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Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 6 2007, 08:49 PM

Hi All,

Thought I'd introduce myself :-) I am a 39 year old Brit, recently moved to Connecticut USA. I've been playing guitar for probably 30 years now, starting at school on classical, then teaching myself electric later. I have played in a few bands, and done a lot of home recording, but for the last 15 years I have been lazy and kind of plateau-ed out, rehashing the same old scales and licks. About 3 months ago I got myself a Line6 Variax 700, and it totally inspired me to become a better guitarist. First, I bought Kris's Video online - awesome ! But I became scared at how little I really knew about lead guitar. From there I found my way to GMC and immediately joined when I saw Kris was an instructor - hi Kris!

Now the hard work begins - I have to unlearn bad habits, and add to the 2 major and 1 pentatonic scales that have got me this far. On the one hand, I feel like I have to start again from scratch, but on the other hand, I feel inspired that there is still so much out there to learn !

Wish me luck ...

Regards,

Andrew

Posted by: Steelkonsum Feb 6 2007, 10:08 PM

Awesome! Welcome mate!

It's never too late to learn more about guitar, or anything for that matter. And you seem to have some nice experiences - if you have some material of yoruself playing feel free to upload it on the upload section to get comments and tips on how to improve!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 7 2007, 02:01 AM

Hi Steelkonsum !

Yes, I'll see if I can find some guitar solos I'm not too embarrassed about and I'll post them for comment.

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Feb 9 2007, 03:45 PM

Hey Andrew - welcome!

I see you have already contributed with some greats posts Looking forward to hear more from you.

Kris

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2007, 04:03 PM

Thanks Kris - I am loving GMC!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2008, 09:08 PM

Wow, who was this guy???

Well I thought that since it was just past the 1 year anniversary of my arrival at GMC that I'd take some time and reflect on what I have learned over the last year - please indulge me

When I joined GMC I was looking for a way to take my playing to the next level - I was completely bored with my playing. It was workmanlike, but not technically or emotionally inspiring, at least to me. Heres an example - I posted this a few days after I joined GMC:

 The_Work_Song.mp3 ( 1.51MB ) : 170


Ok, no bad notes, I used the right scale, but DULL and LIMITED. When I found Kris though freelicks, his DVDs then made my way to GMC I knew I had found something special. I immediately set about getting better. Now, a year later, I have boosted my playing for sure. I don't recognize the player I was then - I have so many more techniques to use, even though I am just starting out with many of them. In the last year just in terms of guitar playing, I have:

• Learned about muting and cleaned up my playing
• Started proper Alt picking
• Learned about using a metronome
• Learned the mechanics of sweeping
• Improved my tone & phrasing
• Boosted my Legato
• Started Tapping
• Improved the way I hold my pick
• Changed my pick for a thicker one
• Understood the importance of relaxation - lost a lot of tension in my playing which helps with fluidity
• Upgraded my Vibrato
• Moved out of 2 pentatonic and 2 major boxes and opened up the fretboard
• Learned about the existence of 3 note per string scales
• Started intentionally playing and composing with modes

But it doesn't end there when I started, most lessons were by Kris, and Pavel had started about a month earlier ... Kris very kindly allowed me to start contributing theory lessons, and over time gave me my very own forum, and eventually made me a Theory instructor, that was a day of deep honour to me - I felt (and still feel) that I am nowhere near the skill of players that Kris was by now recruiting to GMC - Marcus, Dave Walliman, Gabriel, but I did enjoy writing on aspects of theory and after a year we have a good library of lessons. Still more work to be done here, but now I can answer most theory questions with "check out such and such lesson"

The funny thing is that I never thought of myself as a theory expert - I had had some training at school and picked up a lot through 30 years of playing, but sitting down and writing about it really crystalized a lot of theory I had in my head and I started to really understand things a lot better, which I hope I have communicated in my lessons. A seminal moment for me was when Tank finally got me to understand modes (thanks Tank!) - 3 weeks later I had written a lesson on modes as If I had been playing them for years - in fact I had, I just didn't know it, and I now had names for some of these wierd scales I had been playing To this day, I get a warm glow when I manage to explain something on the boards and a light comes on in someones head, and they say, "Oh, I get it now!". So I say to all the people patiently working through my lessons, a huge thankyou!

