1+ year subscriber from NH

Hi all,

I've been subscribed for over a year and just realized these forums were here! I was looking around to see if there was a way to connect with other learners and possibly coordinate some learning activities or even find a way to meet people to play with.

I got my first guitar in college (a banged up electric Ibanez 20 something years ago) and got back into it last year when I picked up a decent Breedlove acoustic (which I do love playing). I started taking some in person lessons before Covid and have been keeping up with them over Skype. Worked my way through most of the Beginner lessons, which I found to be a great foundation. Other than that I've spent some time working through a few songs on the site and it's been a great way to learn. From the songs I've worked through, I love how Anders, Mike and Caren break down the learning process.

Anyway, if anyone want's to connect, talk about what or how they're learning, fire me a message, would love to chat with some like minded music geeks!

Ian

Welcome Ian!

I'm an upcoming junior in college, and started learning guitar back in March, just as the virus started.

Honestly, Lisa and everyone on this forum have just been so amazing. I went from no knowledge of the guitar to being able to play songs and stuff; I'm almost done with Guitar Fundamentals 2, though these minor scale melodies are super hard!

I have an old dreadnought but the action's way too high; I've been playing on a $225 Squier electric I bought back in March. I would start the acoustic course next but my Yamaha AC3R isn't going to come until a while. Oh well. :(

Chris

Hey Chris,

Thanks for the reply. I'm have some high action on my Breedlove as well, when I first started playing it it was kind of a problem, but I think I've gotten used to it. I was hoping to take it in for a set-up once things got a little more social-friendly anyway (got other issues like being in tune on open strings, but slightly off as I move up the neck).

The acoustic courses I've taken so far have been great! I recently went back to my Ibanez to work on Cherub Rock from the Smashing Pumpkins and fell in love with electric all over again!

You working on any songs or techniques that you're having fun with?

Huh. If the guitar is out of tune as you move up the neck, I think that means the neck needs to be adjusted. My ear isn't that good yet so I just use my phone to make sure the open strings are tuned.

Not really any techniques yet; I practice palm muting and stuff just to create cool effects but I want to finish Guitar Fundamentals 2 before starting a technique section. I want to do acoustic next so I'll learn techniques there; but other than that just some fancy muting stuff with strumming, like the muted effect you can create by not pressing the Barre chords down when you play upstrokes.

Regarding songs, I haven't tried that many yet but I work with songs in the Christian or Worship genre. Personally, I really like the acoustic sound without any effects and stuff. Songs like Oh Come to the Altar by Elevation Worship and Light the Way or Run to the Father by Matt Maher.

My ultimate goal is to be able to play at college with a group of guys, just to be able to praise God in the midst of all this pandemic and everything.

Hi Ian,

Waving at you from across the border in Maine! Happy to connect. This is an awesome place -- for the first time after years of noodling around and getting nowhere, I feel like a real guitar player.

I think when the Virus Apocalypse is over, all of us in New England (I know of at least two others) should meet up and go see Lisa play, since she's in VT.)

Play on!

Chris,

Yeah, I think it needs an adjustment. It's not off by much, but it drives my OCD nuts when the tuner shows the discrepancy. I'm not quite brave enough to attempt it myself so I might drop it off to get it fixed up (and probably pick up another guitar while I'm there).

Sounds like you've got a worth goal! I'm still (after 20 years, of thinking, not all playing) trying to figure out exactly what my goals are, probably just to be able to play with others and know what I'm doing lol! Is there a selection of Christian/Worship songs on this site?

Hi Faith!

I grew up in Maine up in the greater Bangor area! So much material here, the possibilities seem endless!

I agree, a group showing to watch Lisa would be great, the vira-pocalyps has been a boon for everyone's practice time, but definitely hampered the live music scene!

Hi Ian,

I might be one of the other two that Faith was refering to. I'm in Hooksett, NH, just outside of Manchester. Weird reading your post. I too started off almost a year ago using an Ibanez 20 that was loaned to me and now have my own Breedlove Discovery Acoustic. I am a beginner as well and concentrate mostly on acoustic stuff, strumming country and folk tunes and especially love fingerpicking. I have been studying Lisa's fingerpicking program and am up to level 2D. Trying to master the song "Water is Wide" which has been a struggle but it's getting there like all things. I love the acoustic sound of fingerpicking, but I also work my way into a few classic rock tunes via Caren, Doug, Anders and Mike.

