Originally Posted by: dimi.chevalierI expected this site to cover anything about chord constructions and how to play melodies over chord progressions. So I started out with blues level 1 and learned a lot,but now I'm in level 2...[/quote]
You might want to work through my older course that includes a little more theory.
https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=fundamentals2(discontinued)
Most beginners do not want that much theory. They just want to play the guitar! But if you are interested in it, I have a whole collection of tutorials on music theory.
https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/music-theory
As well as a collection on improvisation, which is essentially what you mention when you say playing melodies over chord progressions.
https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/learning-to-improvise
Originally Posted by: dimi.chevalierHere the teacher (hans andersen) is playing too fast for my skill. He is just shredding away on these basic licks and it's not really motivating for a beginner because I sound like a noob compared to him.[/quote][p]There's going to be a point in everyone's learning that they hit a wall. The next lick or idea is just beyond your current skill level! At that point you just have keep working on it. To put in the time practicing until you can do that technique. But it's important to keep working on other things as well.
So, I encourage you to keep working on the blues course if that's your goal. Go forward in the course to see what's ahead. But make time in your practice to build your technique until you can play the ideas that were harder for you when you first encountered them.
You can also, start working through those tutorials I mentioned above. And of course, start learning songs! Pick some tunes to learn!
Originally Posted by: dimi.chevalierI feel like there is not enough stress on music theory going from blues level 1 into level2.2 levels seems not much for everything there is to learn about the blues.I'm quoting this because there are 2 separate issues that I think you might be conflating.
Music theory is understanding what you are playing. Conceptual knowledge about how to identify & understand the relationship between the notes, chords & rhythms you are playing. Knowing why to play some series of notes as a lick is important, but it won't help you to actually play the lick. That requires repetitious practice.
Technique is simply being able to actually play the notes, chords & rhythms. Being able to play the lick takes time, but it won't explain what the notes are or how & why they work.
The whole point here is that they are 2 separate issues. They are dealt with in the course. Anders usually mentions the theory briefly, but spends more time on showing you what to play. That's because a little theory goes a long way!
[quote=dimi.chevalier]The increase in difficulty (mostly speed) is also worth noting. The teacher keeps saying I should "make it my own" although I can clearly see him reading the notes off a music sheet...
Well, yes. He reading scripted material because it's an organized curriculum. :) Everything has to be planned ahead of time so he knows what to say & play & the notation can match & so everything is integrated.
The point behind saying make it your own is that you have to put in the repetitious practice time in order to make your hands do those tricky things as if they are second nature. And that takes a lot of time!
[quote=dimi.chevalier]How am I supposed to improvise if I haven't learned everything about blues theory first, like triads for example? And what notes to stress when soloing over a basic chord progression?
Even if you learned everything about theory that's no guarantee you could play anything. You have to have a working vocabulary of licks, of little melodic phrases & ideas that you can already play, that you have under your command, before you can improvise.
So, while you are gradually working on physical technique & licks, you learn a little bit about music theory of the licks along the way.
Anders does eventually go into chord tone soloing in the course. I don't know where you are in the course. But I encourage you to make the time to work on theory & technique as separate things that you can gradually put together.
See if the links I gave you above help. Let me know if you have any other questions! Best of success!
