Can't believe it....

Blisters_left

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....what just happened - so I'll tell you....

About a week ago I was working to play "Down on the corner" by CCR - and couldn't get it - I tried and tried and then I gave up and said to myself, I'd try it another day....

Today I was looking up my book to see what to learn next after I mastered "Just the way you are" by Bruno Mars - on this song I'm working actually but couldn't get the strum pattern sound right....

As I was looking in my songbook (I made it up myself - has all the songs in it I want to learn) I came across "Down on the corner" and couldn't resist to give it another try - and suddenly I played it and coult even sing with the chords....
Couldn't believe it, was very happy and just a second later - as if somebody had turned a switch in my head - the strum pattern for the second song "fell into place"....

But I don't think it's a miracle - its just the work paying off.....

So if you seem to reach a plateau in learning keep up - the breakthrough will come surely (so did mine today)....

I don't want to show off - I'm still a beginner with lots of buzzing strings and stuff, but today I was so happy that I didn't give up practising because I had a few days where nothing sounded right....

Just wanted to share my happyness - and maybe I can encourage someone else who has the "plateau-problem" too....

Thanks for reading
B_L
 
Aloha Blisters_left,
Isn't it cool when it just comes to you....Have Fun and enjoy..Hapy strummings..MM Stan
 
That's the miracle of learning. Well done for pushing through to the other side!
 
....what just happened - so I'll tell you....

About a week ago I was working to play "Down on the corner" by CCR - and couldn't get it - I tried and tried and then I gave up and said to myself, I'd try it another day....

Today I was looking up my book to see what to learn next after I mastered "Just the way you are" by Bruno Mars - on this song I'm working actually but couldn't get the strum pattern sound right....

As I was looking in my songbook (I made it up myself - has all the songs in it I want to learn) I came across "Down on the corner" and couldn't resist to give it another try - and suddenly I played it and coult even sing with the chords....
Couldn't believe it, was very happy and just a second later - as if somebody had turned a switch in my head - the strum pattern for the second song "fell into place"....

But I don't think it's a miracle - its just the work paying off.....

So if you seem to reach a plateau in learning keep up - the breakthrough will come surely (so did mine today)....

I don't want to show off - I'm still a beginner with lots of buzzing strings and stuff, but today I was so happy that I didn't give up practising because I had a few days where nothing sounded right....

Just wanted to share my happyness - and maybe I can encourage someone else who has the "plateau-problem" too....

Thanks for reading
B_L

:agree: I had a similar problem with strumming patterns on certain songs...I still am a total beginner and newbie at "fancy" strumming, (can barely do down up sometimes!) but it's true that practise pays off and I also agree that sometimes it just "falls into place" my strumming did, just one day I thought I'd give a song another go and the same thing happened..I also have a book filled with songs I want to learn, I actually have two, but the second only really has songs I've written myself in! They also have pretty much every chord formation I would need to know!

Keep :music:
 
Congratulations. That's a pretty common situation, BTW. That's why so many music teachers recommend practicing a variety of different things during each session. I.e. work on one thing until you start to get frustrated, then switch to something else so it doesn't become drudgery. Next day, go back to what frustrated you. Keep doing that 'till it "clicks."

My problem is that I just plain have a problem memorizing songs. I can work on one for a long time until I have it memorized, but then if I don't play it frequently - like every couple of days - it just fades away... :(

I'm sure it has nothing to do with age :rolleyes:

John
 
I learned that song awhile ago and still have trouble when singing it. Rather than use my own voice, I always revert to the higher CCR/radio version in my head and of course I cannot maintain. Frustrated me enough to give up on that one.

That's a good idea on practicing until you don't like it, then coming back later (a relative term, to be sure).
 
@all: Thank you so much for your encouraging and motivating answers to my thread - somebody else wrote something like "the people on UU are a friendly bunch" - I'd say they are more than that - you're amazing... :)

@Harold O.: I had the same problem when I started singing to my strumming and I solved it with the help of youtube - maybe it can help you too...
Before I sing and strum together I practice singing the song in my voice to any "Karaoke-Version" of the song I like. If I can't find a Karaoke version I try an instrumental version or a cover with a singer whose voice is similar to mine. So I get used to singing the song "in my voice" without being disturbed by concentrating on strumming, timing or the sound of the cords. When I find I can sing the song real good I try singing and strumming together.
 
For me it's that I have to quit trying so hard. Then it comes to me... sometimes. It looks like you discovered the same trick. Congrats! :)
 
Thanks for sharing! I think I needed to hear about your breakthrough. I'm sort of stuck right now on transitioning from one chord to the next without a big silent gap while I remember the chord's fingering. I'll keep at it and get off this plateau eventually. I've had a few mini-breakthroughs, but I'm waiting to be able to get through a whole song without the dreaded gaps.
 
When I'm working on some new technique, my general rule of thumb is if I can't figure it out in twenty-thirty minutes, I put it on the backburner and work on something else. A week or two later I come back to it, and 90% of the time, whatever it was that had been giving me trouble is now doable. Magic! I've found that for me, keeping at it and doggedly pursuing whatever it is that's difficult is often unproductive. It's like the more I chase these things, the faster they run away from me...plus, my frustration level goes through the roof. So, I just let it be, until it feels like coming to me!
 
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When I first started experimenting and imitating different strum patterns I drove my parents crazy... I ended up practicing hours at a time strumming a pillow and if not at home I'd use a playing card (held with my left hand, strummed with my right hand to create the imitation sound of a strum...). Keep up the great work!
 
@Craig: The idea with the playing card is great - may I "steal" it ?

I use to strum the safety belt of my car (to the music in the radio) when I have to wait at red lights or in traffic jams - and I don't care at all what other drivers may think *lolz* This way I already figured out strumming patterns that sound real nice ;-) but sometimes I can't get it...
 
Please do! I found myself strumming on things like movie ticket stubs while waiting in line. It's such a crisp sound and really lets you focus on the strum pattern as well as the actual percussive element you're adding by hitting something. I used this as a base for a lot of strum ideas that I couldn't seem to achieve at first while just playing the uke.

I could just imagine pulling up to someone strumming their seat belt haha!


@Craig: The idea with the playing card is great - may I "steal" it ?

I use to strum the safety belt of my car (to the music in the radio) when I have to wait at red lights or in traffic jams - and I don't care at all what other drivers may think *lolz* This way I already figured out strumming patterns that sound real nice ;-) but sometimes I can't get it...
 
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