[DaveJay]

Hi Danny.  I agree – and I have tried way, way too many of them.

As an older learner myself, and being an aging consultant in my work, experience can be more valuable than youth – if it is accompanied by thoughtfulness, reflection, and willingness to explore different approaches.  And people have to be willing to pay for that thoughtful experience – which I am willing to do for this site.

And, thank goodness, my company and customers are willing to pay for my experience.

Enjoy the path!!

DaveJay

[DaveJay]

Tomas,

Just wanted to let you know that the coffee cup arrived here in Switzerland a couple days ago.  Didn’t expect it so quickly, because packages often go through Customs and are usually accompanied by a Customs bill by the time they arrive weeks later.

But it sailed right through with no delay or bill this time.

Much more valuable is the benefit and growing confidence I am getting from your lessons.

Thanks, DaveJay

[DaveJay]

Tomas,

I totally agree with your 1st Secret.

Except this isn’t the first time around for me.  I had some music theory with my childhood piano lessons – just enough to help me muddle through when I learned to play guitar badly 35 years ago.

I’ve now been at it steady about 6 months, this time with better instruction online from the likes of Justin Sandercoe (Justin Guitar) and Andy Crowley (Andy’s Guitar), but am enjoying going back through the basics by way of refresher through your Beginner’s Journey.  I am a big believer in having the fundamentals down solid – having made that mistake with guitar earlier – and having done things better as a Ski Instructor and also through teaching Engineering courses and Engineering Software courses through my career.  If you can’t do the simple things cleanly – and especially slowly (because mistakes are really apparent then) – then you need more practice.

I really, really like your approach.  It is obvious that you have been around this block more than a few times and have thought hard and tried many different ways of teaching guitar, constantly appraising and restructuring your curriculum.  Also, I favor acoustic and classical guitar, even though an electric can be entertaining, it is not my first choice.  Also, too much gadget fiddlin’ distracts me from learning how to play.

So, thanks for the answer.  In my defense, I am trying to focus on the Chord Pattern, not just the Chords, per your advice.  And I thought a Pattern should be describe in generic terms to use the pattern in other keys.  But I have to admit that your answer tells me that the Music Theory in that pattern is over my head right now, so taking your advice, I am going to ignore the generic pattern for now, enjoy the “Am – G – Dm – E” Spanish progression (it is a very pretty sequence) – and move on.

Thanks, DaveJay

[DaveJay]

Thomas, I just got to this same spot – and had the same need to see the chords written down.

The previous lesson you had introduced us to the G-Em-C-D (I-vi-IV-V) progression, but in the next lesson you jumped into a new one, evidently G-C-D (I-IV-V) – actually I-IV-V-IV, but it wasn’t immediately obvious what you were doing.

Fortunately I remembered seeing this post, and found the music in the Workbook 5.

Thanks, DaveJay

[DaveJay]

Very nice, John!!

Giving me some inspiration to try this soon.

Thanks,

DaveJay

[DaveJay]

Thanks for the personal reply.

How do I like Zurich?  I LOVE it!!  My kids are grown, 2 in LA and one just moved to Dallas, so my wife and I are free to go where we like.  My work took me to Switzerland, and now I am staying here and flying around Europe on projects – frankly to much more interesting places than doing the same job from Denver.  My wife comes with me often – and then I come home to Zurich and our view of the lake and mountains for the weekend.

I’ve lived a LOT of places in the USA – and my father and most of my family is in or from California.  San Francisco and the Bay Area has its attractions, but with the home costs and the traffic, neither the Bay Area nor LA hold any interest for me anymore – as a place to live – over living in Switzerland or even Denver.  Even with my brother as a Real Estate agent in SF.

Meanwhile, I am enjoying your lessons – and making progress.

Thanks,

Dave Jellison

 

[DaveJay]

<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>Thanks for the personal reply.</div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”></div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>How do I like Zurich?  I LOVE it!!  My kids are grown, 2 in LA and one just moved to Dallas, so my wife and I are free to go where we like.  My work took me to Switzerland, and now I am staying here and flying around Europe on projects – frankly to much more interesting places than doing the same job from Denver.  My wife comes with me often – and then I come home to Zurich and our view of the lake and mountains for the weekend.</div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”></div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>I’ve lived a LOT of places in the USA – and my father and most of my family is in or from California.  San Francisco and the Bay Area has its attractions, but with the home costs and the traffic, neither the Bay Area nor LA hold any interest for me anymore – as a place to live – over living in Switzerland or even Denver.  Even with my brother as a Real Estate agent in SF.</div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”></div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>Meanwhile, I am enjoying your lessons – and making progress.</div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”></div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>Thanks,</div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”></div>
<div style=”color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;”>Dave Jellison</div>

[Author]

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