Hey, Missouri checking in. I am enjoying Mike's website and have found his methods really easy. I picked up the Spanish song in two sessions and am now teaching it to my 15 year old daughter--who has only played the guitar for a week now. She has the idea down, but her fingers are sore. I have on light Clear Tone strings. Those strings sound nice, but are not as smooth as Elixers. Practice a little each day and the fun begins.
Many blessings,
Mikal

Hey Mike (and Tim)

I can definitely identify with Tim's friend here regarding the finger picking, because I initially learnt the primary major/minor chords from my dad about 13 years ago, and since then only wrote songs and played music that fitted those shapes, but my strumming patterns and ability grew massively from there because that was the only way I knew how to differentiate the sounds - so more a case of necessity really.

My cousin then taught me a single picking pattern which took me (what felt like AGES) about a month to get right - and I'm talking about doing it subconsciously without a moment's hesitation - that's when you know you've got it! The reason it took so long was because my fingers "JUST wouldn't listen"! This is perfectly normal I've come to realise and there's a nifty "trick" I use these days that works every time. You see, what I've come to realise is that finger picking (and to some extent strumming) is primarily based on muscle memory. And muscle memory is triggered from the subconscious and the BEST way to get something into your subconscious is to quite literally - "sleep on it" - no, not your guitar! :-) Let me give you an example:

I can now pick that pattern my cousin taught me years ago without thinking and have a full blown conversation with someone at the same time - hell I can even sing a different song at the same time, but give me Classical Gas and I completely fall apart! I almost lost it - what do you mean I have to start from scratch again?! Well, it's because those picking patterns are not part of my muscle memory. The same thing happened with Tears in Heaven and more recently Mad World!!

I spent about 6 weeks (about 2 hours a day) learning Classical Gas in parts to a point now where I can almost do a full run through flawlessly - but I can only play certain parts of it subconsciously - and getting better each day. Tears in Heaven became even more easy - learnt that in just over a week (2-3 hours a day - coz I'm having more fun now!), and this week I've picked up Mad World and in a few days (3 hours a day) I've learnt most of the parts and I'm busy stringing (no pun intended) them together! Mad World was particularly tough for me because I've always (stupidly) kept my distance from syncopated picking songs - you know, where the thumb picks two base strings in an alternating fashion using a certain rhythm, and the other fingers go off and do their own things (it seems), but what comes out the other side is absolutely GORGEOUS to listen to! Even "I" was able to get that syncopation right with a little (a lot) of hard work because of my bad habits and reluctance ;-) Take my advice, don't be scared of that like I was for so long - hurts you more in the end - as always.

So here's the trick I use to engage muscle memory (in two parts):

1. Play a particular part (you choose) for 30 minutes before going to sleep - your fingers may listen, they may not. I've gone to sleep after just picking 8 tough notes time after time trying to get it right. When you wake up in the morning - play that same piece again. At first you'll struggle a bit (probably because you only just woke up), but after 5 or 10 minutes your fingers just start doing the right thing.


2. Probably the thing that's taken me the longest time to train myself to do - DON'T look at your picking hand in the morning :-) Look at it all you like while you're trying to figure out the TABS or working from Mike's video, but once you're picking the notes (however slowly), make a conscious effort to stop looking there and look at your other hand if you must. It helps to engage muscle memory and works an absolute treat for me!

I found myself wondering why Mike can learn a piece so quickly and I have to basically start from scratch with a new picking/strumming pattern - well I guess the answer lies in the fact that Mike has a massive collection of picking patterns all built up in his muscle memory over the years which means he only struggles with a piece if he has to learn something entirely different to anything done before - but his fingers tend to behave themselves if his done something like it before and he can get down to the business of playing. I on the other hand have a small repertoire from which to choose and so each song learnt is a decent week or two's hard work, but if I give it time, I'll be making use of my own personal library with a little patience! (Speaking of which - "Have a little patience - Take That" might be a good one to learn ;-)

Hope that helps!
I'm outta here...
Rob

Rob
Yep that certainly helps me. I have recently spent a week of 2hour sessions working out Streets of London from Mikes video lesson, at this point I know the tune well enough to play it (very slowly) all the way through without referring to the video or the tabs. This is always a huge breakthrough with any tune because then I can sit back on the couch and just start honing up the speed and quality of the rendition. Of course I have often wondered if I am a slow learner but now I realise probably just average.
Totally agree with sleeping on a tune, when you pick up the guitar immediately after waking the following morning and play the same again it can have a very positive effect almost like a revelation of some kind.
Cheers
Steve

Larmertree...i agree with you. Because when i started playing, i was very slow with new pieces or picking patterns, but after trying out these new ways that Rob told me....i was starting to get better <em>FASTER.</em>
I'm new to this blog so i dont have any more to say......
Cheers.....8-)

Hey thanks for your reply ............ did you get the Mad World download? hows it going.

