A different kind of milestone for me

[Muffinhead]

Tonight I sat down to practice and play and for the first time I set aside my trend to try make everything sound perfect, and I just sang and played. I had a great time, it was fun and I made fewer mistakes than I usually do.

For years I have loved "April Come She Will", "John Barleycorn Must Die", and "Helplessly Hoping" but I never sang them because they were fingerpicking songs and I only knew how to strum. Now I can accompany myself by fingerpicking and I am having a blast! It may not be perfect covers of songs, but that is not what I am looking for. Tonight I was able to play all of those songs and a couple of others and thoroughly entertained myself.

I also found that tonight while I was playing that I was able to add little embellishments here and there that I was unable to do before because I was being too tight and worried about perfection.

I learn new things about learning all of the time and I am having such fun.

Edit: Before someone else points it out, I know that on "John Barleycorn Must Die" Steve Winwood flatpicks that song, but it can just as easily be fingerpicked.

[atomb]

that's fantastic I look forward to the day I can say that.
john barley corn mustcdie is such a great tune.

[Muffinhead]

Originally Posted by atomb

that's fantastic I look forward to the day I can say that.
john barley corn mustcdie is such a great tune.

Keep at it, don't get discouraged, practice, practice, practice and most of all have fun.

[DaddyRabbit]

IMHO you have found the answer. The music comes from the soul which is rarely perfect but still a thing of beauty.

[Tony Done]

And there, IMO, you have the key to success. You have to want to play a song, not the guitar.

[MJRB]

Originally Posted by Muffinhead

Tonight I sat down to practice and play and for the first time I set aside my trend to try make everything sound perfect, and I just sang and played. I had a great time, it was fun and I made fewer mistakes than I usually do.

For years I have loved "April Come She Will", "John Barleycorn Must Die", and "Helplessly Hoping" but I never sang them because they were fingerpicking songs and I only knew how to strum. Now I can accompany myself by fingerpicking and I am having a blast! It may not be perfect covers of songs, but that is not what I am looking for. Tonight I was able to play all of those songs and a couple of others and thoroughly entertained myself.

I also found that tonight while I was playing that I was able to add little embellishments here and there that I was unable to do before because I was being too tight and worried about perfection.

I learn new things about learning all of the time and I am having such fun.

Edit: Before someone else points it out, I know that on "John Barleycorn Must Die" Steve Winwood flatpicks that song, but it can just as easily be fingerpicked.

Great fun isn't it. That's my idea of "practising".
Old Finger picker.
MJRB