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Hi everyone!
I’ll never forget that hot desert Summer 3.5 years ago when I was plucking away on my classical guitar trying to learn some classical/fingerstyle songs. Then I came across a Youtube guitar teacher teaching his own songs and I was like, “who wants to play some teacher’s songs???”😆🤦🏻♀️
But I checked him out anyway and oh, boy – I was swept off my feet! Not only he played the coolest sounding music (not the usual boring academic style compositions) but he was also teaching it in a way beginners like myself could understand and follow! Seeing that I can play both rhythm and lead on a guitar all by myself changed my world, literally! Before I even signed up with AM I ordered my first steel strings (travel) guitar and soon afterwards I bought my first electric axe (Greg Bennett’s Royale RL4).
So this is the first (free) lesson I attempted to learn. The actual lesson that made me sign up for Premium membership in June 2017 was the percussive fingerstyle EP187 – but it was EP069 that completely changed the way I thought about playing guitar. Thank you, Brian!!! 🙂
🎸JoLa
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Hola Jola.
Brian could use you’r video as promotional !!!!
what a fantastic improvement you’ve did comparing to the first submission.
must be proud of it.best regards from Barcelona.
David B. -
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Lola- I wasn’t very busy at work today so I got to you first!!! This is really good. So much growth over the past 4 years. You are now able to spread your wings and flat out PLAY. It’s really to fun to watch blend bluesy chordal arrangements with fills and licks. Nice job! You seemed to have amassed quite a few guitars in your journey. Never too many! Thanks for your continued inspiration.
John H.
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Fabulous rendition JoLa, the distance you’ve travelled in your guitar journey since you joined AM is astonishing and is only testimony to your energy and talent as a musician. Your continued thirst for improvement despite all that these challenges throw at you is an inspiration to us all.
Richard
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Come on JoLa, you can’t start a sentence with, “I’ll never forget that hot desert Summer 3.5 years ago …” – I was all settled down on the sofa, under a blanket, with a nice cup of cocoa, waiting for a romantic story of unbridled passion on the beach! – sorry, kinda lost myself there 🙂
Loved the way you showed your journey from then to now, with great soulful playing and tone excellent stuff! Best wishes and stay safe
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Thanks for showing the before and the present Jola. Sometimes I forget how much we improve as we practice away every day. That was one of my favorite Brian songs. He comes up with some of the most creative and wonderful tunes. You played it flawlessly and the tone was right on. Love the color of that guitar.
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Great video JoLa, and a great idea. You’ve progressed so much. Just imagine how good you’ll be in 2-3 years, and 5-6 years. The guitar has a way of drawing you in and keeping you seeking all the secrets in your musical mind and soul. (Getting a little heavy here Ralph), but you know what I mean. Your definitely hitting some mile-markers in your playing and the fun is you never know how far you can go with the guitar. Your very lucky to have found Brian and AM. It’s so easy to just wander around aimlessly on guitar. Brian’s definitely guiding the way for you, and all of us. You are a great ambassador for AM. Maybe Brian should put you on the payroll.
Ralph P.
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That was quite an improvement! I wish I had started recording myself when I first started with AM. Really like that minor groove you have going there as well.
Question: I noticed your video is embedding in your post. I just started the challenges as part of a New Year’s Resolution and have been experiencing a few difficulties. Thanks for any help or guidance you can provide and once again, great post!!
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Hey Jola, You and I have something in common it was EP069 that got me here. When you look back as you have, its an amazing path you have traveled. What a good idea to show the comparison the difference between chalk and cheese as we say here in south coast UK. A great lesson in what looks to be turning out to be one of the best challenges with fantastic playing of so many of Brains wonderful accomplishments. Its a real pleasure going through it all.
All the best
JohnStrat -
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Hey Jola,
Wow what a difference! You can’t even tell it’s the same lesson you’re playing!
Those looked like some annoying shapes to pull of but you did it really well and you’re vibrato was on point too.
