Originally Posted by: paddyz1Thanks for that.[/quote]
Welcome, of course. :)
[QUOTE=paddyz1]
I'm still working my way through your fundamentals level 1 though i wont move on until i am happy with my progress.

Excellent! Thanks for staying the course. Literally. :)

Sure, feel free to print off the music and write the notes on it. Whatever it takes is what it takes. Getting through any series of lessons is a going to be a very individual thing by it's nature. Don't worry about how long it takes. Worry about whether or not you are really learning the skills and ideas.

You are right about knowing the notes on the fretboard. When you get to the point of making it a second nature process, then you will be able to play and learn better and faster. I've seen some students that need to separate topics in order to learn them better (i.e., work on note memorization, then stop and work on playing notes, then stop and think about the notes as a scale, etc.). And others learn better by integrating things as soon as possible (i.e. learning the note names and locations, while playing a song and thinking about how they are parts of a scale and therefore a key, etc.).

Learning how you learn best is actually part of the process. It's part of what a good teacher does, too. And this can help you learn a lot about yourself in the process.

A lot of good advice seems really obvious. Like "work through the beginner courses in order and don't move on until you've got each lesson down". Obvious right? Saying it or agreeing with it is one thing. But actually doing it is another thing. No cutting corners, following through 100%, nose to the grindstone, etc.

This is why doing something well is virtuous: it's not automatic, it's not a given, it requires hard work and dedication. You actually have to show up and dig in. :)

As long as you are completely honest with yourself about whether or not you really know the info and have really acquired the skills, then you will be fine.