Thanks for watching! Love to hear your feedback below. Can you add anymore tips to this list? More videos coming next week so be sure to Subscribe and Turn On notifications so you don't miss any new videos. e :)
Hey Eric great video as always. What do I need to learn for blues apart from the a major and a minor scales and 12 bar? Cheers 🍻 keep up the great work 👍👍👍
Can you do a lesson on how to improve timing when playing rhythm guitar? For me, this is the hardest part to play well with other folks. How to lock in with drummer, bass player and singer is the most challenging thing once you move from a complete beginner to next level.
A good deal of research has gone into just how the brain goes about moving information from short term memory into long term memory and one of the big takeaways is that it is FAR more productive to have multiple short term sessions of practice than it is one very long session. Let's say you set aside 3 hours every day to practice. Instead of just 1 3 hours long session, it is better to have 4, 45 min sessions. The way our brain learns is that with just 1 session the brain sees it as just 1 session whereas with 4 sessions the brain sees it as 4 sessions so even though its the same 3 hours our brains see it like 4 days worth of practice in terms of transferring the learning from short term memory into long term memory. Having great practice habits yield huge results. The biggest single mistake I made when learning was to ignore the "boring stuff" NOT KNOWING YOUR FRETBOARD will BITE YOU IN THE ARSE. You (and I) should know where every not can be found on the fretboard. Knowing this will make a much, much, much better soloist. Knowing cord construction and some basic theory is CRITICAL to being an exceptionally great expressive player. If the chords to the song are Am, C, D, and Em and knowing what specific notes create those chords then having the correct key to set the foundation of the solo are all things that transform your playing from having to memorize licks and instead you know where the E's are on your neck in the context of the key you are playing at can transform your playing away from memorizing licks and into expressively playing within the melodic context of the major or minor scale you are playing. And its what all the really great players are doing. Obviously, if you are playing a cover tune you need to know how to play it as it was recorded but that does not mean you can not interject your own voice on the instrument. Bands that are really great cover bands tend to take the attitude of it has to be very recognizable but we want your voice
1- Learn the stuff you need to and wait on the stuff you're not going to use as often 2- Learn the right stuff in the right order 3- Focus immersive practice
Recording yourself playing an instrument on the video also helps a lot if you are developing without a mentor-person. Because sometimes we are not conscious of certain habits - they are hidden from our sight and looking at ourselves from 3rd person point of view helps to see and hear certain mistakes or good tendencies.
37 years old and recently started playing guitar in June. Have learned several songs and am hooked. I played piano growing up, but could never get past the basic barriers of the guitar until now. Thank you for these videos
Great reminder. Part of what I like about learning guitar is the constant humbling reminders of how self directed improvement is attained. Honing the skill of honing any skill is invaluable.
Practice with a buddy to do an "open mike" of 3 songs has really helped focus my practices. I now have 33 songs I can reliably (enjoyably) do. ...age 70 s/v ...Waves
I am 71, Rodger. I have fooled around with a guitar since I was a kid. I've learned a lot of stuff about music, guitars, etc, but I still suck as a player! Never took lessons and never took any online courses. Just did the RU-vid thing. Is this course worthwhile? Is it worth the money and the time? I've wasted a lot of both and got nowhere. I'd like to hear what you think.
What I enjoyed most about this lesson was that you provided specifics that I can put into practice right now. These three points made a huge amount of common sense. Thank you.
I'm 55 and started playing 2 years ago, good information, very easy to get caught up in different youtube "lessons" and end up without any real direction.
I'm 53 and have not really improved in 10 years from jumping from lesson to lesson and tutor to tutor on youtube. Couldn't agree with you more. However am now just sticking with James Shipway.. Check him out.
LEARN your fretboard. If there was just one piece of advice I could give to someone just starting out it would be that. I've been playing 40+ years I have a very good ear and relied on that instead of being able to find everywhere on that neck the A note C, E, D, etc is played that and just even a bit of basic theory will transform your playing
I have been practicing dexterity exercises, the greatest scale in the world LOL, and Amazing Grace a couple of times a day for the last couple of weeks and I see progress in speed and or clarity almost every day. I have even added a G7 chord into Amazing Grace and learned to pick a simple intro to the song from a Guitar Tab. I am so stoked to be learning again at 56 years old!!
