Help Me, Help You - Steve

[BrianG]

I particularly like the variety and range of guests and sessions Steve provides. The breadth of guitarists and musicians that come along are always very interesting and often open up ideas that I frequently follow up. I could easily be just focussing on blues and jazz, but Steve’s sessions open up loads of new things and ideas.  Also, the variety of interactive sessions with Greg; George Gruhn, discussion about guitars, music theory, and playing with others – Will Macfarlane comes to mind, keeps the whole thing fresh and stimulating. Where else would you get this? Also, I must say Steve never uses the sessions to promote long term funding commitments like many other sites do, almost from day one!  Somehow Steve always seems to promote supporting me in what I am doing, and not pushing me in any one direction. I personally like this ....and I know I can always ask Steve for advice etc.   I am concerned however about how Steve finances for all this. I would like to do more to support Steve and what he does. Is buying the odd course/exercise really enough?

 

I particularly like Steve's weekly impromptu comping with guests. They are always uplifting. My aspiration is to be able to do that well with others I meet and play with. Steve's and guests enjoyment of these sessions is just fantastic to watch but also acts as encouragement to me.  I would love some sessions on this.  I also like Steve’s sessions on listening to the songs – adding to it and not trying to dominate, and looking for smarter ways of playing the chords (like a Nashville pro would!).  I enjoyed the jazz fretboard work out.

As a Brit I feel I miss out with the live sessions - OK I could stay up late! I also would love to get to one of the gatherings - Summer or Autumn but that would take a lot of forward planning. One day!

[V7#5b9]

2 hours ago, BrianG said:

 I am concerned however about how Steve finances for all this. I would like to do more to support Steve and what he does. Is buying the odd course/exercise really enough?

Good question: “Is buying the odd course/exercise really enough?”

Over the years I’ve purchased whatever Steve would author plus some of his recommendations until the video series that includes Fretboard Workouts. I only got the Jazz Chords and I didn’t really need that, but I still wanted to show a little support.

Now, I wouldn’t mind showing more support, but my needs have decreased substantially. I think that for students who have been at it for a while and accumulated a number of resources, an odd course/exercise may be all they need.

It seems sort of a paradox that through this forum we keep promoting the old products the author is no longer compensated for. From that perspective, the idea of a revamped, expanded, and streamlined main course makes perfect sense. Steve hasn’t chimed in yet, so we don’t know what might suit him best, but I think that a good solution to all the previous suggestions would be a modular system that can be reassembled into many different combinations.

These various combinations of units, e.g. Fretboard Workouts could answer both different curricular needs as well as individual interests. Steve could put out these units over time with suggested learning paths as well as allowing students to choose their own. The Praxis System is based on such approach minus videos. I think it would be beneficial for both new and old students. In a way, Steve is doing it already. Just keep answering the questions he posed in his initial post!

[NeilES335]

Steve has been busy out of town working. 

[Nutty1]

Hello Steve, this feels like a big lightbulb moment. ? I now realise that this has been in my head for months.

 

The thing I really really want is a workout series that will help me to improve my timekeeping for strumming.  One of the things that I love about your fretboard workouts is that you "sit with us" and actually do the workout with us. I find that is much better for me than just being told how to do it as it makes me actually do it!

 

I can envisage it split into different levels with a beginner one using easy to do open chords and easy strumming patterns starting slow and getting a bit faster. Perhaps an intermediate workout with more difficult patterns.  Anyway, these are only ideas. ???

Edited June 4, 2018 by Nutty1
I am sorry that the writing is so big, I wrote it elsewhere and I can not find an option to change it here.

[Randy120]

Hi Steve, I would like to see lessons to teach us playing melodies in different parts of the neck much like the early L&M Guitar lessons teach us to play in 1st position. 

[NeilES335]

@Steve Krenz   I feel like this thread could be called, "Steve's Suggestion Box" ...    maybe it could be a permanent topic or "pinned " so it's easier to locate?

I had a thought.... because there are student members of all levels and interests, lessons or tips could be further categorized, into say, "Rooms" , like the Beginners Room, Intermediate Room, Advanced Room, Finger-style etc....   Or, maybe by genre' , like "The Blues Room" or, "The Jazz Room" and so on....  (Obviously   I know there are Forum Topics already) Too complicated? Just throwing it out there...

[Brad Baugh]

Hi Steve,

I just ran into something that could be very beneficial.  Short of the old arguments between tube vs solid state amps I really know nothing about them.  I am reviewing a book on amps for next month and found that there are more amps out there than I ever dreamed of ...   I am not looking at brands necessarily, but more of how an amp is put together, what you should look at for a practice amp, small group amp, recording amp, and professional stage designs.  There are thousands of switches and button to push in or pull out and I have no idea what each thing does.  One place says the old Fender reverbs and the new pedals are not really compatible and then you add to that all the "guitar language" for squeals, squacks, and feed-back it kind of leaves a person out at the far end as to what should I really look for when buying an amp.  A good DVD about the language alone would be great.  Just an idea.  Thanks