through repetition?

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I had less trouble reading while playing than I thought I would.  I’m sure that will be challenged a lot more as I incorporate the remaining 4 strings.  I’ve been going through the exercises while counting so far.  Planning on incorporating the metronome with my practice tomorrow to have a better feel for where I’m at.  
 

The C and G7 chords are a little tricky.  I feel like my fingers know where they’re supposed to go, but I have to think about it and reposition to make sure I’m not accidentally touching another string.   Hopefully that will come with time as well.

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Hi fellow learners.

I gave Learn and Master guitar a second go After years of inactivity caused by going away to college and not trusting my roomates with instrument around. 

On My last go I started session 5 but this time I'm doing it properly. Daily prctices and following Steve's advice to the letter ( correct bpm, daily exercises and stretchers).

Currently I'm on my 10 th day of second session and I can play every exercise on 60 pbm with only ocasional mistakes. 

Along with LM course I also use Justinguitar.com to complement it and using book called.

The Principles of Correct Guitar Practice since I heard ir recommended countless times..

I hope I will be able to persist to the end this time around.

 

Cheers

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@grzyman12 great.  keep at it..

you don't realize how much music theory Steve sneaks into every lesson as well. Session 7 is a major jump in theory but well needed.

there are a number of LMG students that still hang around here that have completed the LMG course, and they're playing is an example of the type of guitar player you can become by keeping with this LMG course.

 

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@grzyman12 Looks like we’re on the same path.  I’m also using LMG with JustinGuitar.  I’ll take a look at the book you mentioned as well, thanks for the recommendation.

Started playing with a metronome and can hit the exercises at 65 bpm and the song notes at 90 bpm, but I’m struggling with the chords at 90 bpm, so I’ll be camping here for a while.

Have fun learning man!

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@Adam429 Great! Most important thing is to be persistent.

I could play at faster bmp but decided to stay at slower speeds for a while to get those finger movements deep into my muscle memory and to make them precise.

LM is such a a good program to start since you have this methodical step by step approach approach that will prevent you from overthingking and just get down and practice. From looking around youtube and some other sites out of curiosity most of them offer so much content so soon that people get paralysis by analysis.

It was just couple of weeks of consistent practice for me at this point and I can seee my progress. Only trouble I get are some exercises at Low E string but it will come with time.

And I'm happy to share any helpful resources I find.

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I started over a week ago with the program again and I am now at session 3 (Last time I reached to session 5) , but can't also still not play the C and G7 chords smoothly. What I do is set a timer for 3 minutes for example and set the metronome on 90 bpm 50% and play the C chord for 1 whole measure and then the G7 chord for 1 whole measure and so on. After that I do the same with half measure and after that with 1 beat and then speeding up to 90 bpm. Now I am at 75% of 90 BPM.

Also for learning the notes I wrote the notes in my textbook and when I play, I say the notes out loud. In the bonus resource I didn't wrote the notes above it to force myself to memorize the notes on the strings. I also start with exercises from the previous session before I add new concepts to my practice session. 

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On 7/11/2018 at 12:05 PM, zeus7625 said:

I'm "drinking from the fire hydrant" right now!  I'm finding more information out there than i can possibly digest any time soon.

Picked up the guitar for the first time last year at 60.  Why did i wait so long???  I took a year of one-on-one instruction and decided to go solo for a while with the L&M series.  No regrets.  Loving the videos, the bonus tracks, and bonus materials.  

I'm on a wonderful journey!!

Hope you are Still Completing the Course and doing Well.

 

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