Topic: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

First Day Learning Guitar

Hey all, I’m Shawn, 38 & fresh to the guitar.

Saturday was my very first day at getting stuck in (probably spent a little too long at it - finger tips feel like I burned them on a stove!).

I spent my first hour awkwardly & awfully strumming between D & A chords, but hey, I’m excited for the months ahead.

Looking back on this first video I can already see the importance of reallyyyyyy slowing every thing right down & it reinforces the need to let things naturally develop in its own time.

Oh, and I need to get to grips with holding the pick properly & find myself a proficient local teacher for regular in-person lessons.

After just one hour I can highly recommend recording yourself practicing if you don’t already!

I noticed there’s not a great deal of content around showcasing absolute beginners & it’s clear to see why - seasoned amateurs & pros tend to sound a lot better!

So, I decided to start this channel to not only periodically document my own progress from the very first day (for my future self to look back on), but also because I thought it may be useful & intriguing/inspiring for other beginners to watch both now & further down the line.

A visual documentation (not daily! probably bi-weekly or monthly) to help people realise that we’re not alone with the frustration while wondering if things could ever possibly improve.

Well, I’m going to find out if they do, anyway!

If you fancy offering motivation, encouragement, tips, a chat etc. do feel free to connect!

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

Week 1 Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05H5KqOKR_U

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

Week 2 Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXif-NdEz4w

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

Week 3 update: https://youtu.be/gS_215iNyyk?si=4-JZZtUxTZuQ0BhS

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

One Month Update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRKal4t-JQs

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

Run through of latest songs I'm practicing to hammer home the A, D & E chords: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80304_UivLw

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

6 week update - introduction of the Em, Am & Dm chords: https://youtu.be/RnWqrKICg8I

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

7 week update - a run through of the songs I've been practicing in an attempt to improve my Am, Dm & Em chords: https://youtu.be/BRMs1juRIag

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

8 week update - learning the C chord & being reminded that there's still plenty to continue practicing when it comes to making actual changes between the chords I already learned: https://youtu.be/ATQQtktiSRA

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/_NQ04QlhWTg

This one isn't for the squeamish... if you don't like looking at calluses forming you may want to give this one a miss... if you're morbidly curious like I am then you may want to give it a watch... default/lol

Short 6-7 minute documentary outlining the 54 days it took for my calluses to develop before settling down.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/jeUkMKyOnao

10 weeks in... not too much change as I've mainly been going over the same things for the past 2/3 weeks... hopefully just some small improvements with bits & pieces.

The polishing of chord changes, technique, strumming, picking, rhythm etc. continues.. onwards & upwards with the G chord next.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/J6UBSnYjkgI

Overcoming that god-forsaken guitar quitting phase.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/7RiyIbHda6Q

After 72 hours I reckon it's fair to say I now know the cowboy chords... even if changing between them still requires a lot of work.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/5C2_taVelB4

Month three - now entering a consolidation phase until I feel comfortable enough to move onto... you know... that F thing & the second grade of the course I'm following.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/yJvhVIiW_J0

Took a step backwards this week in hopes of eventually taking several steps forwards by mainly focusing on songs that work the two chords I find most difficult - C & D.. well, save for Dm.. but I'll tackle more of that another time. I think another couple of weeks consolidating this type of stuff & then I'll feel more ready to move onto the next chunk of learning.

I'll next be reflecting on my first 100 hours & then after that it'll be December so... I'd may as well start practicing with a few Christmas bangers.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/uN9xi9pr29s

100 hours officially completed... couldn't help but put together a little compilation. Still rubbish but on we march!

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/FUrqBgnKEVw

I couldn't help but get a little festive. Been practicing stuff that should well & truly annoy my family when performed in mum's living room in a couple weeks time.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/oXewkY9tr8w

Short snappy update as I come to the end of a consolidation phase... bigger & newer things to come in the next week or so.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/GfzRxiic_QA

This is just a video of my general review on the online course I'm following now I've completed grade one... might be a useful little watch for anyone considering learning guitar or looking for opinions of an online course who may stumble across this thread (now or in the future).

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/W2jEm8KNRHQ

Apologies for the two months absence - super busy with life stuff! I hope anyone who's still around from last year are keeping well & have had a good start to this year!

On my front.. bad news is I didn't have time to record updates or really progress much through modules...
However.. good news is I still managed to put in circa' one hour practice pretty much every day which has just helped me further cement the early foundational stuff as well as the new things learned in the first module of grade two, which I've now completed between the start of Jan & now...

In the next module I'm about to start I (finally) start taking a first look at the F.

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Re: New beginner YouTube channel - Going (I hope) from dreadful to decent

https://youtu.be/TEHF5V7BRtQ

After 8 months I've had my first go at singing while playing... it's about 2 or 3 years too soon default/lol - but I figured it'd be good to get these early attempts recorded & documented to also look back on & laugh along with the rest of it in 10 years.

Kept it simple... simple song.. simple chords... still bloody tough! I wasn't expecting to even be able to attempt this sort of thing until around the 2/3 year mark to be honest so super stoked to be giving it a bash after 8 months.

Need to get a general update/progress video done soon as I'm nearing the end of my time on the current module I've been going through since the start of last month.

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