Goal Setting Guitar Lesson
Goal Setting
Jim discusses the importance of setting goals. He provides some tips that will help steer your practicing in the right direction.
Taught by Jim Deeming in Basic Guitar with Jim seriesLength: 11:00Difficulty: 0.5 of 5
A. The Sound of Success
One of the most important components of studying music is listening to it as frequently as possible. In order to become a successful guitarist, you must first learn what success sounds like. The best way to accomplish this goal is to listen to your heroes and begin to emulate them. In addition to listening for enjoyment, set aside time each week for structured listening time. When you listen to the music you love, spend some time analyzing it. What is it about this music that draws you to it?B. Short Term Goals
Note: Jim discusses ear-training skills in lessons to come. He will instruct you how to train your focus on specific aspects of the music.
Jim suggests that beginning guitar students focus on a primary genre. The techniques that you learn in the few months of study can be applied to any genre. Knowledge of basic chords, scales, and finger exercises is necessary to play in any style. However, you should devote some time to learning the style of your choice. Focusing on one genre to begin with will help you structure your practice time. Trying to learn a variety of styles right out of the gate is too difficult to manage for the average student.
An example of a good short-term goal is what you plan to do this week. Set some preliminary goals at the beginning of the week. How long do you plan to practice each day? What do you need to work on this week? Many of your short-term goals are determined by your midterm goals. It’s hard to focus your practice if you don’t know what you want to achieve.C. Midterm Goals
Do you want to play a song that is currently above your ability level? Do you want to learn the basics of lead guitar? These are examples of midterm goals. Asking these kinds of questions will help you focus your practice. For example, if you want to improve your improvisation skills, devote extra practice time to learning licks, scales, and techniques such as bending.D. Long Term Goals
Do you want to play at home for your own personal enjoyment? Do you want to try out for the high school jazz band? Or, do you want to form your own band and write your own songs? These are long term goals. They make several months, years, or even decades to accomplish. Asking these kinds of questions will give you a direction and purpose when practicing. Talk to someone who has accomplished the things you wish to accomplish. What did he/she do in order to achieve this level of success?Achieving Your Goals
Gaining proficiency on the guitar is a very rewarding experience. With time and patience, anything is possible. Here are some great tips that will help you achieve your goals – whatever they may be.
A. Create a Practice Schedule
The best way to maximize your practice time is to develop a practice schedule. First, you must determine how much time you will devote to practicing each day. To achieve any sort of positive results, you must practice for at least a half hour every day. Each day, your practice time must be organized. Break up your practice time into a few specific areas. As a daily warm-up, practice finger exercises and scales. Then, move on to chords and repertoire that you are currently working on.B. Playing with a Metronome
Note: Check out Matt Brown’s first Phase 2 Rock lesson for more information about establishing a practice schedule.
The most important aspect of a musical performance is the rhythm. For this reason, you should practice with a metronome as much as possible. Many young guitarist believe that they have a solid internal rhythm. When the metronome comes on however, they struggle hopelessly to play in time. If you can’t play a piece or song in time with a metronome, you can’t play it. Period. Unless you are practicing something that is intended to be played in free time, always practice with a metronome.C. Have Fun
In addition, play with other musicians as much as possible. This will greatly improve your rhythmic feel. Playing with other musicians places a higher emphasis on rhythm. If the performers aren’t rhythmically tight, the music is quite painful to listen to. If at all possible, play with musicians that are more advanced than you. In a discussion with Jamplay instructor Matt Brown, legendary jazz guitarist Pat Metheny imparted the secret to his musical success. “The best way to become a great player is to always be the least talented person in your band. Nothing lights a better fire under your ass.”
Learning to play any instrument takes years of hard work. However, music has to be fun. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it? In addition to your practice schedule, spend time having some fun with the instrument. Spend a day out of the week doodling or simply messing around. When you come back to serious practice, you’ll have a fresh perspective on what you wish to accomplish.
