Wednesday 5/10

  • Strumming Rhythm - consistent 8th or 16th notes with right hand
  • Johnny Cash - chords with focus on strumming through the A section. Move on to the following section if you're ready
  • Smells Like Teen Spirit - Sheet Music is here, Recording is below.

Wednesday, 4/19

  • Exercises:
    • Strumming Rhythm - consistent 8th notes, down stroke on downbeat, upstroke on upbeat. Set metronome to slow tempo and just strum for 3 to 5 minutes.
    • Bar Chords - starting on the low E string - Major and Minor - Doesn't have to be G, but the chord configurations below work on any anchor fret.
  • I WALK THE LINE - Reviewing chords from intro, moving on to first verse. (Through "A" section in sheet music.)
  • GOLD ON THE CEILING - take each section slow, play with metronome until comfortable.

Wednesday 2/15

  • Walk the Line - Playing from the intro through the A section, focusing on making all chord transitions
  • Gold on the Ceiling - Playing along with recording up to the hits.
  • Gold on the Ceiling - Lead Line: 
The line in front of the first note, D, denotes that the note should be bent, as we discussed.

The line in front of the first note, D, denotes that the note should be bent, as we discussed.

  • G minor Pentatonic:
Play with metronome, alternate picking, and build speed. Once comfortable playing the scale straight, try the following pattern:

Play with metronome, alternate picking, and build speed. Once comfortable playing the scale straight, try the following pattern:

Wednesday, 2/8

  • Walk the Line - moving on to next section (or 2!) and incorporating the new chords in each of the keys. (Play along track is in a previous post)
  • Gold on the ceiling - cleaning up and getting up to tempo. Focus on getting a full sound out of power chords, being able to mute all strings but the bottom two. Play along with record, all sections until hits notated in sheet music (previous post)
  • Scale and exercise review

Wednesday, 2/1

  • Review of I walk the line - practicing strumming rhythm with a lighter touch, getting the chords up to speed, moving on to next sections of the song.
  • Picking exercise - four notes on alternating strings, 2 on the first string, 2 on the second. Alternate picking.
  • E major scale, starting on the low E string
  • Gold On The Ceiling - reviewed next parts. Updated sheet music can be found here.

Saturday, 1/14

WHAT WE COVERED:

  • Chords: E major, A major, D major
  • Strumming rhythm: Right hand always in motion - 8th notes. Strumming pattern comes from when strings are struck and when they're not.
  • Strumming Pattern: strike the strings on D, D, D U D U D, D U, U D