Ratio of Guitar Tricks lessons to learning songs...

I've picked up the guitar again after 25 years of not playing it.  I was never very good so started the lessons from the beginning of the Fundamentals course.  I've made good progress (at least to my mind) in three months, nearing the end of the Level 2 Fundamentals course now.

What I haven't done is spent a lot of time learning songs.  So far the only whole song I've learned is Nirvana - About a Girl (from the lesson on this site).  I have a bunch of other songs that I'm using a riff from to practice things like pick accuracy and finger accuracy (Californication, Plug in Baby, Street Spirit) but I'm not really learning the whole song.

I guess before I dive into the intermediate Rock course, am I going about this the right way?  Are the 'mini-songs' in the lessons enough to consolidate my skills or do I need to be putting more time into learning songs for that consolidation to happen?

Thoughts please!  What have other people done / had success with.  Bear in mind I'm in my 40s now with a family.  Much as I'd love to be practising 3 hours a day (like I used to on my mountain bike in my teenage years), that's not going to happen.  30 - 45 mins before bed most nights is my lot.

Thanks all!

Tom

At every stage of the process you should be learning songs that match (or slightly challenge) your current skills.

After all, that's the purpose of lessons & practicing, to play music!

The mini-songs are a great & practical way to do this.  The instructor can focus very specifically on certain ideas & skills in an organized curriculum.  But eventually you have to apply all those ideas & skills to the music that you want to play.

So, find a couple of songs at your skill level & start learning & playing them.  And them into your practice routine.  Being able to play through an entire song in tune & in time is an absolutely necessary skill. 

Hope that helps!

I did both at the same time, I couldn't wait to learn my 1st song. But I also recognized there was value in learning some fundamentals.

When I started 6 years ago, I was very regimented, which was probably good, but now its more organic. I work on what is most important at the time. I just spent my entire practice session on a song a group of us will be practicing tonight. Nothing else.

But looking back, I am glad I did at least some of the boring stuff. 

BTW, there is great value in recording yourself as your practice. Not your entire practice session, but maybe a scale or a section of a song you are working on. It's good to hear yourself played back. You will hear things you know you need to work on. I just use Garage Band on my phone, no fancy software.

Good luck 

Bill