Best supplement to method books

[danny221]

I am 1 year in and teach myself and prefer books. (Have non-string background)

I am using a couple of methods to learn technical skill(levitt and Mel Bay and manaloff - I like each in different ways and circle the three). I practice chords and changing between them each practice and then method 2-3 songs and review each practice.

I feel like I have a huge gap and am lacking stuff I love playing (some exercises are lovely but I haven’t found my style).

What do you recommend? I want a fun supplement. I have many artist books that have notes with keys indicated but it doesn’t really say how to use it. Playing notes seems simple. Playing chords doesn’t feel like song. Idk. I feel like I have a gap.

Total newbie that gets basics (great in first position and about 10 chords and can’t wait to play stuff I love but don’t don’t how to bridge from method to stuff I relate to)

[srick]

Danny -

I think you might like the series, "Flatpicking Essentials" by Dan Miller. The series is oriented towards bluegrass, but the lessons are easily applied to all other genres. The exercises are progressive and you can download the audio files to play along.

The first volume covers alternating bass, walk-ups and walk-downs, bass runs, fills and some basic licks. The second section of the book uses some simpler tunes to illustrate these ideas and practice them. I only have the first four volumes in the series, but find myself going back to them several times a year as they are very well-written and very well paced.

The website is www.flatpick.com.

Good luck and welcome to the AGF! Feel free to ask many more questions!

best,

Rick

PS - the books are spiral bound so they lay flat - a wonderful feature.

[bufflehead]

Welcome to the forum.

There's absolutely no substitute for jamming with others. If you're in a city, find a bluegrass or old-time jam that encourages beginners to join in. This can work even if you don't feel that this will ultimately end up being your style of music. The point is to get the feel of making music by joining in on music that's already being made.

Of course, actual lessons work nearly as well, especially if there's an instructor you can play along with.

Being alone in a room with a book--that's just not where music comes from.

[danny221]

Thank you Rick. I will look into that.

Bufflehead - I hear what you are saying but not 100% in agreement. I definitely see a benefit in collaboration and learning from others. But I’m a 40
year old busy mom of 3. I find a lot of joy and peace in music -
For example I practice piano still and don’t perform for or with others (maybe my family informally) but it brings me a lot of joy and accomplishment when I progress and learn something that was hard. I love being in the zone with a song I know well and enjoy playing. I have played piano, flute/piccolo, tenor/bari sax, and am now enjoying learning a string. I will think on this and see if such a group exists and step out of my comfort zone. I am introvert (ish) and jam sessions wasn’t my intention. Anyway I asked for suggestions and you have my wheels turning. There are a couple community centers and music stores I will check with and at least give it a try.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by danny221

I am 1 year in and teach myself and prefer books. (Have non-string background)

I am using a couple of methods to learn technical skill(levitt and Mel Bay and manaloff - I like each in different ways and circle the three). I practice chords and changing between them each practice and then method 2-3 songs and review each practice.

I feel like I have a huge gap and am lacking stuff I love playing (some exercises are lovely but I haven’t found my style).

What do you recommend? I want a fun supplement. I have many artist books that have notes with keys indicated but it doesn’t really say how to use it. Playing notes seems simple. Playing chords doesn’t feel like song. Idk. I feel like I have a gap.

[My emphasis] So, learn some songs?

I know it sounds obvious, and there's no harm in scale practice and exercises if you enjoy them, but my question would be: why do you want to play guitar? What do you want to use it for?

It's easy to think you need to have a good level of technical skill first - so you need to spend time on exercises of various kinds before attempting actual pieces of music - but that's not true.

You don't need a whole lot of technique or knowledge to play simple songs. And even more complex piece can be treated as ways of practising the techniques required (bit by bit), while at the same time actually playing music rather than exercises.

If it's more classical or fingerstyle pieces you're interested in there are lots of traditional studies which work both as pieces of music and as technical practice.

[SprintBob]

Danny,

Even though you say you prefer books, I would recommend you consider the online Justin Guitar Beginner course. It’s offered free and Justin relies on complimentary songbook and method book sales for income (his songbooks are quite good).

The reason I recommend the course is that if you work through it and can play the songs and exercises accurately and in time, at completion you will have a solid foundation to start with and will have been exposed to strumming, flatpicking, and a taste of fingerstyle in addition to some basic guitar music theory and some ear training. This could help you decide the style of music and playing you want to pursue on your guitar journey.

Good Luck.

Bob

[danny221]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Danny,

Even though you say you prefer books, I would recommend you consider the online Justin Guitar Beginner course. It’s offered free and Justin relies on complimentary songbook and method book sales for income (his songbooks are quite good).

The reason I recommend the course is that if you work through it and can play the songs and exercises accurately and in time, at completion you will have a solid foundation to start with and will have been exposed to strumming, flatpicking, and a taste of fingerstyle in addition to some basic guitar music theory and some ear training. This could help you decide the style of music and playing you want to pursue on your guitar journey.

Good Luck.

Bob

So interestingly I started with Justin, did really like it but after the first set maybe I wanted to learn to read music and look at something. I do still use several of his practice techniques (how I practice chords and I try to pick one melody by ear each practice). Maybe I should merge the two. Still progress in my method but also devote half of my practice back to Justin.

[TBman]

If you are interested in learning finger style, Mark Hanson has a couple of books on Travis picking that many of us learned from (including me). His website is www.accentonmusic.com

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by danny221

So interestingly I started with Justin, did really like it but after the first set maybe I wanted to learn to read music and look at something. I do still use several of his practice techniques (how I practice chords and I try to pick one melody by ear each practice). Maybe I should merge the two. Still progress in my method but also devote half of my practice back to Justin.

Perhaps then you should really make it a priority to try to focus on the style of playing that you like the most. I’m 7 years into it and mostly strummed along for the first 12-18 months but during that time I worked through a beginner course from JamPlay and then Justin’s beginner course. As I was finishing Justin’s course I really made the decision that I liked fingerstyle the best so as also suggested above I worked through Mark Hanson’s fingerstyle books. Even better, I added regular Skype lessons when I started Mark’s 2nd book on solo fingerstyle playing. I play fingerstyle now 90+% of the time. I may try to work flatpicking in and the Flatpicking Essentials Vol. 1 also mentioned above is an excellent starting point to becoming a proficient flatpicker. Interesting you mentioned playing scales and learning theory. I got into that for a while but I think I get the most from working on songs especially if I pick fingerstyle songs that get a bit more challenging. I asked my teacher about woodshedding on scales and he felt at this point, most of my time is better spent working on and enjoying playing songs. Of course, YMMV.

Again, good luck on your journey.

[Riverwolf]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

Even though you say you prefer books, I would recommend you consider the online Justin Guitar Beginner course.

Finish his course.
Then take his intermediate course.
Then his fingerstyle course.

Youtube is also your friend.