You’re right hand technique seems to be improving all the time also.
Well done.
Best,
Liam.
“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. “
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Hi Lola, there’s something that I felt is different in your playing today: the feeling and pauses in between allowing to digest the different phrases. And of course the techniques you apply. A real pleasure to listen to you. By the way, an excellent idea to show the early video at the same time in order to see the difference!
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Blimey Jola, it’s amazing what an effect that playing a different guitar can have on your playing!! But seriously you have exemplified the thing that is a common thread with all of us. We are all testament to the positive effects of Brian’s tutoring on our playing technique. The other plus for me is that I now have a better understanding of some of the theoretical aspects of what I’m trying to do and it is becoming less of a rote learning process for me at any rate. Sorry, almost forgot, I thought your playing was great.
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OMG, you have soo much progressed in playing! It’s exciting to watch the huge step you made since then…wow. My first early AM subs are so embarrassing to me, I wish I could delete them all!
Now you played that wonderful minor lesson with such a jazzy smooth feeling and great dynamics!!! Sounds soo sophisticated. Sexy bends and slides. We two girls have been going similar ways in our guitar journey.
DeniseMore Blues!
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Thank you, Denise! Please don’t delete any videos! As horrid as you think they are now, you will appreciate seeing them later and maybe do what I did, show your change over time 😉 It’s interesting that you and some other people heard something jazzy in there, it never crossed my mind. Must be the blue note I threw in there somewhere 😉 Keep on rockin’, Sista, I love your playing!
🎸JoLa
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Time flies when you’re having fun JoLa! Congratulations on being part of AM for 3 and a half years (I’m only 12 months in!). And … Wow! Great trip down memory lane for you. Loved the black and white to colour and the progress shown. Really well played and a true advertisement for the benifits of AM as long as members are dedicated and put the time and effort in which of course you obviously do. Thanks for sharing your journey. All the best!
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Jola!! Wowza!! Loved the story behind your start on AM. You are an inspiration to all of us with your passion and dedication. Your video and tech skills are unmatched. I want to thank you for all your coaching to me. And your B & A playing: OMGosh! Love your smooth right hand strumming. And the B.B. high notes like at 2:40 – sweet! Incredible and I always look forward to your playing and your videos. Loved it! Bobby Ut
Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)
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Not many people have the courage to measure their progress for the public. This was truly inspirational… and the music was good, too! (It actually was musical the second time around.) You would have to charge Brian a huge royalty fee for that little smile at the end.
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Well that’s my favorite ever video of yours! I well remember young Jola’s first posts, and how you struggled to keep up the tempo and get the fingering right. But literally every post you did, I could tell you were getting more skilled. And now, you have arrived: You have moved into the realm of advanced guitar players. That’s one of the first lessons I learned, and I now use it when I want to real-time jam with someone. You can easily trade off playing the rhythm and solo parts, and it’s great for improv.
Sunjamr Steve
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The butterfly has emerged! What a before and after comparison. You’re already an accomplished player, Where will you be in another 45? Tapping out V Halen’s “Eruption” ?
Not only has your playing improved immensely but the forum has also benefited immensely from your dedication and commitment to it. I salute you.
(PS Mike T’s comments cracked me up 😂) -
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Hi Jola…AM should give you your own page because it takes too long to scroll to the end of your fan club……LOL
But what a difference a few months make, huh…. Congrats on some incredible musical growth. Here’s to keeping the ball …rolling. the sky’s the limit…
Best regards….
Marty -
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OMG, Jola… Wow that is some serious improvement. Great idea to show your original attempt at this, and then showing your up to date version. You get the award for most improved… I am impressed!
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So cool, your before-and-after intro. And what an improvement; we’ve all watched your progress in awe, not only your playing but your feeling and expression – look at that beautiful masterful little move from about 2:14-20 – so few notes but so much story telling, and so much nuance and feeling. Now that’s what i’m talking about, what we should all be aiming for, to be able to pull out 6 seconds of music magic like that. Look even closer at 2:14 phrase – that note you end the phrase on is so perfect, plus that subtle vibrato.
