I just realized there isn’t a topic about the course yet 
Not much to update yet as I just kicked off doing the revamped course tonight (M1L1 down, lol). Love the polished final product and really looking forward to moving through it.
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Loving the course so far. I am up to mod 2, lesson 4. It is great to get back into playing guitar again after being off it for 5 yrs, life happens I suppose and a bit of an emotional block after my dad passed in 2019, just didn’t realise until now. The modified chords and strumming accuracy are helping me get comfortable with the guitar again. It used to feel like an extension- a part of me, but after such a long break it felt so alien and awkward. So good to get reacquainted with my happy place.
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I thought about making a “where are you honestly at in the course” post to help motivate myself, but didn’t want to feel like I was policing the group. I am up the Module 2 - Lesson 2. I’m really enjoying it because coming from bass, I was really more comfortable with the lowest 4 strings on guitar, very wary of the B-string. For example, I was one of the people that forced myself to learn the F barre shape on the first fret and never bothered building up to it. And when I started private lessons, we picked up from where I was at.
So the focus on the high three strings, and things like the 1 and 2 finger chords are actually helping fill a lot of gaps in my knowledge.
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just starting M5L4 here, only just scraped the last lessons slow workout after a LOT of practice, switching the G and C chords. i still keep just picking up the guitar unplugged when ive got a few seconds and practice these 2, theyre really kicking my arse.
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Yep, the G>C and back kicked my ass pretty good the first time through. My daughters both date guitarists who do or have toured. One of them teaches guitar now. I asked them both for advice on this (and all) chord transitions. They both said the same thing. There’s no shortcut or easier way to learn than to do them thousands to tens of thousands of times. Just like with learning bass, you just have to accept that you suck at it for a long time but celebrate the little victories as you get better.
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I love the pre workouts, you’ll start to see those next module I think. I really wish those were in beta 1. It would have made the Clash and barre lessons so much easier. @AlexLeach and crew did a fantastic job polishing up the final version. I’m getting ready to hit M4 still using just the VI. I still have all of my notes from last year in the notebook I keep on my music desk, I think I’m going to start comparing those as the lessons start to get meatier (full chords, bends, hammer ons, Nashville Number etc.)
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Yeah this is clearly much more polished than the beta already, love the finished course.
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I’m working on C-to-G transitions, and the chord change itself is fine the strumming is what keeps tripping me up.
I can keep a steady down-up motion, and I can also play patterns like down, down-up, down-up for a while. The problem comes when some of those motions are “air strums.” Since there’s no resistance from the strings, my hand sometimes drifts or the motion feels different, and I have trouble catching the next real strum exactly on time. It’s especially hard if the next stroke is an upstroke I sometimes rush it or hit it too hard.
I also notice this after a measure or two of not playing, even if I keep my hand moving, because it can be hard to reconnect with the strings right on beat 1.
I’m practicing slowly, but if I go too slow I sometimes actually lose the rhythm more easily. Is this mostly something that improves with repetition, or should the air strum be following almost the exact same path as a real strum, just missing the strings? Help?
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This is definitely really common at this stage and it does get better. I wouldn’t slow down more, I would focus on your hands separately. Don’t worry about fretting the chord, just muffle the strings and strum the rhythm until you’ve got it. Then, give your right hand a break, and to the beat just stare at and move your left hands through the chord transitions.
The other thing that really helps me is after that when you bring both hands back into it is do 1-2 reps looking at your right hand, then 1-2 looking at your left. Don’t worry at this stage about not looking, but do break your focus from left to right. This isn’t just about changing your focus, it’s testing your other hand at the same time, and it will improve both hands more quickly than long bouts of staring at your left followed by long bouts of your right.
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I have tried for years to get the metronome strumming thing to work for me and it has just never felt natural. I think it’s literally due to how my mind is wired to think about my relationship with the strings as a bass player. I gave up long ago (actually waaaay before this course) and now just accept that I strum like I do.
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The pre workouts definitely help as they help set the finger positions, ready for playing. They were added it beta v2.
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Really stoked to hear you’re getting back into playing! I’m sorry to hear about your dad’s passing. I lost my dad a couple years ago. Losing a parent affects us so many ways, and I’ve found that it takes a while to be able to see and feel it all. Keep playing!
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Hey Zac, glad to hear those M2 chords are filling in some gaps!
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Good for you! I think that’s a great way to get the hang of chord transitions—pick up your guitar and just do em for a minute or two. No pressure.
Spoken like true pros!
Thanks for the kind words! And thank you to everyone who participated in the beta test. Your feedback helped tremendously!
When doing air strums, or ‘forever strums’ as I call them in the course, I don’t recommend doing a full strumming motion. It’s more of a way for your rhythm hand to keep time and feel the beat when you’re not playing. You can see that in most of the lessons/workouts, my hand is sort of just ‘ticking’ rather than doing a full strum.
However, if you find it helpful to do a full strumming motion, do it! But, yes, you’ll want to pull your hand away from the strings slightly when you’re not actually meant to be strumming.
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I finally got started on this course. I’m 2 days in on M3L4 and I have a question about economy picking. Easy enough concept for me to get, but I’m wondering why we pluck on the outside of 2 consecutive strings instead of the inside.
Meaning, if we’re plucking between E and B, why pluck up outside of E and down outside of B instead of down on inside of E and up on inside of B? It seems way more efficient using the inside path.
I hope this question makes sense…
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I agree with the general advice of focus on one hand at a time. Whether it’s just playing the strumming pattern with one chord to focus on your rhythm hand, or just doing some speed switches to focus on your fretting hand, it’s a really helpful way to practice. The more you try to focus on at once, the less you’ll actually take in.
Glad you found what works for you, Howard!
I do still recommend everyone try to master alt/metronome strumming. It’s a pillar of sorts throughout the course, and, personally, I find it helpful in situations that I never would have expected.
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