Guitar: close to a breakthrough; serenading.

[oak]

Brief midweek update!

1. I am finding tab for my target demographic (women, this summer): "A Thousand Years", some Ed Sheeran, and "Shallow". Not my jams, but remember the goal is serenading.

2. I've also found tab for "Ain't No Sunshine" (yikes! complex! but awesome!) and "Someone Like You" (all arpeggios!).

3. I am gaining a little muscle memory and smoothness in beginner songs such as "You Are My Sunshine", "Au Clare De La Lune", and "Auld Lynge Syne". I may post my rendition of Romanza (all arpeggios!) this weekend.

So #1 and 2 have thoroughly kicked my butt. I race back to the simpler songs, but I am glad to push myself. I hope to look back at this very post, in six months, and wonder how far I've come.

Much as I enjoy the guitar, I mostly want to play for a woman at sunset late this summer. I have to hold on to hope. That is a worthy goal.

[Beany Boo]

I listened to this and thought of you serenading in the square next to a fountain at twilight:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dDjB__eYbl4

[oak]

I have come further since we last met.

1. Lyre: I'll get back to this... someday.

2. Classical guitar: I got a book on arpeggios, so that should be good.

3. Ukulele: I got one the other day, and really like. If hindsight is 20/20, I would have started with this.

I can play, however slowly, the following chords: C, Am, F. I am within one string of getting the G: one string or the other is buzzy.

If you listen carefully, I can almost play "I'm Yours".

The big picture: the G chord is essential to ukulele. Ergo, C/Am/F/G + strumming + practice = I can play many songs.

Many songs that women want to hear played for them, including "A Thousand Years".

Tonight I experienced an anxiety of 7 of 10, knowing that I am so close. I realized that it is late, and I am hungry.

This is a bit of of an exaggeration for me, but many a truth is spoken in jest: https://youtu.be/PPgqEcV5LIA?t=176

My goal is to post a rendition of "I"m Yours" here, on Sunday. This is an achievable goal.

Here are my resources:

1. This forum, where I can use my words. I am only as sick as my secrets.

2. My counselor.

3. The CBT "Worry Tree" form https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/worrytree.htm

3. Reddit's r/ukulele

Thanks for listening! I appreciate this forum, and its kind members, so very much. I'll post again soon.

[oak]

Updates!:

1. Proof this forum improves lives.
2. Inspiration via Youtube
3. Demonstrating courage for playing for my CBT counselor

1. A happy story of progress, thanks to this forum

It was Wednesday night. I was beyond exhausted: it was a long day, it was already a long week, it has been a long winter, and it has been a long lockdown. I was out of spoons.

I had commented on Manuel Moe's excellent post, and he was kind enough to say these encouraging words:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=12540&sid=4990c3d4 ... b&start=10

Buoyed by his kind words, I found spoons! On the dreariest hour of the dreariest day of the dreariest month of the dreariest lockdown.

Trying the online tutorials, chord progressions (C, G, Am, F), and strumming patterns just one more time, I could play a recognizable "I'm Yours". Slowly, to be sure, but there is that satisfying chord progression and groove-able strumming pattern.

Proof that this forum is improving lives.

2. Youtube inspiration

Speaking of that chord progression, here are songs I can play now (theoretically, but much closer than a week ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=labHRjMCVkU

Not coincidentally, these are all songs of interest to my target demographic: women who are open to being played songs for at sunset in late summer on the town square.

Meanwhile, this video has inspired me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9NAnHbrmPM

Many a truth is spoken in jest, and both sisters (spoiler: the blond young lady is the sister of the brunette in this video) demonstrate wonderful skill. Such a beautiful voice.

3. Demonstrating courage for playing for my CBT counselor

The first 50 minutes of my Tuesday sessions with my excellent CBT counselor are rightfully focused on big topics.

However, the last ten minutes are for demonstrating courage by playing for her. I asked for this because if I want to play in comparatively high-stakes scenearios (playing for a beautiful woman in late summer), a good time to expose myself to playing anxiety is in a very low-stakes and high-safety venue of a caring counselor in late winter.

My counselor loves the movie "A Star is Born" so with more enthusiasm than practice, I tried to play "Shallow". I didn't play it well (no judgement: I hadn't practiced it), but my counselor was delighted when she thought I was playing the intro to "Stairway to Heaven", which gave her warm fuzzies.

Much as I like the technical challenge of ukulele, my real goal is to create joy by evoking a positive emotional response from others. While my specific goal is romantic interest from available women this summer, I am glad, in the broader sense, I could elicit an emotional response from another person (I have no romantic interest in my counselor).

So

All that said, I think I am on track for passable ukulele and/or classical guitar on the summer evenings on the town square.