Guitar goals for 2013 - what's yours?

[michelew]

This is something that's been kicking around in my head for a little while and well... I seem to process things by writing them down and comparing notes with people so this is curiosity, a way of sorting out my own priorities and a way of trying to hold myself to my goals by committing to them in this public way.

I want to up the ante to becoming a better player and help myself to become a muso this year rather than just someone who learns a song at a time and them posts a video and moves onto the next project. I've been thinking about the things I need to start learning, go back to and continue with that will help me do this. To complicate matters I've got myself a great family of instruments now, six guitar-ish alone, that I want it become proficient at (not this year but over time of course). What a terrible problem to have life's good! So here's my plan for the next six months or so at least in no particular order.

- look at the videos I've posted. (And other songs I've learned) and decide which songs I want to keep in a long-term repertoire (ones that fit into Den's concept of songs that you want it keep alive and need to play) - there's a few, but Blackbird and Here Come the Sun are ones that come to mind first.

- master power chords, the barre-chord and conquer the A-shape (I finally feel like I'm making progress here - the electric guitar has been GREAT for helping with that)

- learn the position of all major and minor barre chords on the fifth and sixth string to the point where I don't need it think about it - and be about to easily move through chords in the most common keys I, IV, V and vi especially on both strings without needing to think about it. Being about to play the A-shape better means I'm no longer avoiding these so it definitely helps here.

- improve my understanding of the fretboard(s)

- pentatonic scales - most patterns - 5 most common keys standing with G,

- find a new long-term project. I'm open to suggestions (not classical gas or Windy and Warm) actually it needs to be something that speaks to me and that I want to maintain long-term.

- get back to palm muting and keep exploring other ways or muting and percussive strumming. - I love those sounds.

- play, play, play - play more simple stuff and learn the damn words and the progressions to the point where they stay in my head and I can play at a second's notice.

- make progress in my fear of playing in front of people.

- explore the world of just finding a groove.

- Keep making progress with the medium term projects I'm currently working on.

- play, play, play. Try and find and learn songs that i really love that will help me with the above.

Exercise more - well it can't hurt my playing right? Can it?


I have specific goals for each instrument too; uke, bass, classical, electric - but that's more than enough for now.

If you think there's something missing from this list, especially something I've been whinging/raving about (in addition to A-Barres) that you think I need to add, let me know. Owwww...bends, because they're cool.


So what are YOUR goals? Basic skills, songs, theory, blah, blah? What are you working on? I'm looking forward to hearing about it.


Oh an one last goal - spend less time on the forum and more time playing.... Starting now. . ... OK starting as soon as I've responded appropriately to people's responses and ...now.

I'm off to eat and then play.

Shel

[michelew]

Wow! That's a lót of goals!! :ohmy: Good for you! :cheer:

I only disagree with the last one though!

As for the question, I'll get back to you.

Ness

[tovo]

Hey Shel. Really enjoyed reading your list and I share many of your goals. I definitely want to improve my theory knowledge. I'm not bad at knowing positions for all the barre chords but I'm pretty poor on individual notes on all but the 6th string. Like you, I think it's important to revisit those core tunes and I've been doing that quite a bit with good result. Not much point in investing so much time and energy only to promptly forget the tune. I am finding that my blues journey helps my playing in all aspects which is great, but also complicates practice time as I often spend my entire allocation on licks, bends and just noodling to get something that sounds good to my ear. It's been a while since I learned a totally new tune. I do however find I learn more quickly, so that is also pleasing.

For your list, I think hinge barres needs to be on your radar. Being comfortable with those really adds some flexibility. Hey, perhaps you are already on top of those? I guess I am assuming not because A-shaped barres are on your list.

In terms of some of your other goals, take a minute to pat yourself on the back for how far you have come in relaxing in front of the camera. Sure, this is not so much a goal in itself but it is our media for sharing with each other and you are so much more effective at performing in that way these days. Surely that will translate to playing live in front of people? You can do it!

Exercise? Yeah it is a good goal but don't overdo it muscles! Someone once told me that you are only allocated so many heartbeats and going too hard uses them up more quickly! Always thought that was a good excuse to be lazy I reckon an hour on the couch with your 6 string is pretty good exercise as well!

Explore the world of just finding a groove is your best one. I spend this year trying to work on that one as well. Not just with a guitar. I wish you the very best luck with that goal.

[willem]

More playing in time,,well if I end up in time I'm very pleased,,,

More instrumentals from popy songs,,,


I really want to nail some James Taylor songs...

[michelew]

nesh16041972 wrote:

Wow! That's a lót of goals!! :ohmy: Good for you! :cheer:

I only disagree with the last one though!

As for the question, I'll get back to you.

Ness

Nessa Yes, of course you're right. Perhaps 2013/2014 goals would be a better description given the time I have to achieving them. Some may get more time than others of course.

So... Sweet superhero. Got any goals? First album, stadium concert?


Tony - I've been tempted to follow in your foot steps after watching your progress. Hinge barre I hear you. Yes I should add them to the barre mix. Exercise - muscles haha! Well I do LOVE muscles. I really should get me some more of those. thanks for being so sweet. Grooves I hear you there too.

Willem - good goals - especially the timing goal.

Thanks for playing.

Shel

[daryl]

- I'm hoping to revisit many of the songs I have uploaded with plans to redo the video now that I have a better hang on timing, recording, and syncing. And perhaps throw in a bass part (now that I have a proper bass guitar) and a lead part.

- I'm hoping to play more bass guitar (I'm currently learning the fuzz bass part to the Beatles "Think For Yourself"). Fun! Fun! Fun!

- I'd like to get better at improvising. That's a multi-year goal.

- I'd like to find someone in my town (of 500 people) to play with. That will most likely never happen. The chemistry has to be right and with so few people the odds don't look good.

[tombo1230]

I have been flirting with lead playing for a little while, so I am ready to step that up. I have messed around with Major scales and the pentatonic scale. At the moment I am learning how to play
triads for lead and I'm really finding that fun, it seems easier to set to memory than I had imagined. I am also working on learning all the notes on the fretboard, this goes hand in hand with learning lead, scales and triads. I need to turn this into proper lead playing.

I have a timer and set up little 5 minute practices, where I concentrate on doing or practicing a skill on the guitar intensly for that period. I think this is a great technique. as you put yourself under time pressure so you focus your attention really well for that short period.

Other things that I need to work on are pick related skills. I am a fingerpicker who joined this site to expand on strumming and pick (plectrum) related stuff. I have come a long way on that so I'm fairly happy with that. but all of the above just needs more work. There are so many great fingerpicking lessons here I get drawn to them, so find myself not working on my pick related weaknesses. I need to work on that one. I want to get more skills in the toolbox as well.

Ok enough rambling for now, my goals are to add the ability to play lead and generally improve everything else, whilst learning and maintaining songs.

I have a work colleague who is a great guitarist, he has talked about a jam session I need to do this as well, playing with other musicians I think is key to improving in many ways.

I need to do this more often, write down what I want to achieve, as this helps to clarify my goals.

Good topic Michele.


Tom N.

[d_dog]

Haha, you're too sweet! :laugh:

My goals......well.....do I have them??! :dry:

I want to become a better music-teacher, so most of what I look for/notice on TG is hów to explain and break down songs/techniques. Neil always amazes me for that matter, no matter what the talkes about, or what song it is, he's indeed, as you very well pointed out here and there, 'a teacher's teacher'. He's a true inspiration.....!!

Other than that, I'm not much into learning new techniques at the moment, I mean I feel I at least 'master' the ones that I would like to have, strumming as well as fingerpicking are quite natural to me. Instead I ám into just learning new songs (yes, to teach them too) and trying to figure them out (I learn all the time by just figuring out I have to say, theoretically). Nowadays I'm totally caught up by Jason Mraz, who is as a singer/guitarist/ (songwriter) indeed a great inspiration as well. So.....yeah, I'm definitely enjoying myself!

Ness



michelew wrote:

nesh16041972 wrote:

Wow! That's a lót of goals!! :ohmy: Good for you! :cheer:

I only disagree with the last one though!

As for the question, I'll get back to you.

Ness

Nessa Yes, of course you're right. Perhaps 2013/2014 goals would be a better description given the time I have to achieving them. Some may get more time than others of course.

So... Sweet superhero. Got any goals? First album, stadium concert?

[suziko]

Shel,

That is an impressive list you've got there! I'm proud of you for setting the bar so high.

As for me, I do have some goals for the year. One of them will be realized tomorrow night (as some of you know!!). Maybe i'll say more about that once it's happened. Otherwise, like Tom I tend to do a lot of fingerpicking, which I love (and there are just so many great fingerpicking songs to learn), but I'd like to work more on my flatpicking. I have messed around with some bluegrass tunes and I do want to spend more time developing that skill. I also want to work more on improvising leads and learning to jam with people. I signed up for a beginning blues guitar class through my University's extension program and that starts in just a few weeks. So hopefully that class will help me to progress on that goal.

But most importantly, I just want to keep playing on a daily (if possible) basis, keep learning new songs, keep improving and keep getting lots of enjoyment from this wonderful hobby!

Suzi

[dennisg]

Shel,

I'd be surprised if you posted a list of guitar goals that didn't aim for the moon, and that's exactly what you've done this time. I don't know if you'll accomplish all of your goals, but I think it's impressive that you can even identify them.

As for me, I want to do three things: 1) learn some theory (which I've always avoided), 2) play more with musical people, and 3) do some more open-mics. Really, though, all of these serve one primary objective: to have more fun with the guitar.

As always, thanks for your thoughtful question.