A slow update

   I have been lax lately at getting to my guitar practice so I put my Uncles guitar beside my chair as a reminder.  Hopefully this will help me get to do a bit more.

   I also created a new page called Our Guitar Hobby on our Family Website. I will update new progress with our guitar hobby there occasionally.

Hacking my guitar skills with FaChords Guitar Software

I have been continuing to work on learning to pluck "Christ Our Exemplar" and have also been using FaChords Guitar Online Software to learn the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings of the guitar.  This allows me to not only practice on the guitar but to practice on on my Chromebook or Tablet.  The maker of FaChords says and Android App is under development.  Learning to play comes hard for me but I will keep at it over time.  The thing that keeps me going is the fact that one day I will be able to strum and pluck with friends throughout an eternal future togather.

Using JamPlay and Guitar Pro

   I have been giving JamPlay.com a shot for a more structured aproach to learning the Guitar other than just Youtube videos.  I am enjoying their Guitar 101 course by Chris Liepe.  The Guitar 101 videos are on Youtube but for the full course material of .PDF's, MP3's and Guitar Pro .GPX files you may have to join to try it out. I only have temp access for a month but I am checking it out. 

    I am also using the Guitar Pro Android app to use .GPX guitar tabs.  There are quite a few .GPX Kingdom Melodies made by a Brother here at OneDrive. He plays some of them at: Kingdom Melody Guitar on Youtube.

July song practice

I continue to practice the chords A,D,E, on our classical guitar, although I have not spent time trying to learn Paperback Writer by the Beatles that uses these chords.

I have been spending more time trying to play the notes of the song ‘Christian Dedication’ which my wife and I were married to though, without its chords of which I am no way ready for. I still need much practice at this song of which I really do want to learn.
  Jay Leal is also learning to play this song along with other ones and is doing quite well.  
We have purchased 2 guitar and music stands to hold our guitars as well as guests.

Practicing the A-E-D chords

While Kathy has been working on the D-C-A and G chords,  I have been practicing the A-E chords daily using lessons from the Andy Guitar video lessons.

  I hope it is ok, but I like the way he does the A chord in the How to change between E & A chords on guitar so as to keep the pointer finger traveling on the same G string during the transitions.

   The next step I am thinking on is learning Paperback Writer by the Beatles using the E and A chord.  I will be purchasing perhaps this Cappo set soon(2pk) so Kathy and I will have one for each guitar to be able to play more songs.

   Than perhaps go on to add the D chord using the E, A & D chord changes video to open up more songs.

Lucero LC150S Natural Spruce/Sapele Classical Guitar

With the valued help of Kathy's Mother we were able to purchased a Lucero 150S classical guitar while it was on sale.  I posted how well it fit kathy and myself in the last post.  Now we have the two guitars to use practice on togather.  I see Husband and Wife duets in the future.  Much practice will be needed first for sure but it will be a lot of fun learning the Guitar with Kathy.

Our new entertainment devices

Since its back and side are Sapele, I had to look it up to see what Sapele wood is and it is an African wood very interchangeable with Mahogany. 

We saw a Classical guitar we liked.

    Kathy and I looked at a few guitars at The Guitar Center yesterday.  We decided that 3/4 scale is just to small and we do not like the sound either.

    However we did look at a couple Lucero Classic guitars and we REALLY like the slightly smaller body that fits Kathy better but at the same time I get to keep the full sized frets I like. We both really liked the sound. Since as a classical guitar it makes use of nylon strings it will be easier on on us as we begin to play. This may be the style of guitar that fits our needs.

   I had to look up Sapele to see what kind of wood it is. It is from Africa and has almost the same as far as audio quality and has very nice stripes in the grain.

The Lucero Classical Guitar

Dimensions	Width at Upper Bout: 11-1/8" Width at Lower Bout: 14 5/8" Neck width at body: 2-5/16" String Spacing at Saddle E-E: 2-5/16"
Scale	25-1/2"
Frets	18
Nut width	1- 11/16"
Top	Natural spruce and Striped Sapele wood back and sides
Rating	2 reviews at 4.0
Gig bag	No
Price	Regularly $199 Sale $159.99

The Lucero Classical Guitar

   Best-in-class value and built to last, Lucero instruments are carefully crafted to provide years of rich, toneful sound and at an attractive price. Lucero creates beautiful classical guitars for every type of player, from beginners embarking on their musical journey to steel-string players looking to expand their skills (and their tool box) with the authentic sounds of a nylon-string guitar. Using superior tonewoods (like spruce, cedar, rosewood and mahogany) as well as manufacturing techniques seen in instruments costing much more, Lucero is priced for budget-conscious players who still demand a great-looking, highly playable classical guitar. Students especially will appreciate the low action that makes for better overall playability.
Features 
Striped sapele back and sides
Solid spruce top
Multi-ply wood binding
3-ply rear marquetry strip
Custom rosette
Gold hardware
White Ivoroid Regal tuners

New life to a tired guitar

An inside look at the damaged support piece

Dad and I glued the broken piece and clamped it.

Then to dry overnight

As soon as I remount the neck and
restring it then it will be in the bag

The Martin 41M1400 Marquis silk and steel strings are said to be easy on beginners fingers.

We glued it up Monday evening and I took off the clamps and mounted the neck today.  Tomorrow I plan to replace the strings and adjust the neck, then it's off to try some Acoustic Achord by means of lots of practice.

