Nice job Sam! Cats need tranquilizers so have a beer next time! LOL Just kidding...

A strap properly adjusted will keep the guitar right where you want it. Spend a few extra $$ and get a nice padded one.,
The regular straps have a tendency to cut into your shoulder after a bit.

That Epiphone is actually a nice guitar. A friend has one and it's really nice. He had it setup and he likes it much better than his big dollar Alvarez.

Sam,just great again and you will figure out how to manage that D chord,,,its fine you found your comfort holding your guitar...

When i listen to a song I never could take the singin together with the guitar playing,,,I buy a standaard sheet music and look were the singin notes are rhythmcally on the pickins,, i don't mean the intervals,,just were they are on the beat or in between,,(if that make sence),,you have sang the the song so you know the intervals..

W.

Well done Sam, your fingering is much improved and because of that your playing is much cleaner. It may feel awkward at first and you may slip back to a poorer grip on the neck. When you find yourself getting sloppy at any time just remind yourself to get back into good hand position and after a while it will be natural. Anyway big improvement on the last video, well done.

I'm not so sure about the Tshirt though

Tom N.

Huge improvement. Way to go. Now if you seem to have trouble getting to a particular chord (the D's the bad boy right now) just practice fingering back and forth to the chord in question. Go from G to D to G to D without strumming or picking until you can do it without looking or thinking. Then try A to D to A to D and then C to D to C to D etc.....

As to the singing, I have sang this song a hundred times, but doing it alone with the guitar is another story. I'll have to work on that.

My tip there Sam is to hum it through as you concentrate on playing, that'll ease the melody line into the equation and you'll soon pick up the phrasing. What a great song to work on... pays off big time when you're done as folk love this song, in my experience.

Hey Sam,

First I have to say I just love your videos. A little performance, a little show and tell and some story telling. Such fun to watch!

TwoCatSam said:
"That's cheating ... I'm 65, I can cheat!"And you crack me up

Next I have to repeat that I really admire your determination which is clearly paying off because …

Lastly … As has been mentioned your hand position and finger placement is vastly improved and, aside from the slip on the D, it’s sounding very clean.

I have no doubt that in no time you’ll be playing this flawlessly. Good for you Sam. I’m looking forward to your next installment!

♫ Ken ♫

Hey Sam,

You are steadily getting better - a lot better. Your hand position is getting much better too and your guitar angle seems fine to me. Keep up the good work! I know it seems like it ain't easy sometimes but the hard work really does pay off as shows in this video. Nice stories too, cracked me up a few times, thanks for that.

Scott

Hey, thanks to all who wrote. Glad to bring a little humor here and there. Really happy no one took offense to my shirt. I'm a little dyslexic, so I'm making fun of me. Took me about five hours to cut out "Aeropostle" and glue them into "Postalero" You should see the looks I get from young people in the mall!!

As someone said, I should be practicing.........

TCS

Sam I am big fan of the hat! The rubber-band is HILARIOUSLY funny! (And I suppose that would work.) But if it were me I think, after a while I would get tired of feeling like a human slingshot/one of those kid's paddle balls. lol! Oh, and yes the shirt was very amusing as well!!! LOL!! I'll tell you...your videos have more laughs than a barrel of monkeys!


And well, your playing...well that is just sounding great. You're getting better & better all the time!!! Just keep it up. You'll get that D chord change in no time!


GRETA JOB!!! SAM!!!

Thanks, my friend. I'm on to the interlude now. Hammer ons are a booger.

Sam

Hi Sam,

I missed your last post 'cause I didn't notice the Youtube Link. You've already gotten plenty of good advice so I will just say Nice job and stay at it. You'll lick that D chord in no time. Also nice $50 Epiphone

Bob

TwoCat ... cheers from out here in the peanut gallery, you're doing it like it should be

Pierre

I have no video to post this month as I have not progressed one iota. In fact, I may have backslid a bit. Here's why.

I have started to learn the song as if I had never learned it--from scratch, if you will. I have found that moving the fingers in relation to the next string needed is vital for me to sound anywhere close to Gordon or Neil. I wish I had music with no bar lines as I can hear them when I play. No fluidity or continuity in my playing. Sounds choppy.

I am working hard to use my middle finger instead of my ring finger when playing the G9 chord. This was suggested by Nessa and Kevin.

I have performed this song probably about 30 to 40 times at Karaoke and am still quite good at it. When I sing with my own guitar playing, I can curdle milk! So I'll work on that, too.

When I take up a new song, I will spend hours reading and studying the sheet music. Very hard for an old dog to un-learn bad habits.

Sam

TwoCatSam wrote:
I have no video to post this month as I have not progressed one iota. In fact, I may have backslid a bit. Here's why.

I have started to learn the song as if I had never learned it--from scratch, if you will. I have found that moving the fingers in relation to the next string needed is vital for me to sound anywhere close to Gordon or Neil. I wish I had music with no bar lines as I can hear them when I play. No fluidity or continuity in my playing. Sounds choppy.

I am working hard to use my middle finger instead of my ring finger when playing the G9 chord. This was suggested by Nessa and Kevin.

I have performed this song probably about 30 to 40 times at Karaoke and am still quite good at it. When I sing with my own guitar playing, I can curdle milk! So I'll work on that, too.

When I take up a new song, I will spend hours reading and studying the sheet music. Very hard for an old dog to un-learn bad habits.

Sam


Hi Sam,,you could also move to an other song for some change,,maybe ''hallelujah'' maybe good for the ring finger..

I think Willem has a point, why not play another song for a while, you can always get back to 'If you could read my mind' at any time. But some change can do wonders, really!

willem wrote:
TwoCatSam wrote:
I have no video to post this month as I have not progressed one iota. In fact, I may have backslid a bit. Here's why.

I have started to learn the song as if I had never learned it--from scratch, if you will. I have found that moving the fingers in relation to the next string needed is vital for me to sound anywhere close to Gordon or Neil. I wish I had music with no bar lines as I can hear them when I play. No fluidity or continuity in my playing. Sounds choppy.

I am working hard to use my middle finger instead of my ring finger when playing the G9 chord. This was suggested by Nessa and Kevin.

I have performed this song probably about 30 to 40 times at Karaoke and am still quite good at it. When I sing with my own guitar playing, I can curdle milk! So I'll work on that, too.

When I take up a new song, I will spend hours reading and studying the sheet music. Very hard for an old dog to un-learn bad habits.

Sam


Hi Sam,,you could also move to an other song for some change,,maybe ''hallelujah'' maybe good for the ring finger..

willem and nessa

How about this: I continue with this song through the month of March and then I'll look for a new lesson. I'm really starting to "get" this song. This morning I sounded much better than last night before I posted. The dogs only howled a little......

TwoCat

Aw, what the heck......

I know my phrasing and breathing is off, but I got that G9 chord!

Sam

youtu.be/cmPC3XG6ZKM

That is just great Sam! Yes you certainly have that G9 sorted... and that is a really good job on the singing. Such a great song and you are doing it justice here. My hat is off to you sir!

Sam, that was fantastic!!!

You're right, you're really 'getting' the song! And I actually lóved your singing, you have a very warm and nice voice to listen to, the pitch was good too, taking a bow here!

Ness

Sam,
I didn't watch your earlier version, but you are doing really well here. The picking was smooth and your singing is pretty darn good!
Jim