But it doesn't end there - while I was still basking in the glow of my new instructor-hood, Kris was finding it harder and harder to keep the forum under control as it grew from a few active users to hundreds of posts per day. I was surprised and honoured when Kris asked me to help him with this, and as you know, since then I have also become the forum moderator, and have spent some time working on guidelines and trying to keep things organized so that Kris can concentrate on developing new instructors and working on the site. I have recently been helped in this by an awesome group of guys - the rest of the moderators who we introduced one by one - Micke, Uncreator, Tonymirro and most recently Smells - thanks guys you are doing an incredible job!

One of the great joys of moderating for me of course is banning members - and as a special one year anniversary present, Kris has greatly increased my banning quota so that I can ban up to 10 members a day, I'm really looking forward to it - I think I will start picking members at random this afternoon ... mmmmwwwaaahhhaaaahaaaaaa ...

Only kidding of course - one of the best things about moderating GMC is that it is so damn civilized that as moderators we rarely need to do anything, so a big thankyou to all in the GMC community - you guys all rock, and I am glad to know you all!

Which brings me to my final list - what else have I done through GMC?

• Bought Several new Guitars
• Met a lot of cool people from across the globe who I am honoured to call friends
• Seen GMC grow from 1 lesson a week to 3 lessons per day
• Learned about a bunch of cool new guitarists and boosted my music collection
• Learned a lot more about different guitar types
• Learned about tube amps
• Built my own tube amp

So, here it is, one year on, and I now sound like this ... I am pleased about my improvement and looking forward to the next year of solid progress !

 Rock_Ballad_BT.mp3 ( 1.15MB ) : 195

Posted by: MickeM Feb 9 2008, 09:15 PM

Welcome new guy!

I'll have a listen later... Swedish Eurovision song contest on the TV, I can't be distrurbed right now.

Posted by: JVM Feb 9 2008, 09:17 PM

Awesome progress andrew! I think it's about time you started making your own video lessons

Posted by: Slammer Feb 9 2008, 09:35 PM

Don't worry Andrew there are lots of Theory Experts here who will help you learn some new scales.

Posted by: botoxfox Feb 9 2008, 09:35 PM

Don't forget that in the last year on GMC, you also finally learnt how to spell definitely correctly.

Posted by: MickeM Feb 9 2008, 09:36 PM

Yeah, definately!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2008, 09:47 PM

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2008, 09:48 PM

Gee, thanks Slammer - you sound like a helpful chap, I look forward to getting to know you better

Posted by: Slammer Feb 9 2008, 09:53 PM

Posted by: blindwillie Feb 9 2008, 10:01 PM

You have achieved a lot in one year Andrew.
Get a beer and put it o my tab, you have deserved it.


The above is so true. It's rare to find a place online where people get along like this. I don't know you all really, yet there are alot of people here I think of as friends.

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2008, 10:03 PM

Thanks

Posted by: mattacuk Feb 9 2008, 10:21 PM

Fantastic post Andrew! Heres to you, my good GMC buddy You have looked after me in times of need, supported me in my thirst for theory knowledge and most of all been a really good friend !!

I hope we will be good friends for many years to come

PS. Does anyone feel like singing a Sting song?

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 9 2008, 10:23 PM

Of course And thankyou for setting such a good Theory example

Posted by: DeepRoots Feb 9 2008, 10:27 PM

Andrew- i would still be on the Am pentatonic if it weren't for you!

Not only have you showed me lots of awesome theory lessons and have been mighty patient with me on PM but you also inspired me to take theory in to my own hands and absorb as much as i possibly can!

Its thanks to you that im earning a couple of extra £ a month teaching theory to beginners, and starting next week ill be giving my first guitar lesson to somebody twice my age

Life is good- and you got the ball rolling- cheers Andrew!

Posted by: fkalich Feb 9 2008, 10:41 PM

song was really nice. and I mean really nice. very precise, but not mechanical, had a lot of feeling. I don't hear a lot of uploads so lacking of flaws. and it is just as hard to play slower like that as fast. very hard to hide flaws, guys playing fast have a much easier time doing that.

