Please make sure you have access to BOTH beginners booklets from the Beginners page for our practise night, either print them out or put them on your tablet as we may use any of the songs !
Preparation
Please look at this video for the preferred strumming with index finger
(Do NOT use your thumb (only if you have a physical problem with your finger.)In preparation for this week:
Basics - strumming technique, look at the video on the Strummers Beginners page and read through p4 of the Beginners Guide to check your left hand position. (Index finger not thumb to strum)
This week's format 18th May
Warming up - strumming practise
1&2&3&4&1& 2& 3&4& &1&2&3&4 1 &2&3 & 4&
D D D D DUDUDUDU U U U U DUDUDUDU and repeat in continuous rythym.
Please practise this at home!
Please make sure you have these songs to hand plus the beginners songbook in case we have time for something extra.
warm up - Da Doo Ron Ron (from beginners songbook)
My boy lollipop (from beginners songbook)
If time
Do find time to have a bit of a practise, look at the chords first and think about best fingers to use on which string to get easier moves between the chords.
Challenge! Dave (and I) have talked about barre chords - how you can play the same chord in different places on your fretboard. If any of the above songs are beginning to feel a bit easy then try playing them with barre chords instead!
Our warm up song - Dirty Old Town from the Beginners Songbook
Focus on finger picking using
These boots are made for walking (Beg Songbook)
Mama Mia (Beg Songbook)
Hotel California (Strummers Songs page) - Listen here https://youtu.be/as6w_webWl4
Recap on instructions for practising this song - The chords are pretty much the same as the version on the Strummers Song page and you can play along with the track. Don't forget you can slow it down.
Practise at whichever level you feel comfortable with!
Level 1 - practise chord changes
Level 2 -Listen to the rythymn of the playing pattern, particularly for the verse then try and strum along
D DU DUD
Level 3 - Finger picking for the verses
Pick 4th string (nearest you) with your thumb
Pick in turn 3rd, 2nd 1st, 2nd string - one finger for each string, followed by one downstroke across all strings. Then play that to the rythymn you hear! Just stick to one chord for a while so you can concentrate on the rthymn.
New Songs
The Day we went to Bangor (Strummers Songs page) and listen here. https://youtu.be/bqbUDUKOr4Y
Eight Days a Week (Strummers Songs page)