Supplemental Learning Material
Basic Guitar with Jim
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsFingerstyle master Jim Deeming teaches you the basics of guitar playing. With over 30 years of experience teaching and playing, Jim will definitely start you in the right direction. This is a great series for beginners and guitarists looking to refresh their knowledge.
Lesson 1
Introduction Lesson
In this short lesson, Jim Deeming will introduce himself and talk about his upcoming lessons.
Length: 6:12 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Choosing a Guitar
Jim gives his thoughts on purchasing your first guitar.
Length: 7:09 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Goal Setting
Jim discusses the importance of setting goals. He provides some tips that will help steer your practicing in the right direction.
Length: 11:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Changing the Strings
Jim Deeming walks you through the process of changing your strings. He gives some excellent tips on this important process.
Length: 41:09 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Meet Your New Guitar
Jim introduces proper playing technique. Then, he explains how to play your first chord.
Length: 52:24 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Learning More Chords
Jim teaches you the 3 primary chords in G major. He also explains how chords relate to specific keys. A great lesson!
Length: 39:15 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Right Hand Revisited
Jim discusses a plethora of right hand techniques that are essential to guitar playing.
Length: 35:19 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
New Chords and Keys
This lesson provides additional information about chords and keys.
Length: 19:08 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Let's Play
This lesson is all about playing. Jim will start you off playing a song. You will have the opportunity to play along with him.
Length: 20:10 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Alternating Bass and Chords
Jim teaches you a few more commonly used chords. Then, he discusses a technique known as the alternating bass line.
Length: 40:54 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
A Shape Chords
Jim covers all possible fingering options pertaining to the basic open A chord shape.
Length: 17:42 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Basic Guitar Checkup
Jim talks about the future of his Phase 1 guitar series and where to go from here.
Length: 4:18 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Notes, Scales and Theory
Jim delves into basic music theory. He starts from square one in this lesson.
Length: 29:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Chord Fiesta
Jim Deeming invites you to a veritable chord fiesta. He demonstrates common dominant and minor chord shapes.
Length: 43:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Movable Chords
This lesson is all about movable chords. Learn the importance of barre chords and other movable shapes.
Length: 40:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Proper Practicing
Jim Deeming explains how to create a productive practice routine. Make sure you aren't wasting needless time!
Length: 30:00 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Pinky Anchor
Many guitarists use their pinky as an anchor. Jim explains the pros and cons of this technique.
Length: 9:00 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Palm Muting
Jim discusses an important technique--palm muting. He explains how palm muting is used by flatpickers and fingerstyle players.
Length: 7:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Reading Tablature
Jim Deeming covers the basics of reading guitar tablature. Knowledge of tablature will help with JamPlay lessons as well as learning your favorite songs.
Length: 21:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Tuning Extravaganza
Jim explains various tuning methods. He provides useful tips and tricks that will ensure that your guitar is sounding its best.
Length: 31:45 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Let's Play : Red River Valley
Jim is back with another "let's play" style lesson. He teaches the classic song "Red River Valley" and encourages you to play along.
Length: 52:38 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Drop D Tuning
Jim Deeming introduces drop D tuning. Drop D is a popular alternate tuning used in many styles of music including rock, fingerstyle and blues.
Length: 25:25 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Let's Play: Wayfaring Stranger
Jim Deeming breaks down the song sections to the classic tune Wayfaring Stranger.
Length: 29:20 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
More On Drop D
Jim Deeming takes another, more focused look at drop D tuning.
Length: 6:27 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 25
Your Friend, the Metronome
Jim Deeming discusses how to use a metronome for practice, skill building, and speed building.
Length: 24:02 Difficulty: 1.0 FREE
About Jim Deeming
View Full Biography
Jim Deeming got his first guitar when he was only six years old. His Dad was taking fingerpicking lessons, and Jim wanted to be just like him. The Mel Bay books didn't last very long before he strapped on a thumb pick and added the Chet part to Red River Valley so it sounded better.
