Leaderboard

Or more to the point making progress that I am very happy with! As explained elsewhere I have recently picked the guitar up after far too many years away from the fret board, so I consider myself a beginner. It has taken a couple of months but this weekend has seen the latest moment of joy when I can see I have made steps forward. I have gone through the pain with the fingers (and still am) as well as all the other joys of developing stunning techniques and rhythm etc, but I feel this weekend it has all come together somewhat and I actually played through a whole series of chord progressions without watching my left hand, and it sounded okay - not too many buzzes or Duff notes! There are two things in particular I can largely attribute this to firstly daily practice of at least 10 minutes each day and guidance from @JLGTuition, I have no links with @JLGTuition, I am purely a very satisfied member of his Facebook group. That aside the feeling of achievement and progress that i have made is extremely satisfying, I will never be a world class player and am purely playing for my own pleasure, but to play the guitar is a great thing to be able to do IMO even to my limited abilities.

That sounds great, well done for keeping up with the practice, it is certainly a fantastic instrument to play. But, just for a confidence boost, don't run down your abilities either now or in the future. My guitar teacher back in the day said something to me during a moment of frustration I was having for not being able to master something. 'Just remember that all the artists you are trying to emulate, only play their own material. Eric Clapton can't play like Eddie van Halen, Eddie van Halen can't play like Jeff Beck, Jeff Beck can't play like Chuck Berry, and none of them can play like you **insert your own name**. Be proud of what you can do, because there is always someone better and someone who hasn't reached those skills yet.' Everyone plays differently, both good and bad, everyone has bad habits, everyone has their own style. Whatever stage you are at, there are people not as accomplished and look at you thinking that they wish that they could play as well as you. Even recording artists have good and bad bits. Kurt Cobain played completely differently to Eric Clapton with different aggression and different speed and note choice, but would you say that one was better than the other? If the music you play fits your style and the note choices work with rather than against the music, then I would say that it would be considered successful. but there is ALWAYS something new to learn.

Do you ever find yourself noodling on the guitar and suddenly recognise what you are playing as a famous tune. Yesterday, I was sitting playing and suddenly realised I was playing part of the Grange Hill theme tune.