Hello from NorCAL

vzg14
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: SF Bay Area - South Bay
Status: Offline

Wed Apr 01, 2015 12:13 pm

Hello Members,

I'm kind of new to the site. I actually first logged in last year, but to be honest, I was so overwhelmed and intimidated by the massive content on the site, that I went somewhere else. But I'm back again and decided to get some suggestions from you all on where to start.

I'd probably consider myself an intermediate fingerstyle player. I took traditional guitar lessons when I was in college and played bass guitar in a band but since then I've just been a tinkerer and hobbyist player who wasn't necessarily challenging myself seriously to expand on my skills. Now that I'm about to enter my 50's, I've got a burning desire to become a better musician, both in musicality and technique. My ultimate goal is to be able to join in on a jam circle and be proficient enough to be tastefully musical, and not be so self conscious about what I play. Learning a bunch of songs to put in my "back pocket" wouldn't hurt too. Hopefully, I can get direction towards these goals here.

Anyway, thanks in advance for all of your suggestions. I look forward to this journey.

-Victor G.


TGNesh
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:25 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:
Status: Offline

Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:08 pm

Hi Victor and welcome to TG!

I can imagine that the content of the site is overwhelming, there is just a LOT in there :blink: A candy store some would say!

I'm sure other students will chime in on how they approach their journeys, but personally I'd say, work yourself bit by bit through the Acoustic Genius Series (don't worry if that takes a while, it actually should take a while) and pick a couple of songs in the mean time that you'd like to be able to play and practice those.

Oh and since you're located in NorCal, I'd say, join IGC 2015, which will certainly be an unforgetable experience, education wise, but also since it provides a great opportunity to play with others and perform in public. :) http://internationalguitarcamp.com

Have fun around here and never hesitate to jump in the forums with questions or comments you might have. Also feel free, whenever you're ready, to share a video of you playing what you're working on and have finished working on.

Cheers!

Vanessa (from The Netherlands)

Edit: Ah Willem's got a point there, as a non-Target member, indeed check out the free lessons and at one point maybe consider Target or Target Lite where all the in depth stuff is. I can honestly say that it's the best choice I've ever made or that you could make. I'm a TG-teacher now, but I started out as a member (4,5 years ago) like everyone else around here. Indeed, the best move I ever made in my musical life.


willem
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am
Status: Offline

Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:10 pm

Welcome Victor, joining this site is the best you could do ever! Really.
You can join TARGET (the full content) or Target light, so now and then a lesson.
Or have a look at the free lesson and see and feel how they will teach you, the payed lessons have more detail..

Fingerpicking? Instrumental? or just pickin and singin? Travis pickin is great to learn And there are many lessons on that,"dust in the wind" "deep river blues" for calling some.


Willem (from the Netherlands)


User avatar
neverfoundthetime
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
Status: Offline

Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:23 pm

Welcome to the Rocky Horror Candy Shop of TG, Victor! My suggestion, find a free song that really gets your juices going and dive in with that. You can ask questions and get feed back if you post a video of yourself playing.... folks are kind and considerate here and we are all in the same boat. Then, you really should join TARGET, best move you can make as everyone here will tell you.

Greetings from Switzerland!
Chris


User avatar
Music Junkie
Posts: 0
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:17 am
Status: Offline

Thu Apr 02, 2015 1:42 pm

Victor:

Welcome from a former NorCal guy, now living in SoCal.... :)

All of us can completely understand the overwhelming feeling. There is a LOT of content here. Like the others have mentioned pick a free song and dive in. Ask questions freely, as all the folks here are very helpful and kind. If you like what you see, I would highly encourage you to join the Target program. If you think the info is overwhelming now, you have only touched the tip of the iceberg... :woohoo:

Then, being that you are from NorCal, you could probably drive to the IGC (International Guitar Camp). Having attended the first two years, I can honestly say that it is amazing. It is a gathering of incredibly nice and encouraging people. You will get the opportunity to perform each night, if you so choose, and the audience is the best you will find if you have concerns or get nervous. There are great instructors, and some awesome late night jam sessions. Plus you get to meet Neil and Vanessa, two of the most sincere and nice people I have met in a long time.

Good luck, and happy playing!

Jason


User avatar
auntlynnie
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 5:31 am
Status: Offline

Thu Apr 02, 2015 6:58 pm

Welcome Victor,
I think that most of us get overwhelmed here from time to time. However, it helps to focus in on what you really want to work on. There are tons of lessons on all kinds of songs, but not all of them will fit your style. I tend to work on Country Blues style fingerpicking, so that narrows it down a bit.
Sometimes I watch a lesson just because I happen to like the song, but if it's not my stylie, I don't work on the piece. There's still lots to get out of lessons that way, because Neil knows all kinds of trivia about the songs and the musicians.
As you get into the site more, feel free to ask questions. There are lots of folks who have been here for awhile and are happy to help.
Hope you get a lot out of your time here.
Lynn
(Washington, DC)


vzg14
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: SF Bay Area - South Bay
Status: Offline

Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:10 am

Hello Vanessa, Willem, Chris, Jason and Lynn,

Thank you for your encouragement, and suggestions. Having learned that spots are disappearing fast at the Guitar Camp, I decided to sign up. In fact, this was the biggest draw for me to this site. I'm already signed up as a member on another site which is why I'm hesitating somewhat on signing up as a Target member here, but I am still weighing the options and may join up in the not too distant future.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the camp and learning a ton of stuff.

Thanks,
-Victor G.


User avatar
auntlynnie
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 5:31 am
Status: Offline

Mon Apr 06, 2015 7:11 am

Fantastic! Camp is a blast!


Lynn


TGNesh
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:25 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:
Status: Offline

Mon Apr 06, 2015 2:22 pm

How awesome Victor, I'll be looking forward to meet you! Like Lynn says, we'll have a blast!!! :)


vzg14
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:10 pm
Location: SF Bay Area - South Bay
Status: Offline

Sat May 02, 2015 6:10 pm

OK, I'm officially a TARGET member now, in the proverbial candy store. So many choices...where do I begin? :ohmy: (I say rhetorically)

Looking to have lots of fun here.

-Victor


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic