Well, I suggest you start with playing the complete beginner blues solo. It's not a fantastic solo per se, but it is a great solo for learning the minor pentatonic all over the fretboard. What you should focus on in that course isn't all the licks, no it's about knowing where the notes are. Once you know that, you can start spicing up those kinds of licks and make them more interesting. You see, you need to use common sense, and have fun doing it.

That course is all about the minor pentatonic for soloing. That's just one small part of being a good guitarist. You need much more.

If you are interested in knowing where the sweet notes are, then dig into the triads material. You can start with Triads Voicings, and then you have Comping With Triads, and Voicing & Comping the Blues.

Then there's songs like T-Bone Scuffle or Jump Your Blues, and there's quite a few theory lessons too. 

You may need to think about how to create a structured practice plan. There is no universal such plan - it's different for each person, because we don't have identical background and skill levels. I'm happy to provide advice of course.

Think of different areas that need attention. For example:

• rhythm - practice with drum track or metronome. Play 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 notes, and 1/4 & 1/8 triplets.
• chords - learn triads, dom7, different voicings for common chords
• licks - learn them and reuse a few of them in completely different songs
• theory - learn how scales & chords are created - intervals are the key
• technique - work on alternate picking, hammer-ons/pull-offs, sweep picking, strumming, etc

There are more areas too, and often they overlap. 

In general, think of how to define where you want to go, and where you are at. Then you can start determining how to "bridge that gap".

Now, an obvious way to get specific feedback is to submit a Student Focus video... 🙂 

Joe

Welcome to MGA. You will find a lot of material to work on. I think your idea to finish a project, is a good one. An idea I should embrace more completely. Good luck with your projects. I look forward to seeing/hearing your progress.

Konnichiwa, hillbilly J!

You are in most lucky place to improve on yer guitar with the help of most honorable Dr. Robert-Son.  

Posted by: JestMe

Joe

Welcome to MGA. You will find a lot of material to work on. I think your idea to finish a project, is a good one. An idea I should embrace more completely. Good luck with your projects. I look forward to seeing/hearing your progress.

Finish a project?!?!?  I don't understand.

Posted by: robert

Well, I suggest you start with playing the complete beginner blues solo. It's not a fantastic solo per se, but it is a great solo for learning the minor pentatonic all over the fretboard. What you should focus on in that course isn't all the licks, no it's about knowing where the notes are. Once you know that, you can start spicing up those kinds of licks and make them more interesting. You see, you need to use common sense, and have fun doing it.

That course is all about the minor pentatonic for soloing. That's just one small part of being a good guitarist. You need much more.

If you are interested in knowing where the sweet notes are, then dig into the triads material. You can start with Triads Voicings, and then you have Comping With Triads, and Voicing & Comping the Blues.

Then there's songs like T-Bone Scuffle or Jump Your Blues, and there's quite a few theory lessons too. 

You may need to think about how to create a structured practice plan. There is no universal such plan - it's different for each person, because we don't have identical background and skill levels. I'm happy to provide advice of course.

Think of different areas that need attention. For example:

• rhythm - practice with drum track or metronome. Play 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 notes, and 1/4 & 1/8 triplets.
• chords - learn triads, dom7, different voicings for common chords
• licks - learn them and reuse a few of them in completely different songs
• theory - learn how scales & chords are created - intervals are the key
• technique - work on alternate picking, hammer-ons/pull-offs, sweep picking, strumming, etc

There are more areas too, and often they overlap. 

In general, think of how to define where you want to go, and where you are at. Then you can start determining how to "bridge that gap".

Now, an obvious way to get specific feedback is to submit a Student Focus video... 🙂 

 

 

Thanks Dr. Robert

I will take your advice and go for it.  As far as posting a video, is there a tutorial on how to do it. I have an android phone and not familiar how to use video/post it.

Again, thanks for the welcome.

Posted by: JestMe

Joe

Welcome to MGA. You will find a lot of material to work on. I think your idea to finish a project, is a good one. An idea I should embrace more completely. Good luck with your projects. I look forward to seeing/hearing your progress.

Hi JestMe

Thank you very much for the kind welcome.  When I  use to write songs, my policy would be, never start another song till the one I'm working on is finish. (of course there are rewrites, but I stayed with that) For guitar playing I haven't advance much because I just seem to be flying everywhere and getting no where.

Again, thank you for the welcome.

Posted by: Clayton

Konnichiwa, hillbilly J!

You are in most lucky place to improve on yer guitar with the help of most honorable Dr. Robert-Son.  

Hello Clayton or Konnichiwa Clayton san. 😎 

Yes, this place is a cool place and Dr. Robert samma , well, he's a cool dude and a VERY generous person indeed.

Thank you for the welcome.

