I've recently started a video series on the seven positions of the major scale. Anyone need a lesson?

Just watched the 1st position video and wanted to give you some feedback/observations.

First, and I'll be surprised if you don't already know this, you have a great speaking voice; so very easy to listen to, understand, and trust. Also, and I'm not a stickler for all things public speaking, but I can't help buy notice a lot of "uhhs" or "and uh" when I listen to people. You were great at that as well. I stayed very focused for the 3 minutes it took. Don't laugh, me staying focused for 3 minutes is a big deal :)

The only critique I have, and it's only a suggestion really, but I wanted to share it. Remember what it was like when you first started playing. Your audience will most likely be newer guitar players. They likely don't know scales, modes, or much of anything else. They just want to shred!

You told me to practice each for a few hours before moving on to the next video. We both know that is necessary. Hell we both know that "several hours" should be "several weeks" (at least for me it is) However, my teacher (you) didn't give me any reason to do that except for learning scales, modes, and chords in the scales. You were showing the 1st position, F Major scale, and it all seemed perfect to me. Do exactly what you did, but then why not play a solo from a song in F Major. Even just a partial solo. Make up your own. In other words, give me a reason to practice for a few hours on the scale. Give me a reason to keep going when I'm sick and tired of hearing the up and down of the same scale. I know you know exactly what I'm talking about. Unfortunately we don't live in a world any longer where the "Mr. Miyagi" approach works. We want to walk into the Dojo and learn to kick someone's ass now, not learn to paint the fence and wax cars when we have no idea why.

The only other thing is addressing a huge mistake I made when I first started playing that haunts me still: alternating picking. I'm still trying to unlearn what I taught myself back then (every pick movement was "down". Not even sure I understood that you could go "up" when I first started! LOL) and it's been so much more work than if I'd just learned it up front. Scales are the perfect place to learn that for me.

These are just suggestions from a 46 year old guy that has played for 15 years and still doesn't understand the fretboard at all. I keep trying different things and it never 'clicks'. Does that make sense? I'm not a natural player at all. I'm a pretty decent rhythm guitar player and I can play most any chord up and down the neck, but it's memory, not an understanding of the guitar. I'm excited and hope that will change by the end of your youtube series.

If you don't change a single thing, it was still a great first video. You are good in front of the camera. Keep doing it.

And please understand, any suggestion came from a guy that wants to learn the fretboard and wants a better under of how it all works, not from a guitar player that thinks he is even remotely in the same league as you. Sorry for the qualifying remark, but this is Reddit and you never know who you are going to "offend", and I certainly am not intending to offend you.

I'll start practicing my scale later today, thanks again.

Johnny

/r/songaweek Thread Parent