Today I practiced after midnight so I just did 1234s and scales as they are quieter than strumming. Also I learned new melody by ear – Ievan Polkka. I’m not sure if it’s 100% correct so I’ll check myself with some tabs, but still learning and playing it was fun.
1234 exercise
3124 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3142 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3214 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3241 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3412 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3421 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 130 bpm
Scales
Major scales
8th notes @ 180 bpm
Minor scales
8th notes @ 180 bpm
Ear training
Finally I returned to getting to the level with 7 intervals again. Hopefully this tendency will remain for the rest of the week.
Songs
There is Ievan Polkka at 160 bpm. Still trying to perfect it.
Summary
Todays practice felt very undone after the time I put to the practice yesterday. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to spent more time playing.
I’m off to a great start of the week! What a day it was. I started practicing all six 1234 combinations across the neck, continued working on consistency and relaxation of scales, played strumming patterns in order to develop endurance with barre chords and substitutes and started All of Me routine. Wow. Just wow 🙂
1234 exercise
My initial thought was to practice three combination at a time but then I decided to do all six of them at once. I’m getting closer to my 1234s ultimate goal, so I really want it to happen. Also I’m far more relaxed now so I can play for a longer period of time without getting tired, which is helpful.
3124 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
3142 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
3214 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
3241 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
3412 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
3421 on the 1-12 frets
8th notes @ 120 bpm
Scales
I’m far more relaxed now, and maybe I’ll increase the speed even more tomorrow. These shapes are really almost my second nature at this point 🙂
Major scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Minor scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Strumming
Module 15 pattern
I’ll continue this practice until I could play it without any tension for a longer period of time. I’m already quite good at barre chords but substitutes are just killing me still… Also my C major chord with the pinky already sounds much better, but I still need to work on the pressure amount I apply while playing it.
1 5 6 4 chords
150 bpm
1 5 6 4 substitutes
150 bpm
6 4 1 5 chords
150 bpm
6 4 1 5 substitutes
150 bpm
Module 17 pattern [All of Me]
These 7 chords are not particularly hard, the trickiest part is just to memorize the whole progression, which I’ll do at one point. So I started at 80 bpm and then increased the speed to 100 bpm. As soon as I memorize the whole thing I’ll increase the speed to 120 bpm or even more.
Open chords
80 bpm
100 bpm
Barre chords
80 bpm
100 bpm
Summary
The start of the week is awesome. And I really see the progress with the tension reducing now. Hopefully, I’ll get the same amount of time every day of the week. Then my progress will be really significant.
Strumming – All of Me – Open chords – 80 bpm Strumming – All of Me – Open chords – 100 bpm Strumming – All of Me – Barre chords – 80 bpm Strumming – All of Me – Barre chords – 100 bpm
This week I mostly concentrated on strumming exercises in order to complete Modules 15-16. Also I got the next three 1234 combinations to 8th notes at 150 bpm.
I’m not feeling very good now and have a running nose, so I just want to upload my summary and finalize this week.
But I’ve still recorded a video though 🙂
The goals for this week were:
[Done] 3241, 3412, 3421 as 8th notes at 150 bpm on the 5th fret
Get to the level with 8 intervals on ear training at tonedear.com 3 times
[Done] Implement Modules 15-16 routines
Implement left hand fingers movement reducing routine
My goals for the next week:
3124, 3142, 3214, 3241, 3412, 3421 as 8th notes at 150 bpm across the neck
Get to the level with 7 intervals on ear training at tonedear.com 5 times
All of Me consistently at 140 bpm (both open and barre chords versions)
1234 exercise
3241 on the 5th fret – 8th notes @ 120 bpm → 8th notes @ 150 bpm 3412 on the 5th fret – 8th notes @ 120 bpm → 8th notes @ 150 bpm 3421 on the 5th fret – 8th notes @ 120 bpm → 8th notes @ 150 bpm
I had running nose today so it was not so comfortable to play. Anyway I increased the speed for strumming exercises and left everything else pretty much the same as yesterday.
1234 exercise
3241 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3412 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3421 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
Scales
Major scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Minor scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Strumming
Module 15 pattern
1 5 6 4 chords
140 bpm
1 5 6 4 substitutes
140 bpm
6 4 1 5 chords
140 bpm
6 4 1 5 substitutes
140 bpm
Module 16 pattern
1 5 6 4 variations
140 bpm
2 6 5 1 2 6 5 6 variations
140 bpm
Ear training
Again – not even close to the goal…
Summary
Not much to say – let’s conclude the week in the next post.
Today I had pretty much time for practice and finally tried to play something for the Module 16 routines. Not sure if this exercise was about that, but still I pretty much did it. Also I increased the speed of playing scales to 170 bpm.
1234 exercise
3241 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3412 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3421 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
Scales
Major scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Minor scales
8th notes @ 170 bpm
Strumming
Module 15 pattern
1 5 6 4 chords
130 bpm
1 5 6 4 substitutes
130 bpm
6 4 1 5 chords
130 bpm
6 4 1 5 substitutes
130 bpm
Module 16 pattern
1 5 6 4 variations
130 bpm
2 6 5 1 2 6 5 6 variations
120 bpm. I came up with this chord progression. It sounds pretty familiar but I don’t recognize it, so I’ll just say that it’s mine 🙂
Ear training
Again, didn’t manage to increase the level above the one with 6 intervals 🙁
Summary
Getting back on track. Now I consider my goal on implementing Modules 15-16 routines done.
Today I finally got my time to practice decently and spent a few hours playing. I’ve been working on my endurance with barre chords and substitutes and finding all chords shapes across the neck. Also I increased the speed of 1234s.
1234 exercise
Today I’ve got to the goal speed and these combinations are not very hard to play at it.
3241 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3412 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
3421 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 150 bpm
Scales
Major scales
8th notes @ 160 bpm
Minor scales
8th notes @ 160 bpm
Strumming
Module 15 pattern
1 5 6 4 chords
120 bpm
1 5 6 4 substitutes
120 bpm
6 4 1 5 chords
120 bpm
6 4 1 5 substitutes
120 bpm
Songs
Today I remembered the song Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) by Green Day and tried to relearn and play it. It went pretty well, and I recorded the first part of it.
Summary
Today I started implementing Module 16 in my practice. And the first thing I wanted to do was figuring out all the major chords shapes across the neck. It seems that there are not so much of them, and they are simply the open chords shapes. I’ll ask about it in my weekly report to clarify this but I’m pretty sure about it.
Another busy day and slight speed increasing for 1234s after midnight.
1234 exercise
3241 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 140 bpm
3412 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 140 bpm
3421 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 140 bpm
Summary
I feel it. Tomorrow is the day. The day when it all continues as it should be in the first place – more routines, more time spent playing them, maybe some new riffs. Tomorrow…
Today I spend almost the whole day on the set filming something for other project. So in order to spent some time with the wife I left the practice for after midnight and played only 1234s today.
1234 exercise
3241 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3412 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 130 bpm
3421 on the 5th fret
8th notes @ 130 bpm
Summary
My plan to practice more this week is at this point kinda failing. Hopefully I’ll increase my routines time in the following days.