Posted by: matonanjin

Posted by: JestMe

Joe

Welcome to MGA. You will find a lot of material to work on. I think your idea to finish a project, is a good one. An idea I should embrace more completely. Good luck with your projects. I look forward to seeing/hearing your progress.

Finish a project?!?!?  I don't understand.

Hello matonanjin

Thanks for the welcome.  "finish a project" that meant, set a goal and complete it. Something I haven't been good at with playing the guitar.  LOL

OK, see ya on the forum

Ohio gozaimasu, Joe-san.

Nihongo wakarimasu ka?

What part of Japan are you from? Are you native Japanese or gaijin?

I don't know much Japanese myself, although I have performed in Japan several times (not as a musician). So, please forgive my English.
"I doesn't speak too many, but what I are, I tries."

I'm a bit of a kidder. I've got a couple of years on you age-wise, you young whipper-snapper. I've been playing for about 4 years now.

Robert's post and list of suggestions is spot on. A great thing to print out and put up in your practice area where you can see it.

Robert is not perfect. He is a marathon runner, which proves he is not right in the head. But for teaching guitar, there are few better anywhere.

I need a refresher course in how to post a video (how to record a video and then post it here), so I hope your question gets answered soon. It has been a long time since I've posted a guitar video here (never) or anywhere (maybe once after 1 year of practice... embarrassing). Be well.

Posted by: Dan Garrett

Ohio gozaimasu, Joe-san.

Nihongo wakarimasu ka?

What part of Japan are you from? Are you native Japanese or gaijin?

I don't know much Japanese myself, although I have performed in Japan several times (not as a musician). So, please forgive my English.
"I doesn't speak too many, but what I are, I tries."

I'm a bit of a kidder. I've got a couple of years on you age-wise, you young whipper-snapper. I've been playing for about 4 years now.

Robert's post and list of suggestions is spot on. A great thing to print out and put up in your practice area where you can see it.

Robert is not perfect. He is a marathon runner, which proves he is not right in the head. But for teaching guitar, there are few better anywhere.

I need a refresher course in how to post a video (how to record a video and then post it here), so I hope your question gets answered soon. It has been a long time since I've posted a guitar video here (never) or anywhere (maybe once after 1 year of practice... embarrassing). Be well.

konnichi wa Dan san

Me, I'm kind of a jokester also. At our age we should just enjoy every moment of life here on earth.

My wife is Japanese and she is an English teacher, so for her it is easier to communicate in English. Our daughter speaks both languages, but her first language is Japanese. I never spoke to her in Japanese in 15 years because I wanted her to learn to speak English. As you know many gaijin kids can't speak their father or mother's native language, so I made sure she would learn and speak English, in return, I really don't speak much Japanese.  Although I'm focusing on it now.

So you've been to Japan, cool!  We live a bit south of Hiroshima. I'll be posting pictures of the area I live in soon. Not sure if this forum has a "media" to it. I'm an adventurous type of person and like to get out an cycle/motorcycle around the countryside, as a matter of fact, I'm leaving soon to go out to the mountain area, hope there isn't any snow.

Guitar playing is my hobby, but songwriting was and still is my interest since childhood. Can't sing worth a dang, so my style is like whispering Bill Anderson, surely you have heard of him.

Well, Dan, thanks for the welcome and I'll see ya on the forum.

mata ne   (see you again)

hillbilly joe

I live out in the countryside, this is what it looks like during rice planting season. The lady watches her husband and I eat some rice balls (nigiri) with her and her husband.

I forgot to shout WELCOME! in my first post. There, that should do it.  🤣 

I know Joe from my old website, and we've emailing now and then for a quite a few years, I think. Glad to have you here with this family!

Hi Joe,

Welcome aboard. It is a real pleasure. I visited your country a few years ago. I love it.

Greetings from Barcelona.

Esteban

Posted by: robert

I forgot to shout WELCOME! in my first post. There, that should do it.  🤣 

I know Joe from my old website, and we've emailing now and then for a quite a few years, I think. Glad to have you here with this family!

OK, Robert , I'll forgive you.  Yeah, I wonder how long its been since I first joined over there. I know I bought one or two of your courses in the past. I've actually been without an electric guitar for 2 years. Hard times fell upon me, but all it back to normal here.

I see that this forum does have a "family feel" to it. That's great!

Posted by: Esteban

Hi Joe,

Welcome aboard. It is a real pleasure. I visited your country a few years ago. I love it.

Greetings from Barcelona.

Esteban

Hello Esteban

Thank you for the kind welcome. Where about in Japan did you visit?  I'm in south Japan, a bit south of Hiroshima. I was out in the mountains today and it started to snow, and I'm half frozen still as I'm typing here.

Well, I'll see ya on the forum.

hillbilly joe