Here's Where I'm At Currently

[RichLich]

Here's the deal: I've been playing and singing music for many years. In the past I've played clarinet (a few months), trumpet (a few months), treble clef baritone horn (4 years), and now guitar. I've been singing bass for over 30 years (although right now sinus problems have just about squelched my singing). I pretty much already know the notes in all the scales in the Major Scale Mastery Level 1. I read music (treble clef with no problems, bass clef not too well - I've mostly worked in the treble clef most of my instrument-playing life.) I've taken one Music Theory class back in high school which taught mainly rhythm (think beating 4 different rhythms simultaneously - 1 with each hand and one with each foot), triads, and inversions. (I wrote a canon for my final exam and aced it.)  I don't need tabs (although they sometimes help). I stopped at Session 11 in the L&M course. Here's part of my plan going forward:

1. Brush up on / refresh L&M Session 6-11 and then start out "new" on Session 12. (I used to be able to play the minor pentatonic scales.)

2. I already do the warmups and speed and agility exercises nearly every day. The latter I and can do continuously at 80 bpm with an occasional mistake. (I can do a few at 120 bpm with a couple or three mistakes.) I've started to extended them by doing them across all 6 strings and up/down the fretboard (although I don't do that every session). I will continue to do this until I can do the basic exercises flawlessly at 120 bpm.

3. I've started on the scale mastery exercises. Since I already know the scales (well, I know all the sharps and flats through 4 sharps and 4 flats almost w/o thinking. I have to think and really slow down at 5+ sharps and flats.) The WWHWWWH pattern I already knew. I can play C, G, D, A, E, F, and Bb scales at a minimum of 60 bpm. (C, G, D, A, and F I can do at anywhere from 80-120 bpm).

4. I try to play at least all of one and sometime parts of other of my favorite guitar instrumentals (e.g. Rumble, Walk Don't Run, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Rebel Rouser - yes I'm a big Duane Eddy and Link Wray fan) several times a week. (I need to find backing tracks so I can play the lead along with the track. Just playing the lead doesn't cut it.)

So:

1. How does the above sound?

2. Should I maybe bypass some/parts of the scale mastery exercises? (Probably not because although I know the scales, my fingers don't know the scales very well except in the open position.)

3. Ideas on backing tracks?

4. What am I missing?

Oh, and in the mid-1960s I played rhythm guitar in a rock band for about 6 months.

[matonanjin]

@RichLich, looks like a great plan.  It's impressive to see your committing a plan to writing and that says a lot about your commitment.  Good luck to you and keep us up to date on how you are doing with this plan.

Btw, I just watched a documentary on our local PBS station this week called Rumble, The Indians Who Rocked the World.  A lot of it was about Link Wray.  The documentary was fascinating and I had no idea the number of Native people involved in early rock and roll and blues.  There are the obvious ones like Hendrix.  But there a lot of others that I didn't realize.  With the knowledge that you are a Link Wray fan I highly recommend you watch this.

[DianeB]

@RichLich  It sounds like you are progressing well and have a good plan. ? Considering how far along you are, I would urge you to complete the Major Scale Mastery workouts. Follow through. Learn those scales all over the neck. I'm nearing the finish line there, and it has all been time well spent.

[Wim VD1]

@RichLich,

Your plan shows great dedication to further develop your guitar skills!

What helps to stay focused and motivated is to set medium to long term goals on specific music styles you want to master, and then work on the skills required for that.

Wim.

Edited January 27, 2019 by Wim VD1