My flattery this does not mean I want you to go easy on me when I do eventually upload My Grandfather's Clock. However, I intend to make it as perfect as yours here, except more likely to set my dog's hair on fire.

edit: typo

Posted by: Muris Feb 10 2008, 12:39 AM

Guess I missed the topic a year ago,
welcome Andrew!!

Posted by: Smells Feb 10 2008, 12:56 AM

Excellent post Andrew!

as far as I`m concerned your one cool dude, the support you have provided me with over the last couple of months has been amazing, I`m glad that you are here at GMC things round here just wouldnt be the same without ya!

cheers and all the best

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 10 2008, 01:05 AM

Thanks fkalich - that means a lot coming from you - your pursuit of perfection is legendary

I will of course do you the courtesy of being honest in return when you do upload grandfather clock - looking forward to that.

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 10 2008, 01:06 AM

You are welcome

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 10 2008, 01:07 AM

Thanks Muris



Nice of you to say so mate !

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 10 2008, 12:29 PM

This post is like blast from the past

Welcome Andrew This place surly wouldn't be same without you!

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Feb 10 2008, 10:46 PM

A real truth

Re-welcome Andrew!

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Feb 10 2008, 11:16 PM

Phew I almost deleted this thread and banned the member - I thought someone was trying to imitate Andrew...!

No seriously this must be one of my all time favorite posts - in the same thread you throw us backwards in history, back to present, and manage to tell us what happened in between and show us your progress...WOW!!

Now as for your progress it is true testimonial of what can happen in a short period of time when putting alot of thought behind the practicing... I am looking forward to hearing the progress in a year - I think many of the more technical playing ingredients which I know you have dived into, will start finding their place in your reperoire this year.

Heck Andrew I think you just created a new phenomenon with this post - everyone should bounce their introduction thread after a year and let us know what has happened!

Andrew your fine presence here has defined our community - and I am also very honoured to be able to call you my friend! Simply put - FRIENDS ROCK!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 10 2008, 11:31 PM

Thanks Kris, some very kind words there - none of this would have happened without you of course you rock too my friend

Posted by: Juan M. Valero Feb 11 2008, 04:01 PM

yeah, happy GMC Birthday !! hehehe, Andrew, I said it before but I want to say it again: you rules, my friend

Posted by: coffeeman Feb 11 2008, 05:22 PM

Your theory lessons are a must for every GMCer , thanks for sharing your knowledge with us , and i hope we can count with u for many more years.

Posted by: tonymiro Feb 11 2008, 05:58 PM

Wonderful and very inspirational post Andrew.
Happy anniversary .

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Crazyfret Feb 11 2008, 06:18 PM

An inspiring recap of your year at GMC Andrew , and here's me thinking you've been here for ages!!

I've yet to listen to your 'before' GMC playing to hear the improvement. From what I hear you playing now is excellent and I hope to improve in a similar manner.

I hope the next 12 months are just as rewarding.

Keep up the hard work

Posted by: Toni Suominen Feb 12 2008, 08:43 PM

Happy anniversary from me too! GMC just wouldn't be the same place without you Andrew!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 5 2009, 04:19 PM

Wow, doesn't time fly?

Today is my 2 year anniversary of joining GMC!!!

This thread started the day after I joined when I introduced myself, and I revived it when I had been at GMC for a year - I will continue this tradition by reviving it again today

It's been a busy year for me - both at work in my day job, and at GMC. Whilst I haven't made huge leaps with my playing over the last year, I have consolidated a lot of my techniques and am still overall happy with where my playing is going

In GMC terms, a lot has happened - I seem to always be working on some exciting new scheme with Kris and Smells - in the last year we:

• Launched Virtual Bands (With Smells and now Skenny)
• Supercharged the Wiki (With Fran)
• Relaunched the SI board (with Smells)
• Launched the Mentored Training Program (With Smells)
• Launched SI Lick of the Day (With VelvetRoger)
• Ran a bunch of competitions (with Audiopaal)
• Launched the Monthly Challenge (Smells entirely)
• Started the process of launching a GMC accreditation program (With Smells)
• Mostly completed the first full song GMC instructor collaboration (Smoke on the Water), including Bass, Keyboards, Vocals, and of course a huge number of guitar solos

The biggest thing to take away from this list is that as GMC has grown, so has the number of talented people helping out with all the activities - last year's list earlier in this thread was all about things that I had done - this years list is all about teamwork and working together to bring exciting new activities as we grow bigger!

