Re: Yikes! Adult School Guitar Classes - Too Much, Too Soon. Some Beginners Observations

crw59@xxxxxxxxxxxxx expounded in news:f049af0d-3e7f-4437-a237-3bcb4f5ffae8
@j9g2000vbp.googlegroups.com:

Finally decided I had better take at least one set of classes to learn
how to play the little bugger. I'm in the 5th week of a 6 week class.
I realize its rushed and the teacher is trying to expose the students
to as much of the basics as possible, but its a lot to take in.
Learning chords is what I expected, but we are getting sheets for
finger picking too. A lot to take in and a lot to remember. The chords
I am getting better at it, but I think I will leave the individual
notes for a later time.

In the beginning there is a lot of "things" to learn-- very
true. But it is also good to learn several things in parallel
to save time (you'd still be in school if you had to master
subjects one at a time). But balance is key.

At some point, at least in my own experience, you get to the
point where you spend more effort on technique than gaining
information about playing. Not that you stop learning (I think
I finally have SHA figured out now!) but I just find that
now I spend more weeks going over the same stuff that I just
have to master slowly (at 50-something, I too have a challenge).
This is compounded in my case with health issues in my hands.

I find this stage to be the must frustrating and discouraging.
After a number of years I've classically got to a Conservatory
5 level. I spend almost all of my time reworking the same
pieces to see marginal improvements.

Speed is something I cannot yet muster for two study pieces
that I have to do for an exam. This is most frustrating because
I have found that you cannot rush it. If I rush it, I tense
up and technique goes to pieces. So I have returned to much
slower practice and hoping in a few months that the speed
will gradually come. Patience is wearing thin, but it seems
to be essential in this.

But every day as I face these, I get bored ("oh no, not this
again"). Then summer (in Canada) interferes in its own
special way, especially when motivation issues set in.

Anyway, expect a long road ahead, depending upon your goals.
I may need to take a summer break from this classical schtuff.
I have been spending "more" Les(s) Paul time lately. A
guitarist just wants to have fun. Sometimes I question my
classical interests.

I can see why people try the guitar and toss them in the garage a few
weeks later. Can be frustrating to get past this beginners period.

Don't expect frustration to end after a "beginner's period",
depending on how you measure that.

Do expect to do some variety for sanity's sake. I think
you have to be guitar obsessed to stick with this over the
long haul.

teacher is right that the guitar has to become part of your daily
life, even if its 10 minutes a day. Muscle memory, memorizing the
chords will come.

Opinions will vary of course, but I think an hour a day
is pretty close to minimum. But this depends
upon your "goals". To perform professionally, the minimum
is probably closer to 4 hours a day, if not more (at
least for classical).

Kids have a real advantage in both their ability to
learn and the time they have available to do it with.
I envy them.


Craig

To stay engaged, it has to be fun. I hate memorizing
scales for instance, but I have to do it for the exam.
Sometimes I pile on rediculous effects to make it more
entertaining. Not sure how productive that is, but it
certainly is more fun. Sometimes that fun turns into
something else..

Otherwise, just find fun things to learn, to play. Learn
songs. If you're playing electric, earphones can be
quite liberating if you feel inhibited about how it
sounds.

My $0.02 in Canadian Tire money.

Snark.
.

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