Finished beginner courses and need advice on continuing

[DHosinski]

Hello: I recently finished both the True Fire and the Justin Guitar beginner classes and I want to keep educating myself and continue making progress.
I am finding videos on YOU TUBE for things like pentatonic scale and practicing that. I've also found a guitar tab site that I find helpful. I just want to make sure I am doing the right things.

Are there any recommendations for how to proceed with the knowledge I have any what the best steps are going from there?

Thanks
Darrin

[JonPR]

How about learning some songs?

Might sound like a no-brainer - hopefully you're doing it already! - but learning to play songs (or instrumental tunes) is how you learn all the valuable stuff, both technically and theoretically. After all, what's the point of all the lessons? To play music, right?

When you hit something in a song you can't play, that's the time to work on whatever technique it requires.
Likewise, when you hit something in a song you don't understand, that's when you can ask a theory question, with a strong likelihood of understanding the answer (because the sound is there in front of you).

Meanwhile, you're enjoying yourself playing music, as well as improving your musicianship all round.

Of course, if you actually enjoy doing exercises and learning scales, carry on... (Justin has lots more good classes beyond his beginner series; he also has lessons on some well-known songs...)

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by JonPR

How about learning some songs?

Might sound like a no-brainer - hopefully you're doing it already! - but learning to play songs (or instrumental tunes) is how you learn all the valuable stuff, both technically and theoretically. After all, what's the point of all the lessons? To play music, right?

When you hit something in a song you can't play, that's the time to work on whatever technique it requires.
Likewise, when you hit something in a song you don't understand, that's when you can ask a theory question, with a strong likelihood of understanding the answer (because the sound is there in front of you).

Meanwhile, you're enjoying yourself playing music, as well as improving your musicianship all round.

Of course, if you actually enjoy doing exercises and learning scales, carry on... (Justin has lots more good classes beyond his beginner series; he also has lessons on some well-known songs...)

My thoughts as well. Learning some songs will not only motivate you, but it will give you a chance to put all that learning to good use.

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by JonPR

How about learning some songs?

Might sound like a no-brainer - hopefully you're doing it already! - but learning to play songs (or instrumental tunes) is how you learn all the valuable stuff, both technically and theoretically. After all, what's the point of all the lessons? To play music, right?

When you hit something in a song you can't play, that's the time to work on whatever technique it requires.
Likewise, when you hit something in a song you don't understand, that's when you can ask a theory question, with a strong likelihood of understanding the answer (because the sound is there in front of you).

Meanwhile, you're enjoying yourself playing music, as well as improving your musicianship all round.

Of course, if you actually enjoy doing exercises and learning scales, carry on... (Justin has lots more good classes beyond his beginner series; he also has lessons on some well-known songs...)

Hello, and thank you for your response. I have started to do a number of things. I found Ultimate Guitar and I've been working on learning to read the Tabs etc. I'm working on about 5 songs actually. So far my favorite is Metallica "Nothing Else Matters."
Learning to finger pick the strings and all of the little things like hammer, or pull, or bending the strings. I haven't completed a song to where I can play it from memory, but I can follow some using the tabs. Some are still a little fast (not much) for me to keep up. I just figure they take time. For example the Scorpions "Wind of Change." I can play the intro part, but my chord switching is just a tad slow to keep up. One of the later Justin Guitar lessons where he teaches you a shortcut to the 'G' chord really helped, but I still just need to perfect it.

I really want to figure out how to solo, but all things in time right? I'm also practicing the minor pentatonic scale. I have 3 of the 5 committed to memory and can play them forward and backward.

So, all in all I am trying to find other things (classes or whatever) to keep me moving forward in my quest to be an accomplished guitar player.

Thanks again!

[Ribbonz]

The way I learned to solo was to practice the blues scale and play along to great, but simple soloists like B.B. King. If you want to get really serious you could get a private guitar teacher also.

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by DHosinski

I'm working on about 5 songs actually...I haven't completed a song to where I can play it from memory, but I can follow some using the tabs. Some are still a little fast (not much) for me to keep up. One of the later Justin Guitar lessons where he teaches you a shortcut to the 'G' chord really helped, but I still just need to perfect it.

Hello and welcome,
Curious, when you say that you finished the Justin beginner course...
Did you really only move forward after you had mastered each chapter?
I wonder at the "5 songs and shortcut G chord"

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

Hello and welcome,
Curious, when you say that you finished the Justin beginner course...
Did you really only move forward after you had mastered each chapter?
I wonder at the "5 songs and shortcut G chord"

Hello, I’m basing completion of the beginner course (actually 2 levels) of Justin Guitar. It’s more like Beginner I & II. He starts everyone out on the normal G chord. But, because it’s difficult to transition between G and D, or C and G. He offers some pointers later in the 2nd level. He also tells you to use whatever sounds “right.” Obviously if it doesn’t then don’t use it. The easier finger position that I use for G when changing from C and I have to do quickly is. Use your third finger to reach up to the B string third fret, and fourth finger for the high E string third fret. It’s just something quicker. Wherever possible use the correct chord form so that you get the best sound of course.

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by DHosinski

Hello, I’m basing completion of the beginner course (actually 2 levels) of Justin Guitar. It’s more like Beginner I & II

I am still somewhat confused but that is becoming another new normal.
I looked today and saw that he is slowly redoing things to look more like actual lessons.
I took his "beginner" course in 2013.
I went all in and even purchased all the paper and CD/DVD parts.
I found it took a lot of time to properly finish all of the ten chapters.
If I remember each level had 2-3 songs to learn also.

[DHosinski]

Originally Posted by Riverwolf

I went all in and even purchased all the paper and CD/DVD parts.
I found it took a lot of time to properly finish all of the ten chapters.
If I remember each level had 2-3 songs to learn also.

Just keep going through them until you're comfortable. It's not a race, and you don't want the added stress of putting yourself on a time line.

I'm sort of in the same position I've picked several songs and all of them have either finger picking or individual note picking. I'm just hoping that one day with all of the practice. I'll get to the point where playing will just bocome like breathing.