Wherabouts in NH you from? We have another guy here from Plymouth and I have a sister who just signed up as well. After the pandemic I'd be up for getting all of us New Englanders together and if we can see Lisa play that would be great. Maybe she can put together an informal workshop for us.

Moe

Hi Moe!

That's pretty funny, it sounds like our last year of guitar experience has had some striking similarities! I started a fingerpicking series with my in person instructor (well, in-Skype instructor now) and we've worked through Landslide, Blackbird and now going through Dust in the Wind. I too am enjoying this aspect of playing, but I still find myself not slowing down enough as I'm playing. I have to constantly be vigilant to keep myself playing at a good learning tempo.

I'm in Hudson, right on the other side of the Merrimack from Nashua. Not getting out much now due to the 'rona and just the general heat/humidity we've been having, but like I said above, I'd definitely be interesed in a meet-up once things are calmed down to take a trip to VT with some folks!

That's too funny. I can play Dust in the wind, not up to tempo or fluently, but I know all the chords and embellishments and am now trying to learn Landslide as well. Got the first few opening sequences down but no idea on the rest. It's a different picking pattern than what I've been taught. My problem is I'm trying to learn too much and am just recently trying to scale some stuff to the back burner so I can focus on more current lessons. My practice schedule is never consistent, more of pick it up whenever I have the time and energy. Not an easy thing to do for me as I am overwhelmed by all there is to learn on this site. I want to dive in to it all, but I know it has to come in baby steps otherwise I'll just continue to be a sloppy guitar player. Yes lets' keep in touch and when this pandemic is over we can all meet somewhere and collaborate.

Moe

I think that's what's nice about the structure on here (for the different tracks to follow) it helps provide some focus.

I have the same problem where I'll be working on one thing, then I'll hear something on the radio or whatever and completely change course to focus on the new cool thing I heard. I don't have a set practice schedule (though I would like to), but working from home, there's always a guitar within 5 feet of me so it's easy to pick up for a few minutes.

A meet-up's a good idea, even if we can't get to VT, we're probably all close enough we could do something central to everyone interested and share experiences and collaborate. Working with others is one thing I really want to be able to do, I feel like a lot of growth can happen by doing that!

sounds good, direct message me if and when you were thinking of doing a meetup. Weekends are only time for me.

Originally Posted by: jettgeek6

Chris,

Yeah, I think it needs an adjustment. It's not off by much, but it drives my OCD nuts when the tuner shows the discrepancy. I'm not quite brave enough to attempt it myself so I might drop it off to get it fixed up (and probably pick up another guitar while I'm there).

Sounds like you've got a worth goal! I'm still (after 20 years, of thinking, not all playing) trying to figure out exactly what my goals are, probably just to be able to play with others and know what I'm doing lol! Is there a selection of Christian/Worship songs on this site?

Yeah, why not buy another?

Yeah, as far as I know there aren't any.

That would be really great if they added some!

www.essentialworship.com has a whole bunch of tutorials, with a bunch of songs, like the ones I mentioned.

Originally Posted by: mjgodin

sounds good, direct message me if and when you were thinking of doing a meetup. Weekends are only time for me.

Feel free to direct message me as well. (I forget to look at messages sometimes, but eventually I remember...)

Originally Posted by: faith83

Originally Posted by: mjgodin

sounds good, direct message me if and when you were thinking of doing a meetup. Weekends are only time for me.

Feel free to direct message me as well. (I forget to look at messages sometimes, but eventually I remember...)

Same here, but they haven't added that feature of letting you know you have a message waiting. Also no way of deleting old messages. Hope they can finetune that feature soon.

Yeah, @mjgodin @faith83, how do I even find where my direct messages are?

Hi,

just go to the home screen and you'll see the button on the right that says messages. Click on that. [br][br]

Moe

Hello All!

Love the idea of getting us folks from VT. and N. H. together. I`d definitly make the drive for that !

Hey, Rhode Island here. Count me in on the idea of a NE meetup!

I'd be interested in a NE meetup too. I'm a little bit east of Worcester, MA and am currently trying to work my way through the 5-chord power pack part of Fundamentals 1.

Looks like we're gonna need a function hall if this continues😅. How many more do we have in this area? Hopefully we can pull this off, but like faith says maybe we should wait until this pandemic is a bit more under control. Let's keep in touch. [br][br]

moe