[But I’ll add one suggestion that Chargo offered me and it made a huge difference, and it was actually very easy to do and very effective: he suggested using “wider vibrato” on some notes, make them sing a little more. That might work right there at 2:14]
Then at 2:20 you pull your left hand back off the guitar. I do that too, not sure why, just instinctively, like i’m thinking, ok, that was nice, stop playing and let it breathe. I don’t actually think that, but my hand often just pulls itself back from the neck after a nice move. Glad to see someone else do it.
Your bends are beautiful and fluid, so expressive. Next step is a little singing vibrato at the top of the bend – that puts you into Pro country. Worth working on a few minutes a day – it’s the signature move of a lot of great guitarists, singing vibrato.
Fine touch everywhere. Wonderful control of tone; is that a Jeff Beck Strat? And what are you playing through? Your tone is really tasteful and delicate, clean and melodic but there’s some grit and echo there too. Makes it sing.
And then at the end you come back to the beginning. And that big overdue smile at the very end is well deserved; you knew you nailed it. Well done Jola.
You’ve made a great contribution to AM, your progress is obvious, your playing has become multi-faceted and inspiring, and your contribution to our Forum is always supportive, informative, and encouraging.
And your steadily increasing video skills keep outpacing the rest of us (except maybe the that laid-back sunjam guy in sunny NZ)
Jola, you’re bringing that Phoenix warmth and groove to AM. Thanks for everything! You’re an inspiration.-
Oh me gosh, Roger – you have no idea how much I appreciate your constructive feedback! Your advice on vibrato is priceless – thank you so much for that! I’m still in “baby steps” phase when it comes to vibrato, I feel like I’m just faking it, lol.
Taking my fretting hand off the neck, ha! I actually forced myself to do that because I noticed Brian does it sometimes, in just the right places, of course 😉
A Jeff Beck strat will stay on my wish list indefinitely but this is a Fender Duo Sonic. I recorded this solo with the neck pickup position (the bridge humbucker has a coil split option) through Spark 40 amp (my new toy) directly to Macbook/Garageband. The Spark amp app has downloadable tone options and I used a “Albert King” tone setting I found there.
It has some Compression, Drive booster, as well as little bit of Tremolo, Delay, and Reverb. Kind of like a minestrone soup, a little bit of everything 😉Thank you again, Roger – it’s always an educational pleasure to see your playing!
🎸JoLa
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Wow that is a huge improvement – it goes to show how AM is really working, Brian should be pleased !
EP069 was also my first challenge (and thanks for your comments), and actually I still consider the switching between rhythm and lead to be difficult. Yours was really cool – I especially liked the way that your (new) lead parts fit so well. Also, you never missed a beat in keeping the rhythm going steadily. Huge progress is evident, practice does pay off..
Cool way you put in the old video first !Cheers, Peter
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I remember that first post of yours and it has been such a pleasure watching you improve monthly, not just technically but musically as well. Your confidence and poise have also come through as you have beautifully showcased your innovation and creativity. And I’m not going to start on the video production stuff.
Great job in such a short 47 months.
Richard
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Jola, another fantastic submission! I watched it three times. I see a lot of myself in your 1st submission. I hope in the future, to see more of myself playing as you did in the latter half of this submission. You have really improved. The only thing that could have made it better to showcase your improvement is to fingerpick it. That is something you have developed and I am sure put a lot of time into. Thanks for all you do to inspire us at AM. You have set a great example for us and we all appreciate it. Cheers! Pap
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Excellent and cool performance from the groove to the lead parts JoLa (e.g., vibrato and tone were great). Like the hopeful words of Chris Smither, a great fingerstyle blues player, describing in a lesson how ~”my music tends to yield to persistent effort” … your story inspires … with great video too! Thanks.
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