[the-old-coach]

Jim—

One thought would be to start with the “mini-F”. If you’re not familiar with this, do your own search(es) and go from there.

I can easily play the (full?) F, but just don’t see any need to. The mini is MUCH easier “to go to and from” in a chord progression.

There’s also a (my fave) chord website– “chordbook.com” that shows several different versions of common chords.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Just as others mentioned here— have FUN with it all…. (and really enjoy the sounds that you are making).

Maybe try to be “just a little beyond” your comfort zone for a good part of your learning sessions. (Mike G has always said to remember………there is a big difference between learning and practicing!).

Anyway– congrats on completing the 30 Days to play!!! Now– go exploring!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Kevin– When you “rollin'” on a song– it looks like you are just havin’ a blast! We just got back from the Reno BBQ, Blues, and Brews festivus— and you’d have fit right in there– on stage! Never thought that much about the 12-bar blues, but, at that event, it’s the order of the day. I bet I heard a hundred different versions/ways/keys/twists, etc to play and sing along with it. It was great. So hearing your post took me right back there!

[the-old-coach]

WOW. How cool! Thanks, Loraine for posting this!

[the-old-coach]

Kevin—

I really liked this performance! I just love this kind of guitar-playing-style of yours, and was mesmerized by watching and listening. Sometimes the vocals seemed suddenly pretty loud, but overall, I just LOVED this performance. (BTW- I watch and listen to all your song-posts and enjoy them……. but don’t always respond). Keep crankin’ ’em out!

Question– do you have all these songs memorized????…. If so— fantastic!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

I’ve been thru it three times now. To me, as I was going back thru it- (again- both second- and third times around)- all the parts and pieces “came back to me” pretty quickly. Doesn’t mean I had it all figured-out perfectly— but I had a “farther up the ladder” starting point, which allowed me to “free-think” a little, and really dig in more than the previous time(s) thru.

This was the best part. I learned some new things each time back thru. (This makes sense because during the time between going thru the course– you’re supposed to be “learning-more” in general, right?). Each time I went “back thru”, I discovered new things that I either didn’t understand- (and just passed-them-by, with the intent of catching them next time), or discovered things that I had wrong.

There was plenty of both. FBW was a great course overall for me, anyway.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Travis– Really enjoyed that song. It has sort of a “happy” sound, with the nice harmonies. Fun to listen to. Thanks for sharing.

[the-old-coach]

mike–

There is a LOT of info in FBW. There’s are lots of “nuts and bolts” things in there, but also a lot of “concept” stuff…..Big stuff…… Hard to put into words here- I hope you can see through my crummy explanation and understand what I mean.

And while I’m not gonna disagree with the people who designed it…. (as far as the 4-week plan for completing FBW)….. My question is…… Why?

My simple advice is— take your time with FBW. Your brain can only absorb soooo much over a certain time-frame. There’s a LOT in there. Go slow; understand it….. as you go along.

I think it’d be fine to stick with the regular Daily Challenges as you go thru FBW– as long as you give your brain the time it needs to absorb everything.

And then, as others have said before……. go thru FBW again…….. and then…… again. Every time you go back thru, you will “see” something new.

My two-cents…..

[the-old-coach]

Absolutely agree! There is a “series” of these “No Bull” books. I have three of them…… All good.

Like FBW….. they aren’t so much about “guitar-exercises”, etc,…… more about thinking guitar.

BOTH are great stuff.

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

I agree completely!

If you can learn barre chords, along with the simple “E” and “A” shapes, you’ve got a huge thing figured-out!—- because they are all moveable. This allows you to play every chord at multiple places along the fretboard.

Barre chords are a HUGE– and necessary– part of everyone’s guitar-journey.

A good place to start is to learn to play open chords- (especially A, E, D, C)- and all their variations- (minors, 7s, minor 7s, sus’s, etc)…….. without using your index finger– only using your middle/ring/pinkie.

Tough?………. yes……….. Worth it?……… absolutely.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  the-old-coach.

[the-old-coach]

Hey, my-old-friend Bill!!!! How the heck are you? Haven’t seen you floatin’ around here too much lately. Good to “see” ya!

Anyway, yeah, I love seeing Kevin’s video-son-posts! … He’s “all-in”, and pedal-to-the-metal. And he can really play guitar.

[the-old-coach]

Well, still vertical, air is going in&out, and my socks are the same color.

I’ve been really busy but have still had some time to play guitar. I think I focus quite a bit on writing my own tunes– (maybe at the expense of actually putting in the work of getting better at guitar…

But writing songs is something that I really enjoy; just messing with them/ changing them/ tinkering with all the moving parts…… I bet I usually change a song at least 50 times before I post it — (and even then, still think of it as “a work in progress”). To me, it’s the changing and tinkering that is really fun. I actually do think I learn quite a bit doing that.

I still check in here in TAC, and also JMG, all the time….. There are all the really great folks in both spots—– so friendly and helpful!

But—- it is always great to see you and read all your posts— (because you will always be a part of my guitar-journey….. going way back to when I first joined TAC….. (all those years ago)…

[the-old-coach]

Feedback is very important!

[the-old-coach]

I’ll give it another listen, imagining it without the harmonies!

[the-old-coach]

Yeah, I don’t really understand the “sale” pricing….. at all. It’s not like it– only on occasion– takes them any longer or shorter time to manufacture a copy of it.

Separate note– It would be great if there was a “free trial/sneak-peek” thing…… (maybe there is).