A capo question and 'where I'm at'.

[Jafa]

I have been working on changing G chord to Em, building up to 60 bpm, alongside doing the Ladder again building up to 60 bpm. When I feel comfortable I've then moved down a fret, worked up the bpa and so on - I'm now up to the 5th fret. My next big challenge in the Path is changing from Em to C chord (C has always been my nemesis!) and I have done a few no tempo changes, but it is a real struggle. I am wondering on the benefits of using a capo further up the neck to get the movement/technique right and then moving down a fret. It seems to me as though no harm can come of doing this, but why ponder when I can ask the experts!

I also read with interest (as always) Jamie's last newsletter on Organisation and the area of repertoire.....I am one of those people who after 'playing' guitar for about a year cannot play anything (well maybe a couple of children's songs that nobody knows). I was on holiday in our caravan last week and sitting outside at night with friends I fetched my guitar. A few friends had a play and gave it back to me - I couldn't play anything! So after a search on the internet for songs with just a couple of chords I'm now armed with the lyrics to Songbird by Oasis, using just G and Em, and am working on my first proper song! This has a fairly easy chord change and looks good practice for rhythm (D D DU DU).

I think I've always been so keen to move on to the next chord I've never learned any very well, hence my inability to play anything. I guess that is another thing we beginners are prone to!

Jane

[Jamie]

Jane, from what I have seen of your videos, it is my judgement that you are one of those students who does not move as fast as she really could. You are being over careful and too conservative in your efforts.

You would greatly benefit from a webcam with me. I will show you how to accelerate things.

Post a video of your C chord change. There are many things people do wrong. I will tell you what the problem is.

[GAA43]

Jane, you wrote 'I think I've always been so keen to move on to the next chord I've never learned any very well, hence my inability to play anything'. Certainly I did a lot of this in my first year of playing, before I found the principles. I think you're right, that it must be very common, and not just among beginners.

However, for better or worse, Jamie's statement about being too conservative doesn't apply to me - I still have the opposite problem. Just this week I was reminded of how the BPA really works, if you just follow it! I was struggling with something, playing it very slow, but then trying to go fast, skipping the intermediate steps of working up to speed methodically. I wasn't getting anywhere until I applied BPA, and lo and behold, real progress!