Song by Twilight

After afternoon service, Jay and I had a Retro Burger and stopped by the Guitar Center to look around and play with a few acoustic guitars. Whereas Kathy and I looked mostly at a Rogue RD80 last visit, this visit Jay and I mostly looked at an Epiphone PR-150.  Then we went to his place and picked up a couple of his guitars and came to our place.  Jay, Kathy and I had another fun evening practicing.  I am going to need several more practice sessions like this for sure.  A guitar would help too.

   Here is a clip of Jay playing a "Song by Twilight".

Notes on the neck

   As an exercise to help me to learn the note patterns on the frets I made a spreadsheet of the notes on a guitar fret.   I wanted a chart to show both sharps and flats on the fretboard rather than to just look one up on the web.  I modified and built on an illustration of my own based on an e-book illustration on page 5 of the e-book "Complete Chord Collection" as a reference.  I like mine better as it is more complete and clear, at least to the brain that built it.  Imagine that, that was the idea after all.  I did notice some patterns as a result.  :) Link

Fun time with a friend

   

Practicing Chords on Jay's Guitar

  Jay L, Kathy and I had a a great time playing with his guitars and sipping on oolong tea on Saturday night(April 30,2016). Yep, we are a rowdy crowd. Not a lot of music went on.... Might be a goal to learn some there. We mostly played, err, I mean, practiced chords. I discovered that by learning the chords using the tablet apps, that it translated well to trying them on the guitars.

   My main weakness was just hitting too many strings with my clumsy fingers. Much practice is needed for sure. We went to a guitar center and tried out guitars and found out that a 3/4 size guitar would be the best size for Kathy. So I guess we are saving up for one now.

Comparisons

    We stopped by the Eugene Guitar Center and checked out guitars for fun.  Kathy found the full size dreadnought rather large but liked the 1/2 size.  I have to say I found the 1/2 size quite comfortable as well.  Much easier to maneuver around and I can see its advantages for a small space like ours.  I do like the sound of the dreadnought, but we will only have room for, and be able to afford, one.

    I played with the chords on some guitars  in the store that I have been working on using my phone, and as I suspected, the 3-D fret is MUCH different than a 2-D fret on a glass phone surface.  Go, figure.  I will need much practice on real 3-D strings.

    I plan to repair a separated bridge support piece inside my uncle's guitar(see damage below) and get it a new set of strings for it so we will have a practice unit as we continue to think about the hobby and what size instrument to procure.

My Uncle's Guitar

 Showing separation of inside fret support piece from body top face

Complete Acoustic Achord Photo Album

Practicing daily, but with a caveat

   Yes, I continue to practice daily.  But although it is the Guitar Tuna app as we don't yet have a guitar.  Okay, I know it's not the same as having a real guitar in your hands, but hey I am learning some chords shapes and it's been a wonderful little app for me, well, how wonderful it is will depend on how well it translates to a 3D object, as opposed to just a glass screen.  I will get back to you on that.  Although it is a confidence booster that I am able to  learn the chords.

    Kathy continues to want to learn too.  I showed her how I use the app as she wants to give it a try.  Her main concern at this point is just being able to hold the beast.  We will see if she can hold a full size are guitar, or we need to get a smaller one.  We will have to go to an actual store to take a look and hold them.  That sounds like it could lead to a dangerous commitment. :)

   We went to visit Dad and it turns out he had my Uncle's guitar and offered it to us.  It is missing the high E string and the the body top is warped around the bridge. It needed a quick clean and while cleaning it I noticed the bridge support inside is pulled away from the body top.  There is no name bragged about on the guitar so it looks like it was a basic guitar he had picked up at some point.   I am thinking it will not be worth repairing.  

Acoustic Achord

April 25 I created the blog AcousticAchord after Kathy and I bantered around names.

DuelingGuitar.blogspot.com

Chordially Challenged

Chordial Guitar

Chordial chaos

Harmonious Guitar

Acoustic chaos

Ah, Acoustic Achord
AcousticAchord.blogspot.com

We hope our Guitar hobby will actually come to have some Acoustic Achord as we come to sound at least some better.

Considering the third dimension

April 24  I continue to learn the chords G, D, Em, C, A, E, Am, F, Dm with the app but learning chord shapes in an app is entirely different than using actual finger shapes on a guitar.  How I would be able to translate head knowledge to fingers on the frets I do not know.  I need to try a few chords on a real guitar to get an idea if I can get my fingers to make the actual shapes.  Chords look very different on paper or an app than fingers do on a real fret.  And of course it will be a shocker when I find out strings on a real ferd have MUCH more texture than doing chords on a phone app.  Hmmm, go figure. :/

Learning Chords

April 21   I have learned the chords G, C, D,  and Em, at least in the GuitarTuna app.  Kathy is interested in Guitars as well, and would like to see if she can hold one to play one.  We will have to visit the Guitar Store to see if she can.

Exploring a new hobby

April 19, 2016   The Guitar is an attractive hobby since it is such a social instrument that all enjoy.  It would be fun to learn it. To that end both Kathy and I have watched a few guitar lessons to see the basics of guitar playing.

So far we like Nate Savage's free courses for beginners. First goal is to go through courses some more to familiarize ourselves with some basic chords and strumming techniques.

I am also learning chords on an Android app mini game on GuitarTuna. Then to learn to play Greensleeves, my goal song.  Oh..... well.....   I guess I am putting the cart before the horse, perhaps getting a guitar might help IF we were to decide to continue.  It is fun looking into into new things nevertheless.