Most of Jim's early learning was by ear. With unlimited access to his Dad's collection of Chet Atkins albums, he spent countless hours decoding his favorite songs. They were never "right" until they sounded just like Chet. Around the age of 12, Jim heard Jerry Reed for the first time and just knew he had to be able to make that "Alabama Wild Man" sound. The styles of Chet & Jerry always have been a big influence on his playing.
More recently he has pursued arrangements by Tommy Emmanuel and Doyle Dykes, in addition to creating some of his own and writing originals.
Jim has performed in front of a variety of audiences, including concerts, competitions, weddings and the like, but playing at church has always been a mainstay. Whether playing in worship bands or guitar solos, gospel music is deep in his roots and is also the driving theme behind his debut CD release, titled "First Fruits".
Jim has been playing for about 38 years. He also has taught private lessons in the past but believes JamPlay.com is an exciting and better venue with many advantages over the traditional method of weekly 30 minute sessions.
Jim lives in Berthoud, Colorado with his wife, Linda, and their four children. Although he still has a "day job", he is actively performing and is already back in the studio working on the next CD. If you wonder how he finds time, look no further than the back seat of his truck where he keeps a "travel guitar" to take advantage of any practice or song-writing opportunities he can get.
The opening song you hear in Jim's introductory JamPlay video is called, "A Pick In My Pocket". It's an original tune, written in memory of Jim's father who told him early on he should always keep a pick in his pocket in case he ever met Chet Atkins and got the chance to play for him. That song is slated to be the title track for his next CD, which will feature several more originals plus some of his favorite covers of Chet and Jerry arrangements.
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Our acoustic guitar lessons are taught by qualified instructors with various backgrounds with the instrument.
Eve Goldberg
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Jim Deeming
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Steve Eulberg
Steve Eulberg does a quick review of this lesson series and talks about moving on.
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Erik Mongrain
Erik expounds on the many possibilities of open tunings and the new harmonics that you can use in them. He explains what...
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Jessica Baron
Jessica kindly introduces herself, her background, and her approach to this series.
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Mark Kailana Nelson
Mark Nelson introduces "'Ulupalakua," a song he will be using to teach different skills and techniques. In this lesson, he...
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Kaki King
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Mitch Reed
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Orville Johnson
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Steve Stevens
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.You should make a supplemental notes of a basic structure for time scheduling and short term- long term goals just like a basic standard to go by like your schedule for example
Jim, just retired and am starting to fullfill a lifelong dream to learn the guitar. Looking forward to these lessons and this course.
Hi Jim, I just started my membership w/ JamPlay and was able to check out two of the Live Chat Rooms today/tonight. You were and are very impressive. I've jumped into your Lesson Track and starting at the beginning as suggested. I've played since 66 being content with my self taught rhythm style for my own pleasure. Five years ago decided to play the drums and was involved in a community concert band and some ensemble work. I'm not sure why but it has led me right back to my guitar with a desire really learn how to play it. I wasn't aware that fingerstyle is a style and now that I do that is what I want. So lead on. I will also attempt to join in on as many chat/video opportunities you have scheduled that my schedule permits - tonight's would have been a tragedy to miss. Thank you for answering my question on harmonics.
Hi Jim, I recently retired and find myself going back to review and dedicate myself to some of the lessons I didn't get serious about for guitar lessons. One of the things for goal setting I recently started is a warm up session each day before I begin. For the warm up session I am doing the following: Wrist flexes Thumb and finger stretches Fretboard runs up and down starting using the 5th fret as my "home" position. Chord changes, for C A G E D Name the notes on the strings After that I'm working on at least a part of a song, and / or noodling around. I know you've probably been over this a thousand times before, and I thought I would just run my idea of a warmup by you. Thanks, and keep up the good work.
what is the thing on your gutiar
Thanks Jim, I'm really enjoying my very first lessons with you at Jam Play. What was that bit of guitar playing at the end of this 3rd lesson called? It was really nice. Hope being a leftie playing a left-hand guitar won't hold me back learning fingerpicking watching these videos? Thanks again Jim. All the best.
