Everything Bianca

I'm summarizing my guitar playing when I haven't really bench-marked anything yet.

Last night I played the current scale I'm working on at 80 bpm easily. It occurred to me that I could turn the metronome up and see where I'd break, but I wanted to move on with the night's play.

Speaking of scales. These are the techy things I have in my head:

Chords: I know the Key of C (triads?) and its barre and 7th chords. (I guess that's how you word it.) I also know a spattering of other majors and minors. I know common chord progressions. 

Scales: I know the pentatonic scale from the open fret to the 15th fret.
I'm learning ... also a C scale, but the parts are called F Lydian, Mixolydian, and Aeolian. I don't really know what those mean, but if you ask me to play it. I can. The nerd in me is slightly embarrassed, but I'm out to learn to play guitar, not pass a pop quiz on theory. I'll eventually read a book that puts all this together, but better I know what it sounds / plays like first. So I like to say to myself.

Songs: 

I can play Blackbird by the Beatles. I did so this morning for my coworkers (by their request!!) and it was at its smoothest and getting better weekly.

I'm working on Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. I hate the sound of a pick on my steel guitar. It feels / sounds so horrible. I nearly cried this week listening to myself play. As a compromise the following day, I strummed with a combo of my thumb on the down stroke and index on the up stroke and I liked it. The strings didn't buzz like they when I use my pick. I didn't sound like I was punching the chords. My  fingers made a soft, pleasant sound. I'm going to practice with both my fingers and the pick. Even if I hate the pick, I need to learn to use it. One day, I might like it. Only time and practice will tell.

The next fingerstyle song I want to play is Scarborough Fair as played by Stephen King (you can find him playing on youtube. I'll add a link later). I gave my teacher the sheet music I wanted to learn from. It's epic and probably way beyond my current skill level. Oh well. I want to try.

Body: 

My left thumb is numb. The back of it. My thumb tingles slightly when I run my finger along it. It's been this way for two days. I am not amused. I think (hope) I may have pinched a nerve while playing with a 5 lb weight.
I don't even notice my left finger tips. They don't hurt, sting, or tingle anymore. My callouses are not too thick. I buff them when they get torn a little.

I keep all my nails short save for my numb left thumb. I grew to dislike the sound of my nails on the guitar and the upkeep they required. Flesh makes a pretty sound, and the tips of the fingers are my right hand are starting to feel just slightly tough on the ends.