Practicing pitfalls and what not to do; mind blocks

[michelew]

I feel like I've painted myself into a corner. And I really can't imagine the paint drying anytime soon. Mind over matter grasshopper. Imagine yourself floating over the wet paint and back on to your path...

Some of you may remember that Chris issued me with the challenge of learning Joan Baez's 'Diamonds and rust'. Well I've been working on it and I love the picking pattern. The trouble is the bridge stumps me everytime. I've developed a mental block to the Em to Bm change and the G to F change. No matter how much I practice them slowly and getting the right fingers down first I just stuff it up when I try to incorporate them. Every time. I can feel the dread rising as I approach. Then thud, thud thud...

Surprisingly complaining about it hasn't helped either.

Mind you Joan's singing during the bridge drives me crazy too. Why is she suddenly calling a race. And the song is so sad.

Anyway ... I guess I letting you know that I'm STUCK and it's going to be a while before I get my head and act together.

I'm currently distracting myself with other fun stuff. My motivation was dropping because I knew I'd needed to practice those damn changes. I was feeling like I was just reinforcing the mind block so I'm giving it a rest.

Ever practiced yourself into a similar corner? Did you learn to hover above the wet paint?

At some point I'll try to approach it with a positive attitude. But I just can't muster it right now.

Michele

Assignment extension - Coach (Chris) may I have an assignment extension please while I have a mental-health break?? Do I need a note from a responsible adult? I'm sure I can find one somewhere.

[suziko]

I've been there, Shel, as has probably every person who has learned to play guitar. I think the best thing to do is to take some time away from it. Leave it for a week, then come back to it. Sometimes that's just enough time to clear your head of some of the dust and be able to see it more clearly. But sometimes I've hit walls with certain songs and left them for much longer- months or even up to a year. Then when I do come back to them, I often discover that the things that were vexing me back then are no longer an issue.
But there have been songs that have stumped me and that, even when I return to them after much time has passed, continue to stump me. I'm not sure why. Maybe i'm not giving them enough effort. Maybe they're still too hard for me. Or maybe I don't like the song enough to give it the attention it needs. There are so many songs out there to learn that I try not to let that type of thing bother me all that much.

Suzi

[thereshopeyet]

Thanks

[michelew]

Suzi, that's been my experience too. Thanks for the validation. The trick for me is going back at some point, which I often forget to do. I suspect you're better at doing that and more dedicated in general than me in that respect.

Dermot, Thanks for the suggestion. I'll consider putting up a video, but don't hold your breath, right now ... it's not an appealing idea.

I've actually gotten some good advice from an experienced player, who gave me a couple of things to try. Both worked to some extent. But, ... well I'm still stuck. I suspect that a lot of it is mental. I know how to practice difficult sections; how to slow it right down until you can do it, break it down into small sections, do it til it's working and then slowly build in the neighbouring bars. I've done it heaps of times with success. But, I'm not even allowing myself to do those things properly. I'm getting impatient with myself. Even though I've still got a lot of improvement to do in the area of switching between open and barre chords, especially the F, I know I can do this if I approach it properly. And that is frustrating all by itself. Hence the decision to leave it for a while.

Neil was spot on when he suggested I practice changing between open and barre chords, they really are my biggest demon, dragon nemesis at the moment.

Dermot - I posted this for therapy as much as anything and to request an extension from the coach. But, also to compare notes to your experiences regarding whether and to what extent you've created you own barriers (your own demons) to progressing through sections that trip you up.

BTW Dermot - It's good to hear that Marc and Scott's advice gave you the knowledge and confidence to tackle your dragon.

Michele

[jimbo58]

Hi Michele

Oh what you say about learning a song is so true, I find I practice a song until I am so sick of it it almost stops from wanting to pick the guitar up, (the fingerpicked version of Here Comes the Sun for me is one like that). I think Suzi"s suggestion is a good one, it has worked for me.

But Chris's idea of posting a video question is a brilliant idea too, I'm sure that the type of people on this site would be helpfull in a most encouraging way. I think it could be made a feature of this site. I should try it, if I could only get over my fear of playing in front of the camera!.

[BigBear]

Michele- what precisely are you having challenges with? Is it getting the chord changes fretted properly or getting the correct timing on the changes? Or maybe something else?

I think the absolute best remedy for a mental block is to get away from it for awhile. I think if you practice a song too intently for too many weeks it eventually eats you up. I've had that problem with Windy and Warm but after a couple of weeks away from it it sounded much better. Still not mastered, but better.

I know your song well and you are easily capable of mastering it with your skills. So it has to be all mental. Let us know a little more of what's got you pulling your hair out and maybe we can recommend something.

BTW- Tony faced this exact problem with Norwegian Wood and he eventually worked his way out of it. Maybe if he reads this he can chime in on what worked for him.

Best of luck! :cheer:

[michelew]

Bear,

The challenge is getting the chord landed properly in time. If I had time to adjust it would be fine. The frustrating thing is that I can do it when I'm concentrating and just doing the changes. I think the real challenge is that I've convinced myself that I can't do it so stuff up when I try to incorporate it. I think I lose focus because I'm approaching the bit that's tricky for me and that one additional thing (the self doubt, the worry) is enough to send me off the rails. I need to relax into it. So. ... Maybe I should try a combination of approaches.

Thanks for asking. And especially thanks for the vote of confidence. it helps.

Michele

[willem]

Hi Michele,,the best way to feel your problem or the frustrating things for you on this song is to go to the lesson and see,, i did and i must say that i am sure you can do it,,chord changes from open to barre and land first on the bass note is not easy i know that but i discovered when i focus on only the bass note finger and then the rest it is difficult,,so i try,,i say try!!,to focus on more fingers to land ,,maybe it is a possibility to think a baut...

I love this song,, i like the sound of it and i really have the patiens to hear it by you,,give it some rest and one day!!! well there you go....

[daryl]

Michele, if you're trying to go from an open Em to a full barred Bm, try fingering the Em with your 3rd and 4th fingers. Then when you switch to the Bm keep the 3rd and 4th fingers together as you pick them up and move them (together) to the 3rd and 4th strings (4th fret). As you move the 2 fingers towards their new position your 1st finger will automatically/simultaneously move into the barred postition over the 2nd fret. Then it's just a matter of getting your 2nd finger into position. If this isn't clear I can try to make a video showing what I mean.

[willem]

daryl wrote:

Michele, if you're trying to go from an open Em to a full barred Bm, try fingering the Em with your 3rd and 4th fingers. Then when you switch to the Bm keep the 3rd and 4th fingers together as you pick them up and move them (together) to the 3rd and 4th strings (4th fret). As you move the 2 fingers towards their new position your 1st finger will automatically/simultaneously move into the barred postition over the 2nd fret. Then it's just a matter of getting your 2nd finger into position. If this isn't clear I can try to make a video showing what I mean.

Exellent Daryl,,this works for me too,,,,From G to F should not give any trouble,,