What did you learn in 2017?

[TBman]

I learned (or was reminded) that if you don't use it, you lose it, so weekly barre chord practice for me is here to stay.

I also learned that although I like the sound of DADGAD and other tunings that may be referred to as open, they don't lend themselves to keeping my playing sharp. I may do some nice musical things with a light touch in them, but playing arrangements with almost no 3 finger+ chords do nothing for keeping my dexterity sharp.

[Scootch]

I learned that I need to play with a higher caliber of players. I'm not learning anything from the guys I sit in with.

I'm not great, but I'm serious about my music, if nothing else. I can no longer improve with people I play with.
-Guys that cannot play in time.
-Can't form basic chords. A B7 does not always replace a B.
-Oversings me on my turn, shouting out lyrics and tune variances that differ from my version.
-I prefer almost any version of a song over Peter Paul and Mary's version. (related to prev comment)
-Insists on a guitar solo every song, when all they play is an unmusical pentatonic scale, up and down, up and down. I mean every song, even holiday songs and gospel.
-If I can't add something to a song, I sit out, or shake a shaker, or quietly come in with a discreetful tapping of a tambourine. Danged if I am going to make a song worse.

I recently played at a holiday dinner with another similar group of guys that actually, played and supported you. Same type of setup, just better players and more into the song than the ego. I plan to sit in with them in the near future. They are an open group but a few steps better. At least I can learn and strive to improve.

[Don W]

I need to add one more thing...I am just so lucky and happy to have been bitten by the guitar bug when I was a kid of 10 (thank you Ed Sullivan for introducing me to the Beatles). I am now 65 and have been playing all of this time...sometimes seriously, sometimes just to keep my hands and guitar in shape. Thinking back...every difficult life situation that has presented itself to me throughout my life has been improved with guitar playing. Every sad, unhappy, and disappointing time has been made a little more tolerable with my guitar playing. Lookng forward to endless learning and more peace of mind from my good lifelong friends..my guitars. I know many of you out there feel the same.

[McGee]

After a thirty plus year hiatus from the guitar I started to play again about four years ago-exclusively finger style with the help of Tobey, Stephan, Homespun, Justin, YouTube, etc. Six months ago I started taking lessons with a talented teacher with a classical background. I agreed upon his suggestion to learn to read music-why not. I'm retired and not really in a hurry to get anywhere. Learning classical music was not my original plan but I totally went down this rabbit hole.
The teacher loaned me a nylon string and I started from the very beginning with Scott Tenant's "Pumping Nylon" and Christopher Parkening's "Guitar Method 1". Progress was slow at first as I fumbled with everything - often unlearning bad habits. I shifted the guitar to my left leg which at first awkward, allowed me greater control for classical pieces. I started to learn to use the fingers on my right hand to pluck any string, in any order, according to efficiency which seemed impossible at first but is now becoming second nature. I started to learn and understand the fret board. This was something I was not able to do with brute memorization. I learned to appreciate the great classical composers which was an unintended consequence. Now when I pick up my steel string (on my right knee with my thumb wrapped around the F) to play fingerstyle blues, I find that my rhythm (which was not very good) and my overall musicality has greatly improved.

[dkstott]

I hear you. I play in a weekly group who's idea of a key change is moving the capo. ��. As a strictly fingerstyle player, it's tough to fit into a group setting.

Originally Posted by Scootch

I learned that I need to play with a higher caliber of players. I'm not learning anything from the guys I sit in with.

I'm not great, but I'm serious about my music, if nothing else. I can no longer improve with people I play with.
-Guys that cannot play in time.
-Can't form basic chords. A B7 does not always replace a B.
-Oversings me on my turn, shouting out lyrics and tune variances that differ from my version.
-I prefer almost any version of a song over Peter Paul and Mary's version. (related to prev comment)
-Insists on a guitar solo every song, when all they play is an unmusical pentatonic scale, up and down, up and down. I mean every song, even holiday songs and gospel.
-If I can't add something to a song, I sit out, or shake a shaker, or quietly come in with a discreetful tapping of a tambourine. Danged if I am going to make a song worse.

I recently played at a holiday dinner with another similar group of guys that actually, played and supported you. Same type of setup, just better players and more into the song than the ego. I plan to sit in with them in the near future. They are an open group but a few steps better. At least I can learn and strive to improve.

[Mr. Jelly]

I learned (again) to be happy where I'm at. After playing and studying guitar for fifty years I damaged my fretting hand. It was looking like the end of guitar playing. Really. Like any time a person is sick all I wanted was for things to be as they were. Well they're not. But I'm thrilled to be as close as I am to what I was. Now I feel as though I am where I want to be with my music. And that's a first for me. And very satisfying.

[Carey]

I'm playing very little music right now, but still practicing quite a bit to try to
firm up my technique, which I should have done long ago. In particular, lots
of LH work, slurs, and especially vibrato, with the third finger a particular
focus. I'm doing a few exercises from Sor's method in thirds and sixths, too.
Sometimes it seems like this stuff is working...

[StephenHD35]

A year ago I began taking lessons from a classical guitarist. I have been learning to read, have greatly expanded my knowledge of the fretboard, and have actually been picking up some technique. I've been very fortunate in that I have a teacher who is not only a highly skilled guitarist, he is also a highly skilled teacher. The two don't always go together. So, 2017 was a big learning year for me and I expect that 2018 will be so as well.