Glad to see someone else in my general age group learning guitar, or, in your case it sounds like you might be learning again to play? Not sure, but learning in the 50s and beyond is great to keep the cobwebs from forming up there.I just hear a couple of marbles flying around the growing number of large empty space within the confines of my skull,
Roy Farrow I’m going to be 56 this month and just picked up the guitar a month ago. I really like Erich’s knowledge and instruction. I’m really having a great time with the journey. I’m starting to amaze myself by some of the things I am able to do with just 1 month under my belt.
Erich, great information. I’m 55 and just started my guitar journey and am so glad I found you in the beginning. I love your online program. Keep up the great work.
I'm in my first year of guitar playing and this advice to get focused on basics is really helpful. I've jumped ahead to harder things and I'm not making as much progress. Going back to the basics again!
Hi I'm 53 retired early health reasons disabled now bought new acoustic guitar few days ago never played anything so totally beginners new to this. But you said 3 basic things truth I'll try and see how it goes not giving up I'm so determined I will succeed 💯
An older beginner (retired widow) who always wanted to play the guitar, and this is the first step of my journey. I absolutely love your videos and clear and concise explanations.
This is a great video. It most certainly applies to me. I've literally been practicing the same stuff for 25 years and I'm still stuck as a beginner. I need to adopt this approach in learning guitar and I'm certain I will finally progress. Thank you for another great video.
thanks for the video, my guitar learning had come to a standstill, I was all over the place, taking on too many things at one time, rather than focusing on the important things. This helped a lot.
This is great advice. I am a beginner guitarist, but I have been teaching Billiards for about 20 years and these are the Principles I have been teaching and I know how effective they are. Thanks much.
Great advice here. I've always loved the fact that you encourage so many people to direct their thinking when playing guitar. It seems like so many people (myself included) get caught up in trying to learn so many different techniques that we neglect the master the most important elements of guitar playing. We can all improve our playing by going back to basics and remembering where we started.
Beautiful and thanks for confirming my approach to learning. Thumbs up on the Pareto Principle. The real icing on this cake is that with the unstoppable guitar system at my finger tips I have a plethora of subjects to choose from and tackle. For the next few days/weeks it will be Bar Chords and how to strengthen my muscles to play them all with ease. You are the man Erich , God Bless you !
And I have 2 grandsons that wants to get into guitar as well so one will be practicing along with me again keep them videos coming brother it's good stuff...
Thanks 😊 I am indulging in blues and coordinating the picking fingers, thumbing strings 4, 5 and 6. It took awhile to rid of the bad habit of only using my pointer finger and thumb. I was in your finger picking course. One of the best thing I learned from you is that the great guitarists of the world had to learn and went through what I'm learning through. Thank you ✌❤
@@yourguitarsage I posted it on amateur guitar group about it. Several comments were thank you thought it was me thing. A remember a lady who committed that Eric Clapton wrote that he struggled and almost quit
It helps to be reminded to focus on one thing. I was so caught up wanting to learn reading music for guitar rather than just playing to the point where I was discouraged. Thanks for this.
I haven't found any videos produced by YGS to be a waste of time. Had my guitars for over 20 years. They look pretty, but just sit there taunting me because I can't play them. Finally found someone who can break this down for me in a way that makes sense, no rush, no pressure, no learning 50 songs in 10 days garbage. I still can't play songs, but I just started and I'm getting decent at clean sounding major chords, some minor chords, and moving between them without feeling three beats behind. Walk before you run. All this will fall into place soon enough, but most importantly, I'm not scared to pick up my guitars FINALLY!! Callouses on fingers let me know I'm practicing. Thanks E!!
Thank you for this. I'm guilty for jumping around RU-vid for tips on what I'm working on at one specific time but after this video you'll be my only instructor. Loved the video.