But my biggest achievement this year was to become a fully-fledged GMC video instructor first with my Smoke on the Water lesson, and now my 'First Steps" Series - this is something I always dreamed of from the day I joined GMC - to be a fully fledged instructor! Along with this, I have learned a lot about video techniques and even green screen recording!

I am also doing a lot of work behind the scenes with instructors and keeping an eye on the Moderators board, although now Micke runs things on a day to day basis - we now have 7 moderators apart from me - MickeM, Tonymirro, Smells, Skennington, Mattacuk, Rockchick and TheUncreator - how things have grown!

So, GMC is taking up most of my spare time, and I love every minute of it - here's to the next year when I will revive this thread yet again!

Posted by: Bondy Feb 5 2009, 04:23 PM

Congratz Andrew you rock,

Posted by: Fran Feb 5 2009, 04:45 PM

Awesome Andrew, you can bet you are a fully fledged instructor, I love your lessons & theory board, and I hope you stay with us for many, many more years to come

Posted by: Tolek Feb 5 2009, 04:45 PM

Congratulations, Andrew. You are a big part of GMC. Among others, you made this place a special one. Be as kind as you are!

Posted by: Dejan Farkas Feb 5 2009, 04:47 PM

Andrew, when I came here, more than a year ago, I remember that you were mostly in theory stuff and moderation, but now it is much much more, and you're doing it perfectly.

Amazing work and I am so pleased to have you here

Posted by: tonymiro Feb 5 2009, 04:48 PM

Happy anniversary Andrew .

Posted by: Pedja Simovic Feb 5 2009, 05:40 PM

Amazing progress Andrew in two years, truly inspiring to read and absorb.

I am very thankful to all the advices you shared with me on video quality. That really made me rethink and approach things from different angle. It was a lot of effort from my side but the time you put in to help was just amazing. I value that very much Andrew and thank you for that.

By the way, Welcome to GMC !

Posted by: audiopaal Feb 5 2009, 06:27 PM

Welcome to GMC Andrew

Posted by: Marek Rojewski Feb 5 2009, 06:31 PM

Enjoy Your stay

Posted by: Canis Feb 5 2009, 07:00 PM

I've never said welcome, so... Welcome to GMC, Andrew! I bet you'll find something for your taste here
If you're the theory kind of man, we've got a couple of those lying around here somewhere

Hehe, GMC wouldn't have been the same without you! I hope ninjas never come and unplug your computer!
Allthough, even if they did, I guess you'll be making housecalls or using morse to communicate with us

Posted by: Mandos Feb 5 2009, 07:02 PM

Welcome to GMC Andrew!

GMC wouldn't be what it is without your amazing theory lessons. Keep up the good work!

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Feb 7 2009, 12:32 AM

Andrew!! I have dreamed about you for the last two years, and now it's coming true...but hey, wait!!

No seriously the amount of good stuff you have done at GMC is more than I can grasp - and what's even worse...we have so many coming things planed. I am so happy it isn't just a dream!

Posted by: Trond Vold Feb 7 2009, 12:41 AM

Congrats on your 2 year anniversary! Hope there will be many more

Posted by: Smells Feb 7 2009, 01:15 AM

omg! has it really been another year!, that just flew by!! congratz mate!

Its been great getting to know you even better these last few months especially, phone calls etc, been an absolute pleasure, you really are a first class geezer!

heres to many more years and more exciting things to work on

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 7 2009, 02:31 AM

Thanks guys!

Kris - not a dream, a nightmare surely??

Chris - same here mate!

Onward to the next year, I'll see you all back in this thread next February!

Posted by: Velvet Roger Feb 7 2009, 07:54 PM

Congrats on your 2nd anniversary, it's been a pleasure to discuss about things the last months

Posted by: Chokehold Feb 7 2009, 08:01 PM