*didn't know who wrote or played W&W until later...doh!
Hi Jim, Like the person who posted most recently, I am coming back to playing after many years of not playing. I started out learning classical in the late 80s, and so have a bit of knowledge, but have to get back to the basics for strength and agility on the fret board, not to mention relearning fingerstyle picking, arpeggios, etc. Anyway, all college taught was classical, but since I was not a music student, my instructor made a deal with me -- learn the class lessons, and each week he would teach me some fingerstyle guitar, like the tune you played at the end there, Windy and Warm :) I never got really good at playing that one, but could play it a little (but not, I'm sure, in the right time...so a metronome will probably help there too). I guess like a lot of folks, I want to run before I can crawl, but I know what you mean about taking the time to learn correctly, or you will have to unlearn bad habits later. Oh and my interest is also in Chet Atkins, and now Tommy Emmanuel, but probably my favorite guitarist is Mark Knopfler. I guess I became a fan of Chet Atkins after hearing my brother's disc Neck and Neck, when that came out years ago. Ever since then, if not before -- well it was before, I guess, as I started learning Windy and Warm way back then, but didn't Chet Atkins played it, or at the time, I was like, who? D'oh!
Hi Jim, really love the style you play. I started playing nearly 20 years ago but it all went to pot when I started getting lessons with a teacher who wanted to watch children's TV while I just played scales up and down the neck. I was awesome at pentatonics...but who isn't? My main influences were Slash and Satch. I've just decided to get serious about guitar again, and really love this style, seen Edgar Cruz doing Bohemian Rhapsody and would love to play that one day but I guess I got to get used to moving fingers the other way on the guitar. I decided to look at beginner lessons to pick up what I can, and some of the wisdom I've heard on the two lessons I've listened to is brilliant, so sensible and simple, yet it's stuff I never really got told to do before, which is why I ended up such a one dimensional player. Plus this style really suits me cause I love listening to rock/metal but when you're just playing the solos on your own or to a record (which they were when I last seriously learned) it's not the same, you feel like an amputated limb I guess. With you're style it's the whole body and a whole lot of soul too. Look forward to learning again with you!
Hey Jim, I like the way you teach. Thanks.
Jim, I had a few Chet albums back in the 60s. On song I really loved was "April In Portugal". Do you know this piece? I loved your interview with Tommy Emmanuel. I have been playing for 44 years, and I think Tommy is right up there with Chet, and you.
Jim, I have always loved Atkins/Reed style of playing although never followed through with lessons, primarily due to every instructor - in my opinion - had issues I could not deal with. IN truth, I did not want to take the time to learn the basics. I am looking forward to going through your lessons -beginning with the basics. 3 years ago I purchased a George Washburn - Festival series guitar. Model #EA30BE/TB SER # 9160063 from a work colleague. Maybe someday we can jam! Dan
Hey Dan! Don't tell anybody, but I have issues too. They just do a good job of editing the worst of them out of the videos... :D
Great stuff, I look forward to learning from you and like the way you teach. This lesson blows away the strange guy on the ebay dvd i have..he was very irritating. what a great web site also...i like the personal notes section too for each lesson as well as this discussion area. On to lesson 4 with me.
Hi Jim, I appreciate your teachings. I have a mental block that I was hoping you could offer me some advice. I Have a limited mobility in my pinky finger. I get discouraged on notes, bends, and the like that require the use of the pinky. I don't feel I will ever have the mobility like you have. Any advice -- can a guy play with only three fingers. Thanks again!
stjoel, I understand what you are saying - as a general rule I would say my pinkie is the least nimble of the Four Fretters. It doesn't help that the pinkie bears the largest burden of fretting melody notes around various chord shapes. I would set your sights a little higher than just settling for only three fingers, but be patient and give yourself time to develop the strength, flexibility and accuracy that only comes with practice.