I read somewhere that the best way to learn is to tackle something for no more than 20 mins and then take a 15min break, do something else, read a book or something, then get back to your piece for 20mins. I think its a kind of scientific way to learn anything based on the attention span of an average brain; I mean weve all been in that place where we try and try too hard to grasp a certain technique or move and finally after hours of trying, we give up with our minds clogged up thinking "its impossible". Weve also been in that place where weve given up one day and come back another day to try again and get it off in about 5 or 10 minutes thinking "how in hell did I struggle with this".
The broken learning system is based on the same principles as what I have just described and I suppose the key to it working on an individual basis is to find your own natural attention span and work with it. Its a perfect system for learning tricky picking patterns or complicated licks.
If anyone uses this system perhaps they could get back to us and let us know how they got on.

Good luck
Steve

Yes indeed I am familiar with the twenty minute rule of thumb for optimising any kind of learning. I think it is extreemly effective, I dont usually completely turn my attention away however. What I usually do is work on the new tricky bit for ten or twenty minutes and then play a tune that I know very well for ten minutes or so maybe have a sing along then back to the new tricky bit and carry on like that.
Regards
Steve

forgot to log on for the previous comment
Regards
Steve

Hey Mike

Love your style of teaching. It works well for the ADD mind. I have two questions. First when downloading your videos is their a way to make them a Mpeg filr instead of a AVI or WMV file so I can put it on my Ipod? When I go on trips I like to study your vids on Ipod so when I arrive back home I can pick up my guitar and play. Second I recently received a link for all 8 of you classical gas vids and tabs but can't open them? The address ends in c3l3.html, dont want to give up the whole address to the public. Any how any help would be greatly appreciated.

Your loyal student ,
Brian
flash78738@yahoo.com

If you have an Ipod then you almost certainly are using itunes. I no longer have the program on my pc but I am familiar with its functions. Take a closer look at the menu options, Itunes can convert any files you wish to make compatible. Best use the help menu if you are stuck and loads of information at the apple website.
Regards
Steve

I've been a member of Mike's for a very short period of time but for what it's worth, here's how I find it easiest to learn:

1) Make sure you know how the piece of music you're learning sounds - listen to the original - I mean in a general sense. I know this sounds very daft, but it's important - recognise the various sections of the song/tune and how they fit together.

2) Once you can see the "sections" and recognise them in Mike's tutorials, pick a section you like: It can be any section, as long as you like it. Learn and practice that section - it can be the intro, a bit from the middle or any other part - just play it and learn it.

Learning the bit of the song that you like will fell and sound great. It will also motivate you to learn more of that song and ....

...before you know it, you'll be playing "that song".

Break it down, practice, and amaze yourself. Heck, if I can do it, then anyone can.

Thanks Mike, keep it up!

oh boy yeah what a question, it can take me a couple of weeks or more to have the song off pat, but its great fun learning, then all of a sudden it all clicks into place, i think once you ca visualize the finger movements, your nearly there, Alan

Hi all,
I'm now playing for nearly 1 1/2 year guitar or should I say I'm trying to play :-) All the writers hear in the blog are right in one or the other way, for me I know it takes a long time till I can play a song so that I'm satisfied with myself. But I think the more you play the earlier you are happy ... I hope so, cause thats my stimulation :-) and the way Mike is teaching helps a lot... THANKS Mike !

I also have been "trying" to play for about 3 years.
Mike's teaching style is unique and simple.
I agree with muscle memory and practice.
I also agree when you come to a new "shape" your fingers studder when you get to the new part until it becomes natural.
My question about learning a new piece is this:
I like to strum and when starting to learn a new piece, I start singing the words softly to know where I am in the song. Then all of a sudden I forget the words or start messing them up and my timing gets way off and I don't know where I am.
I was thinking, should I memorize the words before I start playing it? I've tried to learn the words by playing but I'm concentrating too much on playing and I still mess up.
I'm sure you all know that singing and playing is difficult.
What is the best way for you to learn the words and to play the piece?

Thanks Mike,
Nice Site,
Craig

As Mike said it depends a lot on the piece. Sometimes (mostly) I will break the piece down into real small sections. I'll practice for 20 minutes to half an hour, and then go back and watch the first part over, and then the next part. For me at least this works best. Figure out what keeps you the most interested and go from there.