I love this guy. He just speaks the truth. I feel like he’s my father when he’s talking or teaching, not because he reminds me of my father, but because he’s such a good father material.
Good stuff, Thank you. One thing that applies for me is the more mistakes you make the better you get as long as you know what went wrong. So let it bleed.
Thanks Sage...As always right on que....Practicing what I’m not going to use is kind of a waste...still learning more than one gendre of guitar makes me better understanding the instrument... Love your 30 day free course and still practice portions daily along with 365...Just started in Nov. Learning so so much!!! Thanks again!!!
Erich, this is good advice. My current teacher has me focus on one key topic until I get it right. He does not rush or jump around until I have it solid. It has really accelerated my playing with this laser focus. Lesson is only 30 minutes per week but it has me work harder to develop to next level.
Ok.IM 66 and bought my first electric guitar last week.Really enjoying it but Theres so much info out there and its easy to be discoraged watching experts do the seemingly impossible.Your video inspires confidence and perseverance so thanks very much 🤓👍
👍 Couldn't agree more. Example, had a course that taught Reading Notes (how to read music) and Chords at very end. Thought it was nuts, lucky I know enough chords since young. But it made more sense than I thought. What are Chords, but Notes put together. When not playing, reading Theory. Thanks for the direction!
chord progressions are so important to mastering guitar- over 90% of music is centered around chord progressions and rhythm guitar. Solos are the icing on the cake.
I do agree that the immersive technique is extremely useful. I have done this in the past and it's a KEY to having success. Too many folks sort of do something and wonder why they don't get results. I have even found that U can do stuff like fingering even when you don't have the guitar in front of you.
Staying focused on the 365, but I doodle for mind R & R, I don't quit. 5 years ago I said I was getting out of debt, selling my house, and moving to Costa Rica, quit smoking and learn guitar. 4 out of 5 babe. A humble man is a wise man, this is my "be creative" year-Pura Vida!
I learned Open Chords last. Though I did learn the Principles behind them. The "E," "A, & "D" Shapes give you 10ths between the Root and Third (lower the Chord's Third one free for Minor, Etc.). "G," "C" & "Short F" give you Closed Triads. Barre strings 1, 2 & 3 gives you a First Inversion Minor Triad, Barre strings 2, 3 & 4 gives you a Second Inversion Major Triad (this component is Common to "G" and "A" Chord shapes). 1 & b7 are on the Same Fret for E&A Shapes, b7 is one Fret Ahead for D& Short F Shapes, in addition to whatever chromatic adjustments needed for ∆7, ∆6, °7, 1-5-8 "Power Chords" Etc.
I have Eric's Pro Program. After using his free program that is full of great lessons some of which I already knew (but I still went through it all which prepared me for the full program) as I've taken up the guitar again after 20 years of absence. I've learned more in a year than I ever learned after I had played for at least 10 years. It takes discipline, however, it was much easier than beating my head against the wall in my previous attempt.
I have a tip to share for fellow beginner guitarists; if you are a person(like me) who has trouble retaining info and forgets easily, take notes! I take notes all the time for my art history class, and I find them to be very helpful. I know note taking seems weird with guitars, but I think it can be helpful for things you'll struggle to remember, like chords or certain notes.
I agree with these principles. I stopped playing 4 years ago. I was going no where. Teacher had me memorizing the minor pentatonic scale before I could strum and keep rhythm right. I am now focusing on these basics on a couple songs and getting strum patterns down before moving on. I am making real progress for the first time.
I encourage all who want to learn guitar to watch this clip. I feel that most wanna be guitar players give up,because they see the big picture when they should start with the small picture as the big picture develops later. I am proof of this as my head was too full of the everything thing I must learn that I gave up numerous times over the years. I am now making tremendous progress by concentrating on the 20% that is important to know and nail that and the rest flows on as your confidence will skyrocket. Spot on Erich.
In Australia we like the KISS system ( probably originated in the USA anyway but Andy Warhol said everyone deserves in life their 15 minutes of fame so I am taking mine..... again) "Keep It Simple Stupid "........... thats how I have progressed in my learnings. The trouble is in most You Tube education videos is that the teachers teach like everyone will understand for sure what their saying and keep up with them but unfortunately they leave the listener behind and confused. Keeping up is the key to valued training and progress.
