Lesson 1 (10/24/2005)

I went up to West Mobile Music. My instructor, Andy, was just finishing up with the student before me. Promptly at 6:30, they wound things up and I got out my guitar and went into the little practice room they have at the shop.

Andy took my guitar and made sure it was in tune with his. He then played a few licks, I supposes to make sure that my cheapo guitar was in good working order. It was, for sure. Just put a new set of Elixir 12's on it less than a week before.

As a side note, I am beginning to like my guitar more and more. It's really not bad at all. Decent sound, action pretty good. I still would love a $1500+ Taylor, but that's just not in the cards, now is it?

Andy gave the guitar back to me and picked up his. He asked what I knew. I told him that I knew the basics. I can play major chords, some minors, some scales, etc. So he asked me to play a G chord. I did.

He then immediately found that I was sitting with the guitar on the wrong leg, and he asked me to use a lot more wrist, and a lot less arm while picking.

We went through all the majors. Then through the minors. Some I did not know, but for the most part we just played those I didn't know as a bar anyway. He asked about sevenths. I knew just a few. He talked about how 7th chords are formed, theory wise. As an excerise I'll be figuring out all the 7th's for next time.

We then moved on to the C scale in 1st position. I had played it before, but have not practiced it enough to be proficient. Remarkedly, it has not taken me long to get it up to a halfway decent speed. But, back to the lesson. After talking about the scale, I played it a time or two. Andy quickly corrected me about alternate picking. I was always striking a string on a downstroke, no matter the beat I was on. That is going to take some practice, but even after last night, I can feel it starting to sink in.

For next time, I'll have all major, minor, and seventh chords ready to go. I will be playing the C major scale in first position, alternate picking, as fast as I can. I will also play the scale and say the note names as I play it. Forwards and backwards for both of the scale excerises. Also, I need to be able to play every E in first position, every F, and so on. The last to excercises are already helping me to learn the notes on the fretboard better.

All in all, I had a great time. It was a blast to get out and get some direction to what I was working on. I like Andy, we seem to have a lot in common. I think we'll be a good fit.

We are skipping next week, due to Halloween. I hope to check in at some point in between now and then with an update on where I am with the excercises for next lesson. We'll see, maybe I have enough direction now to keep on updating this guy ;-)

New direction

Since I haven't posted anything to this guy since February, I thought I might change the direction a bit. I have taken up guitar and my first lesson was last night. I hope to use this site to chronicle what I do in each lesson and what I've learned outside of lessons. Stuff like that.

If anyone likes, doesn't, whatever, feel free to let me know.

Louis