Progress Report

Here's an update on my progress of learning the guitar:

I haven't quit yet, so that's good.

When I first got my guitar I went online to learn some chords on my own, but realized there were a couple of different ways to explain guitar chords through tablature (apparently there is an incorrect tablature people post as well), ways to express finger positioning, multiple ways to position fingers on each string, etc. So I decided to just see what the Shin's song Those To Come looked like, because it wasn't a chord - rather just picking strings with fingers situated on certain frets...I can't remember what the name of that is off the top of my head (but in describing it, it sounds jsut like I'm referring to playing a chord. Hmmm...). Now that I'm sure I haven't lost your interest in reading my post, I will continue. It was in playing Those To Come that I learned some songs don't necessarily play a full chord. It was an easy song for me to figure out the fingering (at least the beginning part); but it was difficult for me to stretch my fingers from the 5th and 7th frets, though, as well as move from the A string to the low E string. It's still VERY difficult for me to move from one string to the other, however, it's not as difficult for me to stretch within three frets - four is another story.

I started out learning the G, D, and A chords. I tried playing Harvest Moon by Neil Young, but was uncertain that these were the right chords because actually I wanted to play Elliott Smith's version of this song (so maybe I just need a capo). Here I learned that people's tabs can be wrong and that the internet isn't necessarily the most reliable source for tablature. However, it still remains my number "go to" place.

After I got my guitar I made my friend, Adam, play all 40 songs I want to learn and we went through each one to see which would be the easiest to begin with. That was a big help. I was able to write down chords of songs I wanted to learn and see the relationship of certain chords with others (even if they were only his interpretation of the chords used). People have mentioned this chord triad thing, so I think I'm picking up on what that means.

Next up was introducing the Em and Bm chords. I tried playing Fade Into You by Mazzy Star because there are only three chords, however I couldn't really play the barre chord (Bm) so I decided to put this song on hold. Whilst playing this song, though, I realized that I like the sound of the Em chord a whole lot!

I decided to go back to sticking with the G, D, and A chords as my foundation so I found tabs for Muzzle of Bees by Wilco. I think the tabs are incorrect (in that it sounds too high pitched), but I went with what I found online anyway. It is with this song that I learned finger picking is not so easily done. So I just strum the chords. I still cannot transition from each chord fast enough yet. I wonder when I will be able to play a song in real time. Everyone keeps telling me, "you've only been playing for two weeks." Still, I want to be able to move around faster than I am. Maybe my method of learning isn't conducive to that of a beginner - I mean, if I knew what the easy chords were and played those first, perhaps I would be better at switching from one chord to another - but I had to just dive in. If I waded, I would get bored and jump out.

I still haven't mastered the Wilco song, but decided to incorporate other songs as well. Songs such as The Boy Done Wrong Again by Belle and Sebastian. It's kind of fun looking at songs and seeing what chords are used, which chords I know, which tabs look the most correct and easiest for me to play. I tried playing Arthur & Yu's Half Years (despite it having an F in there). I did learn the C chord, so I moved on to the Shins' Gone For Good. It too has an F chord. At some point I will have to learn barre chords...I know this.

While listening to some music the other day, I forgot that I wanted to learn Bulletproof by Radiohead. So I looked at the tabs for it and totally knew all the chords (well, I added the Cmaj7 to my repertoire, but that's an easy one)!

A couple of nights ago I started playing I Became Awake by the Great Lake Swimmers. While this song is primarily the G and C chord, it's difficult in that it shifts back and forth between the two over and over again. I guess it will be a good song for me to practice going from the G to the C. I could also learn their song Changing Colors so perhaps I'll try that. I thought they might be a good band to learn some songs from because their music is slow, so we'll see.

Last night I started learning The Guitar Man by Bread. When I was looking through the tabs I was proud of myself for recognizing half of the chords (with the exception of the E/G#, D/F#, Bm7, Am7, and whatever a C6 G is). I love this song to pieces so I'm going to concentrate a lot of my time on it in the next week.

Hm, looking over my list of songs I should be able to play Anecdote by Ambulance Ltd. I'll try that right now actually.

Well, that went...alright. I know I'm all over the place, playing this song and that, but it's how I roll. By the way, Anecdote has an F in it. Son of a...

So these are some of the songs, parts of songs, and chords I've been working on over the last two weeks. I'm hoping to get good enough by the summer so as to play in the park - that is without annoying people with my slowness or repeatedly playing sections of a song over and over again until I've got it.

Hopefully one day I'll look back at this post and think, "wow, I remember those days when the F chord used to be difficult." Or hopefully someone else who is learning the guitar will find solace in knowing they're not the only one's who can't shift from chords very well. Hopefully I'll get better at that. I just don't see how or when at this point.

Lastly, my nails have never been shorter in all my life. My fingers look stumpy. Hmph.