1) Consistancy is huge. Start guitar and keep it up dont get distracted or you loose what you learned. If you wait too long, you have to go back through stuff you once knew, and get board doing so, making the return more difficult.
Thank you Eric for the reminder. I tend to jump around. Trying to learn too much too quickly and really not retaining it or being able to use it. A great reminder of the correct order to learning.
Sometimes watching your videos makes me think about what path I'm supposed to take on the guitar journey and reassures me that I'm going down the right one. There's always something to learn from you. 👍
I'm happy practicing. I am actually enjoying making a song actually sound pretty good. lol. I just have to get my rhythm a little more consistent. Great videos. I learn what I like. Have a good one. Heather
You know Eric is right about three rules...If I had these courses I would have been so far ahead of everyone else it's wow so overwhelming. My support is looking back since the '50s and 60's not many people had these techniques available. Sure, Les Paul... and a few hundred other guitarists that had the money to get lessons. but some of us were not that lucky. Putting a cap on it, learn your foundational basics really well if you intend on being a Pro... I had to do it the hard way...you have that because of Eric's hard work and efforts. He is telling it like it is...
Thanks for thr lecture.I do that what you explained without a teacher and I,m doing quite good .I,ve written around 40 songs and they sound pretty good Thanks
I’ve just picked up the guitar again after a 30 year respite. This is a very helpful video. I just subscribed to your channel. Can’t wait to get to practicing and watching more of your lessons. Thanks Eric.
Focus, finish and celebrate! Enjoying the videos, restarting my guitar journey after a 3 year pause, which boredom with scales and no break thru results forced my gear into storage. Appreciate your fresh outlook for certain.
Funny - very good video- I've had @ 3 teachers - practiced poorly etc - played a couple of years - then totally burnt out - now I'm back looking for inspiration - and I like your 3 focus ideas which make sense. I'll check out your lesson plan to help me focus.
Always enjoy your tips! Practicing what I’m not going to use is kind of a waste of time. I've been playing with guitar for a while and have always played the same things. I love the fact that you encourage so many people to direct their thinking when playing guitar. You have shown me how to get on focus and stay on track.
Hi Erick i really appreciate your teaching..i am just a beginner to guitar and its been only one month. Learned a lot from your free guitar lessons and hope to get the membership as well.thanks
Definitely helps!! & I’m my case it reassures me that I’ve been going at it a good way (overall), I’ve only been playing for 6 months consistently now, but this reminds me how it’s a constant practice that will eventually make me better now 🙌🏽
Ok I’m going to immerse myself in nailing Mississippi John Hurts ‘Candyman’ fingerstyle. Been messing with it for a while now and getting constantly distracted with other tunes. FOCUS! FOCUS!!
Thanks Eric! I needed that boost, I want to PLAY. It's not rocket science, nor being a "rock star ninja", as long as you create A HABIT. HELL to the YEAH.
Been watching a lot of your videos brother and their great, I have been messing around with guitar since I was a little kid and now I'm 57 and been disabled for 16 years so since I've been watching your videos I have went out and bought a new fender stratocaster and amp and a Gibson and a bigger amp I have more time to play around with the guitar now and I'm seeing things ive never seen so each day I spend a good amount of time practicing thanks for all the great info and by the way I heard on one of your videos of the town your in and I'm not far at all from you keep the videos coming their great....
I love this video. I have watching your content and it is awesome. My one comment is that I would have loved to see a list to topics for us starting off to immerse ourselves in.
Cool. Just bought a guitar and you just played the song I most want to learn! One of Fleetwood Mac's most under-rated songs for sure and one that not a lot of people know..love it.
I like your approach to teaching. Its helping me so much. Im half way through the 30 free lessons. You keep encouraging me to practise and practise. Thank you
80/20 Rule! I learned this years ago in business training and AR seminars. It works everywhere! 💪 thank you for the correlation, Sage! ... time for some immersive practice....
