struggling!


realcracky420
Registered User
Joined: 01/09/22
Posts: 2
realcracky420
Registered User
Joined: 01/09/22
Posts: 2
01/09/2022 2:55 pm

hey .. after a bit of advice.

signed up for a account at guitar tricks to try and teach myself acoustic....

not sure i follow the logic in the massive jump *for me* in skill needed ... after i done the guitar fundamentals 1 but in the next section it says i should be able to play songs like along the watchtower by dylan but there is no way i change chords like that the jump in skill needed is a bit insane tbh.

i tried fender play sub too but im starting to think / realise guitar may not be for me i'm really struggling and can't afford one on one lessons in local area due to crazy prices.


# 1
mjgodin
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Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
mjgodin
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Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
01/09/2022 4:25 pm

Welcome aboard,

What they are telling you there at the end of the course is you now have the tools (in this case chords) to play the "made easy " version of that song. However, there is a lot more to learning a song than just playing the chords as you have found out.

To use a different analogy if you were taught the skills on how to play Tennis would that mean your ready for a tournament? Not until you've had time to practice those skills. So what you need to do is take a little time to practice those 3 chords taught in the video. Just go slow, I would start with maybe the Am to G first. No backing track just yet. Just keep playing those two chords slowly switching between the two. Take whatever time this takes, then add in the F chord. Do the same thing until you can make all three clean and seamless. Again real slow at first. Speed will come with more repetition. Once you've gotten it down then try along with the song track. Also you can adjust the speed of the video on the left side of the screen. Click any of those numbers below 1.0 to slow it down.

Finally one of the advantages as a full member is you can ask the instructors directly and they can help you with specifics on anything your struggling with. Just go to the home page of the Forum and scroll down. You'll see their subforums with their names. I'm sure Mike can give you some pointers on how to hit those chords right, but I'm sure his advice is gonna still be go slow at first. Thats how we all learn. Patience and practice.

Good Luck in your new journey. Enjoy it and keep telling yourself YES you can learn to play guitar.


# 2
ddiddler
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Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
ddiddler
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Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
01/09/2022 7:44 pm

Hi realcrack

this is a common post.

reality hits.

we have completed fundamentals 1 or 2 but as you recognise we are not competent with the skills we have been introduced to.

I'm 18 months in and while I'm picking up knowledge of skills I'm still not fast enough with the chord changes to do justice to songs even in the made easy category. [br]You can still try moving on to different lessons while building in the chord changes to your practice sessions. [br]Using a metronome you will find your making improvements even as we know we are not quite there yet.

It's really frustrating because you hear so much about playing the guitar in 3 months or 6 months.

Play your first song after a week. Yes , playing along 1 strum per bar. Theoretically your playing that song.

Keep at it. Measure and find where your improvements are. There will always be some. [br]play something very simple but recogniseable.

Anders now does Twinkle Twinkle in his new Fundamentals. [br]A simple Happy Birthday can be accomplished. [br]Then some melody lines from a song , bits of Norwegian Wood, Greensleeves, some easy licks.

All the while working on your strumming, in time and changing between a couple of chords. [br]We all find it tough going as there so many strands which have to come together to play guitar well. Playing poorly but better can still be fun and way better than not playing at all.

Keep going , it slowly , slowly gets better

Dave


# 3
realcracky420
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Joined: 01/09/22
Posts: 2
realcracky420
Registered User
Joined: 01/09/22
Posts: 2
01/10/2022 2:38 am

thanks for the replies.


# 4
Guitar Tricks Admin
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Joined: 09/28/05
Posts: 3,530
Guitar Tricks Admin
Full Access
Joined: 09/28/05
Posts: 3,530
01/10/2022 5:56 pm

As mjgodin mentioned, simply search for 'Made Easy' and you will be shown songs which are slightly simplified so you can easliy jump in and start playing tunes. As ddiddler said as well, it's all about practice. Getting the guitar in your hand every day will create the fastest improvement. Even 10 min a day is better than an hour once a week. If you are able, jump on to GT a couple times a week, go through a couple Made Easy tunes, practice a couple scales, and you will see improvement! We also posted a 5 Day Practice Routine on YouTube, might be a little advanced, but there will be some great concepts in there. Don't give up! It just takes time. The longer you do it, the better you'll get.


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# 5

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