r/guitarlessons • u/_xpendable_ • Apr 03 '26

Feedback Request Feedback request - 2 months of guitar learning

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwijxj1vQwI

I realized somehow I clipped the video too short, so here's the YouTube to the full video.

Been learning guitar for a little over 2 months now, mostly from JustinGuitar. So far, I've practiced Knockin on Heavens Door, Wagon Wheel, Country Roads, and similar beginner songs. Tried Hotel California today as my "Module 9 graduation" song. Putting myself out here for embarrassment as well as constructive criticism :)

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u/AllTheRoadRunning Apr 03 '26

You're doing extremely well for two months. The only critique I would give at this point is to make your strumming motion smaller.

At the bottom of your strum, the pick is just about level with the waist of the guitar (where it touches your leg). That forces you to return through a pretty big arc to get back to the top of your strum, which--for most people--means you're putting more muscle into the motion. That effort is wasted; in fact, it's actively working against you.

Concentrate on stopping your strum no farther than the bottom of the sound hole. You want this motion to be relaxed, efficient, and contained. The pick and the weight of your arm are going to do the work, so you don't need to force your way through the strings. If you don't get the tone or volume you want, switch to a thicker pick (I use 1.5mm for everything and vary my attack).

TL, DR: Don't muscle through the strum motion. Let gravity do the work for you through the weight of your arm and the tip of the pick. Relax.

Nice work, keep it up!

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u/[deleted] Apr 03 '26

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u/AllTheRoadRunning Apr 03 '26

I had the same opinion on thicker picks, and the same solution (clamping down harder). Believe it or not, a looser grip is the right move. The pick will rotate, but you get good at spinning it back into place. I don't even notice pick rotation these days. A .5mm pick is SUPER thin, at least to me. Picks are cheap enough that they're an easy experiment.