Volume Pedal

I painted a homemade Guitar Volume pedal I built as a Christmas present. If you would like to read and see the build process click here

A black pedal is pretty common, and this one is not different. I spray primer and painted the pedal black. I'm thinking it would get some non-slip tape put on it at some point anyway.

The body is a flavor or red. I knew I needed to paint "IN" and "OUT" to show which cable to plug into which jack. So I did that first and looked at it. Then I just started drawing arrows. I originally was thinking that the letters would be in Yellow, and "VOLUME" along each side. I may do something like that on the next one.
This one I also put Volume on it, but I wrapped it around the front. The input side has "VO", the front has "LU", and the output has "ME". The V is not prominent as I would have liked.

I think it came out good, I was searching for an abstract appearance, and I think I got it.

Strumming Patterns

Strumming patterns are only limited to your imagination. 

Beginning Strumming Patterns...

Lets Start With 4/4 Timing, meaning 4 Beats per measure.

fig 1

Pattern 1: Each beat, strum down (fig 1). Keep in rhythm with your hand to practice for harder strumming patterns. (Down, Down, Down, Down). These are Quarter notes.

fig 2

Pattern 2: Each beat strum down up (fig 2). Counted like: One And Two And Three And Four And. You strum down on the count, and strum up on the "&". Simple right? Try different speeds to a metronome or a beat. I prefer a beat. It is easy to get off rhythm. These are Eighth notes. It might be easier to "count" Down Up Down Up... thats ok for now, but you may change when doing sixteenth notes. You should be able to do these strum patterns for 4 to 5 minutes without mistakes. A little over the average length of a song.

Pattern 3: First 2 beats strum down, last 2 beats strum down Up down Up (fig 3). (Down, Down, Down up, Down Up), better yet (1, 2, 3 &, 4 &) Combination of patterns 1 and 2.

Pattern 4: This strumming pattern is very common and sounds good. You skip the 3rd down beat, but strum on the way back up. (1, 2 &, &, 4 &). Beat one Down, Beat 2 Down Up, Skip the down on Beat 3 but strum the Up, Beat 4 Down Up. Right after that last down up, you go right into beat 1 Down. Once you get this strumming pattern down, there are a lot of variations, like the first down you can just pick the first string in the chord you are using, and or mute the second strum.... what ever sounds good to you. 

A lot of songs use more than one strumming pattern. get used to switching between these 4 strumming patterns and you will be on your way.

Guitar learning - Music is Ageless

2005 Austin AU786FCS

I bought this Austin guitar. I just put new strings on it.

It has been an INCREDIBLE Journey.

I would pick up the guitar and try and fail, then it would sit. get the bug to try again....just a circle.
Years later, it finally started to click.

I am still a beginner.

My main goal is to be able to play with family. My father started to learn as well. Most of the time we talk about guitars and music theory.

Someday I hope to be able to talk to my son about this stuff. Music is ageless.

I started this blog mainly to document my progress and what has worked for me in learning to play the guitar.
Like most trying to learn we are YouTube Kings and Queens. Im not confident enough or have a good camera to do videos.
I would like to do a video of playing along with some of my favorite YouTube Channels.

I will share my favorite YouTube channels.
Hopefully I will get some comments on your favorites as well.

Maybe we can share difficulties and learn from them. Help someone with those same issues.

My son said he wanted to learn the drums, I found an electric drum set on craigslist. figured he could play anytime he wanted and not disturb us, or crank it up! I will share my progress on the drum front. Secretly Ive always wanted to learn to pay the drums also. My parents talked me in to learning something else. I picked the tenor sax. I will need to either repair my sax myself, or buy another sax. If I ever do that, I will share that process.

We like a bunch of different types of art medias. I will share some of that as well. My wife really likes stained glass.