When to move to next lesson

Hello, I am pretty new to this.

I started with the beginner lessons. I am on Chapter 4 - the Five Chord Power Pack - with Lisa McCormick.

My questions is: How well should you be able to play the songs in these lessons before moving on to the next.

Should you be able to play it flawlessly several times in a row?

Should you be able to get through the song with only a few slip ups with the fingers?

I can get through the songs most of the time fine, but sometimes, my fingers do not hit the chords quite right - should I stay on the same song until i get through it without any mistakes several times in row - or should I get it down pretty good and move on to the next lesson?

Thanks,

Ken

Originally Posted by: sedevacante

Hello, I am pretty new to this.

I started with the beginner lessons. I am on Chapter 4 - the Five Chord Power Pack - with Lisa McCormick.

My questions is: How well should you be able to play the songs in these lessons before moving on to the next.

Should you be able to play it flawlessly several times in a row?

Hi Ken,

THere may be differing opinions on this but I`ll give you my 2 cents:

I look at the practice tune as sort of a final exam for that lesson. Sure, the goal each time is to " ace" it and play it perfectly but usually that`s not realistic. I aim to be able to play the tune fairly consistently at full speed with maybe a few minor slip ups but having a firm grasp of the concepts being taught in that lesson. If I can do that then I`m good to move on.

That being said, there are some lessons where the practice tune is more challenging and despite spending more time on it, I may not be able to play it at full speed consistently. My bare minimum for " passing the exam" in a particularly challenging lesson is to at least be able to play the tune consistently at 70% speed and occaisionally at 90 %. I `ll give myself a grade of a C and allow myself to move on but I`ll bookmark that lesson to circle back at a later date to brush up on it. That prevents frustration and discouragement from occurring and keeps me moving forward.

Again, others may do this differently but that`s what`s worked for me.

Hope this helps.

Should you be able to get through the song with only a few slip ups with the fingers?

I can get through the songs most of the time fine, but sometimes, my fingers do not hit the chords quite right - should I stay on the same song until i get through it without any mistakes several times in row - or should I get it down pretty good and move on to the next lesson?

Thanks,

Ken

Great answer MH18! It helps me to see others with the same idea. I have become more aware of hitting bordom and the need to move on rather than mastery to keep me interested. I also make decisions based on what type of guitar player I want to be. For instance if I don't like finger picking style I am much more inclined to go for that 80% mark on that lesson and focus more on strumming or whatever.

I am in the Accoustic section of advanced and found myself in a rut of bordom trying for weeks to get up to speed with finger picking. Just yesterday I picked up the electric and jumped into Rock section. So far enjoying the heck out of it. My study now (Finger picking, song study with strumming, Rock section and scales) Now I can't wait to play everyday again.

Originally Posted by: Gilbyesk

Great answer MH18! It helps me to see others with the same idea. I have become more aware of hitting bordom and the need to move on rather than mastery to keep me interested. I also make decisions based on what type of guitar player I want to be. For instance if I don't like finger picking style I am much more inclined to go for that 80% mark on that lesson and focus more on strumming or whatever.

I am in the Accoustic section of advanced and found myself in a rut of bordom trying for weeks to get up to speed with finger picking. Just yesterday I picked up the electric and jumped into Rock section. So far enjoying the heck out of it. My study now (Finger picking, song study with strumming, Rock section and scales) Now I can't wait to play everyday again.

Thanks Gilbyesk ! One of the most challenging things about learning online is that you`re both teacher and student. It`s a fine line between keeping yourself honest and adhering to the lesson goals while also avoiding getting bogged down and discouraged.

I also used to wonder about when I should move on and used to get so bogged down trying to learn to play the practice songs "perfectly" that I was making no progress. I was advised to focus on learning the concepts of the lesson and use the practice song as a way to learn the concepts, without completely mastering the song. The chord changes at full speed were the main problem part for me but I could get the basic moves after some practice.

Since my goal is to play various songs I'm familiar with, I'm simultaneously working my way through learning the concepts in those Fundamentals lessons with Lisa while learning a beginning-level song in the Songs section and for what it's worth, that's been a much better way for me personally to learn without getting stuck for weeks. But I've bookmarked those practice songs and periodically come back to them (and I tend to struggle less with them overall when I come back to them).

It's striking that balance between satisfying yourself that you're able to do the lesson but also keeping it interesting. If you try to advance without getting a good feel for the one you're doing, it can make it harder down the line - I've had to circle back on some lessons just because I hadn't quite nailed it in my head, but that's what notes are for!

Excellent question indeed. This is suppose to be fun, so if you're bored, just move on. You can always go back to it. I like the idea of knowing the concept of it, but maybe not necessarily being perfect at playing it, to pass yourself and move to the next course. It's begginers course! The more you play and practice, you'll get better at the techiques. I am 51 now and would have never quit 30 years ago if we had the internet and this online course back then.

Good question Ken, I'm also new and at about the same place in the beginner lessons. I have been struggling with this too and I think it's started to slow me down and lose a little interest. Sounds like, from the advice given here, it's probably best to run through it a handful of times and move on- that's what I'm doing.

By the way, I see that it's been a couple of months since you posted this. Any updates on this strategy and how it worked for you?

Eric C

I'm glad to see this discussion, because I also, at the ripe old age of 60, am teaching myself. I struggle with the speed of switching chords, but also want to move things along steadily, so I like the suggestions in this thread.

It's totally normal to feel a bit unsure about when to move on to the next lesson. I can relate to the struggle of getting those chords just right.
Here's what I've found helpful in my journey: Don't stress too much about playing flawlessly every single time. It's all about progress, not perfection! If you can get through the songs with just a few slip-ups, that's awesome progress! It means you're getting the hang of it.
I'd say give yourself some time to practice and play the songs until you feel comfortable and confident with them. You don't need to nail it perfectly every time before moving on. Just make sure you're enjoying the process and having fun with it!
But if you ever need some extra guidance and tips, check out this cool blog I found at https://staytunedguitar.com/

Great answers here, all.

With my songs in the Fundamentals Course, do your best, but feel free to move on.

Your skills are still in the process of developing, and that just takes time. 

You can always circle back to a song later on if you want to try to bring it up a notch or two. 

The songs I wrote for Guitar Fundamentals were meant to give "real-world" context to the chord-lessons we had just done.

It doesn't mean you have to learn to play all the songs well as you are going through the course - just do your best, and notice how each one encompasses some new skills or concepts you just learned in previous lessons. 

Also, keep in mind that you can slow them down to make them easier to practice with.

Have fun!  -Lisa

I am in the Accoustic section of advanced and found myself in a rut of bordom trying for weeks to get up to speed with finger picking. Just yesterday I picked up the electric and jumped into Rock section. So far enjoying the heck out of it. My study now (Finger picking, song study with strumming, Rock section and scales) Now I can't wait to play everyday again.

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