Jim, Looks like this is going to be a winner.Chat with you later.
lol!! yeah i am surprised i cant walk at all without running into something! and yes, brian setzer!!! wow, what an awesome player!!! i love his stuff as well, and his style. great energy, and feeling!!!
Thanks for the kind words about the lessons guys. David, yes I have "Neck and Neck", the album Chet did with Mark Knopfler. One of the reasons I think it's an important album is because Chet was often wrongly stereotyped to be a one-dimensional guitarist - usually country, all though a lot of his albums get filed in the jazz bin at the local record store. Truth is, he could sit in with anybody he wanted and hold his own, yet be completely himself. It's an eye-opener for die-hard classic rock guitar fans to find out that a lot of their guitar heros credit Chet Atkins as one of their early influences - Knopfler being one. (Chet had equally high praise for Knopfler too, btw) Another is Brian Setzer - I heard a radio interview with him in Chicago where he not only named Chet as an influence, he broke down exactly where he was using some Chet licks in one of his hotrod rockabilly songs. One little well known story is this - the Rolling Stones asked to hook up with Chet when they were coming to do a show in Nashville. In the process of setting up that meeting, the Stones asked Chet if he would be willing to do an unannounced walk-on appearance during their concert. He agreed, but unfortunately underestimated his strength due to the progress of the cancer he'd been fighting. He was ultimately unable to make the appearance but again, it's an example of some giants in genres never associated with Chet that considered him one of the head masters. I agree, and always will. And don't worry about getting all those fingers moving in the right direction. We'll break that all down when I get the phase two fingerstyle lessons going. The thumb can be a rebellious digit, but once you get it on autopilot, it's no harder than walking and chewing gum... ...well wait. I'm clumsy. Maybe that's a bad analogy...
jim, really enjoying your first lessons, and do i love the fingerstyle. loved trying to play chet atkins stuff when i was younger, but could'nt wrap my mind around the techniques!!! my strum/pick hand stinks when it comes to fingerstyle. hopefully if i ever find some time i hope you'll be able to shed some light on all dat stuff!!!! i can fake "dust in the wind" thats about it!! lol!! btw, do you have the cd with chet atkins and mark knofler from dire straits? very awesome to hear the two trade licks!!! welcome aboard!!! your a great addition!!!
Hey Jim, Good lesson. You said everything that I expected to hear and more. I have been waiting patiently for your lessons and just wanted to say you have [B]not[/B] come up wanting my friend. Looking forward to what comes next, good luck, and well done.
Jim, Awesome lesson and thoughts. You had to have been in my truck today. I drive a trash truck and everyday we get helpers from a "labor pool". One of the guys I normally have help me is an avid guitar player. He is thinking about opening up a studio and teaching people. Well we got talking about that because he among other people has tried to give me lessons. And here's what I find from instructors: They all want to teach you what you think you should know. To expand on what I mean is ... I paid a guy upfront for 5 lessons about a month ago. Before signing up for these lessons he and I discussed what I would like to learn. My suggestion was for him to teach me basic chords and to keep it fun by splitting the lesson time with half mechanics and half learning a song. After we agreed on this and after he discussed with me that I wanted to learn country and folk songs (we picked 5 songs) he started the lessons. Long story short the lessons he taught me on mechanics were excellent, the song part of the lesson hours (60 dollars an hour times 5) was classical songs of which I had no interest but he insisted before the 5th lesson was done I would understand. 5 lessons and 300 bucks later I still don't understand. I was taken back when you said have fun with the lessons as I have been searching for someone to teach fun and mechanics as well as some theory. Looking forward to seeing more of your lessons between all the instructors I have viewed videos of so far I am enjoying my membership to this site. Keep up the great work. unixbro